The Return of the Indian Read Online Free PDF

remembering the awful sense of responsibility, the anxiety, the unending succession of problems to be solved … and this time he didn’t even have Patrick to give him occasional support or good ideas.
    Patrick
… But Patrick was useless. He didn’t even
believe
any more.
    Omri soaked a bit of the cotton from the box with the disinfectant and handed it to Bright Stars, making swabbing gestures to show her what it was for. She caught on quickly. With light, delicate strokes she cleaned the blood off Little Bear’s back. No more seemed to be comingfrom the holes. Omri, remembering that injured people have to be kept warm, and noticing that Bright Stars was shivering, snatched up one of the gloves he’d worn to school and recklessly cut the little finger off it with some scissors. The Indian was soon inside the woollen finger, which was like a sleeping bag. Omri and Bright Stars looked at each other.
    “How?” Omri asked. “How did it happen?”
    Bright Stars’ face grew hard. “Soldier,” she said. “Fight. Gun.”
    “In the back?” Omri couldn’t help asking. It was hard to imagine anyone as brave as Little Bear getting shot in the back.
    “Fall horse,” she said. “Little Bear lie. Ground. Soldiers shoot.” She pointed an imaginary weapon, a rifle or a musket, gestured one, two, then waved her hand sharply to show the soldiers had run on, leaving Little Bear to die.
    “You saw this?”
    She nodded fiercely. “Woman see. Soldier come village. Braves fight. Soldier make fire in house. Kill many. Take prisoner. Braves chase. Out, out—far! Bright Stars hide. See Little Bear fall. See soldier—” She mimed shooting again. “Bright Stars run, catch pony, bring Little Bear home to village. All fire! Dead brave! Woman cry! I shut eyes, not see. Whoosh!” She made a strange noise like a rush of wind. Opened her eyes—and pointed at Omri with a look of acted surprise.
    “And suddenly you were here.”
    She nodded. “Spirits bring. You save.”
    Omri gazed at her. He had not the very faintest idea of what to do, and here she was, trusting him.
    “Don’t you think you’d be better at home—in the village?” he suggested helplessly.
    She shook her head violently.
    “Village all fire. Dead—dead!” She pointed everywhere on the ground. “No help. Omri only help Little Bear brother.”
    Brother! Yes. Little Bear had swapped drops of blood with him in that last moment, making them blood brothers. He must, he must find a way to help! But how?
    At that moment, Little Bear stirred and groaned.
    Instantly, Bright Stars crouched beside him. Omri, whose eyes had begun to get used to focusing on minute detail once again, noticed suddenly that she had become fat. Could it be that—? But Little Bear was groaning and muttering, his legs were twitching. Omri forgot about Bright Stars’ new shape for the moment.
    “What’s he saying?”
    “Say, Omri, Omri,’” reported Bright Stars. There was more muttering, and then she said, “Now say, ‘Brother.’” She looked up at him with a look he couldn’t bear.
    He stood up.
    “Listen,” he said hoarsely. “I have to bring help. I need—something …” He looked at her. “Lend me your moccasins.” He pointed to her feet. Bewildered but obedient, she bent and took off the soft shoes made ofbead-embroidered animal hide, and gave them to him. He wrapped them carefully in a twist of paper and put them in his pocket.
    “Take care of him,” he said. “I’ll be back.”

Chapter 6
Going for Help
    Omri locked his bedroom door behind him and went downstairs.
    It was Friday night (luckily, or he’d have had home-work, which he wouldn’t have been able to do). His parents and Gillon were watching television. Adiel had gone out with friends.
    “Mum, d’you remember Patrick?” He spoke very casually.
    “Of course I remember Patrick.”
    “He moved to the country.”
    “I know.”
    “I saw him last week.” “Where?”
    “Outside school. He said his