could it be that made me rise and head down toward the valley floor despite the fear I had of both men?
The questing spirit in me, I reckoned, ever seeking what it would never find: a way back to the time before—
I cut off the thought, turning my mind away. The Kai had given his command, and Papa said heed it. So why did something deep down inside me gnaw at me to hear the man out? God had sent him. Who can stand against God and not come out the worst for it? Didn’t God see and hear everything and bring judgment? Was I not already condemned?
I went down until I stood at the edge of the trees looking out across the valley floor. A curl of smoke rose into the morning air and a man sat close by, roasting a fish. My heart beat faster, and taking a deep breath, I sneaked closer, finally going down on my hands and knees. Swallowing my fear, I crawled through the tall grass until I reached the shrubs that lined the river. Inching closer, I peered down the bank and across the ripples to where he sat, head bowed. He ate, rose and washed his hands, then sat again, head bowed.
“A day in the presence of the Lord is better than a thousand lived without him,” came a soft whisper.
Glancing behind me, I saw Lilybet standing close by. Afraid she’d be seen, I motioned her to sit down and be silent. She came closer, stretching out on her stomach beside me.
“He knows we’re here, Katrina Anice.”
“I was very careful.”
“And intent.”
“Is that so wrong?”
She smiled. “You’re not far from the truth.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Since the day you saw me at the river.”
Sometimes there was no talking to her and making sense of it.
The sound of rustling made my heart leap in fear. Copperheads sometimes slithered among the brush and rock of the riverbank. I looked about me, muscles tense. Fagan appeared, briefly startled at the sight of me. He had crawled on his belly through the grass, same way I had.
“What’re ye doing here?” he growled low, a look of pure disgust on his face.
“I could ask the same of you!” I whispered back, resentful of his presence.
“Dinna my father tell ye to stay away?”
“Same as he told you, I reckon.”
His mouth tightened. He got that look on his face that he was going to do what he wanted no matter what and started crawling forward again, using his elbows and snaking his body along until he came up alongside me where Lilybet had been. Bold with me, she was shy of others. And strange beyond my ken.
In truth, I was glad of Fagan’s company and didn’t mind him knowing so. “I seen him when he first came up the trail through the Narrows.”
“And?”
“He was talking to God. And God answered.”
“You’re crazy.”
“I am not!”
“Shhhh!”
Tears pricked my eyes as I glared at him.
“Has he said anything?” Fagan said.
“No.”
“Done anything?”
“Ate a fish he roasted.”
“Maybe he’s sleeping now,” he whispered. “Can’t tell nothing from this distance.” He edged closer and one of the branches snapped back, smacking me in the face and drawing a startled cry of pain. The branch waved and shuddered over my head as I ducked and covered my stinging cheek.
“Well, now ye’ve done it.” Fagan’s voice trembled.
I looked up again, and my heart bounded around in my chest like a rabbit before a hound, for the man had raised his head. His bearded face was cocked to one side, like an animal alerted that an enemy was near. When he rose to his feet, my heart stopped and then began beating again so fast I thought it was coming up into my throat. I could scarcely draw breath.
“He’s looking this way,” Fagan whispered.
“I con see. I con see.”
“Don’t move. I don’t think he’s seen us.”
The man came a few feet closer to the edge of the river. “Blessed is the one that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,” he called out, “nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
The questing spirit in me, I reckoned, ever seeking what it would never find: a way back to the time before—
I cut off the thought, turning my mind away. The Kai had given his command, and Papa said heed it. So why did something deep down inside me gnaw at me to hear the man out? God had sent him. Who can stand against God and not come out the worst for it? Didn’t God see and hear everything and bring judgment? Was I not already condemned?
I went down until I stood at the edge of the trees looking out across the valley floor. A curl of smoke rose into the morning air and a man sat close by, roasting a fish. My heart beat faster, and taking a deep breath, I sneaked closer, finally going down on my hands and knees. Swallowing my fear, I crawled through the tall grass until I reached the shrubs that lined the river. Inching closer, I peered down the bank and across the ripples to where he sat, head bowed. He ate, rose and washed his hands, then sat again, head bowed.
“A day in the presence of the Lord is better than a thousand lived without him,” came a soft whisper.
Glancing behind me, I saw Lilybet standing close by. Afraid she’d be seen, I motioned her to sit down and be silent. She came closer, stretching out on her stomach beside me.
“He knows we’re here, Katrina Anice.”
“I was very careful.”
“And intent.”
“Is that so wrong?”
She smiled. “You’re not far from the truth.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Since the day you saw me at the river.”
Sometimes there was no talking to her and making sense of it.
The sound of rustling made my heart leap in fear. Copperheads sometimes slithered among the brush and rock of the riverbank. I looked about me, muscles tense. Fagan appeared, briefly startled at the sight of me. He had crawled on his belly through the grass, same way I had.
“What’re ye doing here?” he growled low, a look of pure disgust on his face.
“I could ask the same of you!” I whispered back, resentful of his presence.
“Dinna my father tell ye to stay away?”
“Same as he told you, I reckon.”
His mouth tightened. He got that look on his face that he was going to do what he wanted no matter what and started crawling forward again, using his elbows and snaking his body along until he came up alongside me where Lilybet had been. Bold with me, she was shy of others. And strange beyond my ken.
In truth, I was glad of Fagan’s company and didn’t mind him knowing so. “I seen him when he first came up the trail through the Narrows.”
“And?”
“He was talking to God. And God answered.”
“You’re crazy.”
“I am not!”
“Shhhh!”
Tears pricked my eyes as I glared at him.
“Has he said anything?” Fagan said.
“No.”
“Done anything?”
“Ate a fish he roasted.”
“Maybe he’s sleeping now,” he whispered. “Can’t tell nothing from this distance.” He edged closer and one of the branches snapped back, smacking me in the face and drawing a startled cry of pain. The branch waved and shuddered over my head as I ducked and covered my stinging cheek.
“Well, now ye’ve done it.” Fagan’s voice trembled.
I looked up again, and my heart bounded around in my chest like a rabbit before a hound, for the man had raised his head. His bearded face was cocked to one side, like an animal alerted that an enemy was near. When he rose to his feet, my heart stopped and then began beating again so fast I thought it was coming up into my throat. I could scarcely draw breath.
“He’s looking this way,” Fagan whispered.
“I con see. I con see.”
“Don’t move. I don’t think he’s seen us.”
The man came a few feet closer to the edge of the river. “Blessed is the one that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,” he called out, “nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
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