The Fell Good Flue (8 page)

I said, “light and full, the wolf now has a watering bucket, and Laurence has a lighter hart for giving the parts and running the new line to it.”
Brady, “so that’s what the drums said, I knew they were about you. What do you want to eat for mid-meal?”
I said, “I had an answer to that question then lost it, maybe you can help me find it again.” Brandy, “I know what you’re thinking, and you can think of putting those thoughts away, as we have way to many people zipping in and out of here right now. Something other than me needs to be cooking here.”
I said, “I’ll flow with that, let me drop my load and I’ll set fire to something.”
So I went down and unloaded the weight of my weapons, placing my swords back in their display stands, and the gun straps on a hook. Then checked the stove to find flame still hot, and put another stick in. The meat was soaking in the salt water with some spices in it, and I pulled out a piece and put it on a cutting board. With another sharp knife I cut it up in small chunks and tossed it in a pan. A sizzle came to the air, as well as the scent of meat, and I chopped up an onion to go in the fry as well. Then mixed and stirred as the juices started to blend. Brandy came down and to the kitchen saying, “that smells good, what else would you like with it?”
I said, “you over a hot stove, or me with a seat under my ass.”
Brandy, “either one will get your feet moving first, but the chair is over there.” I said, “okay, you talked me into it, the journey of a thousand steps begins with the first one.” And I went to my padded chair in the liven room, and packed my pipe.
Brandy said, “short trips take less time, but are often required to be made more often.” As my ears caught what she heard on the air, a horn was blowing out a familiar note that said a zipper was on the way. I lit my pipe and looked out the window to the next building, and a runner was on top with a bag as big as he was. I yanked on a brake release and he zipped over, landing on the roof with a great thud. Then down the stairs with it saying, “greetings, this is the hide scrapped and rubbed, thought you would like a look before it goes to the tanner.” And he walked it over and set the large bundle by my feet.
I said, “it was a big one, was it not?”
He said, “indeed it was, even dead its weight can kill a man as cargo.”
I said, “sit, have a sip to wet your tongue, tell what word the streets have.”
I passed him a bottle and he tipped it up, then said, “the smoke house is hot, and meat hanging, bones are being cleaned as well. All made the trip with no sightings of dog, and the lines are right as they should be.”
I said, “I went to see my wolf and give him a drink, now his new bowl will do that for me.” He said, “that made the wind, and of Laurence as well, running a line to it as we set.” He took another drink and passed the bottle back.
I said, “his things, and a few from others, have been put to use today. What news of the south run and open ground there.”
He said, “rabbits taken by the dozen, a string is on its way here, figured you would of got to them if time put you there. The swingers hand is not festering, and he has no fever, getting a few things done around his home as you are.”
I said, “yes, but I’m still zipping today, and I know what it’s like with a bad hand. I was lucky to keep both safe in watering the wolf, and now they’re getting used around here. With much luck I’ll put them to some more use before they need to take the lines again.” He said, “the trader that came to town the other day had honey, fresh with wax cone, I have a wrap here,” and he handed it to me.
Brandy said, “now tell me some tea is on the way.”
He said, “word true on that, or so says the wind, the trader had a stash in the hills of herbs and things that were well keep. A sack of great value and promise of clear path to more, and he takes care of himself well with the weapons he has.”
I said, “how long will he be in the city?”
He said, “hard to tell, he is looking the prospects over, and that may include a few of the women.”
Brandy, “I think I want to meet this man.”
I said, “I knew you were going to say that.”
He said, “so did TT, so the word is the man is being shown our way, if he has the will for it a swinger may escort him soon.”
I said, “have another drink, your words keep bringing cargo.”
He said, “no more of that if you please, drunk on a wire is not how I want to be found, but high in low places can be a pass time.”
So I lit my pipe and took a toke, then handed it to him, and he dragged a lung of smoke and said, “now that’s the good stuff, you get and give some of the best.”
I said, “kill the bowl and keep the memory, they are all that’s worth it at the end of the day.” He took another drag and exhaled with a great smoke-ring that floated there for a moment before fading out. Then handed the pipe back saying, “that got me up, now all I need is not to let myself down too quickly.”
