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ALONE IN A CROWD Carol Lynne
64
 Stop. Ryan sighed and wrapped his arm around his father s waist, propping up his
weaker side.  Promise you ll let me know if it s too much.
 If I die, I ll become heavier, Ben mumbled.
 Is where we re headed worth dying for? Ryan slowly picked his way up the slope.
 Why not? What else do I have? Ben glanced at Ryan.  Wouldn t you rather die doing
something important, or are you the kind of man who d rather go in his sleep like a
coward?
Ryan didn t like being sized up by the man who d beat him time and time again.  You
don t know anything about me!
 You re right, so why don t you fill me in? Ben looked up.  We ve got time.
It was the first time his father had asked, which suddenly hit Ryan as extremely shady.
 Why now? You ve been talking to me for two days, so why do you suddenly care who I
am?
Ben stopped and looked around.  There. He nodded his head towards a thick stand of
scrub brush.  Home.
Ryan helped his father over a series of small rocks to the indicated area. It was
convenient how Ben had spotted the location just as Ryan had questioned him. The cop in
Ryan made him naturally suspicious, but his dad s actions made him even more so.
 There used to be an opening, just big enough for me to crawl under, Ben remarked,
studying the thorny brush.
Ryan used his boots to break the bushes enough to get into the cave hidden behind it.  I
didn t bring a flashlight.
 I don t need one. It s been over fifty years, but I remember every inch of this place.
Stay here. I ll light a candle.
 Wait a minute. Do you think that s safe?
Ben chuckled.  Of course it s safe. You ve become a city boy. Before Ryan could stop
him, his father entered the cave.
It took several moments for his father s statement to sink in, but when it did, it nearly
knocked Ryan on his ass. He charged in blindly.  You know exactly who I am, don t you?
Ryan asked the darkness in front of him. He heard shuffling before a match was struck.
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ALONE IN A CROWD Carol Lynne
65
Ben s withered face was cast in an eerie orange glow as he held the match to a candle.
 Not right away, no. He struck another match and lit three other candles that were scattered
around the cave.
With the interior illuminated, Ryan s attention turned to his surroundings. A small pile
of dusty blankets sat along one wall along.  Did you really live here?
 Yes. Ben walked over to Ryan and stretched out his good hand.  Can I have my
box?
 Not until you tell me the truth. Ryan tucked the box under his arm, keeping it from
his father s grasp.  When did you remember?
 Yesterday. Not right away, but I noticed the tattoo on your forearm, it s the same one
your grandfather, Jon Acorn, had.
Without taking his eyes off his father, Ryan thought of the faded red owl tattoo. It had
been one of his first, done mere months after he d left home.  Why didn t you say anything
then?
 Because as long as I pretended not to know you, you stayed. Ben walked away. He
retrieved another box, this one older than the one in Ryan s hands, and held it out.  This was
my father s. My grandpa s in here, too.
 Good for you. Now tell me why the hell you hated me so much?
Ben moved to the blankets, a plume of dust rose as he half-sat, half-fell to the pile
below. He bowed his head, suddenly looking defeated.  I don t know. I ve spent the last ten
or so years trying to figure that out. Ben gestured to the box in Ryan s hands.  Open it.
Ryan gripped the cold metal, warring with himself over whether or not to do what his
father asked. Would he be giving in once again?  You tell me what s in it first.
 The things I have yet to answer for.
 What the hell s that supposed to mean?
 My grandpa believed everyone was worthy of heaven as long as they didn t allow
their pride to send them to hell.
Although Ryan had never heard his dad talk of his grandfather, Ryan thought he
might ve liked the man. He sat on the dirt floor next to one of the burning candles and
opened his dad s box. There were several folded newspaper articles, Ryan assumed were the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]