Caleb's Wars by David L. Dudley

camp to go into town. And the white MPs takin' their side!"
    Randall got quiet. I waited.
    "The worst was somethin' I overheard at Huachuca, over in Arizona. I was doin' some cleanup in an office and some officers was in the next room, talkin'. 'I don't care how you dress 'em up,' this one guy says. 'A coon's a coon, even in uniform. You can't trust 'em any further than you can kick 'em.' I almost went AWOL that night, but figured it wasn't worth doin' time in the stockade."
    I wished I could tell Randall not to go back. But they'd track him down and put him in prison.
    "What were y'all fightin' about when I got here?"
    I told him, ending with my day at the Dixie Belle. As I hoped he would, he took my side. He was especially mad about Pop whipping me. "He always been way too free with that damn strap. Somebody should of told him years ago it never done any good."
    "You got it a lot more than me."
    "Don't I know it! Didn't stop me from doin' anything, though—just made me better at keepin' things a secret."
    "He won't ever whip me again," I vowed. "I'll leave first."
    "I wouldn't blame you. Hey, you been goin' out any?"
    "Some. I was thinking of going out tonight, maybe see Nathan."
    "You'll have to climb over me to do it."
    "I know."
    "If you do, watch where you put your feet." He was laughing.
    I promised I'd be careful. Then I told him about the last time we went out, and about sneaking some of Mr. Artie's 'shine, and about what Nathan and me did at the Dixie Belle. He laughed hard at that and said he was glad we'd done it. "And you ain't ever gotten caught yet," he added. "Somebody taught you real good."
    "Maybe we can go out together while you're home. The two of us, just like we used to."
    "Sure. I'd like that. What else you been into lately, besides fightin' with the old man and gettin' an honest job?"
    Here was my chance to tell my brother the most important thing. Now was as good a time as any. "I got baptized last Sunday, and something strange happened that day. I wanted to write it to you, but you wouldn't have gotten my letter anyway."
    He was quiet, like he was waiting for me to continue. I told him about the voice, and what it had said, and how I figured it was God. I kept waiting for him to say something, even to laugh at me, but there was only his slow, soft breathing. My brother had fallen asleep while I was still talking.

CHAPTER NINE
    C ALEB, TIME TO GET UP. You don't want to be late."
    I opened my eyes and there was Ma, standing over my bed. "Be quiet so you don't wake your brother."
    Randall lay facing the wall, the covers pulled over his head.
    "I got you a clean shirt in the kitchen. Come on, now."
    When my feet were on the floor, I realized my back ached. Go to work again? No, thanks. But I had to. My plans to go out and see Nathan hadn't happened, either. I was just too beat.
    Ma had clean socks for me as well as a shirt and a bandanna for my head. She put a paper bag and some money in my hand. "A little breakfast. You can eat while you walk. If you get a minute later on, buy yourself some rubber gloves."
    "Gee, thanks, Ma."
    "Mothers do what they can."
    Pop was nowhere around. Still in bed, most likely.
    I munched a cold biscuit with bacon on my way. Uncle Hiram would have the coffee ready, strong and hot. Good thing. I needed it.
    When I came to the woods, I stopped, just like I had the day before. And listened. This morning even the birds were silent.
    I felt shy about talking out loud, but no one was around, and I had nothing to lose. "God, I'm here. It's Caleb. You have anything to say to me?"
    Nothing.
    "That's okay," I told him. "I can wait. When you're ready, you'll talk to me. But how can I serve you until I know what you want me to do?"
    I went on my way feeling better than I had in a few days.
    My second day at the Dixie Belle was easier in some ways, harder in others. It wasn't all new and strange, but my back hurt and I didn't want to be there. And Voncille didn't let up. She told