When They Return

by Luc Reid

And at last, on the eighty-first day of their travels, the village came into sight through the trees, incomprehensibly peaceful and familiar and dull. The two surviving members of the quest limped, exhausted, toward the council house.

They didn’t have to announce their arrival: awed children–Second Trout, the flinter’s son; the orphans Birch-Leaf and Birch-Bough; Small Badger; and the others–coalesced around the adventurers with shrieks, clapping their hands excitedly against their thighs. Their families and neighbors left hides curing, grain half-pounded, roofs part-mended. By the time the two reached the council house, the Elders were already hurrying in, and almost the entire village trailed behind them in a raucous parade.

The younger traveler collapsed onto the cool dirt floor, laughing weakly. Two of the unmarried girls brought him water in a gourd.

The older traveler, Broken Tooth Wolf, gripped the center pole for support but remained standing. Under his free arm he held a hide-wrapped bundle somewhat larger than a man’s head.

“Broken Tooth Wolf!” said the Eldest as she creaked into a sitting position on a reed mat. “Where are Red Tailed Hawk and Bullfrog and Turtle Beak?”

“They’re dead, and their bones are scattered and trampled in places we don’t dare to return,” said Broken Tooth Wolf. Another elder opened his mouth to ask a question, but Broken Tooth Wolf spoke quickly. “We don’t have much time. Our journey was not successful. I have only been able to bring back one thing to help us, and you will see that it is not what we hoped for.”

Broken Tooth Wolf loosened the hide wrapping of his package, then threw it to the floor, where the coverings fell away to show what it was. The council house went quiet.

The Eldest looked up at Broken Tooth Wolf in surprise. Broken Tooth Wolf nodded, wearily.

“It is all we have,” said the Eldest. “We will do with it what we can. War chief, kill Broken Tooth Wolf by the black rocks and bring back his head. You others, get to work now. We must be prepared before they find us.”

Broken Tooth Wolf went unresistingly with the war chief. At least his lot would be easier than that of the ones who would stay to fight.

Ike’s Word

by Edd

The old woman sits on her stoop and dispenses words. Nobody really remembers when she first arrived, but Mister Rainey, who’s retired now, went to her when he was in second or third grade. She said one word that changed him forever. She never spoke to him again, he says.

It’s like that. Parents take their kids to the old woman. She won’t say anything if they stay to listen, but once a child is alone with her she will look them over. From head to toe, from leftmost finger to rightmost, from skin on in.

Then she whispers a word.

I never got a word. We moved to Harlem when I was ten, and my parents didn’t even know about the old woman until Ike was almost too old. Now I’m fifteen, he’s nine, and we’re standing on the curb looking at her. The ice cream truck has just passed, and she’s gumming a rocket pop.

Ike followed me around every day, idolizing me, wanting nothing more than to be me. It’s annoying, it’s flattering, it’s what little brothers have done since time began.

Something will happen to Ike when he gets his word. He’ll be different, an individual. That scares me. I don’t want us to grow apart. I’ve had my fights with dad and mom, but Ike’s my brother and always will be. At least that’s how I think it is. What he might think after getting his word I don’t know. I reach for his shoulder, to turn him around so we can leave.

She looks up. Ignoring me, she glances at Ike and it’s as if she says, “Come here, boy.”

He walks to her. She sits there and she runs the rocket pop around her gums and she looks at him. Bit by bit and all over she examines him.

She leans forward. So does he, until his ear is next to her mouth. She pulls the pop out and lets it drip. Then I see her lips move. He steps back and turns.

A new Ike looks out of his eyes. He’s looking at me almost the way the old woman looked at him. Then he smiles. “Let’s get ice cream,” he says.

He leads the way down the street to where the truck waits.