CHAPTER TWENTY‑FOUR

Robbins woke up, and found Neala asleep beside him on the bed of fur. He raised his head. Sherri was at the front wall, keeping watch.

He gently removed Neala’s hand from his belly, and got up. He went to Sherri. “What’re they doing? ” he asked.

“Just standing there. ”

He peered out. “What the hell are they waiting for? ”

“Maybe they plan to starve us out. Beats getting their heads shot off. ”

“Yeah. ” He stepped away from the wall, and lifted his T‑ shirt to wipe the sweat off his face. Then he picked up his rifle. He went to the door, and opened it. The air from outside gave no relief; it felt even hotter than the air inside.

“Actually, ” said Sherri, “I think we’ll die of thirst long before we starve. ”

“We’re not gonna do either. ”

“What do you plan, a mass suicide? ”

“I plan to get us out of here. ”

“Rotsa ruck. ”

He stepped into the sunlight. Squinting, he looked through the weirdly tilted crosses and mounted heads.

Must be two dozen Krulls out there. Not doing a damn thing. Just lounging around, like it’s a picnic.

Picnic.

Robbins made a grim laugh.

A few of the Krulls perked up when they noticed him. Some pointed. One young fellow ran forward, stopping at the edge of the pikes, and hurled a spear. Robbins watched it soar, knowing it would fall short. It did. It tore half the face off an impaled head. The head twirled, its black hair swinging behind it.

Angry voices broke the silence.

Two Krulls attacked the boy. They threw him down. They stomped and kicked him.

Because he flung his spear at an impossible target?

Or because he damaged one of the heads?

Maybe the area’s sacred, Robbins thought. It would explain why the Krulls hadn’t entered.

He walked along the front of the cabin to its corner. More Krulls along the side. He counted eight. They could be reinforced, though, by some from the front.

He moved to the rear. More there. Thirteen or fourteen wandering idly beyond the barrier of heads.

He gasped at a noise behind him. Swung around. Found his rifle muzzle inches from Neala’s belly.

For an instant, she looked terrified. Then a smile came to her face. “Don’t shoot, ” she said.

“Wouldn’t think of it. What’re you doing up? ”

She shrugged. “Too hot in there. ”

“It’s hotter out here. ”

“But you’re here. What are you doing? ”

“Looking for a way out. ”

“Any luck? ”

“Not yet. ”

She squinted across the field. Wet hair clung to her forehead. Her face was sweaty. The tiny, moist specks below her eyes glinted sunlight. A drop rolled down toward a corner of her mouth. She licked it away, then dried her face with the front of her shirt. She let the shirt hang open.

“Why don’t they come for us? ” she asked.

“I’m not certain. I think we might be in the middle of a sacred area, or something. They always stop at the edge of the heads. ”

“I would’ve, too, if I’d had a choice. ”

“It’s more than just revulsion. Has to be. These Krulls think nothing of tearing people limb from limb. They must have a damn good reason for staying out. ”

“Like if these are their ancestors? ”

“Yeah. ”

“That’d be nice for us. ”

“Except. ”

Neala nodded. She leaned back against the wall, and hooked her thumbs into the pockets of her corduroys. Her throat and chest and belly were glossy with sweat.

“What’ll we do? ” she asked.

“We can’t stay here forever. ”

“We gonna make a run for it? ”

“I guess we’ll have to. We’ll wait till after dark, and sneak out. This way, I guess. The crosses aren’t quite as dose together, back here. If we can manage to crawl through without knocking any down…”

“Everybody decent? ” came Sherri’s voice.

Neala quickly pulled her shirt together and tucked in its front. “Yeah, ” she called.

Sherri stepped around the corner. “What’s cooking? ” she asked.

“We are, ” said Neala.

“Maybe that’s what they’re waiting for. ”

“We’re planning to get out of here tonight. ”

“How do we manage that? ”

Robbins explained it. As he talked, he saw Sherri look toward the heads. She gazed at them. She seemed lost in her own grim thoughts. “I know it won’t be easy, ” he said. “I don’t want to go out there, either. We can’t just stay here, though. ”

“I think I will, ” Sherri said. She tried to laugh. It sounded more like a sob.

“It won’t be so bad, ” Neala said.

“What it’ll be, ” said Sherri, “it’ll be fuckin’ ghastly. Better than sticking around here, though. ”

“We’ll leave as soon as it’s dark, ” Robbins said.

Sherri nodded. “Which gives us all day to look forward to it. ”