Chapter Sixteen

Karl, William, Beth and Seal walked down the road, side by side. Karl guarded the sisters on one side. His six-foot, three-inch frame wobbled with each quick step like his knees could bend both ways, but he kept pace. He did not lumber like mummies did in the old movies. The mummy man race walked in brief steps. His leathery soles slapped on the road. The bandages that wrapped around him were worn from his travels. Spots on his body were exposed and dark black skin peeked out.

William walked in long, straight steps. His legs moved slower than the others, but his strides were nearly the length of Seal's body and he often had to pause to keep in line. His face-work, a patches of distinct faces, showed no emotion. Seal had accidentally touched his hand and found it cold, like sticking your hand into newly dug soil.

Beth limped, of course. That left Seal as the only one that walked normally between them. Her feet had remained bare since she escaped from the burning farm, with the one exception of wearing a rat and a doll as shoes.

Seal continued the conversation they were having. She had already thanked both her companions but wanted to know more. "After you found William and revived him, how did you find me?"

"William may not look smart, but credit to him. He insisted we travel on the road and we'd find you. Some luck that we ran across the three Paleskins and we followed, knowing they were searching for you."

Seal finished his sentence. "And that they'd find me." Seal felt stupid letting them catch her. Without these two, she'd be food right now. She hoped they would reach their destination soon, save Beth, find Javin and leave this place behind forever.

"It shocked William you had survived so long. But what matters is you are alive, and we will keep you safe." Karl sounded like his tongue was too big for his mouth.

"And how are you two brothers?" Her black pajamas grew uncomfortable during the long walk, and she rolled them above her knees.

"We have same father," William said.

"Like real brothers, like Seal is my real sister?" Beth said.

Karl laughed. It sounded like he had rocks rubbing inside his throat when he did. "Pavel created us. In that way, we are brothers."

"So you don't have a mom?" the doll asked.

"Only Pavel," the Patchwork man said. "He make us long ago. I youngest brother."

"Who were you before he made you? You look like you were once men," Seal asked.

Karl answered first. "I only know what my father told me. He made me from a dying man. He prepared me as the Egyptians would their own dead, but he breathed life into me. I have no memories of the life before. I am stuffed with clay. In my chest. In my stomach. In my head. I am clay of the earth you see around you."

The idea that this Pavel could bring someone to life excited Seal, but how would she make Beth so she wasn't a monster like these two? She only hoped he could.

"And I am of seven skins," William said. This surprised Seal. She had suspected the patchwork came from dozens. "My legs are made of seven men's legs. My arms of seven men's arms. My brain of seven men's brains."

Seal imagined William's skull laid open with a bowl of brains all mixed and crammed together before being capped over and stitched again. She shuddered at the thought, but the circular scars around his head made her think this was exactly what happened. How could seven brains result in a creature that could only talk in short sentences? "And are you clay inside, too?"

"He is mechanical parts and oil. Father breathed life into him too," Karl said. This explained the black stains from his injuries, which still seeped through the bandages he had bound his wounds with.

"Tell me about your father. Is he a doctor?"

"What is doctor?" William pulled at the bandage around his neck, loosening it.

"Stop. You'll lose more oil," Karl admonished as he re-tightened the bandage.

"Fix when we reach father?"

Karl nodded, then answered Seal's question. "He is not a doctor. He is more like a scientist. He has his experiments. He creates things."

"How many things has he created?"

"A lot," they both answered.

"If he can create life, then is he not like a god?"

Karl shook his head. "He cannot create life from nothing. He can borrow life and give it to others." Seal sensed they held more information back than they shared, but they were all interrupted by a long howl.

"What's that," Beth asked. "Are those wolves?"

"No animals live here," Karl said, "none that you can see. That is our last brother. We were not sure when we'd find him. We are lucky, indeed. He will not hurt you." The mummy led the way.

When they came upon the third brother, Seal saw he looked like a man, except blondish curly hairs completely covered his face. His brows protruded like a canopy, half covering his eyes. Two fangs jutted from his mouth, not unlike a vampire's. This was the wolfman. He was the cowardly lion of the story, Seal thought, but no fear registered on his face.

"A living girl," Creighton said aloud. "Will wonders never cease? This is getting to be more like the real world and less like the afterlife. I am Creighton." He held out his furry paw hand. Seal touched it first. It felt soft and wiry and a little oily. She caught herself mid-fascination and shook his hand fully.

"I am Seal. This is my sister, Beth."

"More wonders!" Creighton bent down swiftly to take a closer look. He was far more agile than his brothers.

"We head to Father's to bring home," William said.

"I hoped I would run into you two along the way. I had no clue you'd have two such lovely treasures."

"I'm not the first living person you've seen. Am I? Have you seen a boy?" Seal knew she guessed accurately.

"Yes," Creighton said. "He is ahead of you by a day."

Seal smiled. She could not recall the last time she had smiled. Their journey would be over soon. She admitted to herself that she missed Javin.

"Is he well? Did he ask about me?"

Creighton nodded. "Not a scratch. I am sure you will see him soon. Our father is only half a day away. But it's late and you look tired. Have you slept?"

"Not in days." Seal thought it would be nice to have a good sleep and some quiet time with Beth. She insisted on sleeping apart from their three companions at Creighton's camp for more privacy.

That night, black oil seeped through the bandages at William's side. He sat apart from the others and pulled at the knots with fingers too big for the work.

"Stop. You'll make it worse." Seal knelt beside him and unwound the crusted cloth. Up close, his stitched skin looked like her mom's sewing, careful in some places and hurried in others. She folded a clean strip the way her mom folded kitchen towels and bound the wound tight.

"You fix me," William said.

"My mom fixes Paintchip when she tears. Somebody sewed you once. Somebody can sew you again."

William was quiet for a long time. "Seven men," he finally said. He put one huge hand over the wound. "Sometimes I hear them. They do not agree what I am."

"You don't have to be seven men," Seal said. "You can just be William."

The patchwork man made a sound she had not heard from him before. Low and even, like a tractor idling. She decided it was laughing. "Just William," he said. "Good name. You rest. Just William watches."

"This is all weird, and too many coincidences," Seal told Beth. "I don't know if we can trust them."

"Condinces?" Beth mispronounced. "But they saved us, Seal," Beth said. "And William turned out nice."

"Maybe, but I want you to watch them. Be suspicious like you were."

"I can do that! I'm a secret spy!" She spoke too loudly and Seal gave her the look she always gave when her sister became a little too wild.

"I had a dream when we first entered about the White Buffalo Calf Woman."

Seal laughed as the doll flapped her arms and twirled in circles. "She also told me I'd have to make a decision about you, and I have. I am going to save you. I think this Pavel can do it."

Beth gave her sister a hug. "Sisters are forever." Then she danced around Seal with her boundless energy.

"Did Buffalo Calf Woman tell you your real name, like she did mine?"

Seal shook her head. "My name is my name. But she called me storyteller."

"That's silly. Dad is the storyteller in the family."

"Yes, he is. I hope we see him soon. Maybe after tomorrow when we find Javin."

"Javin is a silly boy."

Seal nodded. "Let's sleep so we can be strong."

Seal held Beth close to her but Beth stayed up to keep an eye out on William, Karl, and Creighton like Seal asked.