The Fell Good Flue by Robin Miller Page B

name the place, I’ll take the load.”
Brandy, “anywhere?”
I said, “in a secure area, I swear.”
She said, “then I want to go swimming, and you can do the packing, but let your food settle a bit first.”
I said, “I can flow with that, a good swim on a day like this would be grand, what will you wear?”
Brandy, “nothing that you don’t pack.”
I said, “I have a straight line in there but it’s way too easy.”
Brandy, “are you saying I’m easy?”
I said, “yes, and you know that’s the way I like it.”
Brandy, “well then tell me how easy it will be to get Sage there.”
I said, “I only need to say the word and he will be there waiting for you.”
Brandy, “if you send him as cargo I’ll string you up and send your hide out as freight.” I said, “that reminds me, I better take a look before sending this out,” and I opened the bear hide.
Brandy, “they did a nice job of rubbing it down, it looks clean, and a big one for sure. You didn’t tell me it was that big.”
I said, “the bear didn’t tell me either, the hide is stretched out, after tanning it will be much smaller.”
Brandy, “still, I can see why it was a man eater, it must of thought that anything between it and food was the next meal.”
I said, “and that was a rabbit today, its last bite before I made sure I was not its next.” Brandy, “not much went clean through, a lot of muscle must of stopped that.” I said, “and more fat than I expected for this time of year, it must have been eating well, I hope it was not anyone we know.”
Brandy, “it can’t be anyone we know, because they’re not dead yet.”
I said, “and the ones that I know were eating by one, were not my friends at all. And no one has been eaten in my presence since the hunter by the panther I gave the day we joined first.” Brandy, “I remember, and Sage nine months later, that was a big cat. You always brought in more than you needed, but were willing to share, that’s why I took you as my mate.” I said, “you took me, I thought it was the other way around.”
She said, “I know dear, I let you have that from time to time.”
I said, “well thank you for letting my fantasies come true, it has been some good years that got us here, let’s hope the summer will bring us ready for the winter after.”
Brandy, “and the spring again with ease.”
The bell rang, and a swinger came with lead-line for another behind him. I went up to the roof to greet them and gave hand as the trader hit the landing platform.
“what a ride to get here, I am Trader Stan, and I hear you are a man to see this day.” I said, “always better to see than be seen, but I greet you with both. First time on a zip line?” He said, “here it is, I use them myself at the place I was, but your city has a number of high ones.”
I said, “and they can be fast in some places, be sure your guide goes first to test the lines, and always check yours.”
He said, “ sound words at anytime. A bear I’m told you brought down this morning, I trust it had no mate still around?”
I said, “not that I have seen or heard of, come to the level below us and see the hide.” So we went down the stairs to the liven room as he said, “those are nice guns you have there, my auto has a sticky trigger and it’s hard to save on ammo.”
I said, “I heard some of that last night, right after you passed below us, I hope you got some replacement before leaving TT’s place.”
Stan said, “yes, he was most generous. Was it down there that it happen? I have lost all sense of where I’m at the moment, the ride here was an event in itself.”
I said, “when you’re lucky it can do that to you, there’s the hide.”
And we walked over to it as he said, “a big one indeed, and I’m told it didn’t go down without a good fight. Better you than me with a beast this size, my fire is not as sure as I would like with my auto.”
I said, “my two on the hook over there seem to be easy