People of the Lakes(42)

For three days, the grisly vigil continued as Green Spider’s relatives trickled back to wash his body, paint it, and begin the ceremonies that would start him on the path to join his ancestors.

What did one do with a man killed by Power? Normal people could lie around in the charnel house until the flesh fell off the body; then the bones could be painted before burial or cremation.

Given the bizarre nature of Green Spider’s death, his relatives —with the concurrence of the Clan Elders—had prepared a tomb. They’d dug out a grave and lined it with red clay. Logs were procured from the forest to lay across the tomb. This would be capped with a shallow covering of earth. It would do until a decision could be made on the final disposition of Green Spider’s corpse.

On the fourth day, as the morning sun broke the tree-covered horizon into a crystal-cold sky, they’d carried Green Spider to his tomb and laid him on the frozen red clay. When the logs were being placed across the top, Green Spider had suddenly sat bolt upright. Cries of amazement brought Black Skull on a dead run. He’d arrived as Green Spider took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

It took several heartbeats before Green Spider focused and looked around at the shocked faces of the people. Then he smiled lazily and climbed out of the grave.

I should have killed him then, Black Skull thought. I’d have saved us all a lot of trouble.

Old woman Many Flowers had gone ashen, her eyes sliding back in her head before she tottered and fell over like a slab of bark. From that moment on,‘Green Spider had acted strangely.

He did things nonsensically—like a maniac.

After he’d eaten, he’d claim he was hungry. When he was hungry, he’d say he was full. If a person told him to sit down, he’d stand up. Ask him to come, and he’d walk away. Tell him to go away, and he’d walk right up.

When asked about it, he simply stated, “I’m fine. The rest of - you are going crazy.”





Six


Only the Clan Elders seemed to understand. They nodded knowingly and whispered among themselves.

Then Green Spider had lifted a pointed finger and announced: “The time has come to stay here!” He’d looked around, his animated eyes going from face to face, marking each of the Clan Elders and finally pinning Black Skull with a look that nearly curled the warrior’s hair.

Green Spider cleared his throat. “Stay away from me, you cowardly Clan Elders. Black Skull, don’t you dare come with me. Three Eagles, I don’t want you either.”

Black Skull glanced over at his friend and sometimes rival.

Three Eagles’ eyes had gone round. Black Skull slowly took a step backward, his heart pounding like a ceremonial drum. He took another before Old Man Sun clamped a withered hand on his arm and muttered: “Stay where you are! He wants you for something.” “But he just said—”

“Shut up!”

Black Skull froze, glaring hate at the imbecile everyone seemed to take so seriously.

Green Spider pirouetted around in a little dance. “The last place I would want to go is to the White Shell Clan. There’s nothing there for me! But then, you didn’t hear that from my lips.” To Black Skull’s continued confusion, Old Man Sky nodded.

“We will get the canoes ready.”

Black Skull shot a look at the old man. Had his senses gone the way of Green Spider’s? The Dreamer had said he didn’t want to go anywhere—and then denied it!

The Elders made immediate preparations. Canoes were provisioned in great haste.

“What are we doing?” Black Skull demanded with unaccustomed assertiveness when he caught Old Man North to one side.

“He said he didn’t want to go anywhere, let alone to White Shell territory.”

Old Man North looked at Black Skull through pitying eyes.

“That’s just where he wants to go.”

“That’s insane! He’s sick, addled, like a warrior hit in the head. He’s not seeing things clearly.”

The look of pity intensified in the old man’s eyes. “He’s anything but crazy, warrior. He sees more clearly than all the rest of us.”

“But he’s—”

“Hush, warrior.” The Clan Elder placed wrinkled fingers to Black Skull’s lips. “I don’t know what Green Spider is doing, but you, of all people, know your duty to the clan. You must do it now.” Old Man North had hesitated, peering at Black Skull with unsettling intent. “To live at this time, to see this thing happen, is a marvelous gift. I have known you since you were a little boy. I can’t tell you how to see, Black Skull. I’m not sure that you can. Will you bind yourself to your duty?.Will you do as your clan asks of you?1’