Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Gildiner

Author:Catherine Gildiner [Gildiner, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BIO000000
Publisher: ECW Press
Published: 1999-09-04T04:00:00+00:00

Roy rubbed his hands together and shivered. “Now that was one long time ago — and I can still smell the new rubber wheels on that wagon, and I can still see the red fence sides — how they fit in them grooves.”

“You know, you’ve been a driver ever since. You love driving if it’s a car or a truck, as long as it has wheels.”

“You know I never thought of that, but you’re onto somethin’ there.”

“You even love the dolly on the loading dock. Why, I bet you’d even marry a forklift. You know, like the one at Veverett Lumber?” Roy just shook his head when I got what he called “carried away.”

It was really cold now and dark, so dark there wasn’t a light in the sky. Not even a star or the moon. My father had a telescope so I knew a little about the constellations. I couldn’t believe they didn’t even have astronomy in Wheatfield. There hadn’t been a car or even a rabbit since we were stranded, which had now been a long time. I was beginning to feel tired, as though everything were a big chore. Even talking seemed sort of exhausting. My ears had hurt a while ago, but now I couldn’t feel them when I touched them. When I bent my hand, my mitten was hard. I’d never heard of wool freezing. I felt like I was wearing woollen casts on my hands. “Roy, do you think we’ll be found?”

“Yup.” He wanted to be enthusiastic, but he could barely manage a whisper. I was dressed more warmly than he was. When I suggested he have a cigarette, which had always rejuvenated him, he said he was too tired to light it, right then. Jeepers! I thought. He started talking to me about how nice it would be to have a hot toddy at Shim-Shacks. “Wouldn’t that be a great wagon.” Wagon? Roy was drifting off, but his eyes were open.

“Roy, Roy!” I yelled. “Roy, son of a sea cook!” That’s a phrase my father used when he hammered his finger when doing carpentry or if something really made him angry. “This isn’t funny. Cut it out and let’s make some plans here.” Roy was breathing heavily and leaning back on the headrest. I realized there were not a lot of plans to make. It was windy outside and we were starting to freeze. I could press in the lighter but what would I burn? Then I started to imagine things. I saw a big red light spin in the sky and then it came closer and closer like a pink tornado and then I blinked and realized a police car had pulled up behind us.

The police knew who we were. In fact, they were looking for us. They had us get out of the car. I wondered why, since we were already freezing, did we have to step out into the wind chill factor? Roy whispered that he was getting ready to cross the river Jordan as he stumbled out.

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