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blame you none either. But it don't do no good to sit there and argue with me. You gotta understand; every child in my country old enough to pee outside the hut knows animal tracks. Besides . . . I saw it." |
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That quelled Cyrus's speculations. |
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"It was near twilight and I was down at the river fishing. The new chief's younger brotherboy name of Bakuhe came down and put his pole in the water too. Me, I stayed on the other bank 'cause Baku and I never liked each other too good; different villages and all. Anyway, one minute Baku was sitting there fishin' nice as you please and the next, this thing had him in its mouth shaking him the way a terrier shakes a rat." |
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"The kinda wolf that stands over seven feet tall on its hind legs." |
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Cyrus bowed his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "Shit." |
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"Ain't no shit, boy. I saw it." |
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"No, noyou misunderstand. I believe you." |
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The old man looked deep into Cyrus's eyes. "I bet you do." |
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"So what happened? The werewolf?" |
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The old man got up for another trip to the icebox. |
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Where does he put it all? Cyrus wondered. |
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Kazie reclaimed the chair, speaking as he scooted up to the table. "Most folks would have given in to the Hungan right then, let him have what he wanted. But this new chief was a stubborn kid. He had gone to the university in Khartoum and didn't believe in the old ways. When his family started disappearing, instead of getting scared, he got pissed. He got a few of the men togethermen who'd lost family or friends to the Hunganand they went to the witchman's hut early one morning. They set fire to the hut and the Hungan came flying outall seven feet of downright crazy-mad black wolf." |
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"So the Hungan was the werewolf?" |
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