The Knackerman (Electronic book text)

Benny the knackerman collects dead animals from farms and delivers them to be processed. He's old and feels useless, but carries on with his unusual job because he knows more about it than anyone. Cattle are usually dead of disease or injury, but not on Andriss Scott's farm. Upon arrival at Scott's home, standing next to mutilated cattle, Benny finds a little girl, Corina, who tells him there were dancing lights in the sky and the poor cows had been "taken." Confused, Benny speaks to the farmer, Andriss, and is put at ease by swapping military service stories and the farmer's calm demeanor. A short story.