Last Wild Boy by Hugh MacDonald

Author:Hugh MacDonald [MacDonald, Hugh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9781927502136
Publisher: Acorn Press
Published: 2013-09-15T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Nora was tired already. They had climbed rapidly as they’d made their way through the wooded area beside the Humble River. It wasn’t easy going; the pathway was choked with weeds, bracken and tall grasses. Her arms were scratched and bruised from pushing through stiff evergreen branches. But they had finally found an abandoned walking path to follow, and it wound more easily through the trees along the river.

Mabon moved easily, flowing like a human river ahead of Nora, turning every few moments to make sure she was still with him. Nora watched him closely to make sure he didn’t get too far ahead. She didn’t want to lose sight of him for a single moment.

When a ribbon of moonlight penetrated the murky sky, they paused to feed Adam. Mabon sat facing Nora and prepared a tube of nutrifier while she changed Adam’s diaper cloths. They worked together wordlessly. When they were finished, Adam happily accepted the tube of nutrifier from Nora, while Mabon batted away the insects that buzzed around his head as he ate. Mabon felt a warmth spread through his heart as sat with Nora and Adam. Being here with them was such a change from the hopeless isolation he’d felt when he’d been on his own in the dead zone.

“Why is it called the Humble River?” Nora asked in a quiet voice. She, too, was oddly contented.

“It really isn’t,” said Mabon. “We call it by its old name.”

“Old name?”

“It used to be called the Humber River. The insiders changed it to Humble. The outsiders don’t know why. Do you?”

“Humber was probably an outsider name,” said Nora. “That’s usually why name changes were made. But how would I know? I’ve never even heard of it before.”

Adam had now finished drinking and was sound asleep in Nora’s lap. He seemed perfectly content now, and his breathing had become quiet and regular. The fresh air obviously agreed with him. Mabon moved closer to them to support Nora as she held the child. She noted how closely they were sitting, and self-consciously moved away. Mabon coughed and stood up. “We should go,” he said gruffly.

Nora stood up and wordlessly gathered her things, then followed Mabon down the path. They continued down the narrow trail, picking their way through the darkness as quietly as they could. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a pair of dark forms slipped from the shadows and crossed the path ahead. Mabon stood still as a tree. Nora stopped in her tracks. She looked toward the dog, expecting him to bark, but he was as still and quiet as his companions. They stood like that for what seemed a long time as the shadowy figures beat their way through the trees, making far too much noise.

“Rangers, two of them,” Mabon said when they were gone. “That was close. Too close.”

Nora shivered. “How far is it to the Manuhome?”

“Not too far from here, I think. But we should stop and rest until first light. It’s not safe travelling when we can’t see.

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