In the Sun's House by Kurt Caswell

Author:Kurt Caswell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Trinity University Press
Published: 2011-07-07T04:00:00+00:00

I rose early to Kuma’s soft whimpering at the tent door. I pulled on my pants and warm fleece anorak, a little panicked and curious about the bus. It was still there, and I could see Redd asleep at the wheel. The sky was blue and ever clear, and Kuma headed out to have a look around.

We were camped on a knoll rising out of a broad field that sloped down and away and back up to the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. I stood for a moment looking out. The world was alive and beautiful. The rocky landscape was softened by pockets of conifers and the tall dry grasses running up the hills and talking in the wind. It came in waves, the wind in the grasses, and they made a soft shushing sound as they folded and moved together like birds. Kuma worked the edges of the camp, tumbling down through the grasses, pausing here, pausing there, and for the moment, at least, I was happy we had come.

I built a fire in the fire pit and went to check on the girls. Their tent was empty. I hesitated a moment before realizing what had happened: they must have spent the night on the bus with Redd. He must have started the engine to keep them warm.

Mary was up now too, and she knelt down for Kuma, who went to her now to say hello. She ruffed him about the ears and chest and shoulders, and she said hello and good morning, and wasn’t it beautiful and clear after the storm. We agreed we should get breakfast started, so I needed to get on the bus for the food. I knocked on the door. Redd woke up and let me on. The girls were asleep in there, spread out across the seats near the back of the bus.

Mary and I had the meal sorted out, the stove set up, and the bacon frying when Vanessa, Renee, and Teresa got up. They approached the fire and stood warming themselves.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Mr. Caswell,” Renee said. “Teresa wants to ask you somethin’.”

Teresa stepped forward. She was very thin and wore her hair cut short like a boy. When I met her in class on my first day at school, she asked me if I had taken the Lord into my life, and if not, she said, she could help. I politely declined.

“Yeah,” Teresa said. “I have somethin’ to ask you.”

I waited. She looked guilty, like she’d done something bad and wanted to confess.

“Yes?” I said. “What is it?”

“Hey,” she said finally, “can we go over there and get some Skoal? And will you buy it for us? We don’ got no money.”

Chewing tobacco was one of the many substances on the contraband list at school. A lot of students at Borrego chewed tobacco at home, however, and for some reason, especially girls.

“No,” I said. “You can’t buy Skoal. Of course not.”

“Ahh, c’mon,” Vanessa said.

“No. There’s nowhere to go anyway.

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