do, they’ll understand."
"I could use the food source," Charlinder admitted after a pause. "Would it really work, though?"
"How would it not work?"
"I don’t think a milking ewe will be up to walking that many hours a day. Whereas a pack animal wouldn’t tire out before I do."
"Okay, consider this. When was the last time you heard of a guy who died from injuries inflicted by a milking ewe that got out of control?"
"That would be..." Charlinder began, and stopped short. "Okay, point taken, but still, what happens when she gets tired of walking?"
"You never had much cold tolerance, and I don’t think you’re going to put any more meat on your bones in the next couple of years, so what happens when you can’t stay warm enough to survive a winter night in the Great Frozen North? I’ll tell you what happens: your body burns calories to stay warm, and that means you get thinner, and how will that work if you have nothing to eat out there? Take a ewe, she’ll keep you clothed and fed, she’ll be easier to feed than a pack animal and easier to control. She can go places that a horse can’t, though sometimes you might have to carry her."
"I’m carrying enough already."
"And you’re a healthy young man with long legs and a strong back; you’ll manage the weight, but you won’t even hold yourself up if you keel over from cold or hunger."
"Okay, I get it. I’m sure it’ll be nice to have something walking along with me." He paused. "Even if I have to put her on my shoulders sometimes."
"I read Eileen's Plague-time journals, too. You don't know how dangerous loneliness can be, because you've never really felt it. Goodnight, Char."
Charlinder stayed at Spinners' Square longer than his friends at that time of year. He was making himself a new set of winter clothes, as it was so much more important this time. The weather was getting cool and cloudy enough that Miriam and the young women found other types of work more comfortable than sitting still outdoors in early evening. As he was leaving one day later that week, Yolande caught him and pulled him aside. She took him around, not to the main road for the meeting square as he'd intended, but the back way facing the river and headed them towards the barnyard.
"You need to see Judith," she said while glancing furtively around, as if someone were about to jump out.
"Your cousin, Judith?" he asked. Yolande nodded. "Why?"
"Because she wants to be the new schoolteacher."
Charlinder didn't know Judith very well, though he vaguely remembered her from their school days. She was a few years younger, and he recalled that she had always been helpful to their teacher, though he could never tell how gifted she was. She was young for the position, but no one else had come forward and their village had seen younger teachers. Moreover, it occurred to Charlinder that "gifted" wasn’t nearly as important a qualification as "willing," and if Judith was volunteering herself, that made her a better candidate than anyone else he knew. "That's good news. Why are we sneaking around?"
"Because Bruce is out of his gourd!" she hissed.
"What's his problem today?"
"He keeps trying to pick a fight with Kenny. Not that I can catch him at it, but I swear, he's looking for an excuse."
"He’s still doing that?"
"He's at it again, and it's because of me, so I'm trying to stay out of his way until it blows over. Not easy when you live with the guy."
"How is it because of you?"
"Because I might be pregnant, and if so, it's from Kenny."
"And your brother doesn't approve?"
"And I was stupid enough to tell Brucie when I don't even really know yet! So he's being a pain in my ass, and a pain in Kenny's...everything, if he gets his way, and I'm trying not to put his attention on either of us."
"What exactly is Brucie trying to accomplish this time?"
"You know my brother and his Faith, and what he believes God wants us to do,
"I could use the food source," Charlinder admitted after a pause. "Would it really work, though?"
"How would it not work?"
"I don’t think a milking ewe will be up to walking that many hours a day. Whereas a pack animal wouldn’t tire out before I do."
"Okay, consider this. When was the last time you heard of a guy who died from injuries inflicted by a milking ewe that got out of control?"
"That would be..." Charlinder began, and stopped short. "Okay, point taken, but still, what happens when she gets tired of walking?"
"You never had much cold tolerance, and I don’t think you’re going to put any more meat on your bones in the next couple of years, so what happens when you can’t stay warm enough to survive a winter night in the Great Frozen North? I’ll tell you what happens: your body burns calories to stay warm, and that means you get thinner, and how will that work if you have nothing to eat out there? Take a ewe, she’ll keep you clothed and fed, she’ll be easier to feed than a pack animal and easier to control. She can go places that a horse can’t, though sometimes you might have to carry her."
"I’m carrying enough already."
"And you’re a healthy young man with long legs and a strong back; you’ll manage the weight, but you won’t even hold yourself up if you keel over from cold or hunger."
"Okay, I get it. I’m sure it’ll be nice to have something walking along with me." He paused. "Even if I have to put her on my shoulders sometimes."
"I read Eileen's Plague-time journals, too. You don't know how dangerous loneliness can be, because you've never really felt it. Goodnight, Char."
Charlinder stayed at Spinners' Square longer than his friends at that time of year. He was making himself a new set of winter clothes, as it was so much more important this time. The weather was getting cool and cloudy enough that Miriam and the young women found other types of work more comfortable than sitting still outdoors in early evening. As he was leaving one day later that week, Yolande caught him and pulled him aside. She took him around, not to the main road for the meeting square as he'd intended, but the back way facing the river and headed them towards the barnyard.
"You need to see Judith," she said while glancing furtively around, as if someone were about to jump out.
"Your cousin, Judith?" he asked. Yolande nodded. "Why?"
"Because she wants to be the new schoolteacher."
Charlinder didn't know Judith very well, though he vaguely remembered her from their school days. She was a few years younger, and he recalled that she had always been helpful to their teacher, though he could never tell how gifted she was. She was young for the position, but no one else had come forward and their village had seen younger teachers. Moreover, it occurred to Charlinder that "gifted" wasn’t nearly as important a qualification as "willing," and if Judith was volunteering herself, that made her a better candidate than anyone else he knew. "That's good news. Why are we sneaking around?"
"Because Bruce is out of his gourd!" she hissed.
"What's his problem today?"
"He keeps trying to pick a fight with Kenny. Not that I can catch him at it, but I swear, he's looking for an excuse."
"He’s still doing that?"
"He's at it again, and it's because of me, so I'm trying to stay out of his way until it blows over. Not easy when you live with the guy."
"How is it because of you?"
"Because I might be pregnant, and if so, it's from Kenny."
"And your brother doesn't approve?"
"And I was stupid enough to tell Brucie when I don't even really know yet! So he's being a pain in my ass, and a pain in Kenny's...everything, if he gets his way, and I'm trying not to put his attention on either of us."
"What exactly is Brucie trying to accomplish this time?"
"You know my brother and his Faith, and what he believes God wants us to do,
Similar Books