I handed him a bud and said, “keep that in a safe place until you get to a landing of rest again.” He put it in his pocket and said, “many thanks, my day will fly by now, I hope yours last as long as you want it to.”
I said, “the longer it does, the more I get done, and today is a good one not to go many places. I hope your travels are safe and trade worthy.”
He said, “so far I count them to be near yours, but my day is hoping to slow down, thanks again and I’m off.”
He gave Brandy a wave as he went back up the stairs to the roof, then zipped off the edge and to the other building. I repacked my pipe again, and Brandy came over from the kitchen as I took a drag, then she kissed me and had one herself and went back to stir the meat. I said, “you should get a pipe for yourself, they’re not hard to find.”
Brandy, “I do fine on other’s and don’t have to worry about keeping a supply.” I said, “I keep telling myself that, and find even more cargo to call my own to move.” She said, “well now life’s a bitch when having too much is something to bitch about.” I said, “yes, being briefly rich is so tiresome, I may be glad to go back to work at working at doing nothing tomorrow.”
Brandy, “enjoy ever moment, and let not the time rob you of seeing its beauty.” I said, “time itself being the heavyset load, well passed is easy to bare, but all goes no matter the way it is perceived.”
Brand, “you are very poetic today, I think the smoke is getting to you.”
I said, “I hope so, this is the good stuff, I don’t want to waste being wasted.”
Brandy, “I love it when you talk sexy like that to me.”
I said, “how about a waste is a terrible thing to mind, or a thought can come quicker than the distance between it and the promise of reward.”
Brandy, “I’m sure I have that one written down somewhere, you have been writing more these days yourself.”
I said, “yes, trying to get a few things straight for days to come, easier than carrying the load each day. I got a lot to think about each day, and it’s good to put some of it where I can get back to what it was.”
Brandy, “I did that once, then loss the paper, but most of the thoughts are still clear. Maybe one day when things get slow I’ll find paper to start again, I make a fair ink to use.” I said, “ yes, it dries quick, a touch of sand and the page is ready to travel.”
She said, “what I would put down, I would not want to travel.”
I said, “those are best left in the head or the past, whichever is the lightest load.” Brandy, “and now you see why my speed to do so is slow.”
I said, “your load not mine, do with it as you please, how’s the meat look?”
Brandy, “done and coming, would you like bread with that?”
I said, “we have bread?”
She said, “yes, it was in the pack with the other food.”
I said, “for sure, and butter if there is any.”
Brandy, “you got it,” and she brought it over to me.
I said, “looks good, you’re going to make me fat.”
She said, “then you’ll know what it was like for me to carry your son.”
I said, “no way you can get me that fat, I wear it off too fast.”
A bell rang, and I pulled the line, then a package came with the tea and some other small things. Brandy took them in and said, “his word of tea was as on as that honeycomb you got.” I said, “that’s nice,” and another bag came over.
She pulled it in and said, “rabbits!”
I said, “how many did I catch?”
Brandy, “nine, and of good size too.”
I said, “dam nice of me to send them over, I must remember to write myself a thank you note.” Brandy, “where else are you planning not to go today?”
I said, “the secured square for the BBQ to night, with you and the baby. Until then you can name the place, I’ll take the load.”
Brandy, “anywhere?”
I said, “in a secure area, I swear.”
She said, “then I want to go swimming, and you can do the packing, but let your food settle a bit first.”
I said, “I can flow with that, a good swim on a day like this would be grand, what will you wear?”
Brandy, “nothing that you don’t pack.”
I said, “I have a straight line in there but it’s way too easy.”
Brandy, “are you saying I’m easy?”
I said, “yes, and you know that’s the way I like it.”
Brandy, “well then tell me how easy it will be to get Sage there.”
I said, “I only need to say the word and he will be there waiting for you.”
Brandy, “if you send him as cargo I’ll string you up and send your hide out as freight.” I said, “that reminds me, I better take a look before sending this out,” and I opened the bear hide.
Brandy, “they did a nice job of rubbing it down, it looks clean, and a big one for sure. You didn’t tell me it was that big.”
I said, “the bear didn’t tell me either, the hide is stretched out, after tanning it will be much smaller.”
