Blood Red Road

For every winner, he says, there must be a loser.

He raises a hand. DeMalo lifts a twisted piece of metal to his lips an blows. A loud noise splits th’air. A flock of birds rises up in a flurry I look around wildly, my heart racin.

Tonton step out a the woods at the top of the hil . Right behind Lugh an the rest. Twelve of ’em, with crossbows an bolt guns aimed an at the ready. They must of circled out to come at the hil from the north.

I hear a strange sound. Like … a hammer poundin a nail in. I whirl around.

Behind Pinch, from the direction of Freedom Fields, even more Tonton, at least fty armed men by the look of it, come into view. They run towards us, across the plain, keepin in step with each other. The ground shakes as they approach.

Tricked.

Trapped.

No way out.

The Tonton line up in formation behind DeMalo.

I watch as my friends lay down their weapons. Jack an Ike, Lugh an Ash an Tommo. The Tonton on the hil make ’em al lie at on the ground with their hands behind their heads. They git a kick in the back when they resist.

So.

After everythin we done, after al we bin through, this is the way it ends. Not even the chance to die fightin. To die together.

Twelve Tonton on the hil . Another fifty down here. Pinch ain’t gonna let us die easy. My mouth’s dry. The red hot’s gone.

I’m smal . Weak. Alone.

Saba, says Emmi. Saba, do somethin. She starts to cry.

Please, I says to Pinch. You got no reason to hurt her. Let her an the boy go. They ain’t done you no harm.

Oh no, he says, they’l be the first. So the rest of you can see what’s in store for you.

I go down onto my knees. Please, I says. Let ’em go.

A long pause. Then,

No, he says.

I look to DeMalo. Our eyes meet.

Help me.

My lips move. But no words come out.

Pinch strokes Emmi’s face with the bolt shooter.

Slowly or quickly, he says. Cut ing or shooting. He kisses the top of her head, looking at me.

Please, I says. Please.

He breathes in deeply. There’s nothing like it, is there? he says. The smel of fear.

Suddenly a hoarse cry rings out—caw! caw! caw!

A black bird sails out over the red ridge to the west.

It’s a crow.

My heart stops.

Time stops.

There’s a low rumble of hoofs. A long line of horses an riders appears at the edge of the ridge. It’s the Free Hawks. But it’s more’n jest them. There must be another thirty or so riders who ain’t Hawks. Maev’s right in the middle. Nero swoops above me, screamin in triumph.

The red hot kicks me in the gut. Slams into action. I leap to my feet.

Nero! I yel .

A smal group of Free Hawks, maybe ten of ’em, come runnin out a the woods on Pine Top Hil . They take the Tonton completely by surprise. Lugh, Jack an the rest leap up an grab their weapons. The fightin starts.

Maev comes thunderin down the ridge in a cloud of red dust, with the riders spread out behind her. They whoop an hol er as they head straight fer the Tonton lined up behind DeMalo. Arrows fly ahead of ’em. The Tonton start to reel back, scream, as they hit their mark.

What? shrieks Pinch. What is this? He looks around, frantic.

DeMalo walks towards me. He’s got my bow an quiver slung on his back. He’s holdin my knife in his hand.

That’s it! says Pinch. Slice her!

DeMalo stands in front of me. He drops my bow and quiver at my feet.

What … what are you doing? says Pinch.

DeMalo puts his arms around me. Holds my eyes. With one slash, he cuts the ropes tyin my hands behind my back.

DeMalo! Pinch yel s.

Until next time, DeMalo says softly. He tosses the knife on top of my other weapons. He turns to go.

DeMalo! Pinch screams. Are you mad?

DeMalo swings hisself onto his horse an rides o , away from the action, back in the direction of Freedom Fields. A few of the Tonton see him go an run after him.

DeMalo! Pinch howls after him. DeMalo! Where are you going? At ack! At ack! He circles like a mad dog, wavin his bolt shooter. His lips is drawn back over his teeth. Like a wild animal in a trap. He’s stil holdin Emmi to his chest. She looks terrified.

I run at him, leap at him feet first. I kick his hand an the shooter flies up in the air. He yel s in pain, spins away.

Run, Emmi! I yel .

Pinch lunges at me. A arrow whistles through th’air. Hits him in the chest. He screams. He staggers an fal s back. I look to see who’s saved me.Maev gal ops up. She’s got Hermes in tow behind her. He rears up, squealin with excitement.

Maev gal ops up. She’s got Hermes in tow behind her. He rears up, squealin with excitement.

About time, I says. Who’re yer friends?

The raiders from the western road, she says. We cal ed a truce. They’re a wild crowd. When they heard there might be a ght, I couldn’t keep ’em away. She tosses me Hermes’ reins. Just out a interest, do you go lookin fer trouble, or does it jest find you?

I wish I knew, I says.

See you later! she says. She rides of to join in the fight.

I swing Emmi onto Hermes. Put the reins into her hands.

I point to the ridge that the Hawks jest rode down. See that? Git yerself to the top. Stay out a the way til this is over an fer gawdsake, hang on this time.

But I wanna fight! she says. You got a let me stay an fight!

No way! Heeya! I slap Hermes on the rump an he takes of like a shot. He’l keep her safe.

Up on Pine Top Hil , the fight’s over. Al quiet. Them twelve Tonton’s eether dead or fled.

Lyin on the ground below, Pinch ain’t movin. A arrow sticks out a his chest. He won’t be git in up no time soon.

Nero cal s. He swoops down. I hold up my arm an he lands on it. I stroke his feathers, kiss his soft black head, breathe in his dusty bird smel . Gawdammit, Nero, I says. You sure took yer time.

He’s a crow that likes excitement, Nero. If there’s somethin happenin, he ain’t gonna hang around. He aps his wings at me, caw-caws an flies of to watch the action from high above.

I start runnin. Head fer the thick of the ght. Hawks, western road raiders an my friends aginst the Tonton. Excitement races through my body, speeds my feet.

I snatch a arrow from my quiver as I run. Load my crossbow. I start shootin the second I catch sight of a black robe.

Ike’s slashin away on the edge of the action, a wicked lookin longsword in one hand an a studded chain in th’other. Tommo’s at his back, busy with the slingshot.

Ike grins when he sees me. Now this is what I cal a fight! he shouts.

I wade into the middle of the bat le. At one point, me an Jack’s fightin back to back. Then Lugh an me. Then me an Ash.

Look! yel s Ash. Pinch! He’s git in away!

I spot him. He’s managed to pul the arrow out a his chest. He’s climbin onto his big white stal ion. Slowly, painful y.

Got him! I says. I run towards him at out. As he pul s hisself onto the horse, I shoot my last arrow. It hits him in his bad leg an he cries out.He tries to wrench the arrow out as he fumbles with the reins. The horse rears up. It squeals an dances as it tries to throw o a rider it don’t trust.

I make a dive fer him. Grab at his caged leg. He kicks out an the cage catches me unner the chin. I go yin back an slam onto the ground.

Git the air knocked out a me.

As I drag myself to to my feet, he gal ops away. Towards the Hoodoos. I look around me, frantic. Not a horse in sight.