clear he hated Will. If saving Joey was dangerous, then Will’s action was all the more heroic. “I’d do it again,” he said rebelliously. “At worst, it’s a life for a life.”
Erisa returned with a sack stuffed full of his meager belongings. The old man took it and slung it over one shoulder, then ushered Will out the door. He stumbled trying to keep up. For some reason, he was extraordinarily clumsy today.
His mother followed them a short distance, uttering an endless stream of advice and warnings. “Be good for him, Will. Learn whatever you can. He may seem rough, but he’s not as bad as all that. I love you.”
“I will, Momma,” he told her, wishing he could reassure her. The old man said nothing at all, ignoring both of them equally as he walked.
Eventually, Erisa stopped following them and they were left alone, following a small trail through the Glenwood. Will knew it well. He had followed it often in the past, during his many adventures with Eric. The hermit’s home had been a favored destination since it seemed strange and dangerous.
Now he was going to live there. It boggled his mind. I wonder if he’ll let me visit Eric, thought Will idly. Almost as soon as his thoughts drifted, he stumbled and fell.
“Get up, fool,” snapped the old man.
Will stared sourly up at his antagonist, then shakily got to his feet again. “You could help me,” he said bitterly.
The old man stretched, running his hand through the bristly white hair that stood out from his head. “I am helping you.”
“You could have fooled me, then.”
“This is a lesson,” said the man. “A lesson in consequences. Don’t forget it. Learn it well and you won’t do this to yourself again, or at the very least, if you do, you’ll do it knowing the price you’ll pay.” He watched Will struggle to coordinate his legs as they began walking again. There wasn’t an ounce of sympathy in his hard, grey eyes.
They walked for fifteen minutes without a word when Will’s new guardian broke the silence without warning. “The worst isn’t a life for a life.”
Startled, Will replied, “Sir?”
“Earlier,” said the old man. “You said at worst it was a life for a life. That isn’t true. There are worse things than dying in this world.”
“Such as?”
“You’ll learn about those things later, if you live long enough,” said the hermit. “For now, you just need to do as I say. Pay heed to my words, and I guarantee the worst that will happen to you is dying.”
“You’re a real charmer,” said Will sarcastically.
“You want me to be nicer? Fine. Here’s another lesson for you,” said the hermit. “There’s nothing wrong with your body. It’s your spirit that’s worn thin. It’s a big surprise to most, learning how hard it is to function when your heart and soul are grey and empty. You’ll recover in time, but for now you’ll have to put all your attention on your movements. Focus on putting one foot in front of the other. Don’t let anything distract you. You don’t have the energy for stray thoughts.”
Will did as he was told, and it did seem to help. So long as he kept his attention firmly on his body, it worked properly. His muscles weren’t tired, though it still felt as though he was walking uphill. It was some sort of internal resistance he had to fight against.
He couldn’t keep his thoughts from straying completely, though. After a short while, he asked, “Is this what happened to you?”
“Pardon?”
“Did you use up your spirit? Is that why you’re so crabby and mean?” explained Will.
The old man began to laugh, long and loud, a hearty laugh unlike anything Will had heard from him before. When he finally stopped and caught his breath, he continued walking without answering.
Chapter 6
When they finally arrived at the hermit’s house, it was just as bad as Will remembered. It didn’t even merit the name ‘house.’ A better term would have been shack, for the place had certainly seen better days.
It was about twenty feet across when viewed from the front, and perhaps as long as that from front to back, although it was hard to tell. The back of the dilapidated structure was completely overgrown with small trees, brush, and a stupendous quantity of thorny brambles. If there had ever been a back door, it was certainly no longer accessible.
“Wait here,” said the old man before stepping up to the front door.
“Can’t I