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"How much farther?" Jed Curry asked through chattering teeth.
"Don't rightly know," was the mumbled reply as the two boys continued stumbling over snow-covered rocks and branches.
A minute later. "Sure is cold out here."
Hannibal Heyes glared at his younger cousin. "I figured that out all by myself."
Jed's chin creased, lower lip edging out as and his head dropped closer to his chest.
Hannibal watched the blond for a moment before he sighed, "Oh, I didn't mean that, Kid. I'm cold, too."
Jed didn't look up as he said softly, "Guess tonight's Christmas Eve, huh?"
"Yeah," was Hannibal's equally sad reply. "Maybe we'll find us someplace to hole up where we can build a fire and roast those chestnuts we got."
"We stole."
"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Hannibal demanded, kicking at a small pine cone that was uncovered by the wet snow. "We ain't got no money and they was just sittin' there waitin' for someone to come along and grab 'em."
Jed shrugged.
"Would you rather go hungry?"
The head shook.
"There, see, it was a good idea."
"You still think runnin' away was a good idea?"
Hannibal marched along for several steps before he said, "I think anything's better than stayin' there."
To taunt him several large fluffy snowflakes began to fall, swirling around the boys. The horse snorted and shook his head, unhappy about the snow.
"Don't you go makin' trouble, too," Hannibal threatened the animal. He looked across to his cousin. "Maybe you oughtta ride for a while."
"I'm okay, but we better find someplace to stay."
"Yeah," Hannibal agreed softly. He was worried, and, if he'd admit it, rapidly getting scared. What if they didn't find a place to stay? They'd freeze to death on Christmas Eve…
The snow fell harder. Sebastian snorted again, jerking his head. The reins slipped free of Hannibal's cold-numbed fingers, and the old horse trotted off into the trees.
"Sebastian!" Jed called, running after the gelding.
"Jed, get back here!" Hannibal shouted, shaking his head and running after his cousin. "Jed!"
After several minutes the older boy paused, trying to catch his breath. He was cold, tired, and the frigid air made his chest burn. "Kid?" he called. "Dag-gone-it," he sighed, brushing the snow off a large rock and sitting down. "Jed?"
He wanted to cry, but something kept him from giving in. It couldn't stop the fear from wrapping around his shoulders, colder than the snow, though.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
"Sebastian!" Jed called, galloping after the horse. "Sebastian, come back here!"
After several yards he stopped, panting and kicked a pine cone away. "Sebastian, you stupid horse!"
He turned around with a frustrated "Ahhh!" and headed back to find his cousin. "Hannibal!" he called.
Nothing.
"Hannibal?!" he called, louder.
The fear that assailed him was swift and direct. "Hannibal?" he sniffed, sinking down on a fallen tree, not caring that the snow melted into his pants. "Stupid horse," he mumbled, fighting back the tears that stung his eyes.
Scrubbing his cold jacket sleeve over his eyes, Jed wiped the moisture away. Looking back into the woods, he saw a young woman walking toward him, leading Sebastian.
"Hey, that's my horse," he said as she reached him.
She handed him the reins, while Sebastian nuzzled her shoulder. "Did you lose him?"
Jed nodded. "He spooked and ran off. He's not very nice."
"Oh," she replied with a shy smile as she scratched the old gelding under his hairy chin.
Jed guessed she was about sixteen or so, long brown hair lose and wavy. She was pretty for a girl, but not haughty like some with nice looks. And she didn't seem bothered by the weather.
"Are you cold?" she asked.
Jed hesitated a moment, not sure how he should answer. It wouldn't do to let a girl know he was scared, not to mention hungry and cold. "It's a mite nippy," he said. "You travelin' alone?"
She shook her head. "No, not really. Would you like to come with me? I know where there's a barn for Sebastian."
Jed smiled, but it faded in a flash. "I have to find my cousin, he's out here, and—"
"Oh, I'm sure he'll find the barn, too. You can't miss it."
Jed nodded. "Okay."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Hannibal's head bobbed slightly toward his chest. It wasn't as cold as before and he was sleepy.
"Whatcha doin' there, boy?"
Hannibal jumped, sliding off the rock and landing in the snow. He scrambled to his feet.
