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¿2 The dirt road snaked upwards in a series of switchbacks, straightened out into one long incline, then hooked downhill to the right. The trees were suddenly thicker, and somewhere below, not far off, a dog started barking, then several dogs, and then I sawthem and heard them running toward me—a scuffling , gasping sound. They didn't bark asthey ran, but gave out deep growls, holding their heads low,and they came at me hard. I stopped running, reached down and picked up arock, and the dogs leapt backwardsand started barking again, spread out and surrounded me. I walked backwards, and they barked louder and came closer. The biggest one lunged at me, and I threw the rock and missed, and the dog jumped back and circled left, its wide head low, its odd gray eyes glistening, fixed on my face. The two smaller dogs—both a dirty white, their hair patchy and thin—feinted runs at me, but stayed back. The big dog stopped circling and bared his teeth, and I could seethe shoulder muscles working under his dark coat streaked with black, the color of old blood. I backed into the ditch, the dog came at me, and I picked up a stick and swung it, but it wasrotten and soft and it broke, and the dog came closer. And then I heard a sound I couldn't place, a rumbling noise, and I saw a tractor rounding the curve, a girl driving it. She revved the engine, and it gave a loud pop and made a whirring 4* /2 The dirt road snaked upwards in a series of switchbacks, straightened out into one long incline, then hooked downhill to the right. The trees were suddenly thicker, and somewhere below, not far off, a dog started barking, then several dogs, and then I saw them and heard them running toward me-a scuffling , gasping sound. They didn't bark as they ran, but gave out deep growls, holding their heads low, and they came at me hard. I stopped running, reached down and picked up a rock, and the dogs leapt backwards and started barking again, spread out and surrounded me. I walked backwards, and they barked louder and came closer. The biggest one lunged at me, and I threw the rock and missed, and the dog jumped back and circled left, its wide head low, its odd gray eyes glistening, fixed on my face. The two smaller dogs-both a dirty white, their hair patchy and thin-feinted runs at me, but stayed back. The big dog stopped circling and bared his teeth, and I could see the shoulder muscles working under his dark coat streaked with black, the color ofold blood. I backed into the ditch, the dog came at me, and I picked up a stick and swung it, but it was rotten and soft and it broke, and the dog came closer. And then I heard a sound I couldn't place, a rumbling noise, and I saw a tractor rounding the curve, a girl driving it. She revved the engine, and it gave a loud pop and made a whirring noise followed by a clank, and she shouted, "If you don't bother them, they won't hurt you." "Are they your dogs?" I shouted back. She cut the engine and jumped down from the tractor and walked quickly toward the dogs. "Come here, boys." Shegot on her knees and they surrounded her, and she pulled them close and kissed the big one on his head. "Cat, you bad thing. Were you scaring this boy? Were you?" "I wasn't scared," I said, but I heard my voice. "Well, I'm sorry if they got in your way. They make a lot of racket, but they've never hurt anybody. They're sweethearts. Aren't you, Mr. Perkins?" She rubbed the back of one of the smaller dogs, both of which had sidled up next to her. I took a step backwards, and the bigdog, the one she'd called Cat, turned and growled, and the girl grabbed his collar. "He really won't hurt you. I promise. Where are you going, any- }» way: "Nowhere," I said. "I was just out running. My mother and I are staying up here at the Sabbath Creek Motor Court, waiting for our car to get fixed. We live in Cofield." "I didn't know that old motel was even open anymore. The man who runs...
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