Cowgirl Thrillers
Page 66
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Later, I ask Wolf, “Why not just do flyovers to find the spirit animals? Spud has the shuttles.”
“No, Annie. ‘Tis the journey, not the destination,” says Wolf. “Life is to live, experience. Place not matter, only growth. Look, see, feel. Unless place is full of humankind. No peace there.”
“What happens if we see a spirit animal during approach and landing? Or do we have to close our eyes?”
“Ha ha,” says Wolf as he gazes out the window at the stars.
“See any spirit animals out there in space?” I ask
“Maybe Wolf spot spirit star,” he says.
He is serious, I think.
We set ourselves down and think on things a spell.
“No horses to ride up here in space,” say I, bored. “Without horses, what is there? I never wanna find out myself.”
“Other things exist, Annie,” says Spud.
“You shore?”
“Does anything exist?” asks Wolf.
“Ay yi yi, I gotta get off this boat,” I say.
Then I look at Spud and ask, “You lived yore whole life with this Zen motherfucker?”
“Stuck with him, bein’ brothers an’ all,” says Spud.
Wolf laughs and says, “Him love every minute.”
“Damn good to be together again, things got kinda dry and serious on Pi,” says Spud.
“You mean cuffed to a table?” I ask.
“I also got to spend a day at the Law Enforcement Convention. Whew,” says Spud. “I mean them fellers is nice and all, but they are on a totally different planet than me. Cidiots. It was all yak, yak, yak. Speeches and counter speeches. Didn’t learn much. Other’n how nice the Rock is in comparison. Mighta been other country boys there, but I never run into ‘em. Got kinda busy with the savin’ baby brother thing.”
“Mm,” says Wolf.
Spud ponders a bit and then looks over at Wolf, “God gawd, were we that dumb as teenagers?”
“You got short memory brother,” says Wolf with a smile. “This Pi visit go good, we all get out. Buzz live, so far. Painter learn to stay alert. Good life lesson.
“Also, Wolf learn that all them years stayin’ home while crazy brother Spud travel was good idea. Proxima Pi is first order crazy place.”
Spud nods in agreement.
“Yeah, that’s the truth,” he says as they clink bottles. “Thank the spirits we’re country folk.”
I nod at that then ask, “How is the boy?”
“Sleepin’ it off,” says Spud. “You ever get hit by one of those stunners?”
“Nope.”
“Lucky. I have, not my fav’rite memory. Like a’ electric fence times a billion.”
“Yeah, Wolf remember. Before that shock Spud was Zen Injin like me,” says Wolf with a mischievous smile.
“Shee-it,” says Spud.
“Speakin’ of Zen. It will be nice to get back to the Rock and return to our Spirit Quest,” I say.
14 T’ree Forks