El Paso Way by Steven Law

couldn’t do that either. But for many years we have learned these talents and with much practice have mastered the abilities.”
    Enrique nodded, reached to the fire, and turned the rabbit as it roasted on a skewer.
    â€œDo you think you could teach me?” Enrique said.
    They looked at each other, and Pang shrugged. “I could try, but it will take time.”
    â€œI understand, but I am a fast learner. In trade I will teach you to shoot the bow and arrow.”
    Pang nodded. “What you want to learn is called kung fu. My father was my teacher, and when I was little he always told me that the body cannot act until the mind is first clear. That was the first lesson.”
    â€œIt seems like a wise statement, but how do you use it?”
    Pang rose to his knees then sat back on his heels, and he instructed Enrique to do the same. The
Criollo
followed his instruction, and Pang started breathing deeply, with his eyes closed. After three deep breaths, he opened his eyes and looked at Enrique.
    â€œThe brain works best when the blood that flows through it is rich with oxygen. Daily, when we meditate, we breathe, in through the nose, out the mouth, in heavy breaths. And if a need for defense ever arises, it’s like second nature to take a heavy breath so the mind will help you in your defense.”
    Enrique copied Pang and breathed deeply several times, feeling the pleasure to his lungs and the relaxation of his body. He smiled and looked at Pang. “I like this. What is next?”
    â€œOne does not learn kung fu in one night. You must master the first two lessons first, then I will give you lesson three.”
    Enrique thought about both lessons, and caught himself doing the breathing exercises and thinking in a preoccupied fashion about busting the crock.
    When the rabbit was cooked, Enrique tore off a leg and handed it to Pang. The Chinaman took it reluctantly and bit into it carefully, but he eventually nodded his approval to the cook. Enrique then wrapped another leg of the rabbit in a cloth, along with some bread, and took it north into the darkness and sat it on a boulder. He placed another rock on top of it, a system that he and Sereno were both familiar with.
    After they ate, Enrique threw his bones into the fire and went to the stream to wash his hands and face. When he returned, Pang was cuddled up under his bedroll, his eyes still open, the embers of the fire glowing on his face and reflecting in his eyes.
    â€œIn the morning I will give you your first arrow lesson,” Enrique said.
    Pang nodded, then closed his eyes, and Enrique sat back down and practiced his breathing until his own eyes felt heavy and sleep consumed them both.
    * * *
    Whenever Enrique camped in the desert, he was used to waking to the social calls of many birds, but this morning the land around the Huachuca was particularly quiet. Because of this change of nature, his awakening was peculiarly uneasy. He looked up into the coral sky to the east, and the only normal sense was the smell of the smoldering coals of the fire. When his eyes had completely focused, the first thing he noticed was that Pang was gone, as was his bedroll. Enrique walked quickly about, looking in all directions, and that’s when he saw Pang sitting on the crest of a bluff, facing the eastern sky. He was sitting the way he had when he demonstrated the breathing technique to Enrique. His posture was straight and his hands were uniform in his lap. He steadily rose to his feet, raised his hands, bent, and touched the ground, then stood in a sprawling stance, jumped, and kicked, all the while holding his hands out in front of him.
    Enrique wasn’t sure what the Chinaman was doing, but he decided that it wasn’t good to worry, and went about stoking the fire and rolling up his own bedroll. After tying it on the mule, he went up to the boulder where he’d left the piece of rabbit the night before and found the rock back on