Tricked

what surprised me was that the nameless man beside him looked precisely the same.
    » Hey, Coyote, who’s your friend? «
    » That’s Coyote. Coyote, meet Mr. Druid. «
    » Howdy, Mr. Druid, « the man said. His voice was deep, like Michael Clarke Duncan’s, a low resonant bass that you felt as much as heard.
    » Hi, « I said, then frowned at Coyote. » What do you mean? « I asked. » Is he from another tribe? «
    » Nope, he’s from the Diné, « Coyote replied, obviously enjoying my confusion. » You don’t know our stories as well as you should. Most tribes have only the one Coyote, but in some versions of the Diné Bahane’ —the tale of Emergence—there are two. «
    » I’m Great Coyote, « the deep voice said. » Or sometimes Coyote Who Was Formed in the Water. «
    » And I’m the one the Diné call Á³tsé Hashké , « Coyote said, then tossed his head at his companion. » He definitely has the better reputation. I get blamed for everything. «
    » Two Coyotes? « I said. » What should I call you? Black Hat and White Hat? I can’t call you both the same thing. «
    Coyote in the white hat said, » I tell people sometimes that my name is Joe, « he said. » Does that work for you? «
    » Very well, « I said, and turned to Coyote in the black hat, who’d apparently been playing me for a sucker much longer than I thought. » And what about you? «
    » You ain’t gonna call me by my real name, so just keep callin’ me Coyote and that way you won’t get confused. «
    It was no wonder, I thought, that Frank hadn’t been sure which one of the First People Mr. Benally was. His comment that they were » capable of trickin’ a fella pretty good « made much more sense now. To my magical sight, Coyote and Joe looked exactly the same. There was no way to tell them apart. Only in the visible spectrum did they appear any different, and I’m sure that was by choice.
    » Gotta thank you, Mr. Druid, « Coyote said. » Haven’t been able to get a shot at these boys in a long time. «
    Joe nodded. » That’s right. This time we should be able to take care of them. «
    » Take care of them how? « I gestured at the red gasoline containers. » You going to burn the bodies? «
    » Well, for a start. If we stopped there, then the First World spirits could take off, « Coyote explained.
    I was lost for a moment, but then I nodded. » Oh, I see. Because they’re bound to the ch’áádiis and the ch’áádiis are bound to the bodies. «
    » Right. So if we just burn ’em and disperse the ghosts, then they’ll hightail it to Window Rock or someplace, turning regular assholes into superfast shape-shifting cannibal assholes. «
    » Don’t you have a ritual to combat these guys? «
    Coyote lifted his hat and scratched his head. » Well, Mr. Druid, it’s all defense and no offense. It’s protection like the Blessing Way, and there’s some exorcism in the Enemy Way—but there’s nothin’ to kill ’em with. All the killing rituals are on their side—’cause they’re practicin’ Áñ³’ ááh , the Witchery Way. Sometimes we get lucky and can turn their own spells against ’em. But these guys got smart and stopped doin’ ceremonies like that a long time ago, stopped spreadin’ their corpse powder around. Ain’t a doubt in my mind these spirits were behind that. They used their speed and strength to kill people and left me an’ the hataa³iis nothin’ to work with. «
    » So how do you kill them? «
    » You can’t kill ’em, « Joe said, his voice cut with a note of impatience. » They’re damn spirits. All you can do is send ’em somewhere else—somewhere safe. «
    » An’ that means sendin’ ’em back to First World, « Coyote said. » These things have been playin’ around up here for far too long. Once we get ’em back there, they’ll be stuck. «
    » Why would they be stuck? « Granuaile asked. » Is there flypaper for spirits down there or something? «
    Joe laughed and squatted down on his haunches to untie his jish . » That’d be nice, ’cause then they wouldn’t bother us when we visit. But Coyote means they won’t be able to leave First World again. The doorway to Second World was closed long ago, an’ now only he an’ I can go back there an’ return again. « He peered up at Coyote. » We’re gonna need to get these caltrops outta the way, though, before we can start. «
    Granuaile said, » There’s a couple of brooms in the hogan. I’ll go grab them. « As her