The undertaker doesn't seem fazed by Merrick's attitude. He pockets the coin and shrugs.

"Do what you like," he says gruffly. "Ain't like they're gonna complain."

Merrick ignores Alayre's scolding and seeks out one of the corpses that hasn't been thrown on the pile yet. It's a man. Merrick looks down at him, and feels sudden nausea creep into his stomach and up his throat.

With sudden ferocity he takes his dagger and slits open the man's belly, exposing still-pink organs and spraying blood all over his hands and forearms. He shoves his hands inside, searching, trembling from head to toe.