Oh shit! That's one COLD story. Well, except for the slight display of humaninty Nathan displayed. Nice finish with the rat...I had forgotten about it. Only one clarification need popped up for me: "flicked her cigarette over the body" When first read, I assumed she flicked her cigarette over and past the body...like you see in movies. Then later when she dropped it and put it out, I realized I had read that part wrong. I am guessing here, but I suspect you didn't want to spoil the "ashes to ashes" remark that followed by using the word "ash" in the words leading to it. Maybe... "...irreverently tapped her cigarette" (the use of the word "irrecerently" might go well with the "ashes to ashes" remark used at funerals. But even this might not be very good. As usual, your writing is easy to read.