Chapter Twenty Nine: North and to the West
"He says you look like Lucas, but he wants proof." The young bronze-skinned youth held out a knife as he spoke. "He says that Lucas has told him things."
Logan looked to Marie and then to the boy and the old man.
He held his fist out and popped out one blade.
The boy jumped but the old man did not. He simply looked from the blade to Logan's eyes.
Logan held out his other arm, the wrist exposed, and opened himself deep with a single pull of the claw.
The boy let out a gasp, gargle and minor shriek, but a focused look from the old man set him quiet again.
The old man then motioned that Wolverine bring his arm closer, and the man held and studied it as it slowly knit closed.
Finally he pursed his lips and nodded, then motioned for them to follow.
The boy fell in to step with Logan.
"Does it hurt?" The boy asked.
Wolverine nodded, quietly.
"Lucas is quiet too." He smiled. "Unless he's in town."
Wolverine smiled. "Yeah?"
The boy nodded. "He helps and hunts like everyone here." He smiled. "Half Red, we say."
"Only half?" Marie had sidled up next to the boy on the other side.
"He's Wasichu too. A White man. What we call Half Black."
"Black?" Marie prodded.
"Our teachings." The boy explained "A Good Red Road and a Black one." He looked up at the two of them, casting his glance between the two. "They say we are living in the crossroads of the two. And we must remember which we are on."
"That's good advice." Logan nodded.
"Do you say that because you know the future?" He held an awe in his eyes. "I heard them say that Lucas knew about the future. Are we really at the crossroads?"
Marie and Logan exchanged worried glances but the old man said something in a hushed tone and the boy ran on ahead.
"Too, Curious." The old man said in unpracticed English. "Too wanting."
Logan nodded his understanding. He could hear the boy as he ran off. He seemed to be singing ". . .When you're strange, faces come out of the rain. . ."
The old man pointed. "There."
Logan l\took metered steps across the red clay and stopped before a man who was squatting over a small fire. The man caught sight of Logan's boots and slowly lifted his eyes up the stranger's form.
"Ahhie!" He shook in shock.
Logan glanced to Marie where she was waiting a few feet away.
The man stood up slowly, numbly, maintaining a distance.
"Here! Here!" The man hit the backs of his own hands. "Show." He motioned to Logan. "Show." He said again.
And Logan popped out his claws.
The man dropped to one knee in shock, but recovered and rose. "Fa-ther." He said, then turned his eyes to Rogue. "Show." He said, tapping his forehead. "Show." He said again.
Rogue pulled out her French-braid and ponytail. She shook her hair free so that he might see her rare coloring.
The man breathed in deeply and his eyes widened. "Mother." He whispered and pointed at her.
"Lucas." He told them, shaking his head sadly, side to side. "Lucas gone."
