Dark, controlled, and vivid in a way that feels almost ceremonial. The “tap-tapping” of the drum, the counting of “One. / Two. / Three.”, the “fresh pine” of the scaffold, even the “smell of charred fat” from the baker’s chimney, all of it makes the walk to the gallows feel painfully real. You don’t just describe the scene, you let it tighten around the reader step by step.

What gives it extra force is the calmness of the voice. No pleading, no panic, just that eerie clarity right up to “I smiled at the dark.” That ending is excellent. Cold, proud, and unforgettable.