Blood Red Road

he means if it goes wrong an we gotta make a run fer it.
    I want Hermes with me, I says. They’ll be safe hidden in them trees.
    I swing myself down. I lead Hermes up the hill, criss crossin the loose shale. His feet slide an slip, but I talk to him in a quiet voice an he don’t make a fuss. He trusts me. Jest like I trust him. Th’others follow on behind, an we pick our way, slow an careful, to the top.
    Jack’s right. We’ll be able to see Pinch comin at us over the plain from a long ways off.
    I give Hermes’ rump a pat an Ash an Ike lead the horses off to settle ’em in the trees behind us. Meantime, me, Jack, Lugh an Tommo divide our ammo. There’s a good sized pile of arrows fer each of us, but still my heart sinks at the sight of ’em.
    Tommo looks at Jack. His brown eyes dark, worried. Not enough, he says.
    We got plenty, kid, says Jack. Don’t you worry.
    I ain’t got a weapon, says Lugh.
    Tommo lifts his bow over his head. Hands it to him. She’s a good ’un, he says. Ike made her fer me.
    I couldn’t, says Lugh. What’ll you use?
    Slingshot, says Tommo, holdin it up.
    If yer sure, says Lugh. Thanks, Tommo.
    Ike an Ash join us.
    Jack hands Tommo the long-looker. You wanna be on lookout? he says.
    How’s about that, son? says Ike. Lookout’s the most important job there is.
    Tommo beams. Really?
    Really. Now, you go pick the tree with the best view over the plain. Climb right to the top an keep watch. The moment you see anybody comin, call out. Good an loud. Got it?
    Got it, says Tommo. He’s turnin to go when Ike grabs his arm.
    If there’s any fightin, Tommo, you stick close to me. Don’t go off on yer own. You unnerstand, son?
    Don’t worry, Ike, Tommo smiles. I got yer back. Clutchin the looker to his chest, he runs off to choose his lookout spot.
    He’s got my back, Ike mutters. A fight ain’t no place fer a boy who cain’t hear. I wish I’d never brought him.
    He’ll be fine, says Jack. Don’t worry. You told him to stick with you an he will.
    So what’s the plan? says Ash.
    Jack looks at me. Gives me his lopsided grin. I smile back.
    Jack’s silver moonlight eyes. The stillness at the heart of him. Like calm water.
    We’re gonna hafta wing this one, I says.
    Ash rolls her eyes. How did I know you was gonna say that?
    What now? says Lugh.
    Now, says Jack, we wait.

    We hunker down behind the big rocks at the top of the hill with the stand of pine behind us. The plain sweeps out in front of us, wide an bare.
    Me an Lugh sit with our backs aginst one big rock. Close together. Our shoulders touchin.
    Oh, I says, I nearly fergot. I reach into my pocket. Pull out his necklace. The little ring of shiny green glass threaded onto a scrap of leather. I hand it to him. Found this lyin by the road, I says.
    I was wonderin where that got to.
    Lucky fer you I was passin that way, I says.
    Yeah, he says. I’m lucky all right.
    We’re quiet fer a bit, then he nudges me with his elbow. So, he says, what about this Jack?
    What about him? I says.
    Looks to me like there’s somethin goin on between yuz, he says.
    I feel the heat crawl up my neck, into my cheeks. There ain’t nuthin goin on, I says.
    Look at you, he says. Yer such a bad liar. So. You like him. Where’d you meet him? His voice sounds all tight. He’s jabbin at the ground with the end of his bow.
    In Hopetown, I says. I wouldn’t of found you in time if it warn’t fer him.
    He looks at me sidewise. Do I need to thrash him?
    Don’t be so stupid. No. You don’t hafta thrash him.
    Good, he says. Cuz I’m a dangerous man now. A hard man.
    Hard man, I says. As if.
    We shove each other with our shoulders. Sit quiet fer a bit. Then he says, You know what I hated most? Besides bein away from you?
    What?
    Thinkin about Pa. Thinkin how I was with him that last day. Rememberin all them awful things I said to him. That he died believin that’s what I thought of him.
    He knew you didn’t mean it, I says. It’s my fault he’s dead, says Lugh. I feel … It’s like I killed him.
    How can you say that? I says. The Tonton killed him, not you. You loved Pa an he loved you.
    He says naught. Jest stares at the ground.
    You didn’t kill him, I says. Don’t ever say that again.
    The sun starts to rise.
    We sit silent.
    An we wait.

    They’re comin! Tommo yells down from his lookout point high in the tree.
    How many? calls Ike.
    Tommo holds up three fingers.
    What the hell? says Ash.
    Tommo’s climbed down the tree fast as a