Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice

Author:Waubgeshig Rice [Rice, Waubgeshig]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House of Canada
Published: 2023-10-10T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

dusk had fallen in the forest, and the walkers, following the path the two children had made, had passed two more green cloth markers by the time Tyler spotted smoke in the distance. They hadn’t stopped for food, afraid of losing the trail, and none of them were sure what they would do when they reached the end of it. They were deliberating in anxious whispers whether they should find cover and wait for the morning light when a low voice boomed from somewhere in the nearby wilds.

“N’gaasek!”

Stunned, Nangohns strained to hear over her pounding heartbeat, but couldn’t place the source of the command.

“We all heard that, right?” Cal whispered.

Evan hushed him. Their necks jerked in panic as they peered in all directions around them.

“Gwaabminim,” the man spoke again. “Gego gjib’iwe-kego.”

They froze. The mysterious nearby voice was warning them, in the old language, not to run away.

“Gii-biidoonaawaan na baashkzignan?” he continued.

Evan fixed his eyes straight ahead. Behind him, Nangohns homed in on where the voice was emanating from. It echoed loudly enough for them to hear, but was somehow muffled, as if spoken from a ways off into the expanse they faced.

“Is he asking us something?” whispered Cal again.

Amber shushed him.

“Guns,” said Tyler. “He’s asking—”

“Shut up,” the voice said. “I’ll make this easier for you. I’m gonna talk in Zhaagnaashmowin, in English, so you understand. Are you armed?”

The baritone sounded clearer now, although its source remained hidden. Each passing moment brought another degree of nightfall.

“Don’t tell me you don’t understand English, either.” The voice became audibly agitated. “Do I have to repeat myself?”

“No, no, you don’t.” Evan’s voice trembled as he finally responded.

“Well? What is it, then? Did you bring guns or what?”

“Yes, we have guns.”

“What do you have?”

“A rifle. And three handguns.”

“Where are they?”

“The handguns are in our packs. We’re carrying the rifle.”

“Is that all?”

“I have a bow,” Nangohns spoke up.

Evan swivelled his head in her direction, startled by her voice.

“Ooooh, a real Indian!” the voice joked.

Now it sounded to her like it came from behind the thick trunk about twenty metres in front of them. Her right knee trembled. A hush fell over the strange standoff.

“Why are you following those kids?” the voice asked after a moment.

Evan cleared his throat. “We’ve been walking all summer. We haven’t seen anyone since we left home. We just wanted to see who’s here.”

“Aapiish wenjibaayek?” He switched back to Anishinaabemowin to ask where they came from.

“Gaawaandagoong,” Evan replied.

“Gaawaandagoong?” The man’s tone softened.

Nangohns felt sweat form in her armpits despite the chill of night. Nervous perspiration beaded below her nostrils too. Finally, a silhouette slipped out from behind a tree several metres in front of them, causing her to catch her breath. Two more figures emerged from wide trunks behind him. All three stood with their arms tensed at their sides.

“Here’s how it’s gonna go,” said the one in the front, who had been questioning them. “If you wanna come with us, you’re gonna leave your backpacks here. And that rifle and that bow.

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