The Stolen Child(60)

vanishing. Every morning, I hear the encroaching roar of cars, feel the shudder of planes overhead.

There's soot in the air, dirt in the water, and all the birds fly away and never come back. The world is

changing, and you must go while you can. I am not pleased to be trading places with this imbecile, but

better that than to remain here." He swept his arms to the trees and the star-filled skies. "For this will

soon be gone."

Igel walked over to Oscar and untied him and held his hand. They were identical; it was impossible

to tell who was real and who was the spit and im-age. "I'm going down below to the tunnel now to tell a

story to this poor idiot. I'll take his clothes and those disgusting shoes, then you may perform the

ablution. He could do with a bath. I will crawl out on the other side. Adieu. Come away, human child."

As he was being led off, Oscar looked back once more, his gaze disguis-ing all emotion. Soon

after, the faeries went to the tunnel entry to pluck out Oscar's naked body. They wrapped him in a caul

of spider's silk and vines. He remained placid during the process, but his eyes appeared more alert, as if

he deliberately was trying to be calm. Hoisting him atop our shoulders, we ran, crashing through the

undergrowth toward the river. Until we reached the edge of the water, I did not notice that Speck had

stayed behind. Béka, our new leader, proclaimed the incantation as we lifted our package high into the

air and threw it. In midair, the body jack-knifed and fell headfirst into the water. Half of the group split

off to chase and retrieve the body, as the cere-mony required. They were expected to pull it ashore, as

they had done with me years before, as had been done with us all. I stood there, determined to be

helpful to the boy, to be understanding and patient as he made the transition.

All such hopes were washed away. The retrievers waited ashore, ready to fish the body from the

water, but it never floated to the surface. Despite their severe fear of drowning, Smaolach and Chavisory

waded into the river. Soon all of the faeries were in waist-deep, frantically searching for our bundle.

On-ions dived again and again, until, exhausted and gasping for breath, she could barely climb to the

riverbank. Béka charged downstream to a ford where the body would most likely be snagged in the

shallows. But Oscar could not be found. We kept vigil there all night and well into the morning,

examining the stones and tree limbs where his body might have been caught, looking for any sign, but the

water did not yield its secrets. The boy was gone. Around midday, below in the valley, a dog yowled

with excitement. Kivi and Blomma were sent to look out for the intruders. Red-faced and panting, they

came back a half hour later, collecting us from our scattered posts along the riverbank.

"They're coming," said Blomma, "with a pair of bloodhounds."

"The firemen and policemen," said Kivi.

"They'll find our camp."

"Igel brought the boy's scent to our home."

The sound of baying dogs echoed in the hills. The rescuers drew near. In his first crisis as our new

leader, Béka commanded our attention. "Quick, back to camp. Hide everything. We'll stay in the tunnels

until they leave."

Kivi spoke sharply to the rest of us. "There's too many coming."

"The dogs," Blomma added. "They've gone to ground and won't be tricked by a few sticks of brush

thrown over the tunnels' entrances."

Béka looked perplexed and began to pace, fists clenched behind his hack, a vein of anger

throbbing on his forehead. "I say we hide and wait."

"We need to run." Smaolach spoke with quiet authority. Most of us fell in behind him. "They have

never been this close in all my years."

Luchóg stepped up and confronted Béka. "That mob is already deeper into the woods than any

human has come. You're wrong to think—"

Béka raised his arm to strike him, but Onions grabbed his hand. "But what about the boy?"

Our new leader turned from the crowd and announced, "Oscar is gone. Igel is gone. What's done

is done, and we must save ourselves. Gather what you can carry and hide the rest. But be quick, for we

will have to outrun them."

Abandoning Oscar's body to the waters, we raced home. While others stashed useful

items—burying pots or knives, caching food and clothing—I gathered my papers and fashioned a sack

to put them in. While a few of my possessions were safe beneath the library, I still had my journal and

collection of pencil stubs, my drawing of my family and the dream lady in the red coat, and some

treasures—gifts from Speck. I was ready quickly and hurried to find her.