On the third day after the attack on his town – for that was what it now was, ‘his’ town – Lucas Morland watched the thawing snow from his window in the VFW hall. Meltwater ran down what remained of Main Street, starting clear at the top and ending up black as oil by the time it reached the bottom. More snow might come, but it would not last long. They were done with winter, and winter was done with them. They had survived – he had survived – and the town would be better and stronger for this purging. He felt a deep and abiding sense of admiration for its people. No sooner were the fires extinguished than the cleanup operation had begun. Buildings were being assessed for demolition or restoration, according to the damage they had sustained. Pledges of aid numbering into six figures had already been received. Calls had been made to the heads of the insurance companies involved warning them that any weaseling out of their commitments would not be tolerated, those calls having significant impact since they came from members of their own boards with ties to Prosperous.

Morland was under no illusions that the town’s troubles – or, more particularly, his troubles – were at an end. Those responsible for the partial destruction of his town might well decide to return. He recalled the words of the man at the cemetery – ‘The pastor has been telling me a lot about you.‘ Even in his final moments, Warraner had found a way to screw him over. At least Bryan Joblin was dead, too. He was one loose end about whom Morland no longer needed to worry.

Let them come, Morland thought. Let them come and I will face them down. Next time, I will be ready, and I will kill them where they stand.

Morland didn’t hear the woman approach. He no longer had his own office. His desk was just one part of the jumble of town services in the old hall. People were constantly arriving and departing, and there was a steady hum of noise.

‘Lucas.’

He turned from the window. Constance Souleby was standing before him. She held a gun in her hand: an old Colt. It did not shake, for the woman holding it was a picture of calm.

‘You could have spared him,’ she said.

He was aware of movement behind her, of someone approaching fast. He heard cries of shock. The gun had been noticed.

‘I am—’ Morland said.

The gun spoke in denial, and he ceased to be.

IV

RETURNING

The forenoon is burn-faced and wandering

And I am the death of the moon.

Below my countenance the bell of the night has broken

And I am the new divine wolf.

Adonis (Ali Ahmad Said Esber), ‘The Divine Wolf’

58

Ronald Straydeer was standing in his yard when the car arrived. Winter was surely departing, and he was piling the snow behind his woodshed, where it could melt away and be damned without him having to see it.

He rested his hands on his shovel as the car drew to a halt, and felt a small ache of fear when the two men emerged from it. He had not seen or spoken to them since that night in Prosperous, but they were not men who liked to leave loose ends. They had no cause for concern on his part, nor on the part of those whom he had brought with him to put Prosperous to the torch. Some had already left the state. Those who remained would keep silent.

The two men leaned on their car doors and regarded him.

‘Beautiful day,’ said Angel.

‘Yes, it is.’

‘Looks like winter may be ending.’

‘Yes.’

Angel looked at Louis. Louis shrugged.

‘We came to thank you,’ said Angel. ‘We’re going to see Parker, and say goodbye. It’s time for us to get back to civilization.’

‘I have called at the hospital,’ said Ronald. ‘They tell me there is no change.’

‘There’s always hope,’ said Angel.

‘Yes,’ said Ronald. ‘I believe that’s true.’

‘Anyway,’ said Angel, ‘we have a gift for you, I guess, if you want it.’

He opened the rear door of the car, and reached inside. When he emerged again, he held a female German Shepherd puppy in his arms. He walked up to Ronald, placed the dog at his feet, and held out the leash. Ronald did not take it. He looked at the dog. The dog sat for a moment, scratched itself, then stood and placed its front paws against Ronald’s right leg.

‘Parker talked about you,’ said Angel. ‘He used to tell us it was time you got another dog. He thought you might be starting to feel the same way too.’

Ronald put the shovel aside. He leaned down and scratched the puppy’s head. It wriggled with joy and continued trying to climb his leg.

Ronald took the leash from Angel and unclipped it from the dog’s collar.

‘You want to come with me?’ he said to the dog.

He began walking toward his home. Without looking back at Angel, the dog followed, leaping to keep up with the long strides of its master.

‘Thank you,’ said Ronald Straydeer.

Louis got back in the car. Angel joined him.

‘Told you he’d keep the dog,’ said Louis.

‘Yeah. I think you’re getting soft in your old age.’

‘That may be.’

He reversed down Ronald’s drive.

‘How come we never got a dog?’ said Angel.

‘I don’t need a dog,’ said Louis. ‘I got you.’

‘Right,’ said Angel.

He thought about it for a moment.

‘Hey …’

59

Isat on the bench by the lake, my daughter by my side. We did not speak.

On an outcrop of land to the east stood a wolf. It watched us as we watched it.

A shadow fell across the bench, and I saw my dead wife reflected in the water. She touched my shoulder, and I felt the warmth of her.

‘It’s time,’ she said. ‘You must decide.’

I heard the sound of a car approaching. I glanced over my shoulder. Parked on the road was a white 1960 Ford Falcon. I had seen pictures of it. It was the first car that my father and mother ever owned outright. A man sat in the driver’s seat, a woman beside him. I could not see their faces, but I knew who they were. I wanted to talk to them. I wanted to tell them that I was sorry. I wanted to say what every child wishes to say to his parents when they are gone and it is too late to say anything at all: that I loved them, and had always loved them.

‘Can I talk to them?’ I asked.

‘Only if you go with them,’ said my dead wife. ‘Only if you choose to take the Long Ride.’

I saw the heads of the people in the car turn toward me. I still could not see their faces.

No more pain, I thought. No more pain.

From the hills beyond the lake arose a great howling. I saw the wolf raise its muzzle to the clear blue sky in response to the summoning, and the clamor from the hills grew louder and more joyous, but still it did not move. Its eyes were fixed on me.

No more pain. Let it end.

My daughter reached out and took my hand. She pressed something cold into it. I opened my fingers and saw a dark stone on my palm, smooth on one side, damaged on the other.

My daughter.

But I had another.

‘If you take the Long Ride, I’ll go with you,’ she said. ‘But if you stay, then I’ll stay with you too.’

I stared at the car, trying to see the faces behind the glass. I slowly shook my head. The heads turned from me, and the car pulled away. I watched it until it was gone. When I looked back at the lake, the wolf was still there. It gazed at me for a moment longer, then slipped into the trees, yipping and howling as it went, and the pack called out its welcome.

The stone felt heavy in my hand. It wanted to be thrown. When it was, this world would shatter, and another would take its place. Already I could feel a series of burnings as my wounds began to sing. My dead wife’s hand remained on my shoulder, but its touch was growing colder. She whispered something in my ear – a name, a warning – but I was already struggling to remember it once the final word was spoken. Her reflection in the water began to dim as mine started to come into focus beside it. I tried to hold on tighter to my daughter’s hand.