Riddley Walker

16

Wel I dint go to Fork Stoan strait off. Seamt like I kep fealing different ways 1 minim to the nex that day it come on me then I dint want to road no mor by day I wantit to go dark. I dint want no 1 to know where I wer no more even if Goodparley did want me running luce. Special I dint want him to know. I dint want him all ways knowing where he cud put his han on me.

Goodparleyd said hewd be coming to Cambry but I dowtit that. It seamt too simpl. I dint think Goodparley ever gone any where and foun it emty without he meant to fynd it emty. Parbly he knowit bettern me where Orfing and the Ardshipwd be. What ever HOAP OF A TREE and that picter meant they wer agenst Goodparley some way I knowit that. Nor I dint think I knowit any thing Goodparley dint know. He wer a girt 1 for letting peopl run luce and til they run in to his han. If he pirntowt Orfing wer putting some thing to gether agenst him hewd be sure to tern up where itwd do him the mos good and Orfing the leas. Which I dint think thatwd be Cambry jus now.

I laid up in the out poast with dogs on look out. No sleap the nite befor and I wer ready for some kip. Nothing only bare sleapers there nor nothing to get warm with. The black leader come and floppit down on the floor and I floppit down with him I kep warm that way and off I gone.

Woak up with a lam leg in my face it wer that dog forage sqwad looking after me agen. Dint want to show no smoak so I cut some off and chewing it raw same as the dogs. I thot I myswel get use to it. Thinking that thot and suddn it come to me I dint know when Iwd ever be living like regler peopl agen.

I hung a bout there til it got dark I past the time with my old black Punch on my right han and Greanvine on my lef.

Punch said to Greanvine, “Whats it all about then?”

Greanvine said, “You dont nead me to tel you that do you. Youve put in your time this long time unner groun you know what its all about.”

Punch said, “Whats that then?”

Greanvine said, “Wel air is the short sky innit but earf is the long 1.”

Punch said, “Balls my boy. Thats what you aint got a nuff of.” Greanvine said, “It dont matter how much balls youve got its all the same in the end.”

Punch said, “No it aint the same its diffrent if youve got balls a nuff.”

Greanvine said, “Hows it diffrent?”

Punch said, “Its diffrent right the way up to the end and thats why the end is diffrent. If the way is diffrent the end is diffrent. Becaws the end aint nothing only part of the way its jus that part of the way where you come to a stop. The end cud be any part of the way its in every step of the way thats why you bes go ballsy.”

Greanvine said, “Is that how you all ways go?”

Punch said, “I am the balls of the worl I am the stoans of the worl. I am the stoans and I have my littl stick.”

Greanvine said, “Is that your tree then is that your living wood?”

Punch said, “Yes thats what it is its that same and very wood what never dys.”

Greanvine said, “Wel then is there hoap of a tree?”

Punch said, “Theres hoap of the wud in the hart of the stoan.”

Greanvine said, “What stoan is that then?”

Punch said, “Balls. Which thems the stoans what never dys.”

Wel of coarse Punch wud say that. Thats how he is hes that way myndit. Me I dint have Punchs balls nor I wernt all that sure them wer the stoans what never dys.

Any how when nite come on I put Greanvine back in his hidey hoal and my self on the road to Fork Stoan.

It come on to rain I dint mynd that I like the rain plus by then I wer out path myndit. Put me on a muddy track in a black nite with the rain pissing down and I wer hoam.

Roading with them dogs thru the dark it wer like I wer in a diffrent country from the res of Inland. Every 1 else the formers and them what jobbit or foragit or what ever they had the country of the day time. That same country I use to go in. In the day time there wer all ways things coming up in front of your eyes. In the nite you cud may be see other things. Other ways.

I stil aint qwite said how it wer. Not like a diffrent country. It wer mor like I wer behynt the back clof in a show. Thats how it wer. Thru the clof I cud see the other figgers moving I cud see the peopl watching only no 1 cud see me. If I wer a figger in a show what hand wer moving me then? I cudnt be bothert to think on that right then. Theres all ways some thingwl be moving you if it aint 1 thing its a nother you cant help that.

Fealing that black leader bumping agenst me roading thru the hispering rain and dark and Fork Stoan coming closer and closer. Nor I dint realy want to think about it. Dint want to get in front of my self. I cudnt lissen what wer happening but I cud lissen wel a nuff there wer things happening. In my mynd Fork Stoan wer like a hoal in a fents. It wer the place where some thingd come thru all ready nor you cudnt know whatwd come thru nex.

It wer stil fresh in my mynd from the nite befor I cudnt keap my mynd from showing me that big space with the girt sleaping machines in it. I cud see figgers moving in that space and then jynt shadders wivvering and wayvering all roun. Not wanting to see no faces til I had to.

Closer closer the rain hispering down on the old stoans and my new foot steps going on top of my old 1s. Trying to lissen and not lissen boath at 1ce. Knowing the Ardship mus be lissening me as wel.

Closer and closer. No lookouts on the steps it wer like they wantit any body to come in as wantit to. There I wer then. By then I knowit what I wer going to see befor I seen it jus by lissening the regler way. The dogs helt back only the black leader come forit with me.

