Starfish_ A Novel - James Crowley [53]
In the days that followed Grandpa’s departure, the group continued their long walks into the Great wood, but now walked in silence. The days of pirate adventure were traded for thoughts of what had transpired and apprehension at what still lay ahead.
It was during one of these somber forays through the trees that they became reacquainted with Tom Gunn of the Heart Butte renegades.
Chapter Thirty
A BLODDIED TOM GUNN • JENKINS & LUMPKIN • “THEY’RE IN THE WOODS”
THEY WERE out hunting one day when they were startled by the sound of a large animal crashing through the undergrowth. Junebug heard it first, but Beatrice and Mr. Hawkins must have then seen it, because they both immediately broke from the group in pursuit.
Lionel, Corn Poe, and Junebug tried to follow, but soon lost Beatrice and Mr. Hawkins somewhere among the trees. They paused to catch their breath, and Junebug crouched, turning his head in owl-like fashion with every creak and groan from the big trees that surrounded them.
“What in God’s creation was that?” Corn Poe gasped.
Junebug ignored him, continuing instead to rotate his head, eventually facing north, then abruptly standing and looking at Lionel. Lionel understood, and followed when Junebug suddenly broke away without making a sound.
“What—ya hear something?” Lionel heard Corn Poe call.
Lionel ran at Junebug’s heels, easily weaving between the massive tree trunks that descended from the great canopy above, and jumping over the crumbling decay of logs that lay in their path.
“Come on, what did ya hear?” Corn Poe yelled from behind, struggling to catch them. “What is it?”
They ran for a long time, but did not tire. Lionel noted that with every step, the distance between them and Corn Poe’s fading cries became more evident.
They ran as fast as they could until they reached a slight ridge that hung over a low depression. They paused at the lip, and below them they saw Beatrice closing in on what now appeared to be some sort of man, a thin man. The thin man ran recklessly, bouncing off trees and falling over their broken limbs. Mr. Hawkins, carrying his rifle, was right behind Beatrice.
Junebug and Lionel slid down the embankment on a heavy blanket of leaves and scrambled to their feet in time to see Beatrice tackle the runner and disappear behind the base of a large tree. They followed as fast as they could, and in no time, rounded the tree to find Beatrice sitting on Tom Gunn, holding him facedown on the forest floor. Mr. Hawkins stood over them, collecting his breath.
“You’ve got to let me go, you’ve got to, or they’re gonna catch me!” Tom Gunn spat dirt and wet rotting leaves from his mouth. “It won’t take long for them to figure I’m gone!”
Beatrice stood, allowing Tom to roll over; and that’s when they all saw his bruised and battered face. Tom’s right eye was swollen shut, and there was a cut on his upper lip. He also wore a two-inch gash smack dab in the middle of his forehead, and his tattered turkey feathers were missing.
“I’m tellin’ ya, you’re best to let me go!” Tom yelled.
“Son, just take a minute to catch your breath,” Mr. Hawkins said, frantically scanning the low depression where they stood.
“I just don’t want ’em to catch me,” Tom said, his words turning into low and heavy sobs. “I just wanna go back to school. I just wanna go home.”
Lionel looked at Beatrice, who watched Tom without emotion.
“Hey, where are y’all?” suddenly boomed across the wash. “I can hear ya, but I sure the hell can’t see ya.”
Mr. Hawkins’s head snapped in the direction of Corn Poe’s voice. “That boy is just about a hair away from bein’ a full-blown idiot, ain’t he?”
“Come on, y’all,” Corn Poe’s cries continued, “where are ya?”
Mr. Hawkins shot a look at Junebug, and in a silent flash the boy was gone, running back in the direction of Corn Poe’s pleading cries. Mr. Hawkins kneeled down next to Tom and helped him to sit.
“Son, you’re all right now.”
Lionel noticed that there was something different in Mr. Hawkins’s voice