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n chair： the litter spoke mutely but eloquently of all that was homely and safe broken forever and trampled in the mud。 A grim horror settled on me。
〃We're too late；〃 Chade said softly。 He reined his horse in and Sooty stopped beside him。
〃What？〃 I asked stupidly； jolted from my thoughts。
〃The hostages。 They returned them。〃
〃Where？〃
Chade looked at me incredulously； as if I were insane or very stupid。 〃There。 In the ruins of that building。〃
It is difficult to explain what happened to me in the next moment of my life。 So much occurred； all at once。 I lifted my eyes to see a group of people； all ages and sexes； within the burned…out shell of some kind of store。 They were muttering among themselves as they scavenged in it。 They were bedraggled； but seemed unconcerned by it。 As I watched； two women picked up the same kettle at once； a large kettle； and then proceeded to slap at one another； each attempting to drive off the other and claim the loot。 They reminded me of a couple of crows fighting over a cheese rind。 They squawked and slapped and called one another vile names as they tugged at the opposing handles。 The other folk paid them no mind； but went on with their own looting。
This was very strange behavior for village folk。 Always I had heard of how after a raid； village folk banded together； cleaning out and making habitable what buildings were left standing； and then helping one another salvage cherished possessions； sharing and making do until cottages could be rebuilt； and store buildings replaced。 But these folk seemed pletely careless that they had lost nearly everything and that family and friends had died in the raid。 Instead； they had gathered to fight over what little was left。
This realization was horrifying enough to behold。
But I couldn't feel them either。
I hadn't seen or heard them until Chade pointed them out。 I would have ridden right past them。 And the other momentous thing that happened to me at that point was that I realized I was different from everyone else I knew。 Imagine a seeing child growing up in a blind village； where no one else even suspects the possibility of such a sense。 The child would have no words for colors； or for degrees of light。 The others would have no conception of the way in which the child perceived the world。 So it was in that moment as we sat our horses and stared at the folk。 For Chade wondered out loud； misery in his voice； 〃What is wrong with them？ What's gotten into them？〃
I knew。
All the threads that run back and forth between folk； that twine from mother to child； from man to woman； all the kinships they extend to family and neighbor； to pets and stock； even to the fish of the sea and bird of the sky…all； all were gone。
All my life； without knowing it； I had depended on those threads of feelings to let me know when other live things were about。 Dogs； horses； even chickens had them； as well as humans。 And so I would look up at the door before Burrich entered it； or know there was one more newborn puppy in the stall； nearly buried under the straw。 So I would wake when Chade opened the staircase。 Because I could feel people。 And that sense was the one that always alerted me first； that let me know to use my eyes and ears and nose as well； to see what they were about。
But these folk gave off no feelings at all。
Imagine water with no weight or wetness。 That is how those folk were to me。 Stripped of what made them not only human； but alive。 To me； it was as if I watched stones rise up from the earth and quarrel and mutter at one another。 A little girl found a pot of jam and stuck her fist in it and pulled out a handful to lick。 A grown man turned from the scorched pile of fabric he had been rummaging through and crossed to her。 He seized the pot and shoved the child aside； heedless of her angry shouts。
No one moved to interfere。
I leaned forward and seized Chade's reins as he moved to dismount。 I shouted wordlessly at Sooty； and tired as she was； the fear in my voice energized her。 She leaped forward； and my jerk on the reins brought Chade's bay with us。 Chade was nearly unseated； but he clung to the saddle； and I took us out of the dead town as fast as we could go。 I heard shouts behind us； colder than the howling of wolves； cold as storm wind down a chimney； but we were mounted and I was terrified。 I didn't pull in or let Chade have his own reins back until the houses were well behind us。 The road bent； and beside a small copse of trees； I pulled in at last。 I don't think I even heard Chade's angry demands for an explanation until then。
He didn't get a very coherent one。 I leaned forward on Sooty's neck and hugged her。 I could feel her weariness； and the trembling of my own body。 Dimly I felt that she shared my uneasiness。 I thought of the empty folk back in Forge and nudged Sooty with my knees。 She stepped out wearily and Chade kept pace； demanding to know what was wrong。 My mouth was dry and my voice shook。 I didn't look at him as I panted out my fear and a garbled explanation of what I had felt。
When I was silent； our horses continued to pace down the packed earth road。 At length I got up my courage and looked at Chade。 He was regarding me as if I had sprouted antlers。 Once aware of this new sense； I couldn't ignore it。 I sensed his skepticism。 But I also felt Chade distance himself from me； just a little pulling back； a little shielding of self from someone who had suddenly bee a bit of a stranger。 It hurt all the more because he had not pulled back that way from the folk in Forge。 And they were a hundred times stranger than I was。
〃They were like marionettes；〃 I told Chade。 〃Like wooden things e to life and acting out some evil play。 And if they had seen us； they would not have hesitated to kill us for our horses or our cloaks； or a piece of bread。 They 。。。〃 I searched for words。 〃They aren't even animals anymore。 There's nothing ing out of them。 Nothing。 They're like little separate things。 Like a row of books； or rocks or…〃
