The Fell Good Flue (7 page)

I said, “and all day long, until I run out of things to ask for, TT gave word that if I call for it the thing comes to me. So the start of a great feast is about to be set up, and we will just have to deal with things as they come, so what peace is ours will still have meaning.” Brandy, “I can deal with that,” and a bell rang, then the zip brought a runner. He came down the stairs with a, “cargo and word, who be receiving?”
I said, “here! Take rest and drop load.”
He turned the corner and stepped into the room, then waved with one hand as he sat a bag down and said, “this be first cut, choice more on its way, though taste be best still warm. And a smoke here from TT to go with the wine, that’s load for now. Do you have words to go out?” I said, “have a sip and I will find some for you.”
He walked forward and Brandy handed him hers saying, “welcome, quench your thirst so your words may flow easy.”
He took the glass and a sip, then said, “many thanks, it’s been some time a day like this has come.”
I said, “take a load off your feet for a moment, what’s the word on the wind?” He took a seat and said, “you hear the drums the same as I, the shot was heard by my ear first as sight I had from my scope of your battle. I sent word on the wind and it sent back, then I swooped in and passed over you as cargo was being loaded. The rabbit was still in its teeth and TT wants to stuff it that way. Saw your zip-out, and stayed for the first cut to bring here, the rest is up to your will.”
I said, “fine report, what’s the smoke?”
He reached in his pocket and handed me a pouch of cigars saying, “TT had this run, and I intercepted it a building ago, they must be from a very special stash.”
I took a sniff and said, “better than the one I had for months before I sold what was left of it, this treasure will be giving lots of chances to bring back memories.”
He said, “TT is very glad to be rid of that man killer, and that the rabbit was his last choice instead of you.”
Brandy, “Nibor does not give choices in such cases, he makes them.”
He said, “we are glad that he does, it would of not been me that took first step if the head was not clean off.”
I said, “things that need doing are best done quickly, waiting for another to decide what it will be is not always best for one’s health, no matter the beast or burden.”
He said, “true, and the new burden on the wind is the wolf is up and hunger again, a rat has already been the hours snack.”
I said, “then he’s no burden in keeping the rats down, did Laurence loosen his head?” He said, “that’s what the street talk is, and I think he’s proud of the harness and polls as well as the locks to do so, but he will not be getting close enough to give it a drink.”
I said, “that’s my job, and I’ll get to it when I can, a busy day no matter how hard I work to do nothing.”
Brandy, “it’s hard to be a hero, and a hero with a hard on can’t even find the time to be doing nothing.”
He said, “that’s why I try not to be a hero, I like the time to take care of my own business before running to take care of someone else’s.”
I said, “problem comes when everyone else’s problem becomes yours, then it’s not choice, just destiny.”
He said, “destiny calls all the time, and I must be heeding it soon, but I’m back this way for sure more than once this day, is there a thing you need?”
I said, “if more milk gets hear before I need to make it cargo, Brandy will make use.” He said, “that word will make the wind, and I will put some under me now, your rest and hospitality was appreciated.”
Brandy, “take care on the lines, and check shadows, they move when you’re not looking at them.”
He stood up and headed for the stairs as he said, “will do, see you when I zip past again, later.” Then up to the roof and off he went, as Brandy climbed in my lap with her apron up and said, “now I got you for a moment before the next bell,”and made use of our privacy while she could.
Then I said, “best get to the first cut meat and put it to soak, you know the way I like it.” So she went to do that as I lit a cigar and refilled my glass. The scent of the tobacco was a bit strong because of its age, and fact I haven’t had one in a long time, but the nicotine gave me a lift.
Brandy said from the kitchen, “I remember when I was too young to smoke and others were not allowed to do so in public places, now it’s just what is can get you by.”
I said, “the wind changes direction and so does everything else, each day a new tune is sung and the word in the drums keep coming, I just flow with the river of life.”
Brandy, “may the raft we are on keep us together, if not dry at all times.”
I said, “you can’t stick your hand in the water for a fish without getting it wet.” Brandy, “but for the day you can call for one to fly to you.”
