Walter sat down on an overturned tree, trying to catch his breath. He gazed out across the lake towards the darkened silhouette of the Sleeping Giant against the grey sky. They had learned about the Sleeping Giant in school – how someone once thought the series of mesas and stills projecting out from the lake sixteen miles across the Thunder Bay harbour at the end of the Sibley Peninsula resembled a man lying on his back. Mr. Mulligan had told them that, according to Ojibwe legend, the man was actually the trickster spirit Nanabozho, who turned to stone in the lake when the secret location of the silver mine at Silver Islet was discovered by the white man. Walter had only ever seen pictures of the Sleeping Giant, and had been embarrassed to admit that he couldn’t see the man that the rock was supposed to resemble. All he saw was, well, a rock. Now, he squinted towards the horizon and tried to unfocus his eyes, tried to make himself see what others saw. But it was still just a rock.

“I still can’t see it,” he said. “What’s wrong with me?”

“The lake?” asked Kate.

“No, the Sleeping Giant.”

Kate cocked her head, eyeing him curiously. “Do you need glasses? It’s right there.” She gestured out into the lake.

“No, silly,” he said, kicking snow at her. “I mean, I can’t see the man. It just looks like a rock.”

“Oh, well.” Kate sat next to him and turned his body to face the left side of the formation. “There’s his head,” she said, pointing. “See? And his neck. He has a little Adam’s apple.”

“Where?” asked Walter. He liked the feeling of Kate’s hands on his shoulders. “That’s just a lump.”

“That’s what an Adam’s apple is, dummy.” Kate poked at his neck through his scarf. “A little lump.”

“Well, in that case, I guess you’re an Adam’s apple, too,” Walter said. “My little lump.”

Kate sighed and jumped to her feet. “I’m not the one who can’t see the Giant’s head,” she said, running for the shoreline. At the edge of the ice she stopped, tracing her hand through the sky. “See? Right there!” Walter shook his head. Kate took a tentative step out on the ice, then another, and another. “Right there!” she said again, waving her arms emphatically.

“I see it,” Walter said, anxiety fluttering through his stomach. “I see it, okay?”

“Liar,” said Kate, sliding backwards across the ice. “Who’s the lump now?”

Walter stood up, crossing to the shoreline. “You’re crazy!” he yelled. “You’ll fall through!”