They had Goodparley hung up by his hans tyd behynt him sames hed hung up Belnot Phist. I thot I wer going to vomit when I seen that. It wer like that torcher wer all ways waiting and sooner or later every 1 wer going to have a tern. I cud feal it like it wer happening to me I cud feal my hevvyness pulling my arms out of ther sockits.

Goodparley wer twissing and terning on that roap he wer pulling up his feet like he thot he cud stan on air and ease his arms. There wer some twissit iron beams sticking out of the wall by them girt broakin machines theyd past the roap over 1 of them. There he hung and ternt and twissit and his jynt shadder twissing and terning with him and him crying and moaning with his head hung down.

Orfing and his hevvys looking on. The Ardship and the Eusa folk looking on as wel. Faces like bad dreams. Faces with 3 eyes and no nose. Faces with 1 eye and a snout. Humps on backs and hans growing out of sholders wer the leas of it they had every kynd of crookitness and ther shapes and shadders wivvering and wayvering on the wall with the shadder of Goodparley twissing and terning.

The black leader he laid back his ears and poyntit his nose up at the shadders and he begun to howl. Some of the hevvys uppit bow but the black leader stayd where he wer.

Orfing said, “Down bows.” Which they done.

I said, “What is it you want from him?”

The Ardship said, “I want to hear him sing like that its a good soun to lissen to.”

I said, “Orfing whyve you hung him up like that?”

Orfing said, “I aint Orfing no mor Im Goodparley now.”

I said, “Whats Goodparley then is he Orfing now?”

Orfing said, “He aint nothing no mor.”

I said, “Then whyve you got him hung up whynt you let him go?”

Orfing said, “Now you know he aint a bloak you can jus let go of. Tern him luce and hewl be binsyern ever. He cant live qwyet you know hes all ways got to be doing and moving.”

I said, “Stil you dont have to hang him up do you?”

The Ardship said, “O yes we do we have to hang him up sames he hung up my father we have to hang him up the sames he wer going to do me.”

Goodparley said, “Riddley dont you look at me like this o please dont look at me this aint me youre seeing this aint me no mor.”

The Ardship said, “O yes it is and its the reales part of you. Its the Littl Shyning Man of you innit. Which thats what you ben looking for this long time Ive heard you say that times a nuff.”

I gone over to where the roap wer tyd to a iron ring on 1 of the girt machines and I untyd it I lowert Goodparley til his feet toucht the groun and his arms come down. He screamt when his arms come down. I cut the roap what tyd his hans. Dint know if I myt be the nex 1 hung up twissing and terning I had a suddn idear. Shaddery it wer and Goodparleys fit up right there by us. Wylst bending over Goodparley and helping him up I took the yellerboy stoan out of my pockit I slippit in to the fit up thinking theyd parbly sercht that all ready. Goodparley seen what I wer doing his littl eyes they sparkelt in the shadders.

No 1 else took no noatis. Eusa faces and strait 1s they wer all stil looking at Goodparley not me. Orfings limpit face and the Ardships no eyes face staring like a blyn owl. Stretching his self out tords Goodparley and the way he lookit made me think of the Other Voyce Owl of the Worl.

I said to Orfing, “Is this HOAP OF A TREE then?”

He said, “Yes it is. Which theres hoap of a tree if its cut down yet itwl sprout agen. And them tinder branches theyre of wil not seaze. Tho the root of it works old in the earf and the stick of it dead on the groun yet even jus only the smel of water and itwl bud and bring forit bowing like the plan. Thats ben the go word of the arper sitting in the Mincery year on year it ben past down 1 shadder mincer to the nex. Inland may be cut down yet them branches wil keap coming. Peopl may try to kil them branches only itwl be the peopl what fall down and dy them branches wil grow out of ther moufs which thats our blip and syn.”

“Greanvine,” I said.

Orfing said, “This aint no vine its the tree what never dys.” I said, “And youre 1 of them branches what keaps coming are you.”

He said, “Yes I am and growing seeds of the new.”

I said, “Which Goodparley is that face whats dying out then is he.”

He said, “It looks that way dunnit. Whatre you then are you the Asker of the Worl?”

I said, “It seams like every body elses got ansers only I havent got nothing only askings.”

He said, “Now Iwl ask you some thing if youwl jus be so kynd wud you please han over your littl bag of yellerboy stoan.”

I said, “I havent got it have I. Theres a Rivver Sour runs thru Cambry which I sweetent it with that yeller boy.”

The Ardship said, “Thats a ly if ever I heard 1 youve got it hid somers I can lissen that.”

Orfing said, “Les jus have a look then shal we.”

Wel I had to take off all my cloes then and Orfing his self gone thru them. He lookit at my old black Punch for a long time he put his finger in the head and all then finely he put every thing back in my pockits and give me back my cloes.

The Ardship said, “May be it aint on you but youve hid it somers havent you.”

I said, “No I never.” With my hart jumping in me.

He said, “Whats the use of lying wewl jus hang you up the sames we done your new frend here.”

I said, “Lissen me if you think Im lying. When I come to Cambry I lissent you joynt the effert with Orfing and I throwit them stoans in the rivver I knowit I cudnt do nothing with them nor I dint want no 1 else to have them moon brother.” In my head I wer singing

Sharna pax and get the poal

When the Ardship of Cambry comes out of the hoal hard as I cud hoaping he wunt lissen nothing only that.

