The commotion outside had gotten Mary curious, after hearing several of the travellers dismount from the wagon and their horses she could hear muffled talking, she slowly pulled out the cork covering the hole in the barrel and looked out, now she could see some of what was happening and hear clearly.<br/><br/>A few of them were gathered around in a sort of circle looking at something on the floor, the small girl watched as Brother Valetni bent down, Mary's view suddenyl blocked by the edge of the wagon she waited intently and, after a few minutes filled with nasty squishing and cutting noises, Valetni returned to his previous position looking at something in his hand.<br/><br/>Mary pressed her eye closer to the hole almost popping out of it to get a better look, then he held it up to the light...<br/><br/>The young girl quickly withdrew from her spy hole and fumbled to push the cork back in,<br/><br/>Then there was more talking, and even worse, more cutting noises.<br/><br/>She managed to push it in and, with the stopper finally in place she sat curled in a ball, the sight rolling over and over in her head.<br/><br/>It was an eyeball, a person's eyeball.<br/><br/>She wanted to throw up.<br/><br/>The girl sat in silence, holding the small duck and gently stroking its feathers as silent tears ran down her face. Her little frame rocking back and forth inside the barrel as she wrapped a scarf around her head to block out the awful noises from outside.