Starfish by James Crowley Read Free Book Online

sides of his face and was fashioned from hide and antlers to mimic a deer’s head. Beneath the hood, his face was dark with deep creases around his eyes and mouth. Two thick braids with feathers woven into them fell onto his broad shoulders.
    â€œWell, what’s it going to be? You gonna run off like your friend over there and hide in a hole like a rabbit, or are ya gonna stand up and tell me what the hell you’re doing out here? out here on my land?”
    Lionel stood perfectly still.
    â€œWhat—your tongue froze to the roof of your mouth?”
    â€œNo—no, sir. we’re out here looking…”
    â€œLooking for what?” the man demanded.
    â€œWell, I—” Lionel was interrupted as Ulysses’s ears shot back, and the big horse let out a long, hard whinny. The noise startled Lionel and caused the old man with the deer-antler hood to spin around—and face Beatrice.
    Beatrice sat on the back of a large mule. Lionel had never been so happy to see his sister in all his life.
    â€œSay there, just what do you think you’re doing?” the man yelled, pulling a large pistol from beneath his heavy coat.
    Before he knew what he was doing, Lionel lunged at the man and the gun. “That’s just my sister, don’t shoot!” Lionel screamed. He hit the old man as hard as he could, but the man easily held him off with his free hand, aiming the pistol at Beatrice.
    â€œIf you know what’s good for ya, you’ll step down from my mule!”
    But Beatrice didn’t get down from the mule. She chose instead to spur the animal forward and slowly ride it down the snowy slope toward Lionel, the man with the hood, and Ulysses.
    â€œI knew this would come to no good!” Corn Poe yelled from his hole.
    The man seemed puzzled and unsure how to react to Beatrice’s icy defiance. Beatrice continued forward, and Lionel saw that the mule pulled a travois, and on that sled was the carcass of a small elk.
    Beatrice rode right up to them and slid effortlessly from the back of the mule to Ulysses. She then handed the man the mule’s reins. He watched Beatrice, a puzzled look still on his face.
    â€œBeatrice?” the man stuttered in disbelief, then spun to face Lionel. “So…you’re Lionel. I should have seen it in your eyes. I’m slippin’ in my old age, I tell ya.”
    Lionel looked up at Beatrice, who sat calmly on Ulysses’s back. Beatrice might have been a girl, Lionel thought, but she sure looked like a warrior up there on that great horse.
    â€œWhy, this is a surprise! Beatrice, it’s been a while, and you…” the man said as he roughly shook Lionel’s half-frozen hand, “when I last saw you, hell if you weren’t but two foot tall. I’m your grandpa.”
    His grandfather’s hand felt warm as it engulfed his.
    â€œWhy, judgin’ from yer hand, you’re half froze, boy.”
    Lionel heard the word “froze” and instinctively slipped his other hand in his coat pocket, feeling the Frozen Man’s bear claws.
    â€œWe better get you out of this weather,” their grandfather continued. “I tell ya, another storm’s coming.”
    Beatrice and Lionel’s grandpa pulled his mule’s reins tight and circled back to the small hill.
    â€œWe ain’t too far from my place, so I think it’s best we get going. we can talk there. I’ll be interested to hear what y’all are doin’ way out here and where you got that horse you’re on there, Beatrice.”
    In a few steps, their grandfather was halfway up the hill.
    â€œAnd you best fetch your rabbit friend over there. He might be interested to see how us ghosts are livin’ in this here modern age.”

Chapter Nine
    A B ELLY F ULL • R ECOUNTING THE E SCAPE • B UFFALO R OBE • N API THE O LD M AN • L IONEL’S D REAM
    THE FIRE in Grandpa’s cabin on the Milk River