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Emotion wrenched Bear’s features into those of an old, pained h for rabbed his coat from a hook by the door "And you’ll never find the mine without me"

"Then make tracks, old man" Billy stor faster than he’d ever seen hilowering in the seat beside hiet," the old man said "Damien drunk? This time of day? Doesn’t sound like the kid I know"

Billy had to agree, but for different reasons He’d bent his own elboith the guy and knew froet Dah to send us to the right place" The dirt road degraded until he could go no farther and his wheels spun and spat rocks against the vehicle’s undercarriage He slaoes"

Bear peered out the"We’re not close enough You using your four-wheel drive?"

"I kno to drive in the mountains" There was no ti in, de to show me the mine, or do I need to find it lory" Bear hopped out, looking spry for a led with a liiven up on good health

The trail was slow-going, and Billy was going crazy with frustration But Bear had been right, the mine would’ve been impossible to find without help

He stopped to let Sorrow’s father catch up The pace was , and he found hi unchecked "You want to knohat I think?"

"Nope," Bear said between heavy breaths

"I think that you’re not as feeble as you worry you are"

The runted, "I’m not feeble"

"I didn’t say that I said you think you’re feeble I think that stroke scared the hell out of you," Billy pressed "I think you’re afraid of testing your limits But you were lucky Many people don’t survive it You’re lucky as hell you’ve got a kid like Sorroho knew the signs and got you to the hospital early You need to think on that, on howon what you’ve lost"

"Son, here’s what I think: I think I’ your claptrap theories" The man looked like he’d sed a leht, and Billy had to hope his words had sunk in Bear gru, Sheriff"

A hill rose up beside the on the trail, Bear turned to face the steep incline, sighing heavily "This is it"

Billy surveyed the rise, picking out a path of roots, rocks, and footholds in his o first" What he didn’t say was that he’d haul Bear up as he went

Bear was treot to the top "That way" He pointed along the ledge, trying to catch his breath "You’ll see it On the right"

The th, but Billy couldn’t wait "You’ll be fine here?"

"Right behind you," Bear said "I told you Not feeble"

If Billy hadn’t been looking for the ht by it Just a small black hole, etched into the rock face, it was no wonder folks had forgotten it through the years

He shouted for her and strained his ears for a reply Sorrow’s answering yell came quickly, but her voice sounded strained and far away Relief swah

Billy burst into a run--it was a stupid, precarious thing to do, but he couldn’t stop hiet to her

He burst into theshort to let his eyes adjust The air was close, cool pine breezes of the woods at his back led with the still scents of dirt and the abandoned nests of wild aniain, and bats exploded fro

Sorrow screaround He’d been careless, but it’d be unforgivable if he fell to his death "It’s okay Just bats They won’t hurt you"

"Easy for you to say" Her voice wavered, but her atte in the shadows, a tiround He edged closer, not trusting the ground beneath him It was a mineshaft, narrow as a well