Fire Wind Read Free Page A

lesson.
    I walked all night and as the next day’s dawn
opened up behind me I topped out on a rise and saw a town situated
in a valley below me. A town meant water and I headed for it with
as much eagerness as my legs could manage, which wasn’t much.
    Heading for the buildings of the town all the
colors of the world seemed to mix and fold over into madness. Dimly
I felt myself falling forward as the dream of water was
forgotten.
    *****
    My face smacked hard against something that
was moving. I was moving.
    Gradually I became aware that the motion I
was experiencing was that of a wagon. Then the feel of hands and
being jostled around. Then water. That I remembered the most. The
taste of water then nothing.
    *****
    I opened my eyes and then willing myself to
move I sat up. Dizzily I held on to the side of the cot for a
moment. Blinking my eyes I looked about the room. In startlement I
saw that I was in a jailhouse!
    The cell doors were all open though. Still it
was not a good feeling to awaken to.
    I swung my feet over the side of the cot and
glanced at my arm. The swelling was down considerably and other
than some leftover fogginess in my head I felt all right. Standing
upright I stepped forward and eased the ajar cell door further
open.
    I stepped out of the cell in expectation of
being yelled at, but nothing happened. Making my way clear of the
cell bay I stepped into the main office and a younger man looked up
from a book and said, “Ahh my patient has awakened! Not only
awakened but has risen! Truly fascinating. Here take a seat.” He
finished with as he vacated his chair and set his book down on the
lone desk in the room, which I took to be the marshal’s desk.
    Feeling the need to sit I took him up on the
offer and sat down. Looking around I asked uncertainly, “Why am I
in jail?”
    The man laughed, “Oh that! My doctor’s office
is being built and so for now I’m using the jail as my practice.
Edgar Farling is the name.” He finished with enthusiastically as he
offered his hand to me.
    I took it and said, “Taran Collins.”
    “Ahh an Irish man! It must be the luck of the
Irish behind your survival. Tell me did you see the snake that bit
you?” He asked with keen interest all the while looking at my
arm.
    I nodded and began describing the snake to
him and then adding I said, “I’ve never seen such a brightly
colored snake before.”
    “And that would be for good reason as they do
not exist anywhere else other than for the surrounding area.”
    Inclining my head to the side I asked, “And
how do you know that?”
    “Well in addition to being a doctor I dapple
in the science of crypto zoology.”
    “What is crypto zoology?” I asked dumbly.
    Edgar waved his hand through the air and
said, “It’s just a fancy name for looking for dead or extinct
animals that one may think still have some members surviving to the
present day.”
    “Oh I see.” I said, although I didn’t.
    A speculative gleam came into the man’s eyes,
“What’s even more fascinating is that you are the first survivor of
such a snake attack that I am aware of. Most people die within
seconds.”
    I shrugged at the open question for answers
that I saw in his eyes.
    “Yes, as I was saying from my analysis of
this snake’s venom I have determined that its impact on the body
unlike that of the venom of a rattlesnake is that of a paralysis of
the nervous system rather than a poisoning of the blood.”
    “What you’re talking about is Greek to me.” I
said shaking my head.
    My response seemed to garner even more
interest on the doctor’s part, “Greek you say? You must be a
well-traveled man and an educated one at that to know of the land
of Greece.”
    “It’s just an expression.” I said looking
away from him.
    “That may be. Tell me stranger, your people,
extended family I mean by that, would they happen to hail from the
Appalachian Mountains in the East?”
    Looking the man over closely I said, “They
would. Why do you