Descending Road - THE ERASURES by Dana W. Paxson

THE ERASURES

1560 4D

Andrew awoke shaking. A warm hand held up his head, and a sweet hot fragrance steamed in his nostrils. “Drink this,” a voice said. He drank.

Then he slept. He couldn’t be sure, but the cold seemed gone now, and the beatings had stopped, and he was in a kind of warm heaven, unable to move or speak.

At last his eyes came open to a morning sun and a gentle heat from many covers over him. He lay in his bedroom on the farm. A man stood over him.

The name didn’t come quickly, but at last Andrew summoned it from his mind. “Arlen?” He couldn’t remember who this man was, but he was important.

“Hello, Andrew,” the man said, smiling. “Here’s someone who has been very worried about you.” He stepped back, and into the room came Leil. She ran to Andrew, sobbing, and threw both arms around him, lifting his head and shoulders from the bed.

He held her close, sensing her shaking, and caressed her hair. “My cows,” he said. “They’re dying.”

“No,” came Arlen‘s voice. “I’ve seen to it that any of your livestock affected by my mine are being replaced at full value.”

Andrew looked past Leil at this big man. Memory returned, spotty but vivid. “You killed my cows, right?”

Arlen bowed his head. “Their deaths were the fault of my mine runoff, but I’m giving you full compensation, and if it happens again, I’ll do it again.”

Andrew fumbled for words. “Oh. Well, it’s fall. In the spring, I’ll see.”

Leil dre back and looked him in the face. “Andrew.” Her eyes were red.

“What?”

“It’s not fall. You’ve been gone for months. It’s spring now. Arlen only found you a week ago.”

He looked at Arlen. “Where did you find me? What happened to me? I don’t remember anything.” His vision wobbled and shook.

Arlen shrugged. “You were in a gully about fifteen miles from here, badly beat up as if you’d fallen. Two of my men found you there and brought you back to my facility. The police and my people have no idea how you got there.”

No one said anything for a moment. Then Leil said, “We owe Arlen your life!” She threw her arms around Andrew as Arlen smiled indulgently. Andrew held his wife close, and stared into that smile for a long time until exhaustion consumed him andhe slept.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	THE ERASURES 1560 4D Andrew awoke shaking. A warm hand held up his head, and a sweet hot fragrance steamed in his nostrils. “Drink this,” a voice said. He drank. Then he slept. He couldn’t be sure, but the cold seemed gone now, and the beatings had stopped, and he was in a kind of warm heaven, unable to move or speak. At last his eyes came open to a morning sun and a gentle heat from many covers over him. He lay in his bedroom on the farm. A man stood over him. The name didn’t come quickly, but at last Andrew summoned it from his mind. “Arlen?” He couldn’t remember who this man was, but he was important. “Hello, Andrew,” the man said, smiling. “Here’s someone who has been very worried about you.” He stepped back, and into the room came Leil. She ran to Andrew, sobbing, and threw both arms around him, lifting his head and shoulders from the bed. He held her close, sensing her shaking, and caressed her hair. “My cows,” he said. “They’re dying.” “No,” came Arlen‘s voice. “I’ve seen to it that any of your livestock affected by my mine are being replaced at full value.” Andrew looked past Leil at this big man. Memory returned, spotty but vivid. “You killed my cows, right?” Arlen bowed his head. “Their deaths were the fault of my mine runoff, but I’m giving you full compensation, and if it happens again, I’ll do it again.” Andrew fumbled for words. “Oh. Well, it’s fall. In the spring, I’ll see.” Leil dre back and looked him in the face. “Andrew.” Her eyes were red. “What?” “It’s not fall. You’ve been gone for months. It’s spring now. Arlen only found you a week ago.” He looked at Arlen. “Where did you find me? What happened to me? I don’t remember anything.” His vision wobbled and shook. Arlen shrugged. “You were in a gully about fifteen miles from here, badly beat up as if you’d fallen. Two of my men found you there and brought you back to my facility. The police and my people have no idea how you got there.” No one said anything for a moment. Then Leil said, “We owe Arlen your life!” She threw her arms around Andrew as Arlen smiled indulgently. Andrew held his wife close, and stared into that smile for a long time until exhaustion consumed him andhe slept.