The Visitor Read Free Page A

aside to disclose a pile of bodies to be unloaded and laid on the grass. Wolf, the demon in charge, went down the line, checking off each one as they came to it.
    â€œMalvis Jones,” he read from his work sheet. “Malvis goes to Warm Point with you, Mole. Rickle Blessing? That’s him, in the green overalls. He’s been allocated to Benchmark along with his wife, Lula, third one down in that row.”
    As he spoke, demons moved forward to load the still forms into smaller wagons hitched to pairs of horses. Beside the last body, a small one, the demons gathered, their faces twisted with anger and revulsion.
    â€œAnother one,” said Mole, leaning down to feel the faint pulse in the child’s neck. “What hellhound did this to her?”
    Wolf said between his teeth, “She goes south, all the way.”
    â€œTo Chasm? You mean we call for transport?”
    â€œYou think she’d live to make it any other way? Perhaps they can salvage something…”
    Mole cried, “Does anyone know anything about this?”
    â€œNothing. Except that there’s more of it, all the time.”
    Silently, the demons wrapped what was left of the still body and laid it on a stretcher. Four of them carried it offamong the trees. As the others were about to move away, every demon froze. Sections of their horns became strangely transparent, as though little windows had opened there. After a long moment, they moved, though only tentatively.
    â€œDid you feel that?” demanded Wolf. “What was that?”
    â€œSomething watching,” muttered Mole. “That’s all I could get.” He fished a notebook from a pocket. “How many bodies were there, all together?”
    â€œTwenty-three. Twelve alive, eleven dead.”
    â€œNo body parts removed?”
    â€œJust that little girl,” said Wolf, his lips twisting in revulsion.
    â€œWhy is it always children?”
    â€œIt isn’t always, just mostly. Speaking of children, j’you notice the girl on the wall, Mole? Little thing, out there alone? How old?”
    â€œYeah, about that. I used to see her there with her mother. Lately I’ve seen her there by herself, but it’s the first time she’s caught us out in the open. Do we need to…”
    â€œNo. Let it go. There’s no threat there.”
    Â 
    Because of the watcher, Dismé was late leaving the wall, and she made it home just in time to avoid being caught. As it was, only Rashel observed her return past the bottle room.
    â€œWhat were you doing out there?” she demanded imperiously, nose pinched, lips pursed, a flush of indignation on her face.
    â€œThere was a bird on the wall,” said Dismé, carefully, expressionlessly. “I went to get a closer look at it.”
    â€œMother says you’re not to go out without her say so.”
    â€œWhat’s this?” Father rumbled from the kitchen door. “Been bird watching again, Dis?”
    Rashel, officiously, “Mother says she shouldn’t go out, ever, without asking her.”
    â€œI scarcely think Dismé needs to ask anyone’s permission to take a look at a bird, Rashel. You’re living in Apocanew now, not out at the dangerous frontier.”
    Rashel stared at him impudently, then flounced out.
    â€œWas it really a bird?” Father whispered. “Or were you up in that old tower again?”
    â€œI was really watching birds,” Dismé replied.
    â€œWell, your cloak is buttoned crooked and your shoe laces are in peculiar knots, so I’d suggest getting yourself put together properly before Mother sees you.”
    â€œShe isn’t…” Dismé began.
    â€œI know. But you’re to call her Mother. You’ve heard Rashel call me Father.”
    Oh, yes. Dismé had heard Rashel say Faahther, like a cat growling softly, playing with the word as though it were a mouse.
    Father beckoned Roger from the adjacent