Kesh Read Free Page B

soggy, lost in the too-big, lime green robe his mother had bought for him, and he was painfully small. He had to admit to himself that he did not look so different from the shrunken creature before him. It was a wonder the odd little man hadn’t asked him what he was.
    â€œFair enough, boy. In any case, well done, and welcome.” The creature’s small eyes stared at Kesh intently. “Tell me young fellow, what is your name?”
    Kesh hesitated, but he was here, and telling the man his name wasn’t going to make his situation any worse. “My name is Kesh, Kesh Jones.”
    â€œAh, Kesh Jones. I see.” Kesh thought he said it as if he recognized the name. The man looked at him over his glasses and seemed to study the boy for a long moment. “Tell me, Kesh Jones, do you know where you are and why you’ve come to me on this awful night?”
    Kesh shrugged. He couldn’t take his eyes off the man’s glasses. Everything else about him suggested rags and filth to Kesh, but his glasses were crystal clear, and the small, squinty eyes behind them were a deep, dark brown that glistened in the firelight. “I think this must be a dream. This whole night is a dream.”
    The rag man sighed and said, “You’re such a small boy. I did not expect such a small boy.”
    Kesh shrugged. “You don’t even know me, old man. And you’re not so big yourself, so don’t you start.” He huffed with indignation. “I don’t need this. I’m going home.” He turned and stepped out of the shack. Thunder and lightning exploded simultaneously, and the rain blasted his body. Once more, he ducked back into the shelter. He was suddenly terribly tired. His head felt heavy, he was wet, and he had an overwhelming desire to lie down.
    â€œOkay, okay. Don’t do anything rash. We’ll talk later about what did and did not happen. For the moment, I can see you’re cold and tired, and more than a little scared. Come on, Kesh Jones. You need to get out of this blasted weather. You have nothing to fear from me.” He sighed. “I will say one thing, my boy. It is not accident, your being here on this night.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    The rag man stood, his small form bent over, and put a dark hand out to lead the boy farther into the toasty little shelter. Kesh considered stepping back, but his body let itself be drawn in. Something told him he could trust this weird little man. “Now sit down here, young man. Once you’re warm and dry, we’ll talk. Everything will be clear soon enough.”
    The heat from the fire melted the shivers and the misgivings right out of Kesh. He’d heard about kids being picked up by strangers and never being seen again or found murdered in a ditch or shallow grave deep in the woods. He was as careful as any kid he knew…usually.
    I should be scared to death , he thought, but I’m not . The rag man looked like some kind of wild creature. He looked like some hairy thing that had crawled out of a hole, his eyes were dark and wild like the eyes of a forest animal, and something in the shack smelled like damp fur and rotting leaves after a rain. Still, Kesh wasn’t afraid. He couldn’t explain it, but the rag man felt safe to him.
    â€œDrink some of this. It’ll warm you up.” The rag man offered him a faded yellow plastic cup, and Kesh smelled warm chocolate. The sweet liquid went deep into him and thawed him from the inside out.
    â€œThanks,” he said.
    â€œYou’re welcome. Now that you’re thawed out, maybe we should have a chat.” He let out a long breath, as if he were gathering his thoughts. “Do you have any idea of what compelled you to run out into this nasty night, when you should be warm and safe at home with your mother and father?”
    â€œI can’t say. It’s crazy. It couldn’t have happened.” Kesh wondered if the