might’ve said some callous things, but don’t let
it get to you. He might wear a sour puss all the time, but he’s not the kind to bully
folks. However, he does have to say some hard things to stay true to himself. It’s
a hard life, being so tough on yourself like that. And I hear it’s a lot worse in
his case. If you could get inside his skin, it’d be so sad in there it’d kill the
likes of you or me.”
Tae didn’t know what to say.
“Oh, I saw our new arrival coming out of here earlier,” the old woman continued. “What
was he up to in here?”
“Not a thing. He just came in to cheer me up, is all.”
“Hmm, must be nice being a pretty young thing. But I’ll have to have a word with him.
I can’t have you getting all infested with bugs and such.”
Granny stepped out of the wagon. A figure in black stood right there.
“Heard us, did you?” the old woman asked.
Not answering, D just put his hand to his traveler’s hat and tugged the brim down
a bit.
“Here I was, thinking you’re cold as ice, and then you go and do something all considerate
like coming out from the shade under the wagon for me. You really are worried about
the girl, aren’t you?”
“Something strange is happening to the desert,” D said tersely.
Granny’s expression changed. “What?” she asked in equally terse fashion.
“I don’t know. Though something’s clearly not right, I can’t be certain just what
it is.”
“You saying we should move out, then?”
D didn’t answer her, and Granny soon fell silent, too. They’d come to a conclusion
about that earlier. For the time being, they could merely wait. D’s eyes shifted ever
so slightly to the east.
“What is it?” Granny asked, unable to see anything there.
“I hear a sewing machine.”
“Looks like she’s finally turned around,” Granny said with a wry smile. “Now all we
have to do is get out of this desert and get away from you.”
“From me?”
“I’m sure you’re not so thickheaded as to miss what I’m driving at. You’re a dangerous
man, not just for that girl, but for all women. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that?
If they haven’t, it’s because one look at you scrambles their brains.”
The old woman stared at D’s face, waiting for some reaction. Even out in the sunlight,
he looked as beautiful as a crystal that’d formed somewhere in the darkness and then
been worked by the chisel of the Almighty. A weird sensation surged up from Granny’s
lower half, making her shake. The praise of the present world meant nothing to this
young man. Only those dead and removed from the material world could pay him his due.
“‘There’s no place like home,’” D said dispassionately. “At least, that’s the maxim
of travelers on the Frontier. But is that really the case?”
“I don’t necessarily know how relaxing it’ll be, but if you’ve got one, it’s generally
best you go back to it. You’re talking about the girl, aren’t you? You trying to suggest
I shouldn’t bring her home?”
“Are there any hidden who’ve settled back at home after you delivered them?” the Hunter
asked.
“I wouldn’t know,” Granny said, turning away disdainfully. “I’m only responsible for
’em until I get ’em home. But once they’re there, it’s somebody else’s problem, you
see. I’m not really in a position to provide maintenance and upkeep, you know.”
“I met one once,” D said. His darkness-hued words melted in the sunlight.
Granny gazed vacantly at his beautiful countenance. Unrestrained curiosity and excitement
colored her eyes. She couldn’t conceive of this young man ever turning his thoughts
to the past.
“It was in a village in a southwestern sector of the Frontier. Apparently, he’d been
run out of town by the whole community. This boy of about eight was freezing to death
by the banks of the river. Not long after I heard the particulars, he
it get to you. He might wear a sour puss all the time, but he’s not the kind to bully
folks. However, he does have to say some hard things to stay true to himself. It’s
a hard life, being so tough on yourself like that. And I hear it’s a lot worse in
his case. If you could get inside his skin, it’d be so sad in there it’d kill the
likes of you or me.”
Tae didn’t know what to say.
“Oh, I saw our new arrival coming out of here earlier,” the old woman continued. “What
was he up to in here?”
“Not a thing. He just came in to cheer me up, is all.”
“Hmm, must be nice being a pretty young thing. But I’ll have to have a word with him.
I can’t have you getting all infested with bugs and such.”
Granny stepped out of the wagon. A figure in black stood right there.
“Heard us, did you?” the old woman asked.
Not answering, D just put his hand to his traveler’s hat and tugged the brim down
a bit.
“Here I was, thinking you’re cold as ice, and then you go and do something all considerate
like coming out from the shade under the wagon for me. You really are worried about
the girl, aren’t you?”
“Something strange is happening to the desert,” D said tersely.
Granny’s expression changed. “What?” she asked in equally terse fashion.
“I don’t know. Though something’s clearly not right, I can’t be certain just what
it is.”
“You saying we should move out, then?”
D didn’t answer her, and Granny soon fell silent, too. They’d come to a conclusion
about that earlier. For the time being, they could merely wait. D’s eyes shifted ever
so slightly to the east.
“What is it?” Granny asked, unable to see anything there.
“I hear a sewing machine.”
“Looks like she’s finally turned around,” Granny said with a wry smile. “Now all we
have to do is get out of this desert and get away from you.”
“From me?”
“I’m sure you’re not so thickheaded as to miss what I’m driving at. You’re a dangerous
man, not just for that girl, but for all women. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that?
If they haven’t, it’s because one look at you scrambles their brains.”
The old woman stared at D’s face, waiting for some reaction. Even out in the sunlight,
he looked as beautiful as a crystal that’d formed somewhere in the darkness and then
been worked by the chisel of the Almighty. A weird sensation surged up from Granny’s
lower half, making her shake. The praise of the present world meant nothing to this
young man. Only those dead and removed from the material world could pay him his due.
“‘There’s no place like home,’” D said dispassionately. “At least, that’s the maxim
of travelers on the Frontier. But is that really the case?”
“I don’t necessarily know how relaxing it’ll be, but if you’ve got one, it’s generally
best you go back to it. You’re talking about the girl, aren’t you? You trying to suggest
I shouldn’t bring her home?”
“Are there any hidden who’ve settled back at home after you delivered them?” the Hunter
asked.
“I wouldn’t know,” Granny said, turning away disdainfully. “I’m only responsible for
’em until I get ’em home. But once they’re there, it’s somebody else’s problem, you
see. I’m not really in a position to provide maintenance and upkeep, you know.”
“I met one once,” D said. His darkness-hued words melted in the sunlight.
Granny gazed vacantly at his beautiful countenance. Unrestrained curiosity and excitement
colored her eyes. She couldn’t conceive of this young man ever turning his thoughts
to the past.
“It was in a village in a southwestern sector of the Frontier. Apparently, he’d been
run out of town by the whole community. This boy of about eight was freezing to death
by the banks of the river. Not long after I heard the particulars, he
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