Ariel Read Free Page B

sitting toward the rear of the bar. When she saw us looking her way she said something to her companions, stood, and walked toward us.
    "You still want the coke?"
    "I—well, no. I doubt I could afford it." I stood to leave and felt a light tap on my shoulder. It was the girl.
    "You like me?" she asked.
    I started to reply but she cut me off. "A half-pound of dried meat, any kind, in advance. Or if you don't have any, we could make a deal."
    "No," I said, moving away.
    "What's wrong? You queer or something?"
    "No, just selective." I picked up my pack and walked out of the bar just as the big gorilla-type walked in. He stopped and started to say something to me, but I just kept walking through the trading area and out the door.
    Ariel was across the street. She faced the buddy-lion, regarding it with what looked like tolerant amusement. She turned to me as I hurriedly approached her. "This lion is stupid. It can't communicate with me at all."
    "Of course it's stupid. It's just an animal."
    She blinked once and stared at me. If she could have smiled I'm sure she would have.
    "You know what I mean—it's a dumb lion under a loyalty spell."
    "Wonder who it belongs to."
    "I don't even care. Look, let's get out of here."
    "What's the matter? Trouble inside?"
    I shook my head. "Not really. I just don't like cities. Creeps everywhere. Come on." We turned to leave just as the gorilla-type walked out the door, arm around the whore I'd turned down. She pointed at me. Shit.
    He began walking across the street toward me, talking as he came. "Little fuck, I kill you. You and your horse, too, hah-hah-hah."
    Ariel gave me a sidelong look as he lumbered toward us. "No trouble, huh?"
    I shrugged out of my pack. "That's the reason I wanted to get out of here."
    "Looks like a pretty good reason to me."
    "Right." He had stopped in the middle of the road, expecting me to step out and meet him halfway. I had a better idea. "Let's run away," I suggested.
    "Too late. Look."
    The big yotz had turned to face the buddy-lion. He pulled something out of his leather vest, held it between thumb and forefinger, and pressed it. It was one of those cheap metal clackers that make an annoying noise like a cricket on speed. He clacked it three times and the lion rose.
    "Come on, Rasputin," he said. The lion licked its chops, shook its mane, and blinked. We couldn't run away now; the lion would catch us before we got ten yards. Before I could get ten yards, rather; I wouldn't put it past Ariel to outrun it.
    Then they were both coming toward us and everything happened fast. The lion stopped in front of Ariel and gathered itself for the pounce, relaxing and looking lazily up into her eyes.
    "Come on, come on," said Ariel impatiently. "You might as well pounce now; you're going to sooner or later."
    Then I could no longer pay attention to them because this huge, hairy arm swung around like a shaggy club and broke my nose. I went down onto the sidewalk, eyes blinded by sudden tears. Warm wetness flowed onto my lips. I saw the blur as he bent down to finish me off and my right foot lashed out, heel hitting his kneecap. He yowled as it snapped. I got up as fast as I could and punched him in the throat. He went down choking.
    I looked toward Ariel. Blood dripped down her horn and the lion lay in a pool of red at the curb. Her lover's eyes were black and soft. "You look awful," she said.
    I tried to smile. "I thig by nothe ith broge," I said.
    * * *
    Remembering Jacksonville as we walked down the Interstate, I reached out and stroked Ariel's shimmering mane. She shivered. "Do you want to call it a day and set up camp, horny-horse? Leg still hurting?"
    She gave a gentle laugh like wind chimes tinkling. "No, I'm all right. We'll camp at sundown, same as always."
    I agreed and we continued walking. I thought about her slowly healing leg as we plodded on. It had been over a year, and it still bothered her. I'd asked her about it, when she'd learned enough words to answer, but