Leviathan(19)

“Five! ... Four! ... Three!”

Thor roared and laughed, effortlessly lifting a behemoth electrical worker, Tom Blankenship, high over his head. Framed by the midnight sun, his titanic arms extended to hold Blankenship aloft, Thor commanded the mound like a fortress, his lower body submerged in bodies and arms and legs that seemed to be straining against solid granite, a mountain. Connor winced as he saw Blankenship's uplifted, fear-stricken bearded face, the wide eyes staring down the hill where he would be hurled as ... “Two!... One! . . . It's over! It's over!” Beth screamed, joining Jordan in jumping up and down. “Thor won! He won! He beat all of you!”

Atop the hill, bodies instantly fell away, slumping over the tundra. Some of the attackers rolled onto their backs, holding their hearts, staring in a daze at the sky. Connor saw Thor lift his bearded face, laughing at the still terrified Blankenship who might even yet be airborne down the hill. Then with a mirthful grin that made his white teeth gleam, Thor suddenly set Blankenship back on his feet.

Connor laughed as Thor enthusiastically clapped Blankenship's massive arm, towering a full head and shoulders taller even than the enormous construction worker, apparently congratulating. But Connor couldn't hear their words because of the joyous riot erupting among the winners.

“We won! We won!” Beth was repeating over and over again, hugging Jordan who jumped gleefully up and down, clapping his hands. Several others, apparently those who had put money on Thor, were all hugging each other. Amused, Connor began to wonder just how much money had been wagered on the match.

With a smile he walked forward and Beth saw him, smiling back with delight. “Hey, babe,” she laughed. “We won!” She lifted Jordan to his feet. “Tell Daddy how much money we won!”

Jordan grabbed the money, too many one-dollar bills to hold in his four-year-old hand. “Daddy! We won!” he laughed, his face alight with sheer joy. His light brown hair was tousled.

“Yeah, I can see that,” Connor smiled. He walked up to lift the boy from Beth's arms. “How you doing, buddy?” he asked. “Are you having a good time today?”

“Yeah,” Jordan smiled, hugging Connor's neck for a long, hard moment before he leaned back. “And me and Mommy just won a bunch of money!”

Connor grinned and delivered a light kiss to Beth. Maybe it was Beth's joy or maybe it was the red-glowing sun, but whatever he had brought from the cavern fell away at her smile. And Connor realized, with Beth's slim figure silhouetted against the red midnight sun, how truly beautiful she was. Even without makeup, with her hair uncombed and windblown, she was still striking. Her dark Italian eyes and olive skin were from her distant heritage, and her thick, brown hair fell beneath her shoulders. Her face and neck were strong and smooth, her body still as strong and toned as when they married ten years ago. She was wearing faded blue jeans, a pair of black boots, and a red and black checkered lumberjack shirt.

Connor leaned forward, examining the money in Jordan's hand, looked again. “So, uh, how much did we win?”

Beth's face twisted, satisfied. Then she laughed and made a fist, whooped a football cheer. “Fifty dollars! Yes, yes, yes! Right, Jordan?”

“Yes! Fifty dollars!” the boy laughed, smiling into Connor's face. Connor was suddenly inspired to hold his son closer as defeated betters shambled past, returning to their jobs. Then Thor towered at the base of the hill and Connor turned to him.

The gigantic Norseman was literally covered in mud, his leather jacket and pants plastered where tundra-soiled arms and hands had strained to upset his unshakable stand.

Thor's sleeveless arms were unbelievably muscular and huge, stout pillars of granite-hard strength that fell from the sides of a gigantic barrel chest. He seemed even more enormous than usual. Sweat dripped from his face, still red from the strain. He was smiling hugely.

Connor knew Thor had met the challenge for mere sport, to provide some slight excitement to the lives of the families working at the township. Just as Connor knew that the victory, or even a defeat if it had come, meant nothing to the good-natured giant.

“They almost had you there for a moment,” Connor said somberly, gazing up at the red-bearded face.

Thor scowled. “Eh?”

“Oh, Connor,” Beth laughed as she took Jordan from his arms.

“Yeah. I saw it clear as day,” Connor continued, shaking his head compassionately. “That was close, boy. They just about sent you down that hill like a big ol’ fat dogsled on greased lightning. Good thing they didn't succeed, huh?”

A narrow smile had crept across Thor's face.

“Yes ...” he rumbled. “Yes, now that you say it, I perceive that my great strength is almost gone. Gone to exhaustion. It is a good thing ... you have a refrigerator.”