Another Kind Of Hurricane Part 29

ZAVION.

Papa was on the phone when Zavion woke up. His voice got louder and softer and then louder again. He must have been pacing back and forth in the hall. It took Zavion a moment to remember where he was.

Vermont. Jakes house. Mount Mansfield.

And he had slept.

For the first time since the hurricane, he had really slept.

Zavion got out of bed. He opened the office door. Papa was making another trek down the hall.

"Skeet," he was saying, "d.a.m.n, you work fast."

What was Papa talking about?

"No, are you kidding me? Im there. Count me in."

"Papa," said Zavion.

"You said it! Hallelujah is right-" Papa kissed Zavion on the top of his head. "Morning, Zav," he said.

"What are you talking about?"

Papa put his hand over the phone. "Skeet says hi. Hes running a business idea by me. A house painting company. A crew of artists helping to restore some houses at home." He practically hopped back down the hall. "Brilliant idea, Skeet. Oh, my bones are aching to be back in New Orleans."

Zavion tried to wrap his head around this new information. A job painting houses. In New Orleans. He walked into the kitchen. It was so warm and bright. He wanted to bake some bread. Maybe he would do that later. Annie sat at the table with a woman.

"Soy una madre," said the woman.

"Soy una madre," repeated Annie.

"Bien!" The woman put her hand on Annies arm. "I am a mother. You said it just right."

Zavion walked outside just as Henry was running up the driveway. Henry sprinted to the house and slumped onto the porch, breathing hard.

In and out, up and down, went his breath.

Papa walked to the open window, the phone still in his hand. He yelled out, "Skeet says hi, Henry. Wants to know the name of an insect that can live for a few weeks with its head cut off. Nine letters." He paused. "He says youre the animal expert." And then he was gone again.

A dog bounded up to them.

"Wow!" said Zavion. "What is that?" The dogs nose reached for his hand. It felt cool and dry. The dog pushed his hand up and then kept walking so Zavion felt his head, his neck, and the length of his long body. Then he sat on Zavions foot, his tail making a slapping noise against Zavions jeans.

"Huh?" Henry seemed lost.

"Who is that?"

"Brae."

"Your dog?"

"Uh-huh."

Brae ran to chase a swallow that swooped low in front of them.

"Are you okay?" said Zavion.

Henry just shrugged his shoulders.

"I need to go up Mount Mansfield."

"I know." Henry seemed distracted.

"No, I need to go up now."

"Isnt Jake going to take you?"

"Please, Henry-" Zavion glanced back at the house. He knew he should wait for Jake, that it was the right thing to do, but he didnt feel like he could wait for one more minute.

Henry stood up. "I cant go," he said.

"But you said you would take me. You said you wanted to."

"I cant." Henry turned his back on Zavion. "Wayne died up there," he whispered.

Zavion put his hand in his jeans pocket when he heard those words. He grabbed the marble. He wasnt sure Henry had meant for him to hear what hed said, so he was silent. He squeezed the marble tight.

He remembered Luna.

The sound of her bangles in his ear.

He remembered Mama.

You were you.

You are still you.

I love you all the same.

It was time for Zavion to make his own decision.

"I know you cant take me, but can you show me the way?" he said. "I have to go up that mountain now."

Henry was silent for a moment. Then he turned around. "Ill take you to the place where the trail splits," he said. "Ill show you the way to go from there."

chapter 74.

HENRY.

"Watch out!" a voice yelled.

A flash of silver barreled down the trail like a rabbit. Behind it, someone was running so fast that he couldnt stop himself. He tripped over Brae, who galloped up to greet him, and fell into Henry. Henry fell into Zavion. They all lay sprawled on the ground, stunned for a moment.

Henry spoke first. "Hey, Nopie." Brae nudged Henry with his nose and licked the ground under him.

"I dropped the can of tuna and then it was rolling down the trail." Nopie picked up the can and began to scoop tuna back into it.

"Oh, gross!" said Henry. Brae licked Henrys jacket. "Aw, you smell like fish, Brae! Get off me!" He struggled to stand up.

Nopie extended his hand to Zavion with a can still in it.

"He doesnt want that," said Henry, grunting as he got on his feet.

"I forgot I had it," said Nopie, setting it down. Braes nose was in it in a flash. "Hi, Im Nopie," he said.

"Im Zavion."

"What are you doing up here?" said Henry.

"Looking for Tiger," said Nopie. "I thought he might come to me if I brought some tuna."

"And-"

"No sign of him yet. But I think hes up here. I talked to the rest of the neighbors on that one side of the road. Two of them saw Tiger. He was heading up the mountain. Im sure of it."

The wind was getting fierce. Henry shivered and pulled the sleeves of his jacket down over his hands. "So why are you going back down the mountain?" he said.

"I ran up to the top. Left some tuna there. Im working my way back down."

"You dont think some other animal-or, like, twelve of them-are going to eat that?" Nopie looked deflated. Henry felt bad. "You really think Tigers looking for Wayne?"

"I know it." Nopie pulled his sweater up above his chin and breathed into it. "And I know h.e.l.l come back."

chapter 75.

ZAVION.

Zavion felt like he was in a different world, climbing up the mountain.

Everywhere Zavion turned, there was a plant he had never seen before. A tree he had never seen before. He thought about the few trees lining the streets back at home that had fallen. He remembered the oak tree that split just outside his house. He remembered his house. The church, the street sign, the swing set at the park. All of it blown over and cracked apart. He wondered if anything would be able to grow there now.

Here-where trees had fallen and were dead-was the bright green color of something new growing out from underneath.

chapter 76.

HENRY.

Henry stopped at the fork in the trail. This was as far as he would go. He pointed. "That way," he said. "That way will take you to the top."

"Henry-"

"Nah, I gotta go." Henry turned around. The wind was at his back now. It pushed him forward, it was so strong. Brae trotted in front of him. He sat and c.o.c.ked his head to the side, confused. "What do you want to do, buddy?" said Henry. Part of him wanted Brae to come with him. Part of him, to his surprise, wanted Brae to stay with Zavion. He began to walk back down the trail.

"Henry," Zavion said again. "Please-"

Henry took another step forward. The wind rushed past his ears. He heard Moms voice riding on it. You cant keep running away. He took another step away from Zavion. You cant keep running away.