Chapter 18

In the aftermath, Six said sternly, “Abby, Selene?”

You wouldn’t call it Parade Attention ... but the pair snapped to when he spoke. The stance was rigid. They stared over his shoulder. Looked like ‘attention’ to me ... Six had theirs.

“That was mighty close to offence. Abby, let me see that bump.”

She bent her head and winced when he touched it.

“Why?”

Abby said, “He looked so sad and forlorn. I just couldn’t disappoint his mother.”

“His mother?”

“Yes.”

“Was she here?” Six started to check the bodies.

“Well, No ... but he had that look ... you know ... I’m a big idiot and mother said I’d come to no good end ... and I just couldn’t.”

“You did very well after he whacked you in the head.”

“Little bastard.”

She reached behind her and felt the knot. “OW!

“He was the best liar I ever saw.”

“In the end, he was a dead liar,” Six paused. “How do you feel?”

“About what?”

“Taking a life.”

“It’s Chaos ... the place has no basis in reality. I didn’t kill a person ... I crushed a cockroach.”

Six pondered that. Abby had learned.

“You’ll do,” he said.

“I think you just complimented me.”

Six blushed.

“You DID!”

He blushed even harder.

She kissed his cheek. That made it even brighter.

After looting the bodies and pitching the remains of the mess over the cliff, they threw dirt over the blood and restocked the woodpile. Soon the glade looked like it did yesterday ... a perfect place to camp.

Six assembled his troops and said, “Let’s go. I don’t know how far but we don’t want to be late.

“Selene ... you’re lead.”

“Huh?”

“You found the trail ... no good deed goes unpunished.”

“Right.” She led off. The creek at the bottom of the clift was soon next to the trail ... the trail went down ... the water didn’t come up. A Dark Mayfly made the fatal mistake of flying too close to the surface of the burbling brook. A silver flash and splash and the Mayfly was someones lunch.

“Wow,” said Abby, “That was one big fish. That mayfly didn’t stand a chance.”

Selene looked at her, “You know bugs?”

“Flyfishing, Daddy made me tie my own flies. I notice what the fish are rising to.” She looked bleak for a moment. Daddy. They kept moving.

“Hello the house,” Six said. On the opposite side of the creek there stood a large ... for Chaos ... house and an even larger barn.

“Everybody is gone ... they’ll be back,” the woman was a sorry sight ... rags and bruises almost hid her beauty.

“Eleanor Librarian,” said Six, “I’m Hero Six ... I’ve come to rescue you.”

“Oh Snap,” she exclaimed, “The boss will be along soon. You better move on.”

“Big guy ... brown hair ... bushy beard ... accompanied by even bigger guys ... say ... five of them?”

“Yes,” she even shuddered. “Mean ... and sneaky.”

“They won’t be coming back.”