"Don'tcha know you can freeze to death sleepin' out here in the cold?"
Hannibal nodded, peering at the old woman standing over him. She must be a hundred, he thought. His eyes narrowed. She was dressed in black and grey, leaning on an old, gnarled walking stick. The deep wrinkles on her face made it hard to tell if she was smiling or not, and nearly hid her shiny brown eyes.
She looked like the mountain witches the older kids described as he grew up. Her grey hair was thick and loose, and the roll of sticks and branches on her back looked like kindling.
Kindling…? Was she looking for a kid to cook for supper? No, there's no such thing, he told himself.
"What's your name, boy?"
"Hannibal, Hannibal Heyes," he stuttered, brushing the snow off his clothes while keeping a wary eye on the woman. But maybe she was, and what if she'd already got Jed? Did witches really eat kids?
"Well, Hannibal Hannibal Heyes, come on, you can't stay out here all night." She started away.
"Wait," he called. "My cousin's out here, too. He was chasing Sebastian, our horse.
"I'm sure he's already found a place to stay. There's a barn not too far from here. That's where you'll find him. I'll take you."
Hannibal ran over to join her. "You're sure?"
She nodded, and started through the snow. Hannibal walked alongside, occasionally glancing at the old woman. "Huh…"
"Spit it out, boy."
"I can carry that."
She stopped, looking down at Heyes. "You offerin' to tote this for me?"
Hannibal nodded, and swallowed hard. Maybe if the wood was for cooking him and Jed he could lose it somewhere…
She swung the bundle off her back and handed it to him. "Just you be careful. That's my firewood."
"Yes, ma'am," Heyes said.
"Now, let's go. It's cold out here."
"Yes, ma'am."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
"See, there it is," the girl said, pointing.
Jed nodded. It was a barn, all right, but it sure was old. The last remnants of paint were peeling away, and the wooden boards were slightly warped, but it was shelter. He smiled up at the girl.
"Thanks."
She smiled back, and Jed realized that she was actually prettier than he'd first thought. Really pretty, in fact. He blushed.
Digging into the pocket of her coat, she pulled out a dainty white handkerchief wrapped around something. "Here," she said, handing it to the blond. "It's a little food."
"But you'll need it," Jed argued, holding it out to her.
She shook her head. "I don't have far to go, then I'll be home. I'm sure your cousin will find this place."
Jed shivered, hoping she was right.
"Get inside now," she told him.
Sebastian snorted, pulling Jed toward the building as the snow started to fall harder. "Bye!" he called.
"Good-bye, Jedidiah," she replied with a smile, disappearing into the snow.
Jed pulled the door open and Sebastian trotted through, heading straight for one of the three empty stalls and the hay that lay scattered on the floor.
It was dark in the old building, and he jumped at the shadows moving across the walls. Stop actin' like a little kid, he scolded himself.
A first search turned up an old lantern. Jed shook it, the fuel sloshing inside. He dug in his pockets, but found no matches. Hannibal had the ones they took from the orphanage, he remembered. With a sigh, he set the lantern aside and raked the hay in the second stall into a good-sized pile, then settled into the scratchy material to wait for his cousin.
Sebastian stuck his head over the half-wall, nibbling hay from the top of Jed's pile. "Hey, stop that," the boy scolded. "You have your own. Hey, how'd she know my name?" he asked the horse.
Sebastian snorted and shook his head, pulling his nose back over the wall and munching gustily.
"I don't know neither," the boy agreed, picking up a strand of hat and chewing on the end. "I wish Heyes was here, he'd know."
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
"That's far enough," the old woman said, planting her walking stick firmly in the snow. She held out her hands for the wood and Hannibal passed it back to her.
"Where are we?" he asked.
She nodded off to the right and Heyes squinted through the falling snow, just catching sight of an old barn.
"That's where Jed's waiting for you," she told him, reaching into the folds of her shawls and pulling out a square of red cloth wrapped around something lumpy. "Take this."
"What is it?" Hannibal asked, accepting the gift.
"Some supper for you and your cousin."
"But you might need it," he said sadly, his mouth watering at the thought of food.
