When Jim saw them children heading with his dog down to the river, he just couldn’t follow, so Thomas pushed him another way. When you were like them, you could get through the woods fast, no worries about tripping over vines or rubbing against the poison ivy. You just went. So they headed west till they got to this lady’s yard full of tomato vines and yellow flowers. She was sitting in a chair, humming, and when Thomas and Jim went through her yard, she looked all around, like she knew something there, just didn’t know what.
You ever notice that? Jim asked Thomas. How some people know you’re there, and other people don’t?
I ain’t been around a lot of folks, Thomas told him. Mostly I stay to the cabin, waiting for my family to come back. They never come, though.
How long you been there?
I don’t know. I reckon a long time, only I ain’t sure. Maybe a thousand years, maybe a month.
By that time they was out on the sidewalk and could see them two children and Jim’s dog walking their way. Jim hid behind a tree, but Thomas let the girl walk straight through him. It was like getting tickled by a feather. After they passed, he and Jim fell in behind them.
What do you remember—I mean, about after—? Jim asked. Did you—?
You asking me if I’m dead?
Jim nodded.
I reckon I am. Only it don’t feel that way sometimes.
Jim nodded again, only this time he was all excited, like Thomas had said something important and true.
I don’t think I am, he said, his voice all a-trembling. I think I’ve just got to get it figured out. I mean, how to get back.
Back to life?
Yeah. You think I can?
Thomas didn’t tell him no, but that’s what he was thinking. Even though he didn’t brush up against many folks, he’d come across some souls trapped in this world worse than him and Jim. They be thinking the same as Jim, that some sort of spell gonna get ’em alive again. All they had to do was find the right trick.
Thomas didn’t go into town too much ’cause of all the noise and commotion, and there was these wagons that were all closed up and didn’t have no horses pulling ’em. Spooked him. But once in a while he’d go at night, when things got quiet. Town was a full-up place, with buildings everywhere. Walking with Jim, it didn’t seem like town was new to him. Maybe that’s why Jim didn’t know he dead. Maybe he hadn’t been dead long enough to realize it.
Amazing thing was when this man who looked just like Jo-Jo Bates from back home come walking down the street and stop to talk to them children. Thomas knowed it wasn’t Jo-Jo ’cause of his clothes, but still it made him jump. Whoever it was looked like he thought the boy and girl be an odd pair, but the man didn’t say nothing. Just asked questions and looked interested in the answers.
Now Thomas and Jim took a turn onto a road with lots of pretty trees, and that’s when Jim got all nervous. Thomas thought he must be getting close to his home, the way he strain forward like a mule pulling a plow.
Thomas kept waiting to see what that old dog would do. He be acting like he know that Thomas and Jim was right there, but at the same time he act like he didn’t. Almost like the dog didn’t want to know. Which was fine by Thomas. He didn’t have no interest in dogs getting near him. Dogs all around the cabin that night they was running to the river, and Thomas could still hear their howling, growling voices. But the dogs couldn’t get in, not with that old lady shooing ’em away and telling the catcher men to get off her property or else she’d shoot ’em dead.
Thomas wondered if the boy and the girl know they being followed. Not just by him and Jim, but by another boy too. He was on the other side of the street, staying back a little, but Thomas could tell he had an eye on them children. Mean-looking white boy. Maybe that girl a runaway. Maybe that hiding boy be a catcher man. Thomas wanted to yell to that girl to run, but he knowed she wouldn’t hear him. Besides, he didn’t want to worry Jim none. Jim had enough worries weighing him down.
That’s my house, Jim said, pointing to a place off the road, back in the grass. He was up on his toes, almost like he might go ahead and fly there, he so excited about seeing it.
You been back before?
I’ve been trying, but this is the first time the fog didn’t come up.
The fog?
I don’t know how else to explain it. It’s just when I get close to certain places, everything turns all foggy and I can’t get any farther.
How about now? Can you keep going?
Jim shook his head, all sad and all.
I want to. I can see all the way up to the front door. But I’m stuck right here.
You wanna wait for them to come back? Thomas asked, and Jim nodded.
Buddy come back first, and when he reached Jim, he stopped and sniffed the air. Jim turned to Thomas.
He knows I’m here.
He know something here. I don’t know if he know it’s you or not.
Jim slumped a little bit, and Thomas could see he was starting to fade.
I sure wish Buddy could know me again.
Maybe he can, Thomas told him. Only it ain’t the right time yet.
Jim looked at him hopefully. When do you think it’ll be the right time?
When you figure out where it is you need to be. It ain’t here, and I don’t think it’s at that cabin. Some place else be waiting for you to get there.
Without saying anything more, they started to follow the dog back down the street.
Thomas turned around one last time to see if that catcher boy still be there. Yep, there he was, standing behind a tree, waiting for them children. Watch out, little girl, Thomas wanted to call, but he knew it wasn’t no use. Only person Thomas could help now was Jim.