Chuggie kicked its leg out from under it, and it flailed to keep balance. The thing bit into his shoulder, but luckily for Chuggie it got more chain than shoulder meat between its jaws.
As it fell to the bridge-deck, it dragged Chuggie down. A chain-tangled wrestling match ensued.
An army of similar creatures loped towards him. Chained to the scarecrow-thing, Chuggie clawed and kicked his way to the edge of the bridge.
The bridge cracked and reeled in the stormy darkness. With one last push, Chuggie launched himself from the crumbling structure. He hacked his armless attacker to pieces as they plummeted into the water.
Chuggie landed with a cold splash. He backstroked furiously with the current, hoping to get far enough away before —.
Tons of bridge timbers and metal supports crashed into the water. The ensuing wave blasted Chuggie downstream.
The weight of the chain and anchor held him below the surface as he tumbled through the water.
The river's roar and rush blended into an all-encompassing monotone. In the icy darkness, Chuggie found comfort. He could no longer see or hear horrible deaths. For that, he was deeply grateful.
He grappled for a thick beam and held tight to it. Chuggie slid the Bleeding Jaws of Glughu into his belt. The dagger-vision fled, as did every last bit of energy in his body.
He clung to the beam and to consciousness in equal measure. The latter failed first.
Chapter 25
By the light of two fat, full moons, Chuggie awoke and discovered he sat at the muddy bottom of a riverbed. The mighty Staghorn River had been reduced to a sad trickle. He was to blame. He felt as used up and twisted as the driftwood all around him.
The pair of yellow moons shone down from the starry sky like the eyes of a disappointed parent.
He dragged himself up onto the bank. At the northern horizon, he saw no hint of the lights — or, indeed, the skyline — of Stagwater. There was no way to know how far he'd drifted downstream, but he guessed not far enough.
He took inventory of himself. His chain knotted about him, and his anchor lay not far away. The Bleeding Jaws of Glughu was still wedged in his belt. In his pocket, he found the friendly curve of the boar tusk pipe. Kale's slug-plate satchel containing the goat-face purse was tangled up with his coat. It lay in a heap on the bank. And if he could ever get it out… Chuggie reached his hand around behind his back. He strained and clutched at the handle but could not reach Stinkface's knife.
He built a fire and sat down beside it. He dug out his tobacco stash. The pouch, soaked and dried out one too many times, started to crumble in his hands. He moved the tobacco to the safest container he had: the goat-face purse. As long as he never looked inside, what could go wrong?
He was glad to find that his matches were dry. He lit his pipe and tried to smoke away all memory of Stagwater. He built a much bigger fire than was necessary.
"What happened, Chuggles?" asked a quiet voice.
A girlish squeal nearly escaped from Chuggie's lips, but he composed himself and put extra gravel into his voice. "Shit happened."
"Where are you going?" the voice asked.
He looked around for a lurking trickster. "Who are you?"
"You don't recognize me? It's Faben."
"Uh… hate to say it, Faben, but you're dead."
"No shit."
"Where are you? Come out." Chuggie turned in circles and scanned the surrounding darkness. There was no one there. He was clearly losing his mind. He needed him some sleep.
Chuggie took up Faben's book. He opened to the page she'd been writing on when she died.
Everything is a door.
He closed the book and stared into the fire. The weary mind played cruel tricks, indeed.
It was time to rest. After all, Chuggie had promises to keep. First, he had to get Faben's book to the Lodge of Woodsmen. Then he had to go to the ocean's salty shore. There he had to buy, build, or steal a boat to name after Shola, just like he promised.
Then he had to sink it to the bottom of the sea.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18 The Boy with the Wooden Face
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chuggie and the Desecration of Stagwater Page 30