Orfing said to the Ardship, “Therewl be mor stoans soon a nuff weve got boatswl go where that 1 come from what we need is the knowing for our 1st try out with the stoans weve got. Have you got that knowing or not?”

The Ardship said, “I tol you I dont know nothing til we gether.”

Orfing said, “Wel you bes gether then.”

The Ardship said, “What about these 2 then?”

Orfing said, “They dont have no knowing nor no Belnot Phist nor no hevvys they cant do us nothing.”

The Ardship said, “May be theres stil a littl some thing we can do them tho.”

Thats when the Eusa folk opent ther moufs and begun to sing:

Which the way they sung it wernt like nothing I ever heard befor.

Then I seen some thing flashing and like dantsing in the lite of the candls it wer a ax the Eusa folk wer passing it from han to han only it lookit like it wer zanting a bout all oansome.

Looking at that shyning ax nor I cudnt take my eyes off it. All them Eusa faces with ther eyes shyning. All of Orfings hevvys which they ben Goodparleys hevvys wester day ther eyes wer shyning the same. Orfings littl eyes shyning as wel.

That shyning ax zanting amongst the many agenst the few. Agenst the 2 of us. It wernt even Goodparley and me I wer thinking on jus then. It wer how that ax wer dantsing for the many. I knowit we wernt going out of that place the same as we come in. All this time Goodparley wer huddelt by me he wunt look up agen 1ce he seen that ax. I wer looking from the ax to the Ardship his face wer shyning pernear like that ax. He wer singing:

Finely Orfing said to the Ardship, “Les not be talking of no chopping we never progammit nothing like that.”

The Ardship said, “O no we wunt chop the Pry Mincer like he choppt my father we wunt never do that. Onlyes thing wewl do is make him lissen bettern what hes done so far. Hes all ways telling and asking yet he dont never lissen to no 1 nor nothing.”

By then the Eusa folk had holt of Goodparley and passing him 1 to the nex like they ben doing with the ax. He showit fight then only it dint help him nothing. That black leader dispeart like magic there wernt no 1 on our side only the 2 of us. I jumpt in to it and trying to pul Goodparley out of it only I got clubbit on the head and every thing gone black.

When I come out of it there wer a howling coming and going a roun me. 1st I thot it wer the black leader then I heard a slubbering and a moaning in it I knowit wer some thing else. It wer Goodparley he wer running and falling down and getting up agen running in to stoans and rubbl falling down and getting up agen slubbering and moaning the woal time there wernt no words in it.

I gone after him and cawt him. He ternt his face to me it wer all bloody and blood stil running out of where his eyes ben.

He said, “Is that you Riddley?”

I said, “Yes its me Im here.”

He said, “Wil you stay with me now?”

I said, “Yes I wil Iwl stay with you its all right now.”

He musve ben in terbel pain but he stoppt his moaning and his crying then he gone all qwyet. Every 1 else wer qwyet too all of them wer looking at him like he wer magic now theyd made him blyn.

Goodparley said to me, “Put me in front of them wil you please. Put me in front of the new Goodparley.”

I led him over and he poyntit to his blyn and bloody face and said to Orfing, “This for you and what for me?”

Orfing said, “You know that wernt for me Abel that jus happent befor I cud stop it.” Lissening to him I cudnt help noatising how ful fed he soundit. He said, “Whats your asking?”

Goodparley said, “Plomercy Erny I aint asking nothing only jus a littl Plomercy.”

Ording said, “Wel what is it Abel?”

Goodparley said, “Im broakin now Erny there aint no fight lef in me I jus only want to live qwyet wil you give me letshow?”

Orfing said, “You mean you want to go on showing Eusa?” Goodparley said, “O no Erny Eusa is the Mincery show its the Pry Mincers show I wunt even ask to do no shadder mincer show o no not me I aint even arper sitting now.” He reacht in to my pockit and got that old blackent Punch figger on his han. He begun to zant him a bout and saying, “Ah putcha putcha putcha. Ah putcha putcha way.” Terning his bloody face to Orfing and he said, “Its jus only a fun figger Erny it wont be nothing only show for meat roading 1 place to a nother with Riddley here to lead me.”

It wer the terbeles strange thing how he wer then it got to me moren the moaning and the crying. He wer swaying back and forit wylst he talkit so easy them bleading woons musve ben tharbing like the sea pounding on the stoans. It seamt like hed come pas the werst now jus in them littl few minims hed come to a qwyet place where he wer man a nuff for any thing.

Orfing said, “Abel you cudnt run a fun show to save your life. If I put you on the road with a fit up that figger on your hans going to come the shadder mincer to Eusa and wel you know it.”

Goodparley said, “Wel Erny are you afeart Iwl do a better show nor Eusa are you afeart Iwl bring down your Mincery with Punch? Are you afeart 1 poor old broakin blyn mans going to come the upper of your hoap and your tree? Erny dont you have no balls at all?”

Orfing said, “All right Abel this is where weve come to now and wewl see where we come to after this. Iwl give you letshow for that fun figger only you wont be showing Eusa no mor Iwl have a drop or 2 mor of your blood Im putting the down stroak on your scar.”