The old woman chuckled. "I've only got a little ways to go, boy. You take it. It ain't many young fellers who'd offer to carry an old woman's load."
Heyes blushed.
"Now, get on outta this storm," she said, snatching up the walking stick and waving it in the direction of the barn.
"Good-bye," Hannibal said, trotting off toward the barn.
He'd taken several steps before he realized that he hadn't told the old woman Jed's name. He stopped and spun around, but all that surrounded him was falling snow. With a shrug, he turned back and ran to the barn.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Jed jumped as the door creaked open. "Heyes?"
"That you, Kid?"
"Yeah, it's me," Jed said, climbing out of his nest and waving. Sebastian nickered.
Hannibal pulled the door closed and hurried over to his younger cousin. "You okay?"
Jed nodded. "Yeah, this girl found me and showed me where this barn was."
"A girl?"
"Uh-huh, she was real pretty."
"Figures," Hannibal grumbled softly.
"What?"
"Nothing. I met an old woman who showed me the way. And she gave me this." He held up the wrapped food.
Jed plopped down into the hay and fumbled for a moment before holding up his cache as well. "That girl gave me something, too."
"Didn't you open it?" Heyes asked, dropping into the dusty but warm hay.
"I was waitin' for you," Jed explained.
"Oh," was the somewhat guilty reply. "I guess I would've waited for you, too."
"I found a lantern, you got them matches?"
Heyes dug through his pockets, finally finding the carefully wrapped treasure. While Jed held the lantern, he lit it, then hung it on a rusted hook sticking out of one of the poles holding up the hayloft.
"Stay here," Heyes said, wandering off. After several minutes of banging and various other noises, he returned dragging an old metal tub full of sticks and splintered boards.
"What's that for?"
"I'm gonna build a fire so we can cook them nuts," Hannibal said, lighting the end of a twig from the lantern and getting the tub full of kindling going. In a few minutes the boys had three wooden crates set up as a table and chairs, the nuts roasting and the rest of the food spread out in what looked like a small feast of biscuits and cheese, a slice of dried apple and some jerky.
"How long for them nuts to cook?" Jed asked.
Heyes shrugged. "Guess we can take one out every once in a while and try it."
Jed nodded, a shy smile on his face.
"What?" Hannibal asked.
The blond fished into his pocket and pulled out a palm-sized book. The leather cover was dusty and scuffed, but the pages looked intact. He handed it to Heyes. "I found it in the hay while I was waitin'."
The older boy accepted the gift, gently cracking open the cover. "It's nice," he said softly. "But I can't read it."
"Why not?"
"It's not written in English."
"Oh," Jed said sadly.
"But I think it's real nice," Hannibal added quickly. "Thank you."
"Merry Christmas, early," Jed said, happy again.
Heyes looked up, a grin spreading across his face. Standing, he walked over to Sebastian's stall and dug into the saddlebags hanging on the half-wall between his stall and the next, tugging free a wooden horse about three inches tall. Carrying it back, he handed it to Jed. "Merry Christmas to you, too, Kid."
"Where'd you get this?" the boy asked. "You steal it?"
"No," Heyes said in a hurt tone. "I found it."
"Found it?"
Hannibal nodded. "Remember that old wagon we saw out in the desert?" Jed nodded. "I found that where we was lookin' through the stuff that was left. I figured it'd be a good Christmas present, so I hid it away."
Sebastian whickered, his head bobbing up and down.
"What's wrong with him?" Heyes asked, frowning at the gelding.
"He wants a present, too," Jed said.
Heyes shrugged. "Well, there ain't anything else in the barn, I looked."
"What about this?" Jed suggested, holding up the slice of dried apple.
Heyes's mouth watered just looking at the fruit, but he nodded. Jed smiled and carried it over to the horse, holding it out for him. "Merry Christmas, Sebastian," he said as the bay chomped the treat.
Jed walked back to the fire and plopped down on his crate. "Think them nuts is ready? I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry."
The two boys froze as the door to the barn creaked open, a gust of snow blowing in before it slammed closed again. They blinked and swallowed their fear.
"Howdy, ma'am," Hannibal managed to stutter, standing. He reached out and yanked Jed to his feet.
