Waubgeshig Rice - Moon of the Crusted Snow

“Where were we? Oh, yes, that’s right. I was just explaining why I’m here. Well, my Ojibwe friends, I’m here for the same reason everyone else is: to breathe the fresh northern air. I also want to taste the finest moose meat — I hear they’re bountiful up here. And I hear the hospitality of the Ojibwe is unrivalled.”

Isaiah narrowed his eyes. “Are you fucking with us?”

“Now, son, no need for vulgarities. I told Evan, I come in peace.”

“I’m not your son.”

“Izzy, just chill out,” Evan scolded him.

Scott’s smile faded. He cracked his jaw, shifting it from side to side. “I have a good feeling that you boys know what’s happening. I don’t think you woulda grabbed your rifle, Evan, if you weren’t on edge,” he said. He shifted his focus to Isaiah. “Now Isaiah — may I call you Izzy?”

“No.”

“Isaiah, I was just starting to tell Evan about how I followed two weaving sled tracks out of the city and up here.”

“Fuck,” Isaiah muttered under his breath.

“I’m sure whoever made those tracks told you about the situation. Quite honestly, it’s bad. Down south is the last place you want to be right now.”

“Is that why you’re here?”

“I’m a man of the land, fellas. Right now, I’m getting the lay of it.”

“Cut the bullshit, man,” Evan commanded.

“I apologize, Evan. The trail has taken a bit of a toll. I’ve had a lot on my mind, and a lot of time to think about it.” The frigid air didn’t seem to bother his bare head. “What’s the situation here?”

“I don’t think you’ve earned the right to ask questions here yet,” Evan replied.

“Well, I’ll tell you my side of things, then,” said Scott. “Ten days ago, we lost everything at once, power, satellite, comms. It went to shit pretty quick. What do people here know?”

“Everything is out here too,” Evan said grudgingly. “We don’t know much. We know about Gibson because two of our boys came back yesterday. The boys you followed.”

“I hate to break it to you, boys,” Scott said, “things are gonna get worse. How much food is here?”

“Enough. We’re a community of hunters.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he was exaggerating.

“Good. I’m a bit of an outdoorsman myself. I think I’ll fit in well here.”

Scott’s smile did nothing to reassure Evan. He was on the run, that was clear. He needed a place to hide. What else does he know? wondered Evan. Why does he want to be here? He studied the rig behind him and noticed large hard cases tied down to the steel sled. “What’s in the back there?”

Scott turned to glance at his ride. “Oh, just winter supplies,” he said. “Everything I need for winter survival. I’ve been prepared for this for a long time.”

“Yeah, looks like it.” Evan glanced over the cases another time, imagining what was inside. He assumed a small arsenal.

“So you’re planning on staying a while, I guess, eh?” said Isaiah.

“If I’m welcome, and for however long you’ll have me.”

“That’s not up to us. We’re gonna have to talk to chief and council.”

“May I meet them?”

“It’ll take some time. We’re waiting for someone else to meet us here. We’ll send him to get someone when he gets here.”

“Fair enough.”

White strangers weren’t a rarity — non-Anishinaabeg came regularly. Some were government officials, others had business interests, and there were usually a few church and health people on assignment to the rez. White labourers also came up to fill employment gaps the community itself couldn’t meet. A few stayed for good, after finding love and starting families. But their community was remote. No one just “stopped in.”

Evan pulled his pack of smokes out of his pocket and tipped it in Scott’s direction, raising his eyebrows. Scott shook his head slightly. Isaiah paced until the last plough rolled down the road to lift the uncomfortable standoff. Isaiah waved Tyler in.

Tyler pulled the large black truck up to Evan and Isaiah. He opened his window and mouthed “what the fuck?” as Isaiah stepped up to his truck.

“He says his name’s Justin Scott,” Isaiah whispered over the rumble of the diesel engine. “He just showed up on that snowmobile. It sounds like he’s from the city. He followed Kevin’s and Nick’s tracks up here.”

“What does he want?”

“He wants to stay here. He hasn’t really said much yet. He’s really weird. I don’t trust him.”

“Well, what are we gonna do?”

“Go get Terry and whoever else you can find. Walter. Get Walter too. They’re gonna have to decide. I don’t think we got any choice, though. He seems dead-set on staying here.”

“Goddamn it. People are gonna shit themselves if they see him.”

“Yeah, I know. So go get council as soon as you can and bring them back.”

“Alright, I’ll be right back. Take these first.” Tyler handed Isaiah another stack of paper before he put the plough into reverse to drive back up the road.

“He didn’t want to join the party?” asked Scott.

“He’s going to get the chief and some councillors.”

“Well, I hope they get here soon. We’re not much use to anyone just standing out here in the cold. I’m sure you boys still have a job to do.”

Without answering, Isaiah split the stack of flyers Tyler had given him and handed Evan half. He looked down at the paper.

“What’s that you got there, boys?” Scott asked.

“Nothing, just an update we gotta deliver,” replied Isaiah.

“What are you telling them?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

They stood in awkward silence, awaiting the return of Tyler’s pickup. Evan kept his eyes fixed on Scott, but grew increasingly uncomfortable as the seconds dragged on. Isaiah nervously shuffled his feet and darted his gaze from his friend, to the stranger, to the ground, and back again. Scott eased his stare between them with a smirk on his face. When the truck arrived, Terry and Walter were squeezed into the cab with Tyler. He stopped in the middle of the road, and the two older men got out while Tyler remained behind the steering wheel with the engine running.

Terry looked at his two young staffers, trying to find clues in their expressions. Then he turned to the strange man before them. Walter walked calmly behind him. “So what do we have here?” Terry asked.

Scott turned his attention to Terry and Walter as they approached. He took a few easy steps in their direction, hand outstretched.

“Good afternoon, my name is Justin Scott, and I’m from Gibson.” He directed his greeting at Terry first, as if sensing he was the more important of the two. The arrogance that had been in his voice when he’d been talking to Isaiah and Evan gave way to respect, though Evan questioned its sincerity.

“I’m Terry Meegis, and I’m the chief here.” Terry shook Scott’s hand and waved in Walter’s direction. “This is Walter Meegis. He’s one of our councillors.”

“It’s an honour to meet you, Chief, and Councillor Meegis,” Scott replied as he shook Walter’s hand. Scott put his hands on his hips, while Walter put his own in the pockets of his jacket.

“So what can we do for you, Mr. Scott?” asked Terry.

“Well, sir, I humbly come before you asking for refuge in your community. I’m sure you’re aware of the situation in the city. It’s getting worse, and I feared for my safety. So I escaped in the darkness early this morning.”