Goodparley larft then he said, “O youre a careful 1 Erny youre afeart Iwl sly a roun making Eusa say the wrong things are you.”

Orfing said, “You jus mynd what I say Abel dont stress me now dont strain me.”

Goodparley said, “Iwl be careful not to do that Erny I realy wil.” He opent his anrack and pult up his jumper and his vesses then. “Here we go Erny,” he said. “Take your littl knife and put the Z to my E.”

Which he steppit up to Orfing then with all them Eusa faces looking on and his hevvys from wester day. The Ardship now when he lissent to Goodparley you cud see even with his no eyes face he wer lissening him diffrent. The Ardship never ben afeart of Goodparley when Goodparley ben Pry Mincer but he wer afeart of him now. The woal lot of them wer that littl bit afeart they sust theyd put some kynd of Power in him when they blyndit him.

There wer Goodparley with his belly uncovert agen the same as when I took my scar from him. Which the scab wernt even off my E it wer only 4 days back I took that scar. Which the wood slid out from unner me that nite and I had to grab him and he said, “Take that for a blip.” There wer them jynt shadders wivvering and wayvering. Orfings han with the knife poyntit at Goodparleys belly.

Theres words for down stroaking a scar as wel as putting 1 on. Orfing said, “Wheres Eusa?”

Goodparley said, “Hes gone from my belly like Im gone from his hart.”

Orfing said, “Dont lissen for his voyce in you no mor.”

Goodparley said, “Iwl have the sylents I know that.”

Orfing said, “Dont talk for him out of your memberment. You cant talk for Eusa now hes going a head and leaving you behynt.”

Goodparley said, “I know that I know Im the 1 whats lef.”

Orfing said, “Its E to Z then.”

Goodparley said, “My blame my shame.”

Orfing cut the down stroak then. Goodparley took some mud off his boots and prest it in to the cut he said, “Inland be my healing.”

Orfing said, “That aint in the wording.”

Goodparley said, “It is now.”

Then we wer outside in the rain and the dark and Goodparley with a bloody clout roun his head. In my mynd I cud sill see that ax shyning and dantsing in the candl lite I wer a littl bit snuck wed come out of there a live. The handl of that ax ben what they blyndit him with. It all happent so fas and now there I wer with blyn Goodparley took on me. When I said Iwd stay with him I never give no thot to how long. A mooning? A year? The res of his life? I took his fit up on my back. The littl man all ways carrys the fit up the big 1 is the hevvy.

Goodparley said, “Let me carry the fit up Riddley its me as put this woal thing on our backs.”

I said, “Its me as took it on with you.”

He said, “Dont you see it aint going to hevvy me down its going to hol me up.”

I let him take the fit up and I took his bundel. Here come the Bernt Arse pack then with the black leader. Goodparley said, “I aint ben this close to dogs this long time.”

I said, “You myswel get use to it theyre the onlyes hevvys weve got.”

He said, “I dint noatis them doing no hevvying in there jus a littl wyl back.”

I said, “I think they knowit bettern to get ther selfs trappt in there.” What I wer thinking tho it cud wel be them dogs wunt come in with Goodparley til hed paid some thing. They had ther oan progams.

We headit out of Fork Stoan going Norf. Goodparley said, “Where we going?”

I said, “You tol me Granser done healing and curing.”

He said, “Gransers dead.”

I said, “No he aint hes berning chard coal in the aulders acrost the rivver from Good Mercy. He tol me to tel you he wer Drop John the Foller Man.”

Goodparley dint say nothing to that he wer qwyet for a long time. Jus walking a long keaping nexy but not holding on to me. In the dark I cud see the clout roun his head moving he wer shaking his head and tsissing thru his teef. Finely he said, “O yes why not. Why not him a live and riding my hump. I stuck that knife in him and I run. Looks like I dint have it in me to finish him. May be I never had it in me to start my self nyther.”

I said, “No 1 never starts his self.”

He said, “Yes they do. You dont start the life in you thats like a rivver running in you stil there comes a time when you push your oan boat out in to the middl of it.”

I said, “Or you put your self on the road to the hart of the wud.”

He said, “How dyou spel that?”

I said, “W-u-d.”

He said, “You think this is the road to the hart of my wud? You think I put my self on it?”

I said, “Seams like it dunnit. Them as ben progammit to bring you down you let them run luce til they done it. Thinking on it now you musve knowit Orfing ben ready to try it 1 way or a nother.”

He said, “Yes its funny how youwl do. I dont think I ever beleavit I wer man a nuff for what I wer. For Pry Mincer. Time that yellerboy stoan come in to Fork Stoan being Goodparley wer a hevvyness I wer pernear ready to put down. I dint have my hart in it no mor. I cudnt keap thinking on all them things you have to keap thinking on if youre going to stay on top. Time Id put Orfing on the road to Cambry and Lissener headit the same I musve ben perwel ready to let it happen. After you gone to Cambry this morning I thunk on it and I knowit I bes have a nother look at things in Fork Stoan. Id lef hevvys there to help the qwirys on them other bloaks what ben beckoning that boat only I hadnt stoppit to see to it my self. Wel I shudve knowit them hevvys all ben in it to gether and Orfing ready to take over with them. I had Belnot Phist in my mynd poor littl bloak.”