Brandy, “still, I can see why it was a man eater, it must of thought that anything between it and food was the next meal.”
I said, “and that was a rabbit today, its last bite before I made sure I was not its next.” Brandy, “not much went clean through, a lot of muscle must of stopped that.” I said, “and more fat than I expected for this time of year, it must have been eating well, I hope it was not anyone we know.”
Brandy, “it can’t be anyone we know, because they’re not dead yet.”
I said, “and the ones that I know were eating by one, were not my friends at all. And no one has been eaten in my presence since the hunter by the panther I gave the day we joined first.” Brandy, “I remember, and Sage nine months later, that was a big cat. You always brought in more than you needed, but were willing to share, that’s why I took you as my mate.” I said, “you took me, I thought it was the other way around.”
She said, “I know dear, I let you have that from time to time.”
I said, “well thank you for letting my fantasies come true, it has been some good years that got us here, let’s hope the summer will bring us ready for the winter after.”
Brandy, “and the spring again with ease.”
The bell rang, and a swinger came with lead-line for another behind him. I went up to the roof to greet them and gave hand as the trader hit the landing platform.
“what a ride to get here, I am Trader Stan, and I hear you are a man to see this day.” I said, “always better to see than be seen, but I greet you with both. First time on a zip line?” He said, “here it is, I use them myself at the place I was, but your city has a number of high ones.”
I said, “and they can be fast in some places, be sure your guide goes first to test the lines, and always check yours.”
He said, “ sound words at anytime. A bear I’m told you brought down this morning, I trust it had no mate still around?”
I said, “not that I have seen or heard of, come to the level below us and see the hide.” So we went down the stairs to the liven room as he said, “those are nice guns you have there, my auto has a sticky trigger and it’s hard to save on ammo.”
I said, “I heard some of that last night, right after you passed below us, I hope you got some replacement before leaving TT’s place.”
Stan said, “yes, he was most generous. Was it down there that it happen? I have lost all sense of where I’m at the moment, the ride here was an event in itself.”
I said, “when you’re lucky it can do that to you, there’s the hide.”
And we walked over to it as he said, “a big one indeed, and I’m told it didn’t go down without a good fight. Better you than me with a beast this size, my fire is not as sure as I would like with my auto.”
I said, “my two on the hook over there seem to be easy enough to sight in, maybe yours needs an adjustment.”
He looked at them and said, “a fine pair indeed, and I’m for sure in need of someone that knows weapons and how to work on them.”
I said, “have a seat and I’ll see what it looks like.”
So we sat down by the window and he looked out to the street below. I took his weapon apart as Brandy brought us glasses of wine and some cheese she cut up. I took a sip then said, “the sights are off and there is grit in the slide, but I think my wife can adjust it.”
Brandy said, “give it here and I’ll see what I can do,” then took it to the table. Stan said, “I see the spot where I talked to the man that was below, and just down the block the dogs came, they didn’t seem interested in me before I knew where I was going.” I said, “that area is home to a wolf that now guards the goat park, they were staying clear of him, then your call brought them out.”
Stan, “and my gun stuck open as I squeezed off a round at them, dropped off a number of shells and dogs before it got free again.”
I said, “how many ran?”
He said, “I saw three, and four I hit that went for pavement right off, but more could have been delaying in the shadows.”
He took a drink of the wine and I offered him a smoke. He said no thanks, that he was already too high to get high. The guide partook of a drag and handed it back to me, as Stan said, “this is some good wine, do you make it here?”
I said, “of this kind we have a woman that makes it, as well as other things, and we trade from time to time. She could use some help with what she does, the poor woman is too good looking to work so hard, but none here have caught her eye yet.”
Brandy, “you mean Moon shine Molly, she drinks morethan she sells sometimes and it’s a wonder she has not got pregnant yet, but she has a good hart and a nice body some say. The two of you should meet before the night, I’m sure she would take a liken to you.” The guide said, “I can only wish you luck in that one, I think she was on her way to the pool. My zone is short of there, and the last time I saw her she through a bottle at me.” Brandy, “I would of done the same thing if you had said it to me.”
He said, “yes, but you don’t empty them first then toss when the other person is not looking, you through right off so a man has a chance to duck.”