Bear Dog by Camden Ayan

Author:Camden Ayan [Ayan, Camden]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mark Nafekh
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 3 - Luck

The next morning Lorry and Jule set out to the Wakefield market with their mother after breakfast. The sunny, dry weather continued and hopes were high that the three would sell the vegetables in the cart they dragged behind them.

Lorry rode on horseback while their mother rode the mule. Jule remained in the back with the vegetables in the wagon that was hitched to the mule. There was an unspoken rush to get them out of the house this morning before the bailiff arrived. Jule had barely finished his coffee when his father rushed the three of them out the door. They continued on the only road that made its way out of the ranch.

As they made their way along the road, the wagon wheels kicked up dry clay making a dust trail that Jule watched as it made patterns with its swirls before returning to its home and settling. Time was not stopped in the expanse of the land, but it was slow. The trees that were scattered in the distance creaked to the rumble of the wooden wheels when wind pressed their branches back as it walked by. And only the bravest creatures were heard, as making any noise when time ran slow was a sure sign to your predators as to where you were in the landscape. Jule listed to the chirp of a cricket and imagined it standing with its chest held up to the sky challenging the birds to come seek it out.

As they neared the end of the road taking them off their farm and onto the main route, Jule closed his eyes. They passed a line of trees that stood tall in front of the sun that was still ascending into the sky. The sun flashed beams of orange light and the cast strips of shadows on the insides of Jules eyelids, and he wondered how long each would last. Some were a mere flicker while some lingered until interrupted. As the tree line got denser the shadows playing inside his closed eyes remained longer, taking shapes between the brief sparks of light. Suddenly the unwanted face that Jule had seen when he was a child appeared amongst the shadows opening its evil mouth to laugh loudly at him while never taking its eyes from his.

"Don't say a word to him, I'll do all the talking, you hear?"

Jule's mother reared her cart and called out to Lorry. Jule recognized the sound of anxiety in her voice. He looked up ahead and could see the silhouette of a rider approaching. The rider must have been travelling to their ranch, and Jule figured immediately it was the bailiff.

"Jule, keep your gaze down. I'll do the talking. You hear?" His mother was nervous, and now both boys knew they were meant to avoid the bailiff this morning, but he had come early and caught them off guard.

All remained silent. Lorry and his mother moved the horse, mule and cart over to the side of the road so the bailiff could pass easily.

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