〃Boy；〃 Chade said； between gentleness and annoyance； 〃you've got to get yourself in hand。 It's been a long night of travel for us； and you're tired。 Too long without sleep； and the mind starts to play tricks； with waking dreams and…〃
〃No。〃 I was desperate to convince him。 〃It's not that。 It's not going without sleep。〃
〃We'll go back there；〃 he said reasonably。 The morning breeze swirled his dark cloak around him； in a way so ordinary that I felt my heart would break。 How could there be folk like those in that village； and a simple morning breeze in the same world？ And Chade； speaking in so calm and ordinary a voice？ 〃Those folk are just ordinary folk； boy； but they've gone through a very bad time； and so they're acting oddly。 I knew a girl who saw her father killed by a bear。 She was like that； just staring and grunting； hardly even moving to care for herself； for more than a month。 Those folk will recover when they go back to their ordinary lives。〃
〃Someone's ahead！〃 I warned him。 I had heard nothing； seen nothing； felt only that tug at the cobweb of sense I'd discovered。 But as we looked ahead down the road we saw that we were approaching the tail end of a ragtag procession of people。 Some led laden beasts； others pushed or dragged carts of bedraggled possessions。 They looked over their shoulders at us on our horses as if we were demons risen from the earth to pursue them。
〃The Pocked Man！〃 cried a man close to the end of the line； and he lifted a hand to point at us。 His face was drawn with weariness and white with fear。 His voice cracked on the words。 〃It's the legends e to life；〃 he warned the others； who halted fearfully to stare back at us。 〃Heartless ghosts walk embodied through our village ruins； and the black…cloaked Pocked Man brings his disease upon us： We have lived too soft； and the old gods punish us。 Our fat lives will be the death of us all。〃
〃Oh； damn it all。 I didn't mean to be seen like this；〃 Chade breathed。 I watched his pale hands gather his reins turning his bay。 〃Follow me； boy。〃 He did not look toward the man who still pointed a quivering finger at us。 He moved slowly； almost languorously； as he guided his horse off the road and up a tussocky hillside。 It was the same unchallenging way of moving that Burrich had when confronting a wary horse or dog。 His tired horse left the smooth trail reluctantly。 Chade was headed up into a stand of birches on the hilltop。 I stared at him unprehendingly。 〃Follow me； boy；〃 he directed me over his shoulder when I hesitated。 〃Do you want to be stoned in the road？ It's not a pleasant experience。〃
I moved carefully； swinging Sooty aside from the road as if I were totally unaware of the panicky folk ahead of us。 They hovered there； between anger and fear。 The feel of it was a black…red smear on the day's freshness。 I saw a woman stoop； saw a man turn aside from his barrow。
〃They're ing！〃 I warned Chade； even as they raced toward us。 Some gripped stones and others green staffs freshly taken from the forest。 All had the bedraggled look of townsfolk forced to living in the open。 Here were the rest of Forge's villagers； those not taken hostage by the Raiders。 All of that I realized in the instant between digging in my heels and Sooty's weary plunge forward。 Our horses were spent； their efforts at speed were grudging； despite the hail of rocks that thudded to the earth in our wake。 Had the townsfolk been rested； or less fearful； they would have easily caught us。 But I think they were relieved to see us flee。 Their minds were more fixed on what walked the streets of their village than in fleeing strangers； no matter how ominous。
They stood in the road and shouted and waved their sticks until we were among the trees。 Chade had taken the lead and I didn't question him as he took us on a parallel path that would keep us out of the sight of the folk leaving Forge。 The horses had settled back into a grudging plod。 I was grateful for the rolling hills and scattered trees that hid us from any pursuit。 When I saw a stream glinting； I gestured to it without a word。 Silently we watered the horses and shook out for them some grain from Chade's supplies。 I loosened harness and wiped their draggled coats with handfuls of grass。 For ourselves； there was cold stream water and coarse travel bread。 I saw to the horses as best as I could。 Chade seemed full of his own thoughts； and for a long time I respected their intensity。 But finally I could contain my curiosity no longer and I asked the question。
〃Are you really the Pocked Man？〃
Chade started； and then stared at me。 There were equal parts amazement and ruefulness in that look。 〃The Pocked Man？ The legendary harbinger of disease and disaster？ Oh； e； boy； you're not simple。 That legend is hundreds of years old。 Surely you can't believe I'm that ancient。〃
I shrugged。 I wanted to say； 〃You are scarred； and you bring death；〃 but I did not utter it。 Chade did seem very old to me sometimes； and other times so full of energy that he seemed but a very young man in an old man's body。
〃No； I am not the Pocked Man；〃 he went on； more to himself than to me。 〃But after today； the rumors of him will be spread across the Six Duchies like pollen on the wind。 There will be talk of disease and pestilence and divine punishments for imagined wrongdoing。 I wish I had not been seen like this。 The folk of the kingdom already have enough to fear。 But there are sharper worries for us than superstitions。 However you knew it； you were right。 I have been thinking； most carefully； of everything I saw in Forge。 And recalling the words of those villagers who tried to stone us。 And the look of them all。 I knew the Forge folk； in times past。 They were doughty folk； not the type to flee in superstitious panic。 But those folk we saw on the road； that was what they were doing。 Leaving Forge； forever； or at least so they intend。 Taking all that is left that they can carry。 Leaving homes their grandfathers were born in。 And leaving behind relatives who sift and scavenge in the ruins like witlings。
〃The Red…Ship threat was not an empty one。 I think of those folk