The Defiling — Bridget McKenna

On a pilgrimage across a pitiless desert, three poets find a small child dying of thirst and exposure. They stop to observe and create art from the moment, for this is the work of true poets -- their duty to the world. One will not be changed by the tragedy they are about to witness. One will lose everything she possesses, and the third will feel the weight of her next decision for every moment of her life to come.

The Defiling is a science fiction short story of approximately 3000 words. It originally appeared in Amazing Stories magazine, edited by Patrick L. Price. This edition contains an essay by the author, "Writing The Defiling."