Bear Naked 4: The Sons of Garm

Chapter 10

Johan Kallioski's farm was in southern Missouri, near where the northern most tip of the Table Rock Lake waterways began. In fact, a stream on the land emptied into the James River near McCord Bend a few miles onward. The nearest town was a tiny hamlet of some twenty or so households and the farm was only accessible by a dirt driveway at the end of a long road. The road dipped in places into fen and when the spring meltwater was high, the farm was not accessible at all. Which suited Uncle Johan and his wife Sofia well enough.

Jay had inherited the battered Volvo station wagon the pack had been using in Idaho and it's already worn struts creaked over the ruts in the dirt road and the wagon bottomed out more than once. "Oh well, once we get there we'll just park it for summer, most likely, given the shopping alternatives in — what town was that?"

"I don't remember," Corey said. "Is that guy naked?"

Jay followed Corey's gaze to a thin man with short dark hair, regarding them from the side of a creek. He was sitting in the weeds but his chest was bare, as were the knobby knees that stuck up above the weed line. "Seems so. I guess when in the south?"

The road wound up and out of the woods. The farm itself was on a low hill, surrounded on three sides by woods and on the fourth by a small field of produce that kept the family going. They parked in front of a small cabin. An old barn rose behind the cabin. A familiar couple were waiting for them on the porch, Johan and Sofia.

They climbed out, stretched their sore muscles and went to greet the older couple. "Come let's cool you guys down and welcome you," Uncle Johan said, leading them behind the cabin.

Jay was struck, as always, by the sheer beauty of the place. Framed behind the barn and cabin were an assortment of small outbuildings on the side of the hill. There were two saunas and a natural pool, with a deck around it. An outdoor fire pit and rough natural benches invited visitors to stay outside to eat and socialize.

They went first to the pool. The couple stripped, heedless of their visitors and dove into the pool. Jay threw his stinky sweat-stained travel clothes into the pile and dove after, the cool water refreshing. Corey followed suit. They all swam and talked for awhile. Sofia was the first to climb out and fire up the larger of the two sauna's.

The large sauna they kept relatively cool, like the sauna at Aunt Maggie's farm; it was a social custom, a place to gather and talk. The smaller was Uncle Johan's and only he and his students went inside. It was run hot, prayers were given and secret songs were sang, more like the Native idea of a sweat lodge.

On a rise just to one side of the small sauna there was an oval of rocks, taller rocks rose at the front and back to create the impression of a canoe, half buried in the dirt. It was Uncle's Johan's spirit boat. He lay within the space when he journeyed out of his body and into the spirit realm. Not far from it was a pile of fresh rocks gathered around. "We'll start on your boat soon, but not today," Uncle Johan told him as they headed into the sauna to soak.

Looking out of the small window in the door of the sauna, Jay saw a black otter swimming in the pool. Uncle Johan dismissed himself to start on supper. Sofia remained with them, talking and catching up.

When they stepped out of the sauna, the otter was gone and the dark haired man was back, naked and sitting in one of Airondike chairs on the deck. Sofia showed no surprise at finding him there. Jay threw her a quizzical look.

"Ghost," she said. She threw a utili-kilt at the man. "If you want human food today we eat in ten minutes." She wrapped herself in a sarong and headed for the cabin. Jay and Courtney each took a sarong and made to follow, Jay still wondering about the man.

"He's daft in the head," Sofia explained as they crossed around the corner of the cabin. "But what can you do? He's kin."

"Does he live here now?" Jay asked.

Sofia shook her head. "Showed up a week or two ago. Mostly he's been staying on the edge of the farm in otter form, eating crawdad's or fish from the stream. Try to get a human meal into him when I can. He's naught but skin and bones. Called Mistress Jarvinen. Thought she'd want to know he was up here."

"He lives there?"

"Yes," Sofia answered. "Her son-in-law after all."

Jay thought of his conversation with his mom. He opened his mouth to ask about the man again, but they were inside the cabin and Uncle Johan was already setting a pot of stew on the table. Before Jay could find a polite opening to continue questioning Sofia, the door to the cabin opened and Ghost came in. He wore a kilt and loose fitting shirt he'd found somewhere.

Uncle Johan introduced them to Ghost.

"Know who they are," Ghost grunted.

"Not much of a talker, Ghost," Uncle Johan said with a shrug.

Ghost shrugged as well. "Empty is all."

Jay attempted anyway, asking Ghost a handful of questions. Ghost ignored most and the ones he answered he answered with monosyllables and grunts, his head down. He ate voraciously, shoving a whole bun in his mouth and then spooning stew after it as fast as he could. Then again, Sofia was right, he was rail thin.

When he finished, which was well before the others, he simply left. Jay looked over to see the empty shirt and kilt on the chair. He caught a glimpse of a black otter climbing out the cat door in the front door.

"He's like your Uncle Mort, I think," Jay said to Courtney, glancing at Johan and Sofia for confirmation of his theory.

"Heart sick, yes," Johan agreed. "Sad. To lose a life partner and in such circumstances."

"Yes," Sofia agreed. "But he ate good today. There's that. So how was the trip down?"

They'd already discussed it, but it was clear she wanted a new direction for the conversation. Jay thought for one moment about trying to force the question, but decided against it. It wouldn't do to antagonize his hosts the day they arrived. Maybe Ghost would stick around and he'd have another opportunity to find out what had happened.