Cemetery World by Clifford D Simak

Author:Clifford D Simak [Simak, Clifford D]
Format: epub
Tags: Science fiction, General, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction - General, Fantasy
ISBN: 9780881849851
Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub
Published: 2010-04-30T23:00:00+00:00

I woke and it was night, but immediately I remembered what had happened and where we were. I raised up to a sitting position and to one side of me saw the dark form that was Cynthia. She was still asleep. Just a few hours more, I thought, and Elmer and Bronco would be back and we could be on our way. It had been all damn foolishness, I told myself. We could have kept on with them. I had been sleepy, certainly, and riding a horse for the first time in my life had not been an easy chore, but I could have managed. Cynthia had been played out, but we could have strapped her onto Bronco so that if she fell asleep she would not have fallen off, but Elmer had insisted on leaving us behind while he and Bronco shagged the horses deep into the mountains that loomed ahead of us.

"There can't nothing happen," he had said. "This cave is comfortable and well hidden and by the time you've had some sack time we'll be back again. There is nothing to it."

I blamed myself. I should not have let him talk us into it. I didn't like it, I told myself. We should have stayed together. No matter what had happened, we should have stayed together.

A shadow stirred near the mouth of the cave and a soft voice said, "Friend, please do not make an outcry. There is nothing you must fear."

I came surging to my feet, the hair prickling at the nape of my neck. "Who the hell are you?" I shouted.

"Softly, softly, softly," said the voice, softly. "There are those who must not hear."

Cynthia screamed.

"Shut up!" I yelled at her.

"You must be quiet," said the lurker in the shadows. "You do not recognize me, but I saw you at the dance."

Cynthia, on the verge of another scream, caught her breath and gulped. "It's the census-taker," she said. "What does he want here?"

"I come, fair one," said the census-taker, "to warn you of great danger."

"You .would," I said, but I did not say it loudly, for all this business of his about talking softly and not making any outcry had sunken into me.

"The wolves," he said. "The metal wolves have been set upon your trail."

"What can we do about it?"

"You stay very quiet," said the census-taker, "and hope that they pass by."

"Where are all your pals?" I asked.

"They are around somewhere. They are often with me. They hide when they first meet people. They are a little shy. If they like you they'll come out."

"They weren't shy at the dance the other night," said Cynthia.

"They were among old friends. They had been there before."

"You said something about wolves," I reminded him. "Metal wolves, I think."

"If you'll come most softly to the entrance, I think that you might see them. But please to be most quiet."

Cynthia was close beside me and I put out my hand to her and she grabbed it and hung on tight.

"Metal wolves," she said.

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