He wasn’t lonely, exactly. He had a fine life, and he knew it. But sometimes he wanted to come back home and stay home, even if only for an evening. He pondered the dichotomy while brushing his teeth and stripping to his skivvies. Mama always had spare toothbrushes on hand, and Oz kept a couple of changes of clothes at her place, too, for reasons he decided not to examine.
I guess that settles the Kama-Rupa question. Well, it doesn’t, but there’s no point in speculating any longer; Lila wants nothing to do with any of us with the possible exception of Sally and maybe Dev. Which is sensible for many, many reasons.
He assumed the sleeping position—facedown starfish—and yawned into the upholstery. I’ve had that condo for four years, but this crowded chaotic purple house is my home. It felt like that even before I met Lila. There’s probably some sort of parable or lesson there, but I’m too wiped to give a shhhhhhhhhhhhhh…
Chapter 17
Lila smelled it before she heard it, like last time. And froze, like last time. An icy hand snaked down her throat and seized her stomach while every hair on her arms came to attention and she thought everything, it’ll take everything.
She shot out of her office chair and darted to the closet to grab what she needed, went to her bedroom closet and did the same, then walked quickly
(easy…you’re no good to anyone if you brain yourself falling down the stairs)
and carefully to her kitchen, snatched the bucket of clean rags beneath the sink, soaked them, grabbed keys, left her home.
She saw it at once—Mama Mac’s silly purple house, belching smoke like it was getting paid. She managed to hit 911 and put them on speaker with one hand. “I’ve got a 10–70. There’s a house fire at 1218 Elinor Avenue in Lilydale, Saint Paul. I can see smoke and flames and there’s at least one child
(child? is he?)
and one elderly woman in the house. Please roll fire and rescue ASAP.”
“Can I g—”
Sorry, dispatch. Lila was flat-out running because her worst fear had become glaring, ugly reality: she could see someone—the kid with the bear?—silhouetted in one of the upstairs windows. She ran right up on the lawn until she was standing below the window, which he now opened
(argh, don’t give the fire more oxygen)
(but don’t die of smoke inhalation either)
to lean out and call down to her. Instead of the panicked shriek for help, she heard, “Hi! Can you step back, please?”
She cupped her hands and shouted through them. “Listen! I’m tossing up a ladder. You just hook it to the sill and let it unfold and you can scoot right down.”
“Um, thanks, but maybe you could just move back a little?”
“Pay attention!”
“You don’t have to move back much,” he called down. “Like, just a foot or so?”
“I’m throwing it now!” And she pitched the EZ-OUT ladder straight up. It was only six pounds and it was a terrific toss, which is why Devoss watching it fall back to the ground was aggravating. “Okay, don’t be scared, I’m gonna throw it again. You have to catch it, Devoss!”
“Just step back, espalda—” He broke off to cough. “—retour!”
“Okay, here it comes!”
“Will you just get out of the way, you silly bitch?” With that, Devoss dived out the second-story window, turned a goddamned somersault, and landed right in front of her. Like he’d stepped off a boat and onto a dock. Like he’d hopped down from a SuperCab. NBD.
“Don’t call me silly” was all she could manage before grabbing him. “Are you okay? Are you burned?” She felt his shoulders as he coughed, looked at his hands, shoved his sleeves up to look at his arms, glared into his eyes. “Are your eyes okay?”
“Are yours?”
“What’s—” There was a low, ripping growl behind her, and she turned to face a sight that wasn’t as frightening as a house fire, but definitely made her top five. A black wolf the size of a border collie had slouched out of nowhere—well, not nowhere, obviously. But the thing’s stark coloring had kept it hidden; the only bits of color were its eyes, glaring at her like baleful lanterns. She straightened and shoved Devoss behind her. “Jesus Christ, this neighborhood.”
“I’m okeydokey,” Devoss called, peeking around her to address the wolf because of course he was. “Don’t scare her. If that’s even possible.”
“Which one of us are you talking to?” Lila asked.
The wolf crept closer, but at least it wasn’t growling anymore. Lila wondered if it was possible to net the thing with the EZ-OUT ladder. Why did I bring ladders and wet rags to a house fire? Why didn’t I bring a shotgun? What an idiot I was!
Then another wolf came loping out of the dark, this one lean but large, dwarfing the smaller animal; its furred red ears were level with Lila’s waist. The only light to see came from the fire (now merrily blazing through at least two rooms) and a lone streetlight, but even so, Lila could make out the tawny fur and the white markings around the muzzle. Greenish-yellow eyes flared as it moved to stand between her and the smaller wolf. She knew it at once: the wolf she had hit with her nonbulance… Had it only been three days ago?
“Whoa.” From Devoss, who had stopped trying to peep around her and was trying to stand in front of her. She shoved him behind her as the wolf let out another low growl while the smaller black wolf stood its ground. And while the black one didn’t
