Chapter 10

           I’lltellyouallmysecrets

           ButIlieaboutmypast

           Sosendmeofftobedforevermore

           —TOMWAITS,"TANGOTILLTHEY’RESORE"

           Awholelifeindarkness,surroundedbyfilth,thatwaswhatShadowdreamed,hisfirstnightinLakeside.Achild’slife,longagoandfaraway,inalandacrosstheocean,inthelandswherethesunrose.Butthislifecontainednosunrises,onlydimnessbydayandblindnessbynight.

           Nobodyspoketohim.Heheardhumanvoices,fromoutside,buthecouldunderstandhumanspeechnobetterthanheunderstoodthehowlingoftheowlsortheyelpsofdogs.Heremembered,orthoughtheremembered,onenight,halfalifetimeago,whenoneofthebigpeoplehadentered,quietly,andhadnotcuffedhimorfedhim,buthadpickedhimuptoherbreastandembracedhim.Shesmelledgood.Shehadmadecrooningnoises.Hotdropsofwaterhadfallenfromherfacetohis.Hehadbeenscared,andhadwailedloudlyinhisfear.Sheputhimdownonthestraw,hurriedly,andleftthehut,fasteningthedoorbehindher.

           Herememberedthatmoment,andhetreasuredit,justasherememberedthesweetnessofacabbage-heart,thetarttasteofplums,thecrunchofapples,thegreasydelightofroastedfish.

           Andnowhesawthefacesinthefirelight,allofthemlookingathimashewasledoutfromthehutforthefirsttime,whichwastheonlytime.Sothatwaswhatpeoplelookedlike.Raisedindarkness,hehadneverseenfaces.Everythingwassonew.Sostrange.Thebonfirelighthurthiseyes.Theypulledontheropearoundhisneck,toleadhimtothespacebetweenthetwobonfires,wherethemanwaitedforhim.

           Andwhenthefirstbladewasraisedinthefirelight,whatacheerwentupfromthecrowdandthechildfromthedarknessbegantolaughandlaughwiththem,indelightandinfreedom.

           Andthenthebladecamedown.

           Shadowopenedhiseyesandrealizedthathewashungryandcold,inanapartmentwithalayeroficecloudingtheinsideofthewindowglass.Hisfrozenbreath,hethought.