The Boy Who Woke the Sun by A. T. Woodley

Author:A. T. Woodley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Deer Press
Published: 2023-06-05T15:16:59+00:00

“What the heck is that?” said the man, pointing at the octopus.

“I’m an octopus,” said the octopus.

“Well, I’ll be. An octopus wearin’ cowboy boots.” The man slipped out of his saddle. “Look’ee here, folks—ma’am—my sincerest apologies. I thought y’all were poachers. May I approach?”

“As long as it’s without that gun,” said Yilba.

“Of that I can assure, ma’am. I ran outta’ bullets years ago. Couldn’t shoot if I tried.”

“Me run now!” blurted the giant kitten, in an impossibly high voice, its eyes tweaking with pent-up energy. “Me run NOW!” it yelled again, nosing toward the open sands.

“No, Sundancer! Stay!” said the man, pulling the kitten’s reins and bringing its head closer to his own. He whispered in its ear, and almost immediately, as though a switch had been flicked, the animal relaxed. The kitten curled up in the sand and started purring.

The man removed his hat and approached the group, introducing himself with jangling spurs and an outstretched hand. “Sing-Song Pete,” he said.

“Granny Yilba. This is Elliot, Tim, and . . . Octopus.”

“Howdy,” said Pete, shaking their hands, although when he got to the octopus, he didn’t quite know what to do, so he just petted him on the head, instead. “If ya don’t mind me askin,’ what’re y’all doin’ out in the middle of the desert?”

“We’re on our way to a mountain,” said Yilba.

“Ya don’t say. Well look, I feel somethin’ awful, pullin’ a gun on ya like that. Lemme make it up to ya, by inviting ya’ll to my ranch for supper.” He put his hand over his heart. “I can guarantee a good night’s sleep and a full belly. What do ya say?”

Yilba glanced at Elliot, who wasn’t about to pass up a hot meal and a warm bed. He nodded. “Okay, sounds good,” Yilba said.

“Hot dog! Let’s go!” Pete turned and strutted up the bank to his waiting kitten. The others followed. When they got to the top, they saw there were two more kittens, down on the other side, milling about, one white, one black.

“That down there’s Whipped Cream and Night Dust. This is Sundancer. Ever ride kittenback?”

“Can’t say we have,” said Yilba.

“They ride free and fierce, but don’t worry, if ya fall, the sand’ll catch ya.”

Pete lifted the octopus onto Sundancer’s back. Elliot and Yilba mounted Whipped Cream, and Tim climbed onto Night Dust, the largest of the three.

The kittens crouched down, bellies pressed against the sand, muscles tensed, pupils dilated. They appeared ready to explode. “Run!” “Attack!” “Pounce!” they mewed with their helium-high voices.

“Don’t mind them,” Pete said. “They’re just babies is all, single-minded, and not the deepest of thinkers. They live in the moment. Okay, remember to hold tight. Ya don’t wanna be gettin’ whiplash.”

“Shellen help us,” prayed the octopus.

“Yaw!” hollered Pete, digging in his heels. Sundancer leapt forward, and in a burst of sand, Whipped Cream and Night Dust erupted behind her. They tore off across the plains, and whether it was from the excitement of it all, or just the stark-white fear, all five riders screamed in unison.

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