Daddys Caliban | Page 9

good," Cameron said.
Oars.
Ropes.
All the things we'd wanted before but lacked.
"Grab them," I told him, feeling smarter than my almost-brother for
once in my life. "Oars, and as much of the rope as we can carry that
isn't already rotten."

"You building a raft again?" His voice was almost jeering.
"I'm going to walk across the river."
*
The late afternoon light had caught some of the golden glow of the far
side of the river. The world was a jewel in amber. Milky white seeds
soared on a wind that carried a scent of fresh-blooming flowers.
I stood on a boulder, watching the river drop fifteen or twenty feet just
below me, and considered my next jump. Cameron waited two hops
behind me with most of our load. He was within an easy rope toss if
need be.
If there was ever a day when I would spread wings and fly like Ikarus
of the Brass Islands, this was it. I could feel the call of the Old Tower
pulling me ahead even as Caliban's sullen glower pushed me from
behind.
In that moment, freed by water and the timeless light, I felt a profound
sympathy for my father and all the long, pointless years of his life.
I sucked in my breath and leapt to land square on the wet boulder
perhaps five feet ahead of me. With a shout of joy, I leapt to the next
one, then the next, scrambling over the river and the remains of the
dams in a bounding flight until I reached the granite wall at the center
of river. There I stood panting and waited for my almost-brother.
He was not far behind, scrambling up with the ropes and the oars. "You
can carry this stuff a while," Cameron announced. He tossed his load to
the scrubby grass at our feet before laying down to rest.
I studied the far side of the granite. There was perhaps forty feet of
channel between the cliff below me and the next jumble of rocks. From
there it would be another series of hops to the shadowed willows where
the fireflies already gleamed even though the westering day was still
bright here in the middle of the river.

My heart ached to be across. I would find a way to be on the other side
if I had to make the leap from where I stood.
But what a mighty leap that would be. Close to our right on the
downstream side was a single fall that accounted for all the distance of
the little jumps and rapids and cataracts on the mill side of the river in
one great tumbling roar of water that vanished over the edge in
rock-filled spray.
I paced the granite shoulder to the south end, upstream farthest away
from the pull of the waterfall. It tapered there to a little gravel beach
where tiny fish darted among the shallows. The channel was a bit wider
at this end. Looking back up the granite slope to where Cameron lay, I
saw dozens of cracks and fissures in the old rock.
Oars and rope. I smiled and headed back for Cameron's abandoned
load.
*
Of course he followed me down the second time, chattering the whole
way. "No boat, no wings, no magic boots. He's going to sail a rope
across the river, our Henry is. You're nuts, bro. When we go home, I'm
switching with you. You can sweat out your nights to the clanging of
the furnace while I sit at the table upstairs. Because I'm the one who
can appreciate it. Not you, no, you're the nutter who thinks he's a nixie
or something."
He went on like that. I ignored him as I shoved one of the oars deep as
it would go into a crack near the south end of the granite. Then I tied
off the longest rope we'd salvaged and walked it back up the hill to
estimate its length.
Not enough.
Another rope, then, and double-hitch them together. I worked at that a
moment as my almost-brother's voice ran down. Stripped my clothes
and shoes off and rigged a third rope for a sling around me. Fastened

the second rope and my clothing bundle to it. Finally I looked up at
him.
Cameron was grinning his ape-grin again. "I'm proud of you, Henry."
"Thanks." I was suddenly struck shy.
"When you drown, can I have your room?"
"I am epoptic," I told him. "The Lady carries me in Her hands." Then:
"Hang on to this end of the rope. When I get across, I'll tie down the
other end so you can follow."
He hugged me, quick and rough. "I have always loved you."
I thought no more upon it. Instead I