I said, “I dont think he knowit nothing of it nor I dont think them Fork Stoan hevvys ben beckoning. Theywdve ben looking a woal lot sharper a long that shoar if they ben waiting on a boat with all the storm there ben that nite. May be that bloak in the boat bint even heading for Inland may be he jus ben blowt here.”

Goodparley said, “Wel may be. Any how it dont matter now. That yeller boy is luce now and ½ of it with us.”

I said, “All that what you said about the Punch show wer that jus to get the yellerboy stoan out of there?”

He said, “No it wernt. I wantit to hol on to it the same as you but what I said about the Punch show wer strait it jus happent youd put the 2 of them to gether.”

I said, “Theres a Power in it right a nuff look how it made the 2 of us get it a way from them others.”

Goodparley said, “O wel you cant help trying to shortin the odds longs youre a live but Im so tiret Riddley. Too many Drop Johns on me by now. After a wyl its all jus 1 girt big Littl Shyning Man nor you cant put him to gether. O them dretful Eusa faces. Wel Orfing he ben all ways fealing bad for them now heres his chance to make it right with them. Granser Drop Johning me and all. Wel why not. The old man never dyd nor the boy never be come a man. Every thing is stil where it wer may be when I grow up Iwl be Pry Mincer.”

On we gone roading thru the dark and rain roading for the aulders and the chard coal berning. In your mynd places be come the name of what happent in them. Like Iwd say in my mynd “befor Cambry” or “after Cambry” meaning befor or after what happent there. Thinking on the aulders it wer a jumbl of words and picters all mixt up. All kynds of diffrent things in it when I said “the aulders” in my head. Like what the Ardshipd said about his dead father: “I can feal him in me when its moving I can feal him in me when its stil.” Why that? May be becaws the aulders put me in mynd of seed of the berning and hart of the chyld. The berning chyld and the dead father may be its all 1 thing. And Goodparley trying all them long years to man for his self that wer part of it the same. With Granser and the bloody meat and boan.

So roading thru that rainy dark my mynd wer saying to its self: Now for the aulders. Saying the name of what wer going to be yet not knowing what itwd be. Jus saying that over and over: Now for the aulders.

We wernt doing no mor talking we sunk in to a sylents. It wer slow going Goodparley wernt up to much by then. Hed had like a hy after they blyndit him. Hy on stil being a live nor not being Pry Mincer no Mor. Hy in some kynd of way on being blyn. 1ce that begun to wear off he be come a plain woondit man slow and herting.

Time we come over the Bundel Downs it wer broad in the day. Stil raining it wer. Looking down from the hy groun in to the aulders you cud see in to the chard coal berners fents. Smoak and steam coming up in the rain from the harts and huts all huddelt they wer crouching in the wood like girt old shaggy wet naminals sleaping. The harts with roun backs and the huts with humps. Beyont them you cud see the rivver you cud hear it running hy in the col grey rainy morning.

I cud see a littl fire going unner a littl humpy roof on poals and a chard coal berner sqwatting by it with his back to us. He stood up and ternt roun it wer Granser. We come down off the hy groun to the fents it wer jus thin poals and flimsy for easy moving made in seckshins and peggit to gether it wernt much mor solid nor a fit up you cud pernearve kickt it down and dogs cud cernlyve got unner it easy a nuff. Coarse that dint make no diffrents to Granser. I wunnert if all them chard coal berners wer dog frendy. I stood at the gate and callt, “Trubba not.”

Gransers face come up over the top of the fents he had his neck stretcht out and looking at us hard. He said, “Is that who I think it is? Is that who I ben waiting for so long?”

Goodparley said, “You know it is you stinking crows meat and glad you are to see me brung down aint you.”

Granser opent to us the dogs dint try to come in they rathert keap on the out side of the fents. Granser throwing his arms roun Goodparley he wer hugging him and kissing him and muching over him he wer saying, “O my poor boy my poor poor boy my poor old boy.”

Goodparley said, “Yes you rottin old barset its your poor old boy and youre in joy of it aint you youre getting a hard on from it you filfy old thing why dint I do a parper job of it when I stuck that knife in you.”

Granser said, “Becaws you never wantit to kil me o no you dint want to do your old Granser dead you dint want to Drop John him you lovit your old Granser too much for that you wantit me to live. Which I knowit that and I knowit youwd come back to me 1 day my poor dear boy.”

Goodparley said, “Be you going to healf me or you going to stan there wanking?”

Granser said, “Iwl see you right dear boy you neadnt worry. Whatve they done to you whatve they done to my poor old Abel?”

Goodparley said, “Theyve put my eyes out Granser I cant see no mor Iwl never see nothing no mor.” He begun to cry then.

Granser said, “Never you mynd Abel Iwl look out for you youre hoam now you can res easy from now on.” He took him in to a littl hump back hut then I lef them to it and going down by the rivver for the loan of my thots.

