Bear Heart (Book 2)

Chapter 24

24. Digging up the Past

KENAI URSUS

It was six o’clock in the evening. My dad was home from work, my mom was making dinner, and I was getting ready to meet up with Amorak. Even though it was summer, I was worried that it would get chilly soon, so I put on a grey sweater over my shirt. I was trying to take as long as possible to get ready. I didn’t want to keep Amorak waiting, either, but for some reason, I felt nervous about this thing he wanted to show me. Where would he be taking me? To be entirely honest, I was nervous that he was going to perform some sort of shaman’s curse on me. Now that I knew he could use magic, it was something that scared me a bit, always nagging at the back of my mind now.

I walked downstairs and into the kitchen where my mom and dad were. They were talking and laughing, and surprisingly, my dad was helping with dinner by preparing the chicken. “Hey, I’m going to go out with my friend now, okay?” Joseph turned around, then, a surprised look on his face. “You’re leaving? But I’m making chicken! You love my chicken!” I chuckled at his reaction. “Sorry, but I had made plans with a friend of mine.”

“Alright, well where and with who are you going?” He started whipping his hands on a white, raggedy apron that he had on. My mother, however, wore no such thing. She was expert enough in cooking that she didn’t ever get herself dirty. “A diner just a few minutes away from here. I’m going with a friend from school.”

“Well, who? Spit it out. Do I know them?”

“Dad, relax. You haven’t met them before, but they’re nice. And mature.”

“Name?”

I was hesitant as to how to answer. “Amorak.” Might as well tell the truth, right?

“Amorak? That’s a weird name. Is he Indian or something?”

“He’s Inuit, Dad.”

“Alright, Joe, enough questions. And stop being racist,” my mother interjected, “He’ll be just fine.” She turned to me then, a warm smile on her face. “Just don’t be out too late, alright, honey?” I gave her a smile and walked over to give them both a hug and my mother a kiss. “I’ll be back in an hour or two.” I headed towards the door, then briefly said “Save me some of that chicken!” With that, I was off.

I couldn’t help but look towards Clair’s house as I passed by. The lights were on in the living room, but the curtains were tightly shut, making it impossible to see who was inside. The windows right next to and above the living room, which was the kitchen and most likely Ben’s room, were off. Since Clair’s room was towards the back of the house, I wasn’t able to see if she was there or not. My heart sank a little at the thought. I wanted to know how she was, if she was okay. She must really hate me right now. Hell, after what I did, I don’t blame her.

I continued to walk straight, eventually reaching Amorak and Sonia’s little cabin. It made me curious as to why their cabin was on an animal reservation. They seemed to be the only local Inuits, and their last name seemed very unfitting. Redwoods didn’t sound like an Inuit last name. Was it perhaps a name that Amorak himself took? That he made his own? Where were he and his family from originally? How did he learn his shaman magic? As for Sonia, where were her parents? Who were they? Does she plan on following her grandfather’s footsteps and learning shaman magic? Does she plan to live here at their cabin for the rest of her life, or does she plan on leaving? The history of Amorak and Sonia, the only Inuits in Butte, tugged at my curiosity.

Amorak was sitting outside on his porch, waiting for me in a wooden chair, his rake and a shovel propped up against the wall next to him. He looked up when he saw me walking towards him, giving me a smile. “Ah, so you came.” I nodded, coming to a stop in front of him. He reached down and picked up a lantern that was next to his chair, one that I hadn’t noticed, and then grabbed the shovel. “It is starting to get dark, so we’ll be needing this. Come along, Kenai. It isn’t too far of a walk.” I gave another nod, following after him.