New Year's Eve Read Online Free Page A

were crying.
    A woman at the table beside us stood up on the bench to take pictures. Tears were running down her face. She kept yelling, “Stop, you boys! Stop them!” Then she’d snap another picture. I think she was the mother of one of the boys.
    Sharla worked her way back through the crowd.
    I was strapping Daisy back into her seat, figuring that was the safest place. I wanted out of there. Those country fights can get bad fast, because everyone’s related.
    Somebody smart must have stuck a head out the door and yelled for the cops.
    Ron and Grady walked into the back of the hall. They looked really big coming in. Ron still had his long flashlight in one hand.
    Grady’s navy parka looked like an RCMP coat. But Grady always looks like a policeman. The one you would want to see coming up tothe car window after an accident. I think that’s why he joined the Mounties.
    Ron and Grady made their way up to the dance floor. The crowd parted so they could get through.
    Sharla gave me my coat and whispered, “Time to go.” Jade tucked the blanket tight around Daisy in the car seat.
    Nobody wants the RCMP wives around when people are getting arrested.
    The boys had pretty well knocked themselves out already in their fury. One smaller guy still had some fight in him, but Grady held his upper arms in a tight hug. The kid gave up.
    We were in the porch of the hall by the time the fighters all came out. I didn’t know if Grady saw us as they went by. He was pretty busy.
    Somehow he and Ron got all the fighters out to the police cruiser. They fit four of them in the back seat. The father of one of the boys said he’d drive the last two over to the police station. Ron patted his shoulder and said, “See you there.”
    I hoped this was not going to mean a lot of paperwork.
    But of course it would.
    Ron and Grady drove away, with the father’s truck following.

Chapter Six

    Inside the community hall, the music hadn’t started up again yet. Outside, the night was quiet and cold. At least the snow had stopped.
    This was the wilderness. Fighting and freezing, like in the olden days. The real country started just past Ron and Sharla’s place. The lines of parked cars were only temporary. Most days this would be an empty piece of road, going into nowhere.
    Jade had gone back into the hall to check on her sons. They came to the door with her. Jade walked over to say goodbye to me and Sharla, the fringes on her jacket swaying.
    Softly, so the boys wouldn’t hear, Jade said, “They’re pretty shocked, but that’s good. Allthose kids will be careful tonight. They say they’re going back to Donna’s place to have a party with her parents.” She turned to me. “Donna’s dad is the mayor. They’ll be safe.”
    Sharla’s voice sounded loud in the cold, clear air. “Come on with us, Jade. We’ve got the hot tub going. And there’s lots to eat.”
    For a moment Jade looked at her. “Okay,” she said, finally. “Twist my arm.”
    She waved back to her boys, and we started across the road.
    The clouds had parted, and stars were shaken like salt over the black sky. Jade stopped while Sharla lit a cigarette.
    I went ahead of them. I was almost across the road.
    There was no warning, only a shift in the air. A wind. And the ground shaking.
    I thought a truck was coming, but no headlights cut through the night. Was it horses? Suddenly, huge shapes appeared, rushing down the road at me out of the darkness.
    A buffalo ran right by me.
    Another—oh God, another humped black shape pounding by, too close.
    Another one coming—this one was going to run me down. My feet wouldn’t move, but I swung the car seat out of its way as far as my arm would reach.
    The buffalo changed its path and raced past me. Giant shoulders, narrow pointed feet. A huge bulk, much bigger than I’d ever imagined. The warm depth of brown fur, and the horns. One bright eye, small in the huge head, stared at me. I could see it very clearly in that long