I have to keap counting to keap it strait in my mynd what day it wer. Wel I have noats but what I mean is I have to keap counting to beleave how far I come in my life 1 day to the nex. That morning it wer the 9th day from my naming day. That day when it come that las boars tern to dy on my spear in the grey morning girzel on them very same Bundel Downs. 9 days dont soun like a long time yet I stil cudnt take in all whatd happent. Seeing that boars face in my mynd that morning in the aulders and seeing it in my mynd now I have the same thot I had then: If you cud even jus see 1 thing clear the woal of whats in it you cud see every thing clear. But you never wil get to see the woal of any thing youre all ways in the middl of it living it or moving thru it. Never mynd.

We stoppit there then with Granser in the aulders it wer a good place to ly up. Granser he dint have no crowd there he wer oansome like the chard coal berners mosly wer. The forms all ways give them road crowd and hault ther fentsing 1 cutting to a nother then they fentst them in and lef them til they finisht ther berning and ready to move on. This year the chard coal berners ben doing the 6 year cutting in the aulder coppises all up and down the rivver. They had long flat boats for the fentsing and the chard coal there wer 1 tyd up by Gransers cutting with bags of chard coal covert with hard clof. All up and down the rivver you cud see the loppt off aulders when they wer fresh cut they wer red they ternt pink after. Red wood. Red wud. Seed of the red. All ways words in things. 6 year cuttings. Which this wer a Ardship year and a cutting year boath. Every 2nd cutting yearwd all ways be 1 of them 12th years when a Pry Mincer and a Ardship gone the Fools Circel 9wys. Them aulders wer trying to tel me some thing I knowit that much.

It wer on the forms to keap the chard coal berners in meat. Granser had a stoar of pittaters and sweads he had roady and sossage from Good Mercy plus some times they brung fresh meat. Goodparley and me we all ways kep low when any 1 ternt up. I gone foraging with the dogs every day we et good there. I kep myndful of How Fents no moren 3 faggers off I dint want to run in to none of ther foragers jus then. Some times Iwd see them in the farness without them seing me which that took me strange. My crowd what use to be.

Granser wer putting poltises on Goodparleys woons all the time and Goodparley mending steady. We hadnt ben talking on it but I thot wewd parbly start in showing Mr Punch soons Goodparley wer fit to road. Right then he wer sleaping moren he wer doing any thing else. Him and Granser slep in 1 hut and I wer in a nother with a doss bag Granserd give me. I wunnert if the 2 of them talkit over old times and I wunnert if Granser tryd to start any new times.

I wer wunnering when Granser wer going to say some thing of what we ben talking on 1st time I seen him. I dint say nothing to him I jus waitit. Them chard coal harts kep him on the hop he wer all ways hanging over them doing 1 thing and a nother hewd be shovveling earf on them or hewd be shiffing his wind screans a bout. He wer all ways scortching his self and his cloes his red jumper wer bernt ful of hoals and the sleaves of it all blackent. He wer looking at it 1 time and he said, “Im about due for the new red.” Which then he begun singing ½ unner his breaf:

Looking at me sydling wylst he sung it like he wantit me to take noatis. So I said, “All right then what is that Saul & Peter whats it all about?”

Granser he larft and sung:

Goodparley said, “What day wud that be then?”

Granser said, “We dont know the day but wewl be ready when it comes Abel. Which Ive give blood for it and got a scar to show for it enn I.”

Goodparley said, “I aint never heard nothing about no day nor no scar.”

Granser said, “No you aint and thats how its meant to be. If the Pry Mincer knowit then it wunt be no berners and dyers seakert wud it.”

Goodparley said, “Berners and dyers is it. Les see that scar then I mean les have a feal of it.”

Granser liffit up his jumper and his vesses and there on his belly wer the same and very scar Goodparley and me had on ours only on the lef in stead of the right. I said, “Thats a Eusa scar.”

Goodparley run his finger over it he said, “What do the berners and the dyers call this scar Granser?”

Granser said, “Abel I swoar when I took this scar dint I. Swoar I wunt never tel no seakerts.”

Goodparley said, “Granser you know youre dying to tel your seakerts and youwl cernly dy if you dont tel Iwl pul you a part like a chikken sames Eusa done the Littl Shyning Man. Then therewl be a new figger in the show the Littl Smelly Man.”

Granser said, “Wel you know I never cud say no to you Abel we call that scar the 3 of the 1.”

Goodparley he stil had his head all rapt up and you wud all mos think he wer looking right thru them rappings the way he leant tords Granser. He said, “What 1 wud that be Granser? That wunt be the 1 Big 1 wud it?”

Granser said, “There wont never be no 1 Big 1 for us Abel we aint got the clevverness for it but befor there ben the 1 Big 1 there ben the 1 Littl 1 and wil be agen. Which weare waiting for the day and ready.”

Goodparley said, “Ready with what?”

Granser said, “Ready with 2 of the 3 aint we and ben ready this long time and keaping ready and til it comes never mynd how long it takes the chard coal berners wil be wearing red and keaping ready.”

Goodparley said, “Til what comes Granser?”

Granser said, “The yellerboy stoan.”

Goodparley and me we boath let out our breaf at 1ce. Goodparley said, “The yellerboy stoan.”

Granser said, “Thats right Abel weve got the other 2 all ready.”

I said, “Pig shit.”

Granser said, “Thats right pig shit it is which thats what they make the seed of the red from thats how they make the Saul & Peter.”

I said, “Hart of the wood is the chard coal.”

