Will the Wise

Chapter 5

November 7th, 1983. Evening

"Don't you have work tomorrow?" Henry asked, checking his watch. The sun was setting, and the woods were starting to darken.

"Actually," Dale said, with one of his rare smiles, "I've decided to quit my job and join the traveling circus. Or start a business. I thought I told you."

"Start a business?"

"I haven't thought of a name, yet. Something catchy."

"Traditionalists and Torture. Torturing traditionalists. Traditionalists of torture" Henry adjusted his bag, and checked his watch again. The sun was setting rapidly. If they didn't head home soon, they might end up walking through the woods in the dark.

"That's an unusual combination." Dale put a hand on the back of his neck absentmindedly. "We'll protest at pride parades and take lollipops from children."

Henry laughed. "I'll join you."

There was a pause, and then Dale asked, "When is your wife back from her trip?"

"Thursday. She called me last night. She said California is great, but too warm."

Dale would have given a lot for some warmth. The days lately had been cold and wet. "I think I'll take the day off work tomorrow and go to Indianapolis."

"Don't you ever get in trouble for that?" Henry smiled a little, but Dale could tell he was concerned.

"Come on, they don't care. My 'condition,' remember?" Dale said.

Henry didn't say anything, and Dale was grateful for that. "We really should be getting back." Henry checked his watch again.

Dale thought of opening the door to his dark, empty house. Going to sleep with only the company of his thoughts. He glanced at Henry. He didn't want to go home. He didn't know how to say it, though, without sounding like an idiot.

He was saved by the sound of the leaves rustling. "That wasn't fifty yards away," Henry said quietly, cocking his gun.

Dale grinned. Maybe it's a deer, he thought. They hadn't caught more than a rabbit all day, and he knew Henry would be willing to stay and try for something more. He hoped it would keep them chasing for a while.

They crept together in the direction of the noise. They couldn't hear anything, or see anything in the trees. It was getting close to night, and visibility was low. Still, the animal had been close, and they would have heard it run away. It didn't make sense that they couldn't see it now.

They heard a twig snap, and a blurry shape shot through the trees. From its size and color, he thought it could be a bear on its hind legs, or a moose if they were lucky. Bears almost never run on their hind legs, he thought, but he ignored the warning bells. If he said anything about it, the animal would hear and run away. Dale heard a chittering noise from the direction of the creature, and Henry glanced at him, confused. Dale just continued on. There was no reason to be confused, or concerned. It was probably a bird, nesting in a tree near the animal.

He stood still, keeping his eye and his sight on the spot where the animal had vanished. He heard the chittering noise from behind him, and risked a glance over his shoulder. He saw the same dark, blurry shape rush down through the trees to his right. He turned and aimed his gun in that direction. He was having trouble holding the shotgun up with his bag on his shoulder, though, so he slowly lowered his gun and placed the bag on the floor. Inside it was the rabbit carcass. He could see a blood stain blooming at the bottom of the bag from its wound.