Everville by Clive Barker Read Free Book Online

feet. "Then show yourself, friend," he said.
    The stranger did as he was invited, and sauntered into view. He was shorter than any man around the fire, but he carried himself with the easy gait of one who was seldom, if ever, crossed. The high collar of his fur coat was turned up, and he smiled out from its luxury as though the faces before him were those of well-fed friends, and he was coming to join them at a feast. Apart from the snow on his boots, there was no sign that he had exerted himself to reach this spot. Every detail was in place and bespoke a man of cultivation: waxed mustache, clipped beard, calf-skin gloves, silver-tipped cane.
    There was not one among the group around the fire unmoved by his presence. Sheldon Sturgis felt a deep shame for his cowardice, certain that this man had never shit his pants in his life. Alvin Goodbue's stomach rebelled at, the powerful perfume the man wore, and he summarily ffimw up his portion of gruel. Its cook, Ninnie Immendorf, didn't even notice. She was too busy feeling thankful for her widowhood.
    "Where'd you come from?" Marsha wanted to know.
    "Up the pass," the stranger replied.
    "Where's your wagon?" The man was amused by this. "I came on foot," he said. "It's no more than a mile or two down into the valley."
    There were murmurs of joy and disbelief around the fire. "We're saved!" Cynthia Fisher sobbed. "Oh Lord in Heaven, we're saved!"
    "You were right" Goodhue said to Whitney, "we were in God's hands tonight."
    Whitney caught the twitch of a smile on the stranger's face. "This is indeed welcome news," he said. "May we know who you are?"
    "No secret there," the man replied. "My name's Owen Buddenbaum. I came to meet with some friends of mine, but I don't see them among your company. I hope no harm has befallen them."
    "We've lost a lot of good people," Sturgis said. "Who're you looking for?"
    "Harmon O'Connell and his daughter," Buddenbaum replied. "Were they not with you?"
    The smiles around the fire died. There were several seconds of uneasy silence, then Goodhue simply said: "They're dead."
    Buddenbaum teased the glove off his left hand as he spoke, his voice betraying nothing. "Is that so?" he said.
    "Yes it's so," Sturgis replied. "O'Connell-got lost on the mountain."
    "And the child?"
    "She went after him. It's like he says, they're both dead." Buddenbaum's bare hand went up to his mouth, and he nibbled on the nail of his thumb. There was at least one ring on every finger. On the middle digit, three. "I'm surprised-" he said.
    :'At what?" Whitney replied.
    'At God-fearing men and women leaving an innocent child to freeze to death," Buddenbaum replied. He shrugged. "Well, we do what we must do." He pulled his glove back on. "I'll take my leave of you."
    "Wait," said Ninnie, "won't you have something to eat? We ain't got much, but-"
    "Thank you, no."
    "I got a little coffee tucked away," Sheldon said. "We could brew a cup."
    :'You're very kind," Buddenbaum said. 'So stay," said Sheldon.
    "Another time perhaps," Buddenbaurn replied. He scanned the group as he spoke. "I'm sure our paths will cross in the future," he said. "We go our many ways but the roads lead back and back, don't they? And of course we follow them. We have no choice."
    "You could ride back down with us," Sheldon said.
    "I'm not going back," came the reply. "I'm going up the mountain."
    "You're out of you're mind," Marsha said with her customary plainness.
    "You'll freeze up there."
    "I have my coat and gloves," Buddenbaum replied, "And if a little child can survive the cold, I surely can."
    "How many times-?" Goodhue began, but Whitney, who had taken a seat on the far side of the fire from Buddenbaum, and was studying the man through the smoke, hushed him.
    "If he wants to go, let him," he said.
    "Quite so," Buddenbaum replied. "Well-goodnight."
    As he turned from the fire, however, Ninnie blurted out: "Trumpets."
    Buddenbaurn looked back. "I beg your pardon?"
    "We heard trumpets, up on the mountain@'