Kesh Read online

  Kesh and Jesse circled and sniffed the cold air for signs of Kiran. Again and again, they howled in an attempt to signal to her, but there was no response. Kiran was gone. Jesse sniffed the air one last time, looked at the other boy, and said, “I’ll bet the she’s been captured. Garou has her.”

  Kesh’s muscles shuddered and he felt his stomach turn. He whispered, “Jesse, we have to find her. We have to go after Kiran.”

  * * * *

  There was no school the following day, and the telephones, instant messages, and chat rooms were buzzing. Everybody was talking about what they thought had been the vicious “wolves” that had rushed through the party. The rumors said that the three students who had missed the bus back to school had been killed by the creatures. Still very much alive, Kesh and Jesse spent a good part of the afternoon searching for their friend. Finally, Jesse said, “Let’s go to my house. We’re not doing Kiran any good running around chasing our tails.”

  Kesh said, “Okay, but I’m really worried. What if we don’t find her? Those guys back there meant business.”

  Jesse barked softly, “Kiran will be alright. Trust me.”

  Kesh knew Jesse was making an effort to be brave, and picked up the slightest scent of fear. He nodded, “Okay Jess,” and followed his friend into the woods.

  At Jesse’s house, a giant mastiff greeted the white coyote with a wagging tail and a sloppy dog smile. Although the huge animal yipped with happiness, Kesh kept his distance as he watched Jesse reassure his excited dog. “Good girl, Daisy,” he repeated.

  Kesh barked, “Daisy? That monster’s name is Daisy?”

  Jesse said, “She’s a sweet monster.”

  Funny, thought Kesh, it’s not at all like watching two dogs. Even as a white coyote, Jesse had the essence of a human boy along with all of the powers of the spirit coyote.

  The cabin hinges squeaked, and Kesh snapped his head around to see a man in the doorway. Jesse, still a coyote, padded up to the man, and nuzzled his hand. He glanced back at Kesh. “Come on runt,” he said. “This is my dad.”

  Once inside, Jesse had again transformed into a tall slender boy. Kesh too felt the change as he stepped across the threshold. It wasn’t simply that he was human again. The transformation extended to the warm, safe room, while the outside suddenly felt terribly dangerous.

  Jesse said, “Put your shoes here,” and Kesh pulled off his wet shoes and socks to set them by the woodstove pumping out heat in the corner of the room. Mister Madosh tossed Kesh a pair of deerskin slippers, and said, “You boys look rough. You want to tell me what happened today?”

  Kesh sat at a heavy pine table sipping a mug of dark hot cocoa, while Jesse related the day’s events. He was still stinging from Jesse’s comment and was worried sick about what might be happening to Kiran, yet he was a little relieved to be safe inside Jesse’s house.

  Mister Madosh listened gravely, nodding from time to time. He seemed very different from his son, thought Kesh, and very different from what kids said about him. He was several inches shorter than Jesse, and he had a fair complexion and graying hair that still showed hints of red. Kesh wasn’t sure he knew what to look for, but kids said Jesse’s dad was an old drunk. He didn’t look old, and he definitely wasn’t drunk. His wide face was kind, his eyes were as clear and sharp as Jesse’s, and he seemed incredibly strong to Kesh. He was broad and powerfully built, and Kesh sensed a strength that made him feel calm and confident.

  Jesse told his dad everything. Kesh was astonished at how easily the boy talked about the bizarre events of the past night. Mr. Madosh seemed comfortable and completely unsurprised by the unbelievable narrative. He listened quietly and seriously, until Jesse had finished telling the story.

  Mister Madosh sighed, “It figures. Garou again. Things are getting way too personal.” Then, almost as an afterthought, he said, “Coyotes huh?” The boys glanced at each other. Kesh had prepared himself for the standard grownup lecture on their overly vivid imaginations or the dangers of drugs. Instead, Mr. Madosh said, “Good. I’m proud of you both.”

  He looked at his guest and said, “What do you think about all of this, Kesh? Are you up for it?”

  “I don’t know Mister Madosh. I hope so, but I’m just not so sure about everything. I’m not even sure what any of this is about.”

  “Well boy, I can see why you’re confused. It’s all a little hard to understand, and you’re wise to be afraid of Garou and his pals.” He stopped and looked hard at each boy. “You are scared of Garou, aren’t you?” He paused, took a breath and spoke gravely, “because if you’re not, then we have a problem.”

