Free ebook: Legends & Liars, Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

October approached a dilapidated shack.  Two gypsy children, the boy was about six and the girl, maybe eight or nine, he thought, eyed him with interest.  He smiled and knelt beside them. 

The boy played with a toy gun, while the girl hugged a small, furry creature, known as a swirler that had scaly plates along its back and looked like a cross between an armadillo and a guinea pig.

October started to touch the swirler and pulled his hand back when it hissed at him as it curled up in a ball.

“Hello, little ones.  Is your mama inside?” he asked.

“What’s your name?” the girl asked.

“What’s yours?”

“I asked first.”

He smiled inwardly. “You’re absolutely right. Mine is October. What’s yours?”

“Lizzy,” she said.

“October’s a funny name,” the boy said. “Mine’s Toby.”

“Well, hello Toby. Yes, I suppose it is a bit strange around here.”

“Are you an alien?” Lizzy asked inquisitively.

“Not where I come from,” October chuckled.

“Momma says we’re not supposed to talk to aliens.”

“Your momma’s right.”

“I seen your picture,” Toby said remembering October’s face from somewhere.

Lizzy cocked her head and studied October’s face.

“Children, who are you talking to?” a young woman’s voice drifted out the open door. October put a finger to his lips to hush them.

Lizzy grinned. “No one, momma,” she chirped at the secret.

“Now what have I told you about,” a beautiful gypsy woman stepped out on to the porch, “talking to—” She stopped in mid stride and sentence as she eyed October sternly. Then her eyes warmed at the sight of him.

“Is he an alien, momma? Lizzy asked.

“That he is, Lizzy,” the children’s mother said as she shook her head slightly and smiled. “Children, say hello to your grandfather.”

The children looked at October with new found interest.

October smiled at them broadly and held his arms open to them.  Without hesitation, Lizzy ran into his arms.

Toby hung back.

“Are you really our grandpa?” Lizzy said in awe.

“Yep.”

“But you’re an alien,” Toby said, not being able to equate the two concepts into one image before him.

“Toby, don’t call your grandfather that,” his mother scolded just a little.

“Well, I suppose, technically, he’s right, Elana,” October defended Toby.

Toby grinned at his mother. “None of the other kids got an alien grandpa,” he said proudly.

“Now aren’t we the lucky family,” Elana said as she eyed her long-absent father with a mixture of love and frustration.

“Wait until I tell Gwinnie,” Lizzy said excitedly.

“Is Gwinnie your friend?” October asked.

“She’s a dumb ol’ doll,” Toby teased.

“She is not dumb,” Lizzy whined in defense of her doll.

“She doesn’t do nothing.  She can’t walk or talk or change her clothes—”

“Momma,” Lizzy whined again.

“Toby,” Elana scolded.

The boy dug his toe in the dirt. “Well, she—”

“That’s enough.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Go inside,” Elana ordered.  “Both of you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they said in unison.

Lizzy hugged October around the neck; then ran up the steps behind her brother.

October stood uncomfortably as Elana looked down at him.  She smiled and came down the stairs into his arms. “Where have you been, father?” She said emotionally.

“Here and there.  You know me,” he said as he choked back his own emotions.

She pulled away from him, holding on to his hands. “You’ll never change, will you?”

“At my age, I doubt it,” he said and nodded toward the shack.  “The children have grown.”

“If you’d come around more than every three years—”

He put a finger on her lips to shush her. “Where’s Christopher?” he asked about her husband.

A worried look came across her face.

“What?  Has something happened?”

“The flesh-eater escaped,” she said.

“Amasunto.  When?”

“Three days ago.  The men stand watch outside town.  But it will do no good if that beast and his followers come.  He is too powerful and has already killed.”

“He won’t come here,” October said earnestly.  “There are too many men with weapons.”

“There are many wildcatters out there,” she said as she nodded toward the distant mountains.  “He will find them.”

“That’s a cheerful thought.”

She realized suddenly why her father had come back. “You must not go out there?” she pleaded.

“Let’s talk about it later,” he said.  “What’cha got to eat in there?” He took her arm and guided her to the shack.