On the hunt

For sure, they’d make better time without Gabe slowing them down, but how could they leave their brother, especially after he’d always been there for them?  How?  He wrestled with his conflicting emotions until he finally took a stand.  They would not leave him.

“We’re not going anywhere without you, Gabe,” Jack said quietly.  “Deal with it.”

For a moment, it looked as if Gabe was going to cut loose a cacophony of epithets and insults, but his face calmed and he finally said, “River rats, that’s what we are.”  He smiled.  The warmth he felt toward his brothers had never filled his heart more than at that moment in the woods.

  Kellan spoke, “Let’s use the rest of the hour they gave us and get ready for them.  They’re gonna rue the day they messed with the Hulas.”  

Angus checked his watch, “It’s been an hour, Billy.”
Billy had been sitting on rocks near the shoreline, chewing on a stem of grass and watching two loons as they surfaced and then dove for their early evening meal.  It was seven pm and there would be two more hours of daylight in the northern sky and with any luck they would have the light from a three-quarter moon after that.

The mosquitoes were tolerable, probably because of the end of the latest hatch, and it was if the biting flies had already called it a day and turned in for the evening.  

“Billy, Billy!” Angus almost shouted his name.

He turned and stared at Angus.  “Jesus Christ, Angus, you don’t have to shout.  I’m right here.”

“You didn’t act like you heard me, though, and you told them an hour.  I figured you’d want to get going right on time.”  

Billy fiddled with the stem of grass as he returned his gaze to the lake and the loons.  “There’s no big hurry, we’ll catch ‘em.”  A few more minutes passed as Angus appeared anxious to ask Billy a question.

At the risk of interrupting Billy’s contemplation, Angus finally asked, “You didn’t really mean we’d kill ‘em, when you said it, did you, Billy?”  His eyes were pleading for his friend to say no.

Billy noticed the concern in Angus’s voice and saw the dread in his eyes when he asked.  “How long you known me, Angus?”

“Six years, give or take.”

“Have I killed anyone?”

Angus appeared to be thinking.  “Not… that I know of,” he said with a degree of hesitation and fear in his voice.  Billy was pleased by the hint of fear.  That made him feel powerful and in control.

“Well, I’ve never killed anyone, Angus, and I don’t plan on starting tonight.  When I said that, I just wanted to put some fear into those guys, especially the fat one who crushed my nuts.”  He looked directly into Angus’s eyes, “Know what I mean?”

Angus dropped his gaze.  “I…guess so.”

Billy retrieved a flask from a pocket in his jacket, unscrewed the cap and downed a slug.  He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and then held the flask out to Angus.  “Take a swig, Angus.”  Reluctantly, Angus took it and tossed a swallow down his throat.