Pet Sematary - Stephen King [12]
You said nobody local, Rachel remarked in a voice that was not quite casual, and Louis could almost read her mind:
Were not local. At least, not yet.
Jud paused and then nodded. We do lose one of the tourists every two or three years because they think you cant get lost right off the main road. But we never lost even one of them for good, missus. Dont you fret.
Are there moose? Rachel asked apprehensively, and Louis smiled. If Rachel wanted to fret, she would jolly well fret.
Well, you might see a moose, Jud said, but he wouldnt give you any trouble, Rachel. During mating season they get a little irritated, but otherwise they do no more than look. Only people they take after out of their rutting time are people from Massachusetts. I dont know why thats so, but it is. Louis thought the man was joking but could not be sure; Jud looked utterly serious. Ive seen it time and time again. Some fella from Saugus or Milton or Weston up a tree, yelling about a herd of moose, every damn one of em as big as a motorhome. Seems like moose can smell Massachusetts on a man or a woman. Or maybe its just all those new clothes from L. L. Beans they smell-I dunno. Id like to see one of those animal husbandry students from the college do a paper on it, but I spose none ever will.
Whats rutting time? Ellie asked.
Never mind, Rachel said. I dont want you up here unless youre with a grown-up, Ellie. Rachel moved a step closer to Louis.
Jud looked pained. I didnt want to scare you, Rachel-you or your daughter. No need to be scared in these woods. This is a good path; it gets a little buggy in the spring and its a little sloppy all the time-except for 55, which was the driest summer I can remember-but hell, there-isnt even any poison ivy or poison oak, which there is at the back of the schoolyard, and you want to stay away from it, Ellie, if you dont want to spend three weeks of your life takin starch baths.
Ellie covered her mouth and giggled.
Its a safe path, Jud said earnestly to Rachel, who still didnt look convinced. Why, I bet even Gage could follow it, and the town kids come up here a lot, I already told you that. They keep it nice. Nobody tells them to; they just do it. I wouldnt want to spoil that for Ellie. He bent over her and winked. Its like many other things in life, Ellie. You keep on the path and alls well. You get off it and the next thing you know youre lost if youre not lucky. And then someone has to send out a searchin party.
They walked on. Louis began to get a dull cramp of pain in his back,from the baby carrier. Every now and then Gage would grab a double handful of his hair and tug enthusiastically or administer a cheerful kick to Louiss kidneys. Late mosquitoes cruised around his face and neck, making their eye-watering hum.
The path curved down, bending in and out between very old firs, and then cut widely through a brambly, tangled patch of undergrowth. The going was soupy here, and Louiss boots squelched in mud and some standing water. At one point they stepped over a marshy spot using a pair of good-sized tussocks as stepping stones. That was the worst of it. They started to climb again and the trees reasserted themselves. Gage seemed to have magically put on ten pounds, and the day had, with some similar magic, warmed up ten degrees. Sweat poured down Louiss face.
How you doing, hon? Rachel asked. Want me to carry him for a while?
No, Im fine, he said, and it was true, although his heart was larruping along at a good speed in his chest. He was more used to prescribing physical exercise than he was to doing it.
Jud was walking with Ellie by his side; her lemon-yellow slacks and red blouse were bright splashes of color in the shady brown-green gloom.
Lou, does he really know where hes going, do you think? Rachel asked in a low, slightly worried tone.
Sure, Louis said.
Jud called back cheerily over his shoulder: Not much farther now you bearin up, Louis?
My God, Louis thought, the mans well past eighty, but I dont think hes even broken a sweat.
Im fine, he called back