Silfa - chapter nine

The tangle of bodies in the underbrush resolved into Benny and Bob. Benny was the first to recognize his friend. Bob swung a fist at the large figure crouched next to him.
"Woah there boy. It's Benny. 'Member me, tent mate, friends since pre-term school, flunked out of Scouts together."
"What the frack..."
Benny put his hand over Bob's mouth and jerked his head towards the river and the sound of voices.
"Shhhh, I was followed."
From the direction of the river floated strident voices. Loudest was that of Jeremiah.
"Will you two shut up! I thought I heard something."
Spying a nearby magpie, Benny picked up a small stone and tossed it at the bird. It dodged the stone in a flutter of feathers and cawing as it flew, soared over the three men floating down the river in a large dugout.
"Just a dratted bird, Jer." Said the stout man in the aft seat. "Say, how d' we know he didn't go upstream?"
"Slate, there you go trying to think again. You know that just gives you a headache. OK, I'll sum it up for you. There is nothing upstream but wilderness and it would take a lot of work to get there. Downstream, once he gets to the Wydeflat ford he can head east or west on the south road."
The voices trailed off down the river and after a full minute Benny Laughed.
"Well, imagine running into you here."
"Benny, what the hell are you doing here?"
"I figured you would need a shepherd and 'sides I had a slight disagreement with Jeremiah which was tending towards me drowning in a pool of shit."
Bob grimaced.
"Hmmmm, now there's a surprise. I told you messing with that snake was bad business."
"An' I told you messing with that britzle Anemone would end badly."
Bob bristled at the name but then his eyes slid to the ground subdued. Benny let the silence sit for a couple of beats then reached his hand out and squeezed Bob's shoulder.
"Sorry 'bout that. Soon as I heard what happened I headed out to find you when Jeremiah's thugs grabbed me to discuss the matter of 5,000 aluminum I had lost on credit. The only way out was to kill Jack the sheriff so I decided a permanent relocation was the only honorable path to take."
Bob's face relaxed and he slumped against a mossy tussock.
"How'd you find me anyway?"
"Luckily ya failed yer smokeless fire skill badge when we were in the Scouts."
Bob, grinned.
"Ha! And good thing you got your eggsucking badge. That'll come in handy later."
Benny laughed and slapped Bob's shoulder.
"Good to hear ya still got yer sense of humor. Now, where we going next?"
Bob looked at him seriously for a moment.
"I'm going to find Silfa. It's said that if you make the journey to the valley of the Fanta sea, he will grant your hearts greatest wish."
"I thought that was just a mater's tale to put children to sleep."
"Behind every legend there lies the shadow of a great truth. I have heard a scout who had been as far as Bertha's pass say that he saw the glimmering of a distant sea before he had to turn back."
"Prolly the ravings of a half dead addled brain. But, as well die there as another place I suppose. Much better than drowning in a pool of offal. So we'll head out towards the Boulder Hills then up to Bertha's pass?"
"Right, I don't have any supplies so we'll be eating a lot of prairie dogs and rabbits on the way."
"I had Mary pack some trail food but we can save that for when even prairie dogs will be a fond memory."
"Well, no sense waiting here any longer, unless you need to eat something before we head out."
"No, I'm good. I had something before I left. Let's go."
They both headed along the trail away from the river.
"By the way, have you seen Lenna lately, Quite the looker."
"She's your niece! Are you ever going to grow up?"
"Hope not."

End of Part 1

--- Jerry