“Business,” Valentina said. “But I will not fail to notice the sunset. What brings you out our way?”
“Just taking Archimedes here for a walk.”
Dancer grinned at the lily in her wagon.
“She’s about to be shut inside all winter and I don’t know how many fair evenings we have left.”
“Oh, hang on,” Green said.
He dipped into his pack and brought out Dancer’s cup.
“Here you go.”
She took it and touched it to her forehead in a salute.
“You’re a gentleman and a scholar.”
She leaned in confidentially.
“And you know full well I will be burdening you with this selfsame errand again soon, bud.”
“I hope you do,” Green said.
“I expect you guys have heard the latest bad news. Fella down in Hickory?”
“Yes,” Valentina said. “I’m afraid so.”
“Is it…you know…is it something from over on your side of the street, Val?”
“It is. That’s what brings us out tonight.”
Dancer shook her head and chewed the inside of her cheek.
“Is there something that I can be doing here? I mean, we’ve stepped past strange into deadly. Can’t just ignore deadly. This isn’t just oddball tracks in the mud or that Hole in Nothing.”
“You know about that too?” Green said.
“Everybody knows about that, Green. Hard to miss news of a thing like that.”
He threw up his arms in exasperation, giving up the idea of ever fully understanding his new reality.
“If you can, put on extra lights,” Valentina said. “Consider playing music outside. We think the danger prefers dark and quiet.”
The kids at Kinkaid would have had sound and light.
“What exactly am I trying to frighten off here, Val?”
“A pale, glowing deer, but I doubt you would see it.”
Green looked away.
He wanted to argue but didn’t. Yes, the deer seemed to be a threat, but he couldn’t shake the idea that the wolf was still somehow the greater danger.
“Alright. Well, Archimedes and I will visit the other campers and spread the news. Get loud and bright. Not exactly rocket surgery. We can manage that.”
“Other campers?” Green asked.
“Yeah, there’s four others here besides you two. Carrie and Jendown by Snaggletooth Rock. Travis and his sugar shack in the maple wood and Ol’ Animal up in Stumptown.”
