Read Online Shooting Chant by Aimée & David Thurlo - Free Book Online
Authors: Aimée & David Thurlo
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agricultural society competition, is getting out of hand. Most of the victims have been progressives, and the circumstances strongly suggest traditionalists are behind these acts. You might as well know that I’m going to start rousting the people that are suspectedof being involved in the livestock killings. Maybe I can impress on them that what they’re doing is illegal, and that it’s helping no one.”
“I’ll do whatever I can to help you. I don’t like what’s happened anymore than you do,” Clifford said. “But I’d like you to do something for me.”
“Name it.”
“Mom wants us all to go to our family shrine tonight before supper. I know she’ll forgive you ifyou can’t go, but I’d really like you to try and be there. This is her first long hike outdoors. She’ll be taking her cane, of course, but she’s worked really hard to get herself to this point. It’s her first sign of independence after almost an entire year of physical therapy. It would mean a great deal to her to have her two children beside her this evening.”
“I know and I’ll do my best tobe there.” Ella stared at the charcoal in the fire pit, trying to organize her thoughts. His mention of children had brought her thoughts back to her own pregnancy. “There’s something else I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” she said slowly. With her own baby on the way, there were other matters she needed to pay closer attention to as well. “Do you remember the details of the legacy said tobe part of our family’s history?”
He nodded slowly. “How could I ever forget? Loretta and I are getting a lot of pressure from her family to have another child because of it. Many traditionalists feel it’s foolish and dangerous not to obey the requirement our ancestors set down for us to always have two children. They believe it could endanger our neighbors and maybe even the tribe.”
“But youdid have two kids,” Ella said softly, remembering Loretta’s first child, who was stillborn.
“The traditionalists who have spoken to me recently, and one is the grandmother of your lawyer friend, feel the legacy calls for two living children.” Clifford stared at the sand before him. “Be honest. Does it ever bother you knowing people are watching us—waiting to see if the legacy will hold true forus?”
“I’ve never given it much thought. I’m not even sure what that legacy entails. Mom told me everything once, but it was a long time ago, and I don’t remember most of it. But since it’s something many of the traditionalists believe about us, and since I’m dealing with a lot of them now, I figured it was a good time to refresh my memory.”
It wasn’t the whole truth, but Clifford didn’t needto know the rest yet. The real reason she wanted to know was because she remembered enough to know that the legacy centered on the children, and she needed to know about anything that might have an impact on her child. “Can you tell me what you know?” she pressed.
“Of course.” He started to say more when her cell phone rang.
Ella answered it and heard Justine’s voice. “I need to meet with you.I’ve been processing the little evidence we managed to get at the burglary scene, and I’ve turned up something interesting.”
“Hold that thought,” she said, always uneasy about discussing sensitive business over any radio network. “We can meet at the Totah Cafe in half an hour. Can it wait until then?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
Ella looked back at her brother and saw the annoyance on his face. “I’msorry, but I can’t just turn off my phone.” She placed it back in her pocket. “Now tell me about the legacy.”
“It’s what’s at the root of the demand made on our family to always have two kids. You see, according to the legacy, there’s a very good chance one of us will be good and the other evil. Our family has been known for having special gifts, so the one who turns to evil can only be defeatedby
“I’ll do whatever I can to help you. I don’t like what’s happened anymore than you do,” Clifford said. “But I’d like you to do something for me.”
“Name it.”
“Mom wants us all to go to our family shrine tonight before supper. I know she’ll forgive you ifyou can’t go, but I’d really like you to try and be there. This is her first long hike outdoors. She’ll be taking her cane, of course, but she’s worked really hard to get herself to this point. It’s her first sign of independence after almost an entire year of physical therapy. It would mean a great deal to her to have her two children beside her this evening.”
“I know and I’ll do my best tobe there.” Ella stared at the charcoal in the fire pit, trying to organize her thoughts. His mention of children had brought her thoughts back to her own pregnancy. “There’s something else I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” she said slowly. With her own baby on the way, there were other matters she needed to pay closer attention to as well. “Do you remember the details of the legacy said tobe part of our family’s history?”
He nodded slowly. “How could I ever forget? Loretta and I are getting a lot of pressure from her family to have another child because of it. Many traditionalists feel it’s foolish and dangerous not to obey the requirement our ancestors set down for us to always have two children. They believe it could endanger our neighbors and maybe even the tribe.”
“But youdid have two kids,” Ella said softly, remembering Loretta’s first child, who was stillborn.
“The traditionalists who have spoken to me recently, and one is the grandmother of your lawyer friend, feel the legacy calls for two living children.” Clifford stared at the sand before him. “Be honest. Does it ever bother you knowing people are watching us—waiting to see if the legacy will hold true forus?”
“I’ve never given it much thought. I’m not even sure what that legacy entails. Mom told me everything once, but it was a long time ago, and I don’t remember most of it. But since it’s something many of the traditionalists believe about us, and since I’m dealing with a lot of them now, I figured it was a good time to refresh my memory.”
It wasn’t the whole truth, but Clifford didn’t needto know the rest yet. The real reason she wanted to know was because she remembered enough to know that the legacy centered on the children, and she needed to know about anything that might have an impact on her child. “Can you tell me what you know?” she pressed.
“Of course.” He started to say more when her cell phone rang.
Ella answered it and heard Justine’s voice. “I need to meet with you.I’ve been processing the little evidence we managed to get at the burglary scene, and I’ve turned up something interesting.”
“Hold that thought,” she said, always uneasy about discussing sensitive business over any radio network. “We can meet at the Totah Cafe in half an hour. Can it wait until then?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
Ella looked back at her brother and saw the annoyance on his face. “I’msorry, but I can’t just turn off my phone.” She placed it back in her pocket. “Now tell me about the legacy.”
“It’s what’s at the root of the demand made on our family to always have two kids. You see, according to the legacy, there’s a very good chance one of us will be good and the other evil. Our family has been known for having special gifts, so the one who turns to evil can only be defeatedby
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