The woman smiled at the two boys, her long dark hair flowing softly over her shoulders like it had been untouched by the wind and snow. "Why, that's very polite."
"Would you like to sit down?" Heyes asked, his eyes fixed on her swelled stomach. She was going to have a baby. Soon, from the looks of it.
The woman nodded, walking over to sink down into the pile of hay and sinking down with more grace than the boys expected for someone in her condition. Hannibal looked longingly at the supper spread across their make-shift table. He met Jed's eyes and could see the younger boy was having doubts as well, but they both nodded.
"Are you hungry?" Heyes asked.
"If you don't mind," the woman said, a tired smile crossing her face.
Hannibal gathered up the two biscuits and cheese, Jed grabbing the two slices of jerky. They carried them to the woman, who reached into her pocket, tugging free a small metal cup.
"Could I trouble you to pour some snow in my cup and heat it by the fire? I have a little tea left and it would go so well with this fine fare you've provided me. Have you already eaten?"
Heyes chewed his bottom lip, trying not to stare at the food. "Huh…"
"Yes, ma'am," Jed said.
The two boys fixed the tea, then sat by the fire while the woman ate their gifts. They both stared at the book and carved horse sitting on the make-shift table. "I ain't that hungry," Jed whispered.
"Me neither," Hannibal lied.
"Thank you both, very much," the woman said when she finished, then noticed the book. "What's that?"
"A book of… uh, something," Heyes said. "It was my mother's," he heard himself lie, hoping she wouldn't ask for that as well. "It's in a foreign language."
"Would you like me to read to you?" she asked.
Hannibal looked surprised, but Jed smiled broadly. "Yes, ma'am, that'd be real nice." He scooped the book up and carried it over to her.
"Why don't you two sit here in the hay where it's warm?" she asked.
They moved closer, nestling down together. Jed's stomach grumbled, and Heyes poked him in the ribs. She opened the book, smiled, then read. "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed…"
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Hannibal stretched and yawned. His stomach grumbled hungrily as he remembered the supper he and Jed had given away the night before. And the chestnuts! He sat up. The woman was gone, and Jed sleeping. He scrambled to the metal tub that held the glowing embers of the dying fire. Nothing. The nuts must have been cooked away in the fire…
He sniffed, his stomach rumbling again. Rubbing his jacket sleeve over his eyes, he took a deep breath and—
What was that? His arm dropped and he sniffed. Something smelled real good.
"Jed?" he called.
"Huh?" was the sleepy reply.
"Jed!"
"What?"
"Come here."
The younger boy grumbled, but climbed out of his warm nest to join his cousin. "Whatdaya want," he asked around a yawn, then scrubbed his eyes.
"You smell that?"
Sebastian snorted and shook his head.
Jed sniffed. "Yeah," he said, his eyes growing round. "That smells real good."
Hannibal led the way toward the third empty stall, his heart beating like a telegraph key tapping out the details of an emergency. Reaching the stall, he called softly, "Hello?"
There was no answer. Together the boys eased around the corner.
"Wow!" Jed breathed. "That wasn't there last night! I didn't see nothin' but the lantern and the book."
The book! Heyes rushed back to the open area, looking around. Their table and chairs were nowhere in sight, and the book and carving were gone.
He felt the tears well up in his eyes, but Jed grabbed his sleeve, dragging him back to the table that waited for them, set with a fine Christmas feast.
The two boys slid into the waiting chairs.
"Wouldya look at all this," Jed breathed. "How d'you suppose it got here?"
"I don't know," Heyes admitted, helping himself to a slice of roasted turkey. "I really don't know." He spotted the roasted chestnuts. "Kid?"
"Yeah?" the younger boy asked his mouth already full.
"You don't think we're dead, do you?"
The blond's eyes widened and he stopped chewing. "You got an awful way of killin' my appetite," he grouched, then continued with his meal.
"I guess so," Heyes said, digging into his own. At the moment he didn't really care if they were or not. At least he wasn't hungry or cold any more, and that was a definite improvement.
When they finished eating, they left the table, and took time to brush Sebastian down with some hay. The old gelding nodded his head and nickered happily. That done, Heyes started for the door, intending to carry in enough snow to douse the embers in the metal tub.
