Cherry Blossom sat cross-legged crotch-spayed in bluejean cut-offs on the parlor floor. Casting runes, she felt her rug vibrate as if it were a magic carpet revving for taxi.
"Oh my dear boys." She gasped.
From the doorway Leah asked, "What is it?"
"Here. Bring your tea in and sit with me. I don't like what I'm feeling. The boys are surely headed for trouble."
"Runes."
"Yeah. These were given to me by a berserker shaman named Olaf. Visits once a year in his own fashion. Strange powers."
"No doubt. What's this about Ziggy and Artie?"
"There is a dark man following them."
"Don't fuck with me, Cherry."
Astonished by the mild profanity, Cherry Blossom's mouth fell agape. "Oh, honey! I would never fuck with you."
She reached over and hugged her friend. "Never never never."
Then she broke into tears.
*
The woodland hamlet named Chewbacca once had a long-eared red doberman who slept in the road. People drove around him. Tiptoed around him. And he lived to a ripe age of fifteen. Died of old dog disease. Old Redbone.
Ziggy drove by The Potlatch general store, boarded up. He caught Artie's eye, said nothing.
Up ahead stood a monument the size of a menhir to the deified dog.
CRUNCH!
Artie cracked the windshield with his forehead. Just a scalp wound. But it bled and it bled. A red Niagra Falls. Ziggy took one look and panicked. "Oh goddamn I've killed him! Oh goddamn!"
Then some yahoo was framming the side of the Skell Van. "Hey, Shit For Brains, look what you did to Redbone!"
*
Cherry Blossom kissed Leah behind the ear. Warm and sweet.
The runes continued to speak.
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