Read Jude Stephens for Free Online Page B

to stroke his head gently.
A peaceful feeling seemed to engulf me. I could feel it spreading
through my body. The feeling moved like a slithering snake from me
into Bullet’s body and I felt him relax beside me. As I lay there
an image came to mind. I was in the back seat of our old station
wagon with Mom. My dad was driving. My mom was stroking my hair and
singing, “Ani couni chaouanin, awana bikana caina, e aouni
bissini.”
    Somehow I knew this translated to, “When evening
descended upon the Indian village the medicine man disappeared into
the forest touching the ground with his hands.” Though just a small
child I knew this was a sad song about having to leave your lands
and your people. The image changed slightly, and I was growing
restless in my seat. My Dad turned and from the front seat said,
“We are almost there Olive Oil. We will be riding the big boat in a
little bit.”
    I rolled the window down and stuck my head out
hoping to get a view of the water. A sign saying Welcome to
Alexandria Bay was all that I saw.
    I came out of my fugue when Mark began shaking me. I
looked at him a bit puzzled. “You were doing it again. That creeps
me out,” he said.
    I rubbed my eyes. “How is Bullet? And how long did
it last this time?”
    “ Bullet is fine. He’s up and
about. I gave him some food and water and except for a little
stiffness and the bandage you would never know he was hurt. And you
were out about an hour again.”
    “ Well…the bad news is that I
always feel like a truck has run me over when this happens. Can you
help me up?”
    Mark helped me up. I wobbled a little and he kept an
arm around me. “The good news is that I know where we are going.
How long till we can leave?” I asked him.
    “ Now” he replied. I looked around
and noticed that the small camp we made was packed and ready to
go.
    “ Umm…what about the dead
guy?”
    Mark shrugged. “What dead guy?”
    I stared hard at him for a minute and then just
nodded my head at him in understanding. I’m sure if I went to look
there would be no sign that there ever was a body anywhere near
here.
    I probably should be upset by the whole incident,
but other than Bullet being hurt, I wasn’t. I couldn’t care less
that one of those Guardian bastards died, but what did bother me
was how they found me. All of these months they had no clue where I
was. Now as soon as I left Roberto and Oswego, they found me. Was
it a coincidence, or could Roberto have been so pissed at my
leaving that he betrayed me in yet one more way? No, whatever the
circumstances of our breakup there was no way he would want me
dead. That I couldn’t believe.
    I said to Mark, “I’m going to take care of some
business.” He started to say something and I held up my hand. “I’m
just going around to the other side of the Jeep. Don’t peek.” Mark
gave me one of his scowls and turned around. After taking care of
my personal needs, I washed up as best I could with a bucket of
cold water Mark had gotten earlier.
    “ Where we headed to
boss?”
    I grimaced at the word boss. “Do you have to call me
that? It makes me feel weird.”
    He shrugged and said, “What do you want me to call
you?”
    I began to tell him that he could call me Olivia,
but when I opened my mouth to tell him, what came out was,
“Orenda.” Orenda was actually my real name, though I hadn’t let
anyone use it in years.
    As was his custom, he didn’t comment just nodded at
me. I called Bullet who came running up as if he hadn’t even been
wounded. Hmmm….he must be a fast healer. I squatted down next to
him and said, “How you doing boy? Are you okay to get into the
jeep?” I could swear I heard him give a snort right before he
leaped into the jeep. Shrugging, I got into the Jeep beside
Mark.
    “ Where to?” he asked.
    With confidence I said, “Alexandria Bay.”
    Mark nodded and he started the Jeep. During the ride
I let my mind wander. Surprisingly I wasn’t nervous at all about