Bad Moon Rising

“We don’t have our phones. We can’t even call anybody.”

That’s when Hondo walked up to us. He didn’t look hurt. He said to me, “Leave it to you to burn down a mountain.”

He hugged Bodhi’s neck as I said, “Hey,

it wasn’t me. That’s all Moon’s doing.”

He winked as he put a hand on my shoulder. I asked, “The Kiowa, and the women?”

“He’s gone to the happy hunting ground, and the two surviving women are in police custody. The officers were making rounds.”

“What happened?”

They heard us fighting and walked to us, then said we were under arrest. The Kiowa shot at them and they returned the favor. When he went down, the women went crazy and attacked the police, only to meet Mr. Taser. I told the officers what happened and that you had a handful of trouble right then, and where I’d last seen you. We saw the fire as I said it.”

Bodhi touched Hondo’s arm and said, “He saved us. Ronny saved us.”

Hondo gave me a little nod and half-inch smile, “That’s what he does.”

I said, “How’d you know we’d be here?”

“I walked with the police to their vehicle and heard the radio chatter. I came here in your pickup and saw you with the paramedics.” He leaned closer and said to us, “What happened with Moon?”

“He and his two offensive linemen, and I mean offensive in the worst way, climbed the mountain a little slow when the fire came up the canyon.”

Hondo said, “I’m not sorry about it.”

“Me, neither,” I said. Bodhi didn’t say anything, but she nodded in agreement.

I couldn’t seem to drink enough water. I got another bottle from a paramedic, and one for Bodhi, too. She drank the same way. We sipped water and sat with Hondo, watching the brave men and women on the mountain as they battled the blaze.

When the police finished taking our stories, they told us we could go. One of the paramedics stopped us a dozen steps later and said that Troy was DOA on arrival at the hospital. He said he was sorry for our loss.

Hondo held out the keys to me when we reached Shamu, but I shook my head. I didn’t have enough strength left to do anything but sit. Our drive to the office took forever because of all the gawkers on the roads hoping to get a look at the fire.

Amber, Archie, Vick, and a dozen of the gym regulars stood outside our office as we arrived. Amber rushed to the truck and hugged my neck so tightly I could barely breathe. As the others crowded around us, Amber moved to Bodhi and they hugged a long time, with both crying. I shook hands with the others. Amber went lastly to Hondo and hugged him, then returned to me and put her arm around my waist as we walked to the office.

Once inside, we told them what happened. When we finished, Archie said, “Have they found this Moon guy’s body?”

Hondo said, “Not yet, they’re still fighting the fire. Ronny gave the firefighters and police a good description of where they fell, so I think it’ll be in the next couple days.”

By then, I felt so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. Amber hadn’t left my side and she whispered in my ear, “You want to go home?”

“I think so.”

“Come on, I’ll take you.”

We told everyone goodbye, and I made sure Hondo would take care of Bodhi. We left after Bodhi gave me one more hug. Amber drove Shamu. I fell asleep almost before we left the parking lot. Once home, I staggered like a drunkard to the bed and fell face down on it. Amber covered me with a small blanket she brought from the couch. She snuggled beside me as I fell into an exhausted, troubled sleep.

The next day my legs and back felt so sore I could hardly walk. Amber had left for work early, so I took my time getting out of bed.

Hondo sat at my kitchen table drinking coffee when I rose. He studied me as I shuffled to the cabinet to get a cup. “You look like Tim Conway in those old Carol Burnett skits, the one where he plays the old white haired man.”

I retrieved a cup, poured coffee and sat across the small table from him. “I don’t have white hair.”

“You don’t have much at all on the back of your head.”

“I might have singed a few.”