  “Don’t worry. Yeah. I’m scared of Mister Garou, sure, but I think we proved today that we’ll survive whatever he throws at us. More than anything, I’m scared that I won’t be able to do anything about the trouble he’s causing with the factory and everything. You know we’re just kids.”

  “Ah, my boys, you’re a lot more than just kids. You just don’t know it yet. I have a feeling Garou is the one who is in for trouble, and even more, he’s real worried right about now. That said, I think you’d be crazy if you weren’t scared, so don’t get too comfortable.”

  Jesse said, “Dad, they got the other coyote, a girl named Kiran.”

  Kesh felt his eyes tear up and his voice shake. “Are they going to hurt her? Will they kill her?”

  Mister Madosh sighed and smiled a little sadly. “No, they won’t kill her Kesh. I don’t think even Garou would be up for killing children, at least not yet. No, they’ll try to kill the spirit inside of her. In any case, that girl is in a lot of danger.”

  The man drew a long deep breath and let it out with a great groan, like the sound of a waking tree. “If we are going engage the enemy, then let’s get to it. He grinned broadly, and, taking up his mug of cocoa, he toasted, “Here’s to the battle!”

  The boys joined in. “To the battle!”

  The bravado was contagious, and before long, all three were laughing and talking in fiery terms about how they would storm the ramparts of the Garou Chemical Corporation. Then Mister Madosh bent low and became very serious again. “First battle,” he whispered, “we find out what has happened to Miss Kiran. Then we do what we can to help her. Just remember that she will be okay. We have to have faith.”

  Jesse and his father drove Kesh home in an old Ford pickup truck. When he pulled into the driveway, his parents were waiting. Kesh was a little worried, but he knew, or at least he hoped, his mother and father would support him. What he didn’t expect was his parents’ reaction to Mister Madosh’s grand entry. Instead of simply dropping the boy off and leaving, the man turned off the motor and stepped out into the driveway. Kesh’s dad almost sprinted to meet him. “Jon,” he said. “Well, I’ll be damned. It’s been a really, really long time. God, it’s good to see you again.”

  Jonathan Madosh took the hand warmly in both of his and said, “Same here, Jack. It’s nice to see you again too.” He looked up and smiled broadly. “Alyssa! You’re as beautiful as ever!”

  Kesh’s mother blushed. “You old dog. I forgot about what a flirt you are.” She opened her arms and said, “I’ve also forgotten how much I’ve missed you. Jack, let Jon go, so I can give him a big hug.”

  Kesh, who had expected at least some scolding, was left standing with Jesse, ignored. He was grateful for the reprieve but confused. He shot Jesse a puzzled look. “You understand this?” The older boy just shook his head.

  Then his mom, perhaps in response to the his confusion, said, “By the way Kesh, the principal called today. She was very concerned about both of you. I’ll call her tonight to let her know that you’re safe, but there may be consequences. Do you understand?” She smiled slyly and winked.

  The boys nodded in unison. Jesse said, “Did she mention anyone else?”

  “Yes. As a matter of fact, she did. The girl that was with you, Kiran Curtis, got a ride home with one of Garou’s employees. I don’t know what you were all up to, but we ca
n talk about it later.”

  Kesh nodded again. He was glad for the reprieve, but he was especially happy to know that Kiran was safe at home.

  With this loud, happy, surprising welcome, his parents escorted everyone into the house and insisted Jesse and his dad stay for dinner. Once the befuddled excitement of the apparent reunion had passed, the grown-ups explained. Jesse’s dad started, “Kesh, I knew your parents years ago. We met at a powwow and we just hit it off.”

  “A powwow?” Jesse was completely flustered. “What would you guys be doing at a powwow?”

  Kesh’s mom broke in. “It really wasn’t all that surprising. After all, we were living in this small town in a region people referred to as ‘Indian Country.’ Jack was working at the college there, and I was writing articles for the town newspaper.”

  Jesse said, “Why was it called ‘Indian Country?’”

  Jon laughed. “You couldn’t throw a wampum bead without hitting a reservation.”

  “Mom, you were a writer?” asked Kesh.

