Chapter 11
Urien looked irritatedly at Barnabas. Why did he have to go through this? He already knew that he could not read, that he would never learn.
"You have a form of dyslexia. It is nothing to be ashamed of."
"Dyslexia?'
"It means that there is something that makes you see letters backwards and jumbled up. That's why trying to read is so difficult for you.."
Urien shrugged. "I just can't read."
'You can learn."
"It is no use. The teachers gave up on me."
"They were wrong. The worst thing you can do is to give up on a human being."
"Huh..." Urien did not know what to answer.
"There are ways that will allow you to learn."
"Why? I can manage fine without it."
Barnabas shook his head, speechless. Long ago he had taught Ben how to read. But Ben had been eager to learn. He devoured every bit of knowledge that allowed him to step out of his ignorance.
Urien could not care less if he learned or not.
Of course, Urien was too young to understand the value of education, and he had been frustrated too often in the classroom. So, with nothing to show for it, he had stopped trying.
He caught Urien by the back of the neck. "Like it or not" he said "you are going to learn how to read. Don't worry. It won't hurt that much."
Curt Kingsley had calmed considerably, thanks to Kenneth's sedatives. He was ready to lead them to Derek. Still, he grimaced when George told him it was time to go.
"You better come with us, doc." George told Kenneth.
Kenneth shook his head "This is a weird kind of house call, if you ask me. But I suppose I should have the habitude of it, anyway."
Kingsley looked at Kenneth, trying to understand his meaning. George wondered why he had not brought Julia instead. At least she'd know when to shut up in front of strangers. Well, by the end of the day it would make no difference.
It took them a while to reach the caves, and still longer for Kingsley to find his way in them.
Finally they found the coffin, right in the middle of one of the caves.
Kingsley held his breath and closed his eyes, while he waited for the sheriff to produce the stake and mallet and put an end to it.
"Derek!" George knelt by the coffin. "Are you all right."
"Sheriff...you found me." Derek smiled with relief. "Miller shot me. I can't move. A silver bullet is touching my heart."
"I see." George said slowly. "I'll have Miller picked up."
"No, they are going to have this big shipment next Tuesday... how many days have I been missing."
"Three."
"Then it is still next Tuesday."
Kingsley opened his eyes, not understanding what he was hearing.
"Sheriff, finish him off... he's he's..."
"He's one of my men "George growled at him. "and he has been wounded in the line of duty. Now get out of the way and let me tend to him."
"Do I take care of him now?" Kenneth asked.
"Wait." George took out the bag of dried blood "I better feed him first.; he's famished by now."
"But he...he...he..." Kingsley kept pointing at Derek.
"Do you want your drug smugglers or not? He's making it possible for you"
Derek swallowed greedily the dried flakes. "Thanks. I was real hungry"
Kenneth knelt by his side and began probing for the bullet.
"Ouch!" Derek protested. "Careful, doc."
"Did I hurt you?"
"A bit."
"I think that I'll use local anesthesia on you."
Kingsley shook his head, not sure that he was seeing or hearing right.
"I don't understand this." he told George.
"He's one of my informants." George explained.
"He attacked me!"
"He's something of a practical joker. I gave him a good dressing down because of it."
Kingsley shook his head again.
"Come on, you know that informers are not what you'd wish them to be. Compared with some of the characters you get, Derek is an angel. And he was not calling on you to torment or threaten you. He was screaming for help."
"Yes." Kenneth said. "It is touching the heart. But I will get it out."
"Can I help?"
"No. I can manage this myself. You, try not to talk." he said to Derek.
Derek shut up. He felt Kenneth's probing. Then he felt the instrument being withdrawn and the bullet coming out. He felt strong again.
"You can get up now." Kenneth told him.
"Well, Derek, you'll have to give me the details of this big shipment. And arrange to stay hidden."
"You want Miller to think that I am still out of the way?"
"Not just Miller." he pointed to Kingsley "I would not be surprised if our friend here went looking for you with a stake and hammer. He's quite surprised we did not do it already."
Kingsley shook his head again. This was not happening. It was just a bad dream. Those brownies had been baked with hashish... That was the only explanation.
"All right. I'll keep out of sight." Derek said. "But you keep a watch on him all the same."
It was a strange, exhilarating feeling to have the strength back in him. His joy was so great that he had to transform, so that he could try some flying acrobatics.
"Oh, my God, Oh, my God." Kingsley moaned.
George turned around, trying very hard to keep a straight face. "Anything wrong with you?"
"I can't believe it! I can't believe it!"
"Try harder and you will. Now you need some rest. Go back to your hotel and try to sleep."
"Of course, you can leave Pearl with us tomorrow." Barnabas assured Willie.
"You don't mind playing baby-sitter?"
"Of course, I don't. But bring the supplies with you. I have little in the way of diapers and milk bottles."
Urien listened to this exchange somewhat dreamily. He could not make sense of it. First the reading lessons and now this.
"Are you truly going to bring a baby here?" he asked Barnabas once he had hung up the phone.
"Yes."
"What for?"
"What do you mean, what for? To keep her until her parents come back for her."
Urien looked at him with horror. "Are you going to do to her what you did to me?"
Barnabas could not hide his hurt. The idea that he could hurt little Pearl...
"Why do you expect the worst of everyone?" he said, annoyed "specially of George and me?"
Urien said nothing to this.
"I am serious, Urien. Why do you keep on your guard all the time? Are you afraid of me?"
Urien rubbed his neck absentmindedly.
"Yes. You have a point there. I did bite you. And George was tempted to rape you. But he didn't. And I wouldn't have bitten you if you hadn't tried to run away. I am keeping you here because it is best for you."
Urien shrugged.
"You can't believe it yet." Barnabas accepted it "and nothing that I way will change your opinion. It is a pity. But I can show you. I can let you know that there is something better than what you learned out there. One thing, when Willie comes here, don't offer yourself to him, or he'll punch you."
