The Legend of Sam Miracle by N. D. Wilson

Author:N. D. Wilson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2016-02-10T05:00:00+00:00

8

Coil and Strike

MANUELITO WAS AS STILL AS THE CLIFFS AS HE WATCHED the dust rise around the distant horses. Finally, he lifted his face to the sun and shut his eyes, breathing slowly. From that pose, he spoke, and Tisto moved closer. The words of father and the words of son rippled quickly over and around one another.

Tisto finally nodded, squinting down at the threat.

“What now?” Glory asked. “What do we do?”

“Come,” Manuelito said, and turning back into the cave, he began to run.

Sam and Glory raced through the open cave city, but Manuelito’s strides were too long and too many for them to keep pace. Baptisto ran just behind his father, poncho flapping, occasionally glancing back to make sure Sam and Glory were still there.

“All the way back!” Manuelito shouted over his shoulder. “Tisto will lead you. After the opening volleys, I will come to you there.” The big man veered away down a tiny side street between collapsing stone houses.

Sam immediately slowed. Baptisto didn’t.

“C’mon!” Glory tugged on his arm and then quickly let go when her fingers touched scales.

“Pretty gross, huh?” Sam said.

“Don’t be stupid,” said Glory. “We have to hurry.”

Sam jogged. “Is any of this in the book? How does the story end now?”

“I guess it is. At least, outlaws find us hiding in a cave, and we have to escape. But there isn’t anything about your snakes.” Glory moved along beside him, suddenly silent. Well ahead of them, Tisto slowed.

“But what about the ending? Let me guess,” Sam said. “Happily ever after for the bad guys but not for my sister and not for me.”

“Millie lives,” Glory said.

“Seriously?” Sam stared at Glory, trying to find the catch. “That’s a lot better than it was.”

“But you’re still dead,” Glory said. “And so am I. And you’re the one who does it.”

“What? I kill you?” Sam shook his head. “No way! That’s just stupid.”

“With your left hand, Sam.” Glory watched Cindy swinging at Sam’s side as they jogged. “Don’t think about it now. We’ll figure it out later. We’ll change it.”

The cave floor rose steeply as they left most of the buildings behind. A stair had been cut into the uneven rock and they climbed it quickly. Above them, the roof of the cave sloped down steeply. The sides banked in. At the top of the stair, a large jagged crack like a lightning bolt veered up from the floor. Water trickled down its edges.

Baptisto had already gone in.

Glory ducked through as soon as they reached the top of the stairs, but Sam hesitated, looking back over the small ancient city behind him. A gunshot rang through the cave, but he saw nothing. He could feel Cindy’s rattle beginning to quiver slightly on his shoulder.

“Sam!”

Sam ducked through the crack. The little cot he had woken on was right where he had danced on it. The white of his bandages decorated the floor. But now he noticed more. There were shelves. Countless bottles of what had to be medicines. A stone bowl on the floor with water trickling in and overflowing out.

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