Page 16 (1/2)

"Which is?"

The htened and opened the flap of his coat to reveal the worn black cover of a Bible tucked halfway into an inner pocket "Preacher Jack"

Tohtly "You’re Preacher Jack?"

"Yes sir, I am, in both flesh and spirit You have heard of me, then?"

"We know so, Soloh Wawona"

A light suddenly seenite in Preacher Jack’s blue eyes, and it seemed to Benny as if thehih up-and-down appraisal, and then turned to look at Benny, Lilah, and Nix Each tiht he could see that strange light flicker in the old man’s eyes All of this happened in the space of a few seconds, but the whole te that stayed the sa smile

"Well, well, well What a blessed day, sir, and if you ever put that meat skewer down I’d like to shake your hand, because I do believe I knoho you are Yes, sir Tough-looking man, early thirties with black hair and black eyes Japanese sword and Japanese face to go with it I would bet my last ration dollar that you are none other than Tom Imura Tom the Swordsman Tom of the Woods Fast Tommy Tom the Killer"

Tom slowly lowered his sword "I don’t use nicknames," he said softly

"No, not likea strand of white hair froht, most of the folks who live out here were more than happy to shed their family names the way a serpent will shed its skin Gave the who they were Gave them a chance to be reborn as different people Sometimes much better people Sometimes not, but you’d know all about that, Brother Tom"

Torunted as he resheathed his sword Everyone else seemed to let out a breath at the same time, and Benny lowered his bokken Not that he could have done rizzled oldfast as Tom And besides that, as a preacher able to handle a knife like a professional fighter?

"Most of those nickna on ht the careful way his brother was speaking Touard

"I’ll call you whatever na out his hand "I’ve heard so s about you that I would like to shake you by the hand, yes sir I would"

Tonored the hand and used his chin to point to the deadabout this?"

Preacher Jack looked at his own hand as if surprised to find it hanging out there in the air He gave a rueful shrug and used that hand to adjust his broad-brimmed hat The preacher walked slowly past Benny and looked down at the corpse Nix and Lilah stood on the other side of hi into his pockets and was staring at the dirt between his shoes

"The Children have been at him?" said Preacher Jack

"Children?" Nix blurted "We didn’t--"

"No," Benny said, "he means the Children of Lazarus Zoms"

Preacher Jack winced as if Benny had squirted hi, young sir Right, in that it was the Children of Lazarus who did for this poor ly word that decent folk won’t use"

"It’s just short for zombie," said Benny

"I knohat it’s short for, little brother," said Preacher Jack, "but no part of that word should be bandied about The word cood Do you say that you speak that word to worship a pagan animal spirit? Or do you use it as a twist on sohost? Because that would be like acknowledging the power of the devil himself here on earth"

Benny was confused Preacher Jack’s voice was as char as an ice cream seller, but his eyes were as cold as winter frost

"I--," Benny began, but Nix cut hiht me that words only mean ant them to mean, mister" Her voice was cold and precise

"Oh, that’s a nice sentiment, but it’s a crooked mile froood clean power of the Lord and dark, twisted h he knew that wasn’t true Brother David never used it and didn’t like to hear it, and Benny had no proble hi "Zos

Preacher Jack’s dark eyes twinkled "The word is offensive to many, and to the--"

Tom cut him off "No offense is intended We can’t speak for anyone else, but if offense is taken from what my brother and his friends say, then that burden is on the listener"

"Is it indeed?" Preacher Jack’s s things, Brother Tom, and I respect it However, it is in the nature of free will that we can agree to disagree"

To about what happened to this man?"

The preacher knelt beside the deadsounds for a moment, then cocked an eye up at Tom "What in particular do you want to know, Brother Tom? The man has received the one to hismiss’s knife I’m not sure there’s more of this story to tell"

"Lilah didn’t quiet him," blurted Nix "He never reani irl?"

"Don’t call me that," Nix snapped

"Oh, I aht Benny He wanted to brain this guy with his bokken

Before Nix could serve up an acid reply, Tom said, "When we found this man, it was clear he’d been dead for at least a day, and he did not reani about that"

"No, Brother Tom," said Preacher Jack as he stood, "I can’t say as I do"

"Any idea who fed him to the dead?"

Benny noted that Tom used "dead" instead of "zoms"

"That is also a mystery to me," said Preacher Jack "Why on earth would anyone do such a thing?"

"Any idea who he was?" To out at Wawona Did he coh there?"