Chin Alan - Simple Treasures by Alan Chin

Author:Alan Chin [Chin, Alan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

THE morning began cold and clear, with a solid, blue dome stretched from horizon to horizon. Simple woke before dawn, pulled on his jeans and shirt, then slid his feet into his boots and stomped on the floorboards to seat them full on. He dug out his journal and read the last ten pages. Then, after feeding the livestock and milking the sorrowful old cow, he fried up six strips of bacon and scrambled four eggs. He ate breakfast with Emmett while watching the sunrise.

When the sun was full up, he piled the dirty dishes in the sink and walked out to the barn to retrieve the mousetrap, which now held four cringing field mice. He scanned the sky and saw two specks in the distance, drifting on the currents. He knew that the falcons were scouting the ground for movement, and he hoped theyd be able to spot the mice inside the cage.

He grinned as he carried the mice back to the house. After dragging a rocking chair onto the front porch, he assembled all the gear.

Emmett shuffled onto the porch.

While Simple was retrieving the mice, Emmett had gone into his bedroom and pulled on a plaid shirt and bib overalls. It was the first time Simple had seen Emmett wearing anything but his long underwear. Simple nodded, telling Emmett he now looked like a rancher instead of a nut case.

Emmett huffed. “Dont make a damn what I look like. I still feel like warmed-over dog shit. My hands are having fits, and my gut is doing cartwheels.”

“Put your mind on sewing those gloves, and youll feel better. Ive already threaded a half-dozen needles for you. With any luck, well need them within the hour.”

“Dont you wait on me. Ill have them done by the time you catch that bird.”

“Im not worried,” Simple said. “Its your fingers that are at risk, not mine.”

Emmett picked up the cut pieces of padded leather, selected a threaded needle, and went to work.

Simple studied the bird trap. He was sure it was heavy enough to keep the bird from flying off with it. The mice cowered in one corner, as if fully aware of the terror that would soon rain down on them. He carried the trap into the pasture beside the barn and set it atop a rounded boulder. He glanced back at the house, about two hundred yards away, making sure the trap was in view of the front porch. Then he strolled back to the house, dragged another chair onto the porch, and sat down to wait.

Within ten minutes he was up again, pacing the porch— fifteen paces long and four paces wide—while watching the falcons working the sky to the north. What if they don’t come? he wondered. And if they do, what if the trap can’t hold them? What will I tell the old man?

A half hour drifted by. Emmett occasionally glanced up as he worked his needle. Simple paced and watched the sky as if in a trance.

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