  “That’s right, Kesh. Your mom was a reporter for the Sun,” his father answered.

  “And a good one,” Jon Madosh added.

  His mother continued. “Anyway, a lot of the students and faculty at the college were Native American, mostly from one of the three reservations in the region. Jack was teaching English at the local college. And, Jesse, your mom ran the counseling center on the reservation just north of town. That’s where she had grown up. We lived, worked, and played with the local people, and a big part of that was going to social dances to eat, dance, and celebrate.” He smiled gently. “Your mom was a wonderful dancer.”

  Jesse looked away. “So how did you all end up here?”

  It was Mister Madosh’s turn to respond. “The college president was crooked, the dean was senile, the provost spent the day watching home shopping shows on his mini-television, and the Board of Directors were a bunch of incompetent, crooked baboons, so the college went under. Before anyone knew what was going on we found ourselves, at least half of us, out of work. There wasn’t much else in the town, so when one of the area’s main employers tanked, it looked pretty bad for just about everyone. Then I got wind of a good paying job in this part of the world. I jumped at the chance, and we moved. It wasn’t long before our unemployed friends Jack and Alyssa followed.”

  Kesh’s mom said, “We were getting desperate, and even though we didn’t end up working for Garou, we found other work here.”

  Jon nodded and said, “The money was good, and the factory brought in other businesses. Whatever else people say about Garou Chemical, it provided a lot of people with good paying jobs. Almost right away, Jack managed to get hired at the community college, and your mom at the local newspaper. Karla ended up doing bookkeeping for Garou, and I worked in production.” He sighed heavily. “Long story short, Jesse was born, and just two years later, Karla was diagnosed with cancer. That’s pretty much it.” Mister Madosh took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. The room fell deathly silent.

  Jon Madosh sniffled and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He breathed deeply and said, “All right, guys. Jack and Alyssa and I have a lot to discuss.”

  His mother said, “Kesh, why don’t you show Jesse around the place and grab some of that beef jerky in the kitchen to hold you until supper.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  At Least Two Secrets and a Visitor

  Somehow, after the strangely wonderful, somewhat depressing, totally terrifying events of the day, neither boy was interested in watching television or playing video games. Their adventures had worn them out, partly from the exertion, but mostly from the worry. They sat on the front steps of the house and chewed on the strips of beef jerky his mom had given them. Kesh asked, “What are we going to do about Kiran? We have to do something.”

  Jesse chewed a little, swallowed, and ripped off another piece of the jerky. “I don’t think we can do anything right now. She’s home and safe, and she’s going to need time”

  Kesh mulled that over for a moment. “I guess you’re right, Jess, but we should go see her in a couple of days, right?”

  “Right.”

  The boys chewed for a bit longer and Kesh said, “You know Jenna Ramsey?” Jesse nodded. “Did you know she’s a vulture?”

  Momentarily confused, Jesse cocked his head then started snickering, quietly at first until it was building into full laughter. He slapped Kesh’s arm. “Tell me about it!” After a moment, he said, “Did you know Morgan Sikes is a lion? Man, who would’ve figured that one for a lion?”

  Kesh said, “Yeah, but she’s kind of pretty.”

  Jesse turned to Kesh and grinned. “You like Morgan Sikes. I didn’t think you noticed that kind of thing.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “No reason. I guess sometimes I forget that you’re almost as old as me.” Then his breath seemed to catch, and his face got serious. “Tell me something, Kesh. I mean, I don’t want to hurt your feelings or anything, but I’ve been wondering – why are you so small? I mean, no offense man, but you look more like nine or ten years old, than twelve. Don’t get me wrong. You don’t act anything like a little kid. I’m not saying that.”

  Kesh waved off the comment and said, “Don’t worry about it, Jess.” Then he tapped his chest. “It’s my heart.”

  “Your heart? What do you mean?”

  Kesh lifted his shirt to show a long, pale scar down the middle of his breastbone. “When I was born, a valve in my heart wasn’t right. The doctors said it had to work so hard, I was burning calories like a marathon runner, so I didn’t grow much as a baby. When I was three years old, they opened me up and fixed it. They told my parents I’d catch up, but as you can see, that hasn’t really worked out as planned.” He added, “By the way, I know you didn’t mean anything by it, but I hate it when people call me a runt.” He pulled his shirt down and sighed. “Jesse?”