Granser said, “Right you are agen. Hart of the wood and seed of the berning and hart of the chyld which is the chard coal time back and time to come.”

Goodparley he wer leaning tords Granser he wer lissening hard. When he talkit then his voyce soundit like he wer stil Pry Mincer. He said, “Thats the 3 of the 1 is it? The 3 of the 1 Littl 1 is yellerboy stoan and Saul & Peter and chard coal?”

Granser said, “Thats it Abel there you have the knowing what ben kep safe right the way from time back way back which it ben the chard coal berners and the dyers done that safe keaping nor no 1 else. Ours the salts and us the savers.”

Goodparley said, “Wel wel wel here I ben stressing my self and straining and wearying and worrying this long time and all that time this here knowing ben right unner my nose. 1 Littl 1 who wudve thot it.”

Granser said, “O yes there bint nothing else like that savit ben there. O no that 1 Littl 1 thats the onlyes banger any 1 knows of. I tel you Abel that yeller boys going to come up this here rivver 1 day and wewl make such a noys then yes we wil my good old boys.”

Goodparley said, “Whatre you going to do then?”

Granser said, “O therewl be big zanting I can tel you that. Therewl be hy telling and seakert rights in the Ful of the Moon o yes therewl be big doings.”

Goodparley said, “Then what?”

Granser said, “Wel then wewl have it wont we. Then wewl have that

Goodparley said, “Granser dont you take my meaning Im asking what youre going to do with that 1 Littl 1 when youve got it.”

Granser said, “Abel havent I ben telling you that same and very.”

Goodparley said, “Whos the Big Man of the chard coal berners?”

Granser said, “O it aint that kynd of thing Abel the chard coal berners aint no fents nor form nor Mincery weare the childer of the woodlings.”

Goodparley said, “Ah. Childer of the woodlings. Howd you get to be a chyld of the woodlings then?”

Granser said, “It ben you what done that Abel it ben you what happent that for me when you stuck that knife in me and lef me for dead. You have in memberment where it wer you done that do you?”

Goodparley said, “Good Mercy Form.”

Granser said, “Which there it is that same and very place whats jus acrost the rivver from us right this minim. That same and very where you stuck your knife in me nor you dint show me no good mercy at all Abel no you dint. Nor them formers dint nyther whatd they care for a old roader and him mosly dead. Only 1 of the dyers them bloaks what boyl up the pig shit they all ways stink like any thing they mosly keap to ther selfs he seen me lying there and red with my oan blood my oan seed of the red you see what I mean. That dyer he cudnt tern his back on dying me becaws the seed of the red is seed of the berning you see its hart of the chyld which theyve swoar on it and ben swoar to it. That dyer took me down to the rivver which he put me in a boat and he rowit me over to you know where dont you.”

Goodparley said, “This here wood where we are now.”

Granser said, “This same and very aulder wood. Which the healing and the healf is in the hart of the wood you see. The hart of the wood by the run of the rivver what goes to the dead stoan hart of Inland where the stoan wood lives. Right here in this wood is where the chard coal berners healft me back to life. Abel you know I wer jus only joaking when I said I wer Drop John I never meant to ride your hump for what you done I never hevvit no gilt on to you. What you done to me I brung it on my self with what I done to you when I wunt let you be come your oan man. I wunt let you be come what you wer going to be nex. Thats the woal seakert of the 1 Littl 1 you see.”

Goodparley said, “Whats that seakert then?”

Granser said, “It wants to be its nex thing you see its a showing of the Master Chaynjis in littl. Them wite kirstels and that black chard coal and that yeller boy theyre coming to gether to show you the Power in the changingness of things. Which is the hart of the Girt Chyld of the Every Thing and the worl aint nothing only a idear in the mynd of that chyld. Which that chyld wants us to think all the diffrent parts of that idear to keap the worl in good hart and healf.” Granser wer looking at poor old Goodparley with his blyn rapt up head he said, “Abel be you thinking on how the 1 of the 2 of us come a part and gone 2 diffrent ways?”

Goodparley said, “Yes Im thinking on that.”

Granser said, “You gone with the Mincery and I gone with the chard coal berners. What do the chard coal berners do. We bern 1ce to bern agen you see the blip of it. Ben thru the fire in the hart of the chyld and ready to bern agen. The Mincery and all the other mincerys what ever ben they dont know nothing only to bern 1ce and go every thing a way. Go the worl a way. Keap them poor crookit peopl in a hoal and asking roun your Fools Circel for whats long gone and far pas.”

Goodparley said, “Granser whatwd you do if we put some of that yeller boy in your han wud you know what to do with it?”

Granser said, “Cernly I wud I tol you that knowing ben kep safe amongst the chard coal berners and waiting on the day.”

Goodparley said, “Wel old cock this is the day becaws weve got jus a littl of that yellerboy stoan right here.”

Gransers mouf hung open when I showit him the yellerboy stoan. He said, “Whered it come from?”

Goodparley said, “From over the water dinnit. There come over jus only 1 littl bag of it which this is ½ of that nor it dont look like a nuff for moren a try out.”

Granser said, “Les try it out then.” He took the yellerboy and gone in to the hut where he kep his exter gear and jumbling a roun in there.

Goodparley said, “Watch how he does it Riddley.”