Pulling the door open with a loud groan, he grunted and squinted against the bright early morning sun reflecting off the pristine snow that carpeted the woods. It was a beautiful sight and he paused to enjoy it. Jed stepped up beside him, and Heyes draped his arm across the younger boy's shoulders. "Guess it's time we moved on."
Jed nodded. "Can we take what's left of the food?"
"You bet."
He stuck the toe of his shoe into the snow. "I'm sorry about the book."
Heyes shrugged. "Guess it really wasn't mine, anyway. I'm sorry about the horse."
"That's okay," Jed said, then pointed. "Look!"
A young mare walked out form the cover of the trees, her dappled honey-blonde coat shining in the morning sun. The two boys watched in awed silence as the horse walked straight to the barn, pausing just beyond the door. She whickered softly and shook her mane. Sebastian answered from behind them.
Heyes looked her over. She was young, healthy, and the same color as the carefully worked carving. No, that's stupid, he thought. Things like that are just stories – fairy tales.
"Can we keep her?" Jed breathed softly.
"Kid, that's horse stealing, and they'll hang ya for it."
"Not if she found us. Look at her. She likes us."
Hannibal gave the younger boy a sour look. It'd sure speed things up if we had two horses, he conceded silently, but horse stealin'… "I don't know."
The mare snorted impatiently, and the pair took a step back as she walked into the barn and started eating from the stack of hay they'd slept in.
"See! She likes us! She wants to stay with us."
"Okay," Heyes agreed. "But let's get out of here before Trouble finds us."
Jed grinned and ran over to put the old halter and saddle bags on Sebastian while Heyes used a length of rope hanging on the one of the barn walls to fashion a halter for the mare. She rubbed her nose over his chest when he slipped it over her head, and he smiled, scratching under her forelock. She was a friendly sort.
Leaving the horses, he went back and wrapped up the food as best he could, tying it up in the tablecloth and carrying it back to join Jed. "You ready?" he asked.
The blond nodded. "Can I ride Christmas?"
Heyes smiled at the name his cousin had obviously decided on. "Sure."
Jed climbed up on the stall and slid on her back, then accepted the bundle from Hannibal. "You think that lady was an angel?"
Heyes shrugged. "Maybe, but that don't explain that old lady who showed me the barn, or the young one you met."
"Maybe they're all angels." Jed's lower lip trembled slightly. "Maybe we are dead."
"Naw, we're not dead."
"You sure?"
"Pretty sure. Now, let's get going. Even if we are we can't stay here."
The two boys rode out into the morning sun, the horses happy to be moving. Ducking, they passed under the low-hanging limbs and into the stand of trees Christmas had emerged from earlier.
"Hey, look!" Jed said, pointing at a small building sitting in a small clearing.
The boys rode up to the deserted structure and dismounted. Tying the horses to the trees, they walked to the door and knocked. There was no answer, and Heyes pushed it open.
Stepping inside, it was clear that the building wasn't a house but an old church. The few rough-hewn pews were coated with dust, and the boys walked up the board floor aisle to the altar. It wasn't like anything either of them had seen. Large candles sat on both back corners of the table, half-burned and coated with dust. In the center of the table was a foot tall cross with three crossbars, the bottom most titled slightly like the nail was loose. Behind the table were two faded pictures that had been painted on the rough wooden walls. One was a man, looking a little sad and the other was an angel, complete with wings and a horn.
"You're sure we're not dead?" Jed whispered.
Heyes didn't reply, just tapped his cousin on the shoulder and pointed to another picture on the wall to the left of the alter.
It was the clearest of the three, a delicate picture of a woman, the same woman who had stayed with them the night before, only now she was holding a baby in her arms. She smiled out of the painting at the two cousins. They moved together to stand in front of the faded likeness. A small stand stood below the picture, holding the scuffed leather-bound book she'd read to them from.
"I got a funny feeling about this, Kid," Hannibal said softly, reaching out and opening the cover. The language was still foreign, but now he knew what it said. They left together, pulling the door closed behind them.
Mounting, they headed out of the clearing and continued west, the sun warming their backs.
"Merry Christmas," Heyes said.
"Merry Christmas," Jed replied. "You sure we're not dead?"
The End