I said, “fish are like company, hey both usually stink by three days, but sing out for what you like and store it the best you can. One day of wishes that are not beyond what I could do if I had the time, is a thing that may never come again.”
Brandy washed the meat and put it in a bucket to soak as she said, “you could be out fishing if you had a mind to, but the ones in the stock tanks are even better feed, and I thought our last one went down easy.”
I said, “and less dangerous than setting by the stream, or covering the open ground back, his stock made it through the winter without much loss.”
Brandy, “I could keep a few alive and feed until we eat them, that’s as fresh as I know.” I said, “pick the barrel and tell the count, so I can send word to the drums, maybe you can feed them from the new bugs in the garden.”
Brandy, “right after your sword gets oiled I’ll take care of that.”
I said, “I thought you just did that.”
She said, “the other one you silly dope,” and Sage in his crib started to giggle a bit. I said, “he knows a good joke when he hears it,” and she just smiled at me.
A bell rang by the window and Brandy pulled a bag in saying, “milk, and more cheese, less cargo for your day to carry.”
I stood up and stretched a bit saying, “well I better get busy in not being a number of places, or going to then will get put on another day’s list. I will be on the roof for a bit, my legs need room to kick.”
I went up the stairs as she said, a new barrow or two on a line could be pulled up with dropping another weight, maybe even the next runner.”
I said, “and that would put them back where the barrels were, another trip for me not to take, I’ll try to fit that one in.”
On the roof I pulled out my harmonica and sent some notes out to the streets, then made some shadow moves to stretch out with. The drums came back with word, and I looked out over the edge to the streets below. A hook was put on a blue barrel and swung to my building, then another one, and a flyer came on my zip as it happened. He waved to the other man and said, “now tell me you are as fast as that and I will take the rest of the day off myself.” I said, “you’re keeping up, now if I was not doing this, I would of got the fish for them as well.” He said, “did I say they were empty?”
I said, “you didn’t even say you were helping me bring them up here.”
He said, “no I didn’t, I just asked if you thought you were as fast.”
I said, “not anymore, and Brandy is glad of it, now how am I getting cargo like that up by myself?”
He said, “how you get your cargo up for anyone is none of my business, but here comes another that is.”
And one more came down the zip-line to my roof.
I said, “that was a soon return, I got the milk and cheese.”
He said, “just another pass, heard word you need weight, thought I would drop.” I said, “thanks for dropping by and dropping out, have a safe fall.”
And the two of them hooked up and went over the edge, the pulleys were squealing as the lines went through them, and the loads came up to the top and stopped. These men had just the right line to get them to the bottom landing, and after a tie off they were on their way again. Brandy came to the roof and said, “what was all that?”
I pointed to the drop pad and said, “cargo!”
She went over and found the two blue barrels, with one packed with fish and some water, and the other with meat and vegetables. She said, “sweet words of deeds, you’re not that fast.” I said, “that’s what I said, then they were gone, even I’m expressed.”
Brandy, “my goodness, your enough to wear a girl out today.”
I said, “keep telling yourself that while I take a break from wearing us both out.” She started to unpack the things as I went down to get my sword, and found it oiled and wiped down, setting in its display place. Slipping it back in its place on my back, I returned to the roof and said, “I need to visit a few then return soon, listen to the wind.”
Brand, “swing safe, and don’t bring back any more strays.”
I was in air and on my way to see the wolf, and made it there without a stop needed to rap with another on route. He was fully awake and setting up panting at me with wide open eyes. I walked to the gate with a fixed look at him, and in to get some water. Laurence gave me a wooded bowl and bag of water, then said, “that’s as close as I’ll get to him, or anyone else.” I walked over to the wolf with the bowl in my left hand, stopping far enough away out of his reach. He watched closely as I poured the water, and when the bowl was pushed in reach of his tough he was lapping it up. I pulled the bottle of brandy out and poured a sip in his dish, then stepped back and took a drink as he lapped it up.
Laurence said, “you got a fine pet there, and it don’t look like he will stave, with the way he snatches up each rat that comes his way. I suppose I could keep water to him, if he don’t eat his bowl.”
I said, “I appreciate that, and so will the wolf. A drink of water is what brought out the bear for the last time, but you won’t have to deal with him anymore.”
