The Last Indian

Автор: Anastasia

"Yeah, it was an Indian, that much was clear. You know, looking like one out of a book, we don't wear such stuff nowadays. Anyway, he started talking to me. At first I didn't understand and then it dawned on me that it could be an old language so I tried my best, remembered the lessons of it and only then I understood what the man wanted to say. He told me: "Don't be afraid, little girl. I'm Silver Cloud, the last Indian, the last shaman. My soul wouldn't find peace until there are white people on this land, robbing the tribes, killing Indians." Well, then I got kinda exasperated. You know, it could be anyone, just joking. On the other side it was rather creepy: if it were just a joke, the person would speak the Indian language we sometimes use or even English. It's rather to speak English in the reservation, you know. So anyway he said: "Take me to your shaman before it is too late." I just started explaining that we don't have a shaman, that this tradition died long ago but as I turned around he was gone. Disappeared without a trace. I headed home and then in the morning I learnt that Steve was dead," she turned to Lindsay her eyes, suspiciously bright, "do you think I abused this old man and that's why he called Steve?"

Lindsay slowly shook her head: "I don't know, Moni, at least not now. I need a little time so that I could think about the story you told me."

She bent forward: "Moni, this old man, is there any story or legend about him?"

The Indian shrugged: "I don't know. I'm sorry to say so but I just don't know. I was always what the Elders call "ignorant" and though I'm ashamed of it and feel quite down because of it now, I don't know Indian ways and Indian legends. I'm kinda surprised I understood what the old man wanted from me."

"All right, thank you anyway," Lindsay said, "it was very nice of you to talk to me. Now I'm going to do my best to find out what happened to Steve. And to Andy, who died four months later. I only hope I'll succeed."

Moni smiled for the first time and her whole face lit up: "Thanks, Lindsay. I hope your kid's gonna be like you."

Then she just turned around and disappeared in the doorway, leaving Lindsay sitting at the table in the overfilled room.

Donner smiled as well: she already got to like the girl and her ways. And she has got a plan: the first thing to do was to find out something about Sauks. And about Silver Cloud.

Silvia sat home in front of TV. Not that she was actually watching: her mind was far away. Ever since the talk with Lindsay she felt strange: relieved that she has talked to someone and yet a bit scared. The whole situation was weird. She was worried sick about Andy, still mourning him, his sudden and - as Lindsay involuntarily implied - useless death. She didn't know for sure about the Indian. Indians were a world for themselves, strange and forbidding and yet she's been used to living, one would say, next door to them, used to the rites they performed. That was the menacing part of the whole, the rites. Most of the time Indians were just normal people: all dressed like the rest of the town, speaking English to each other as if they were English, born and bred. Of course, these were the young Indians. Silvia has seen the older ones, wearing strange garments, their hair done in an exotic way. But these were only few.

Silvia sighed and switched on TV. What's the use? She was too occupied with her problems to care for soap opera characters.

Silvia stood up. She decided she would go to Lindsay. Strangely, but Lindsay already won her confidence and she was looking forward to seeing her again: if not to pour out her troubles, then just to talk about everything possible. Lindsay was somehow just the right person to talk to.

Lindsay stood up to shake off her tired legs and arms. They seemed to have a life of their own now, being quite unnerving. She grinned: everything seemed to be different now she was pregnant, especially now, baby due every day. She looked out of the window: the snow was still - or again - falling, she has lost every track of time, left alone the weather condition outside. What she found in Internet was enough to keep her busy. Sauks weren't just a legend, they were - or better said have been - a great folk with great culture and traditions of it's own until the Whites came and destroyed everything. Lindsay felt sorry for them: left alone her pride for how people managed to create the US, she was more indignant, the more she found out the whole truth about settlers killing innocent Indians, using the fact that latter didn't have any firearms or how they tricked the whole tribes into drinking or selling land for couple beads. Lindsay sighed: it's been hard to be an Indian in the last decades and even harder it was to be one now. Either they became Americans, the way Moni was, disregarding the tribal ways but accepted even worse than Afro-Americans by the rest of the population or they remained close to their own culture but never really able to be free from civilization. A sad fate. A knocking on the door torn her out of her unhappy thoughts. Lindsay came over to open it and was a bit surprised to find Silvia in the doorway.

"Hi, Lindsay, may I come in?" the girl asked.

Lindsay opened the door wider: "Come in. I wonder what's Mrs. Potter going to say about your visits. Which wild speculations."

Silvia giggled: "Do you mind?"

"Not a bit," grinned Donner, "if I were a bit younger, I'd have stuck out my tongue at her but somehow it's not appropriated for a girl my age. What kind of mother am I going to be?"

"Great," commented Silvia, making herself comfortable in an old armchair, "a great mother."

"Thanks, Silvia," smiled Lindsay, "I'll regard it as a compliment."

They sat for a while, watching the dusk fall.

"You know, I didn't come because I learnt or remembered something new," Silvia said finally, "so if you've got no time, just kick me out of here. I came just because…"

"You felt like talking?" Lindsay helped.

The girl nodded.

"Then you're free to talk. But first I'd like to tell you that I think I've found the reason for Andy's death," she saw Silvia's eyes widen, "I'm not quite sure of it and even less sure you'll believe, but I reckon it's got to do with a curse. An Indian curse."

"I don't doubt it is the only explanation, I've always thought Indians are a bit creepy. But I don't let you explain: how did you find out?"

Lindsay turned her laptop so that Silvia could see the signs on the screen.

"I've talked to an Indian girl who claims her friend has also died without any explanation."

"You mean Steve?!" Silvia gasped. "I knew he was meeting someone strange but I'd have never thought it was an Indian!"

Lindsay waited till she calmed down and then continued: "And it looks like she's seen the same man you've been talking about. It's just that she understands some of what they call "The Language" and knew that the man was talking about giving the land back to Sauks."

"You've got to say that to that sheriff of ours. Thirty years ago no one wanted to settle here but he made things move and so some people were bribed and some forced to come here," snorted the girl.

"Well, I guess now he's really got a problem, and not only with people unwilling to stay in this town. There's more."

"And what are you going to do now?"

"Have a look around," shrugged Lindsay, "let's see whether Silver Cloud will want to meet me. I don't want any more corps and I doubt he does, just a bit justice for the Indians. And if he fails to do that, I'll make sure he gets what he requires. It's the only way to stop teens dropping dead out here."

Silvia watched her in admiration: when she was grew up, she wanted to be a biologist. Perhaps all of them were just as determined as Lindsay. And just as self sure.

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