Dimly, I was aware of Alex shouting. But that was a background sound, tertiary to my breathing and the tigeras's breathing, both short and shallow.
Without warning, it pushed off from the door and released me. It dropped back to all four feet, beside its mate, tail lashing.
It gave Alex a deadly glare, growled. He was holding his knife and standing his ground.
Donas't hurt him,as I said. I didnas't know if I was speaking to the tiger or to Alex.
One before the other, the tigers turned and walked away. Their massive paws disturbed the dust of the road and their painfully thin shoulders worked beneath their dirty hides.
I released a breath, didnas't move until theyas'd receded beyond sight at the edge of the field, becoming lost in that line of sunset.
That was stupid, Bonnet,as Alex said. as Real stupid.
Just the bear and the jaguar are left,as I said. My voice sounded much more level than I felt.
The bear didnas't react initially to the open door. I stood far away, watched as it shambled through the opening. It seemed reluctant to leave its mate, shoved at the carcass with a paw. The display of affection caused me to wipe a tear from my eye.
But it too lumbered away, down the path that the wolves and the tigers had taken.
And then there was only the jaguar. It sat beside the door, its luminous eyes burning into me.
I hope that you will be better behaved than the tiger,as I said.
I opened the rusty door. I saw the jaguar crouching down, coiling like a snake, readying for the chance to flee. When Ias'd gotten the door half open, the jaguar lurched out. Unlike the others, it ran. It ran as fast as it could, ears flattened, toward the horizon.
I stood, shaking. I knew that I would never see anything that magnificent in my life again.
I hope we donas't meet them on the road,as Alex said.
I said nothing. I hoped they would live. All of them.
We had prepared for night the best we could. Weas'd hauled a cabinet up against the broken window and locked the door. Horace seemed content to occupy the living room, with the couch pushed up against the wall. He chewed idly at the carpet, though I knew that he was full on grass. There was a little water left in the pipes of the house, and I gave him a dishpan full to slurp at.
Ginger, Alex, and I headed upstairs. We did so in the dark: there was no electricity, and we wanted to create no light by which vampires could spot us across the open countryside.
The house held three bedrooms that appeared to belong to adults, a boy, and a teen girl. As if by prior assent, we each took a room. Ginger took the adultsas' room. Alex took the boyas's room, and I took the girlas's.
I paused in the twilight, my eyes slowly adjusting to the new surroundings. I could make out a quilt on the bed, smoothed it with my fingers. Unlike all the quilts at home, this one was manufacturedas"I could tell by the artificially even stitching. The walls were covered with posters of young men and women holding guitars and microphones.
I paused by a short dresser with a mirror. Plain people didnas't keep mirrors for any purpose but for shaving. We were told that it encouraged vanity. And it seemed that it didas"my eye roved over neatly stacked cosmetics on the surface of the dresser.
In the dimness, I looked at myself. I wanted to know if there was any visible proof that the journey had changed me. I wondered if I carried any outward sign of failing faith, some taint or mark.
I removed my bonnet. I looked pale. Gaunt. I could see shadows around me, under my eyes, around my mouth. But I didnas't know how much of that was the venom and the journey and how much was just the dark.
I walked over to the girlas's wardrobe and opened the closet doors. My clothes felt stiff and dirty, and I craved something clean to sleep in. I found a soft gray sweatshirt, sweatpants, and socks. The Ordnung forbade women to wear pants, but I was cold and tired and needed something warm. There were no metal fasteners on these clothesas"no buttons or zippers that I was not allowed to use. They were the simplest garments I could find, and I didnas't think that God would mind. I changed clothes, tucking the Himmelsbrief into the sleeve of my sweatshirt, next to my wrist.
It had been weeks since Ias'd slept in a bed. I climbed under the covers. This girlas's bedclothes smelled like perfume, unlike the clean scent of lye soap that I was used to. But it was better than hard ground, or a snake-covered church pew.
I expected to fall asleep immediately.
But I couldnas't.
My thoughts circled around the idea of the girl who had occupied this room. Was she a victim of the vampires? Or was she still alive? Was she alone, trying to make her way in this world with no help?
I tossed and turned. My hand throbbed, and I was too accustomed to being alert at night to fall asleep easily, even in these soft surroundings.
I slipped out of bed and crossed the hall to the boyas's room. I noticed that the door was ajar. I knocked lightly before entering.
Stenciled dinosaurs decorated the walls, and there were glow-in-the-dark stars shining softly on the ceiling. Plastic toys covered a shelf and were strewn on the floor. I wondered if the boy had had time to choose a favorite to take with him.
Hey,as Alex said. He was sitting up in bed. He was dressed as I was, in sweat clothes. They were too large for him. I assumed that heas'd found them in the parentsas' laundry. as Couldnas't sleep?
I shook my head. as No.
Cas'mon.as He lifted the edge of the blanket and scooted over to the edge of the bed.
I padded across the floor, avoiding the toy dinosaurs, and slipped into bed beside him. His arm cradled my head, and I already felt better. I had never had my own room. I had shared with my sister. Even out here, Outside, I hadnas't slept alone.
A low growl-snort emanated from across the hall. Ginger snoring.
Not everyone is having trouble sleeping,as I said.
She will bring the undead to our doorstep one of these days.as Alex said it lightly, as if he was joking. But there was some truth to that. And nothing to be done for it.
She wonas't hear them coming.as I laughed softly.
We lay in silence for some time. I felt safe with my head next to Alexas's chest, even though I rationally knew that he had no better chance of keeping me safe than Ginger did. I shyly rested the flat of my hand over his heart, where I knew the scarred ankh lay under the sweatshirt fleece.
He broke the silence. as You did a good thing today, Bonnet. A brave thing.
I squirmed under praise. as It was the right thing to do.
That jaguar,as he said. as It reminded me of something. An old myth.