Laurence, “I heard that in the wind, what did you eat for breakfast, it’s not even late morning yet. A wolf then the bear, and now this, you got a touch about you today.”
I said, “and TT’s word in it was, deal is I say and it gets brought, so I’m light on cargo duty today.”
Laurence, “milk it like a goat, weigh as much as you can, and trade another day with heavy purse.”
I said, “fist cut and some cigars, then more meat and vegetables, and a barrel of fish in water all at my place with no load on me this morning. Your milk and cheese got there as well.” Laurence, “then you came back like you said you would, and gave the wolf a drink of the bottle, you got some big ones that are making the rest of us shy.”
I said, “being shy myself has keep them where they are, and if you want to keep yours, better not get as close as a rat to that puppy.”
Laurence, “we already have an understanding, he don’t bite through the titanium and I don’t bother him, come in for a bit.”
So we headed in, and the wolf just stared at us in silence. Laurence showed me a old cow watering bowl, heavy iron with a pipe to it, and said, “if you bolt it in, I’ll run line to the thing and turn on water from the tower.”
I said, “sounds like hot work, just having the wolf bereaving in my face as I do it.” He said, “why do you think I’m showing it to you instead of putting it in myself, loosing something while trying to give is not a good trade.”
I said, “just a few short pieces of wire to start will do, run the pipe on this side of the fence, just a cut to slip the bowl through will do. I’ll trust my fingers to do that and leave you to the rest.” He said, “then have a drink of this first, I don’t want the wolf to be offended by the bear still on you.”
I said, “that’s how I just got close to him, he thinks I’m a strange bear, this token of it is still fresh.”
He handed me a fifth of the brandy, and looked at the fur sack on my belt saying, “is that his?” I took a drink and said, “thought I would make a smoke pouch out of it, need to tan the thing first.”
Laurence said, “when you take trophy its story in its self, so the wolf got to stare the bear in the balls after all, this has been a morning of words to trade.”
I said, “they are lighter than other cargo.”
Laurence, “not when they are still decisions to make, that kind of talking has been in my head from the time I saw the net worked. You just look at some cargo and say cut a small hole in the fence, and the thing is all but done.”
I said, “don’t worry about it, small things are often harder to see than big bad wolfs.” He said, “you got a way of looking at the truth with a clear eye.”
I took another drink and said, “thinking of ways not to do things so much has a way of putting the easy path handy, and I better get that done before it gets to be hard.”
So we took the parts out and into the goat yard behind the chained wolf, then held it up and I tied the wire high. Another wire I slipped through as the wolf sniffed at what I was doing, and I pulled it back and tied it off with a good twist. Then one more to be sure the pipe would be held in place well, as the wolf licked the wire next to the bucket. Then I looked at the wire and pulled my short sword, slipping it through as the beast stepped back, and a slam of my hand latter the fence was slit. The wolf snarled at me as I slipped my blade back and pushed the bucket through the wire, then took another sniff at it and lick. I put one more piece of wire in place as Laurence keep close watch of my finger, as did the wolf, then I stepped back and said, “short work with the right tools, that should hold things for a time.”
He said, “you keep surprising me with each move you make, I never saw a fence cut with a blade like that, or a beast take such respect for someone.”
I said, “it’s just a matter of attitude, he has his and I have mine, and we both know they are bad. So it’s take nothing you can’t get away with, and let the rest slide by, that’s how to keep in one piece.”
Laurence, “and so far he has let you stay that way, let’s hope others will be wise enough to do the same.”
I handed the bottle back to him and said, “you may as well drink to that, I got places to not be so much can get done.”
He took a drink and said, “to a job well done and safe zipping.”
I gave a nod and headed out to the pipe on this side of the fence with a bottle of water, then poured it down the pipe and watched the wolf lap out the metal bowl.
Laurence said, “when the feed is on he will only have to nose the tab, but that’s a thing he can learn when the time comes.”
I said, “again much thanks for what you gave, what will be the make of it will be told by time.” I was off again and back to my home in short order, and landing on the roof Brandy said to me, “that didn’t take long, I got the cargo unloaded, more here than meat and salt. How was the air?”