  “Yeah, man?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I kinda like Morgan. I mean, she’s not really a lion. Not really.”

  Jesse grimaced and cleared his throat. “I gotcha, bro.” Then he slugged Kesh playfully in the shoulder. “Be careful Kesh. I think she might really, really be a lion!”

  Kesh said, “You got a girlfriend?”

  Jesse quieted down and looked at his hands. “Yeah…well, not really. I mean, I like this girl, but she won’t like me.”

  “Why not?” Kesh joked. “Is she a warthog or something?” He snickered, but stopped abruptly when Jesse looked away.. His friend wasn’t sharing the joke and his face tightened.

  “Tell me something, Kesh. Before we met today, what did you think of me?”

  “Nothing. I mean, I didn’t really know you.”

  “But you’d heard all about me, right? You’d heard things about Jesse Madosh, and you saw me around? I remember when we ran into each other in the hallway that day. You looked at me like I was some kind of mass murderer or something. Man, you were terrified, and, and you didn’t even know me.” Kesh swallowed hard, but didn’t respond. “Kesh, the other kids, the parents, the teachers…all of them look at me and see the mean kid. And they see an Indian. I’ve been called Redskin, half-breed, baby scalper, squaw boy... and I’ve been called a lot worse than that. Kids act like they think I’m dirty, and dishonest. All my life I’ve been hearing that my dad’s a drunk and my mom ran away.”

  Kesh felt his chest tighten. He’d heard a lot of it, and he knew Jesse was right. He had judged him without knowing anything about the boy just like everybody else. Jesse looked past Kesh, like he was afraid to make eye contact, as if his eyes would show Kesh that all those awful rumors were true. This time neither boy laughed.

  Then he sighed and smiled slightly. “So tell me Kesh, if I like this girl with blue eyes and blond hair, this girl who lives in a nice house with a big green lawn, whose dad wears a tie and makes a lot of money and drives a big, expensive car, whose mother gives fancy parties, is president of the PTA, and plays the piano, wh
at do you think my chances are that she’s going to like me back? What are the odds the pretty white girl will go for the dirty Indian kid?”

  Kesh shook visibly and choked out, “Then she’s stupid if she doesn’t, Jess.”

  Jesse turned away and waved it off. “It’s not your fault, man. It’s not anybody’s fault. It’s just the way things are.”

  They were startled by the crunch of gravel as a gigantic black SUV pulled suddenly into the driveway and jerked to a stop. Then when Louis Garou stepped out of the car and said, “Hello boys,” they jumped for the door.

  Kesh’s dad was there almost instantly. He met the visitor at the doorway and did not invite him in. They spoke for a moment while the others gathered in the hallway to listen. “Garou,” Kesh’s dad said coolly. “What can I do for you?”

  The man smiled unconvincingly. “No greeting? No, ‘Hi, Louis?’ No ‘Long time no see?’ This is hardly the way to greet an old friend. Ah, I see the lovely Alyssa behind you. You’re as beautiful as ever, my dear.” Kesh’s mother glowered at the man from the hallway. “And, my, my, my. If it isn’t Jon Madosh!”

  “Come on, Garou. Why are you here?”

  “Okay, Jack, if you have to be rude, so be it. The truth is I was worried sick about your son. It seems that he and young Madosh there ran away from the holiday party at the plant this afternoon. They left without telling the teachers and, of course, they scared the daylights out of all of us. Now, people might have expected that from a Madosh, but certainly not from your boy.”

  Kesh turned around. Jesse was gone.

  Jon Madosh stepped up and pushed past Jack, filling the width of the doorway with his powerful chest. His fair complexion was now as red as his hair had once been. “I think you’d best leave, Garou, and I mean, now.” He wasn’t tall, but many years of working hard and living even harder had made him an imposing man.

  Garou winced for a brief moment, then caught himself and forced a smile. “Of course, Jon. It’s just what I’d expect from you and your kind.” Jon Madosh leaned toward him, glowering. Garou stumbled back, the smile disappearing. “Fine. Have it your way, Madosh.” He looked directly at Kesh. “Let me offer just a word of caution, my young friend. You might be wise to stay away from bad influences,” he nodded toward Jesse, who had suddenly reappeared beside him. “All of you should be very, very careful.”