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Back Bleak Seasons Save as PDF
Chapters (102)
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Looks like somebody black getting into the boat.

That somebody turned out to be Sindawe. I told the Old Man, This guy was always as right with us as having Mogaba for a boss would allow. Ochiba and Isi and some of the others werent too bad, either. But they wouldnt disobey orders.

Sindawe stepped ashore. Croaker saluted him. He responded uncertainly, looked to me for a clue. I shrugged. He was on his own. I had no idea where this was headed.

Sindawe made sure he was face to face with the real Captain. Once he was satisfied, he suggested, Let us step out of sight and talk.

The Old Man made a small gesture that told me I should let them talk in complete privacy. They walked around behind the hummock and sat on a rock. They talked for a long time, voices never rising. Sindawe finally rose and walked back to the boat like a man borne down by an incredibly heavy burden.

Whats the story? I asked Croaker. He looks like he suddenly added twenty years on top of the wear and tear of the siege.

Years of the heart, Murgen. Feeling morally compelled to betray somebody who has been your best friend since childhood will do that to you.

What?

He would say nothing more. Were going over there. Im going to meet Mogaba nose to nose.

I thought of a pile of arguments against. I did not bother. He would not listen. Not me. I shuddered. My spine was shivering to that chill they say happens when somebody walks over your grave.

Croaker looked at me hard. I drove the butt of the standard into the earth, vigorously, meaning, Here I stand. He grunted, turned and went down to the boat. The creature Sindhu snaked out of nowhere and joined the party. I wondered how much of Sindawes and Croakers conversation he had overheard. Not a word, probably. The Old Man would have used the Jewel Cities dialect.

Once the boat was well out onto the water I sat down beside the standard, clung to the pole and tried to figure out what made it impossible for me to go back over there.

84

84

I had suffered no big seizures for a while. I was not on guard anymore. This one began insidiously, like just losing focus and drifting into a lazy daydream. I stared at Dejagore but no longer really saw it, thought of the women who had entered my life and the ancient one who had left it. Already I missed Sahra and so-serious To Tan.

A white crow landed on the crossbar of the standard, cawed down at me. I paid no attention.