The Dog Stars

Heller raises dramatic tension as nine mena quarter-mile behind Hig stalk him. Bangley’s precise directions save Hig, who shoots four of the men. Days earlier, Jasper dies in his sleep, causing Hig to extend the fishing and hunting trip. Hig radios Bangley on the tenth day and soon after, Bangley relays back, “Hig you got company” (118). He adds, “There is no way they can hear us Hig. They are upwind […] As far as they are concerned, Hig, you are solo. Solo prey” (119).

As Hig gets stalked, Bangley instructs Hig to act casually, as though clueless to the stalkers. Bangley tells Hig to make it to a draw in the trail, hide the gun and two dead deer on the sled, and shoot the men right to left as they reach the lip of the hill. “They know you are armed,” Bangley says. “They want your meat they want your weapon. They are not armed. Not with guns saw no guns” (120).The bearded men wield machetes; Hig hides, waiting for the men. A round of mortar fire, which concusses Hig scatter the five men Hig doesn’t kill.

Hig returns to the abandoned airport. He realizes the essential nature of Bangley’s help, as Heller further characterizes each man’s dependency on the other.