Throwaway People

Death and Hope

Prelude:

Wolf had spent all of his life living with Crow. Crow had come to this desolate country to be alone. She had brought Wolf with her to keep her company. Crow didn't like people, but she had no problem with keeping a half wild wolf hybrid with her.

It was after this that the children came. One was similar to Crow, the other Wolf recognized as a kindred spirit. A Coyote Spirit Child. This child was precocious. She was curious to the point of getting herself in trouble on a regular basis. She liked to laugh. So different from the stern, serious Crow; who found the child a humorous diversion.

One day the Crow Child came without the Coyote Spirit Child. At first there was only the sense that the Coyote Spirit Child was absent. Walker Across the Prairie came and he brought news that the Coyote Spirit Child was missing. Sadness followed by tears. Wolf had never seen Crow cry before.

Crow Child remained with Crow for a while then the City Woman came to take her away. Crow wandered. Crow worked on her statues, jewelry, and other projects. Crow cried at night. When only Wolf would know how she mourned the Coyote Spirit Child's absence. For years Wolf had noticed the underlying bitterness, anger that was part of Crow's spirit. Now, there was the horrible sadness.

There had been a time when Wolf had thought that he would die in the wild place that Crow had called home. Among the prairie grasses, rich red soil, rocky cliffs. That was not to be. Wolf had heard a call that had touched his Coyote spirit. He had to follow where the call would lead him.

Wolf walked through the badlands for two days before he found the abandoned town. In front of the old mechanic shop Wolf collapsed. The Coyote came to him as he lay on his belly in the dirt, his paws extended in front of him, his head laying between them. Coyote walked in the form of a man, as Spirits could do in the ancient days.

"Not to worry old fellow." Said the Coyote. "We both knew you would die soon. Your death will allow me to assume your form. The Coyote Spirit Child needs us."

Wolf understood. It was the way of things. All things died. Only the spirit lived on. Wolf let his spirit slide out of his body. The Coyote Spirit possessed the body of Old Wolf, making it young again. As Coyote walked into the parking lot of the old mechanic shop the building disappeared. In a shimmer like a illusionary oasis.

Chapter One: The Return

Palm Springs, Florida: November 20th 3:00 PM (Six Years Later)

During the Summer months, when it was hot, the concept of selling bottled waters at bus stops seemed like a good idea. Jim, unemployed and homeless, made a fair profit. As September ended, so did the extremely hot weather. As a result Jim's sales were down.

Jim sat under a tree, near the Fresco in the plaza on the corner of Military Trail and Cresthaven Road. He was waiting to meet Patty. The woman he often shared a motel room with. There was nothing sexual between them. It was convenient to share the expenses of a motel room between them, since neither of them usually had enough to pay for a room for themselves. This was especially true now that Patty had stopped prostituting herself.

Jim knew she still had a client list on her cell phone. She hadn't been calling them lately. Jim knew why. Patty knew that Jim was nervous about sleeping with an active prostitute. According to the local gossip, Bobbi, Patty had gone and gotten herself tested for VD recently. Not because she suspected she had one. but to make sure she didn't.