I said, “I dont want to know.”

He said, “Eusas sake be you simpl or what? The way thingsre going it looks like every 1 in Inlands after the yellerboy and the knowing of what to do with it. Somewl have 1 and somewl have the other and somewl have the boath. And them what dont have nothing theywl be out of it.”

I said, “Wel I ben out of it up to now enn I.” I wer thinking of what come to me in Cambry when I wer looking at Greanvine. Keaping in mynd how much that face lookit like Goodparleys face. I said, “The onlyes Power is no Power.”

He said, “O Eusa you aint going to weary me with that kynd of boar shit are you. Nex thing youwl be telling me the Littl Shyning Man hes jus what ever cant never be put to gether or some other kynd of Orfing qwickness.”

I said, “I dont think he can be put to gether.”

Goodparley said, “O yes and whats our frend Erny doing right this minim Iwl give you odds hes trying his hardes to put that same and very Littl Shyning Man to gether jus as fas as he can.”

I said, “You mean hes trying to make it right with the Eusa folk?”

He said, “I mean hes trying to do the same what Gransers doing this very minim. Befor Orfing took over he talkit like he wunt never Trubba no 1 he wantit the woal worl to love him. And all the time progamming to sneak me and parbly dealing for yellerboy even if you dont think so. Whatd he do soons he took over? Hung me up and put my eyes out dinnee. Yes it wer the Eusa folk done it but it wer him as let them. You think you can keap out of it thats your fearbelly talking. Running afeart wont help you nothing. 1 day youwl be blowt to peaces with some 1 elses doing then youwl wish youd lissent to your poor blyn old Nunkel Abel youwl wish youd stood forit like a man and took it in han.”

“And wankt with it,” I said. Yet I done like he tol me I gone in to that littl hump back hut with Granser. He wer pounding the yellerboy stoan to a fine powder. Then he done the same with some chard coal. Done it with a boal and pounder. He had the Saul & Peter all ready that wer kirstels like salt. He took littl measurs and measuring out yellerboy and chard coal and Saul & Peter. Mixing them all to gether then and me watching. It wer like the 1st time I seen a woman open for me I wer thinking: This is what its all about then.

Granser singing to his self wylst he mixt the 3 of the 1:

Granser said, “Now comes the las of the mixing which Ive got to say the words.”

I said, “Wel go on and say them then.”

He said, “O no I aint saying them words wylst youre lissening thems the fissional seakerts of the act aint they. You bes go off a littl way.”

I said, “All right then” which I gone out of the rivverside gate and walking by the water I dint want to sit by Goodparley I dint want him to weary me with why wernt I watching Granser.

I jus begun to roal up a smoak when WHAP! there come like a thunner clap it wer like when litening strikes right close it eckowit up and down the rivver. There come up a cloud of smoak from the fents it wernt the regler blue smoak it wer 1 big puff of grey smoak and things wer peltering down out of the trees like when you shake down nuts. The dogs begun to howl.

I gone back inside the fents. That littl hump back hut where Granser ben doing the mixing it wernt there no mor it wer jus only sticks and sods scattert wide. Granser he wer like throwt a way on the groun he lookit emty like when you take your han out of a show figger. His head wernt with the res of him his head wer on a poal. The gate a way from the rivver it had a hy poal on each side of it and Gransers head wer stuck on the poynt of 1 of them poals jus like it ben put there for telling.

Nor that wernt the stranges of it. Goodparley wer stil where Id lef him sitting leaning agenst the other hump back hut. I wer stil looking tords the gate I said, “Gransers head is on a poal.” Which he dint anser me nothing then I ternt to look at him and he had Gransers pounder sticking out of the front of his head. Clout stil rapt roun his head and that stoan pounder drove right in to his skul.

There hung over the place a kynd of scortchy smel a kynd of stinging scortchy smel and the grey smoak driffing thru the blue smoak of the chard coal harts. Twean lite it wer the 1st dark coming on. Bat lite it wer and dimminy the pink and red stumps glimmering in the coppises like loppt off arms and legs and the rivver hy and hummering. The dogs wer howling nor it wernt like no other howling I ever heard it wer a kynd of wyld hoapless soun it wer a lorn and oansome yoop yaroo it soundit like they wer runnying on ther hynt legs and telling like thin black men and sad. Crying ther yoop yaroo ther sad tel what theyd all ways knowit theywd have to tel agen.

I gone to where Gransers head wer on the poal. His eyes wer closd his mouf wer shut. I said, “Granser wil you tel?”

Lissening him then words come to me: What if its you whats making all this happen? What if every thing you think of happens?

I said, “I never thot of my father getting kilt did I.”

Words come: Dint you?

Then I wernt sure. I said, “I wont think no mor.”

Words come: That dont make no diffrents. If you dont think then some thing else wil think your thots theywl get thunk any how.

I said, “What can I do then aswl be my oan doing?”

Words come: Whats the diffrents whos doing it?

The dogsd stoppt ther yoop yarooing. They come to the fents I heard them wimpering like los and greaving childer. All roun I heard the twean lite lissening. I took a las look at Goodparley I ½ thot I myt see vines and leaves growing out of his mouf. Then I slung his fit up and my bundel on my back and off I slyd.