Free Everville by Clive Barker Page A

don't do miracles."
    "What do they do then?"
    "they say prayers. they break bread. they tell people what to do and what not to do."
    "But no miracles?"
    "No miracles."
    Coker thought about that for a time. "Then I mean something different," he said.
    "Are Blessedm'n good or bad?"
    "Neither. They're explorers, is what they are."
    That sounded like Buddenbaum, she said.
    "Well whatever he is," Coker went on, "he has more power in him than most. That wound should have killed him on the spot."
    She pictured Buddenbaum as he spoke, pulling the blade out of his own back.
    "It was extraordinary," Coker replied. Though she had not said a word she knew without question he was speaking of the same sight.
    "How did you do that?" she said.
    He looked at her guiltily. "I'm sorry," he said, "that was impolite. It's just that it was so clear."
    "You saw what I saw?" He nodded. "What else have you seen?"
    "Not much," he said.
    "What?" she insisted.
    "When you talked about building," he said. "I saw a city."
    She named it for him. "That's Everville. My Papa was oing to build it-" She paused a moment, then said: "What id it look like?"
    "It was shining," he replied simply.
    "Good," she said.
    It was dark by the time they reached the wagon, but the snow that had blanketed the heights was failing only fitfully below. While Coker made a bed for himself, Maeve rooted around for what crumbs and scraps of food remained, and they ate together. Then they slept again, while the wind buffeted the wagon; fitful sleep, filled with dreams, the strangest of which Maeve woke from with such a start Coker stirred beside her.
    "What is it?" he asked her.
    She sat up. "I was back in Liverpool," she said. "And there were wolves in the streets, walking upright in fancy clothes."
    "You heard them howling in your sleep," Coker said. The wind was still carrying the howls down the mountainside. "That's all." He raised his hand to her face and stroked it gently.
    "I wasn't afraid," she said. "I was happy." She rose and lit the lamp.
    "I was walking in the streets," she went on, turning the blankets aside as she spoke, "and the wolves were bowing to me when I went by." She had uncovered the teak chest, and now threw open the lid.
    "What are you looking for?"
    She didn't answer, but delved through the papers in the chest until she found a piece of folded paper. She closed the chest and unfolded the paper on top of it. Though the light from the lamp was paltry, the object wrapped in the paper gleamed as it was uncovered.
    "What is it?" Coker wanted to know.
    "Papa never told me properly," she said. "But it was-" she faltered, and lifted the paper up towards the light so she could study it better. There were eight words upon it, in perfect copper-plate.
    Bury this at the crossroads, where Everville begins.
    "Now we know," she said.
    The snow continued to fall the following day, but lightly. they made two small bundles of supplies, wrapped up as warmly as they could, and began the last portion of their journey. The tracks left by the rest of the wagons were still visible, and they followed them for half a mile or so, their route steadily taking them further from the mountain.
    "We've followed them far enough," Maeve announced after a time.
    "We've got no choice," Coker replied.
    "Yes we do," she said, leading him to the side of the trail, where a tree-lined slope fell away steeply into a misty gorge. "they couldn't go that way 'cause of the wagons, but we can.
    "I can hear rushing down there," Coker said. "A river!" Maeve said with a grin. "It's a river!"
    Without further debate they started down. It wasn't easy. Though the snow turned to a light dusting and then disappeared entirely as they descended, the rocks were slick with vivid green moss, which also grew in abundance on the trees, whether dead or alive. Twice they came to places where the slope became too steep to be negotiated, and they were obliged to retrace their steps to find an easier way, but for all their