And again he saw the white light gather； inside the house； following the boy up the stairs。 For Lolla…Wossiky there were no walls。 He saw the boy being very careful； as if he were watching for an enemy； for some attack。 When he reached the bedroom he ducked inside； closed his door quickly behind him。 Lolla…Wossiky saw him so clearly that he thought he could almost hear his thoughts； and then； because he thought it； and because this was near the end of his dream； almost to the time of waking； he did hear the boy's thoughts； or at least felt his feelings。 It was his sisters he was afraid of。 A silly quarrel； begun with teasing； but malicious now he was afraid of their vengeance。
It came as he stripped off his clothes and pulled his nightshirt over his head。 Stinging！ Insects； thought the boy。 Spiders； scorpions； tiny snakes！ He pulled the nightshirt off； slapped himself； cried out from the pain； the surprise； the fear。
But Lolla…Wossiky could feel the land well enough to know there were no insects。 Not on his body； not in the shirt。 Though there were many living creatures there。 Small life； little animals。 Roaches； hundreds of them living in the walls and floors。
Not in all the walls and floors； though。 Just in Alvin Junior's room。 All gathered to his room。
Was it enmity？ Roaches were too small for hate。 They knew only three feelings； those little creatures。 Fear； hunger； and the third sense； the land sense。 The trust in how things ought to be。 Did the boy feed them？ No。 They came to him for the other thing。 Lolla…Wossiky could hardly believe it； but he felt it in the roaches and couldn't doubt。 The boy had called them somehow。 The boy had the land sense； at least enough to call these small creatures。
Call them why？ Who wanted roaches？ But he was only a boy。 There didn't have to be sense in it。 Just the discovery that the little life would e when you called it。 Red boys learned this； but always with their father or a brother； always out on the first hunt。 Kneel and speak silently to the life you need to take； and ask it if this is a good time； and if it is willing to die to make your life strong。 Is it your time to die？ asks the Red boy。 And if the life consents； it will e。
This is what the boy did。 Except it wasn't so simple。 He didn't call the roaches to die for his need； because he had no need。 No； he called them and kept them safe。 He protected them。 It was like a treaty。 There were certain places the roaches didn't go。 Into Alvin's bed。 Into his little brother Calvin's cradle。 Into Alvin's clothing； folded on the stool。 And in return Alvin nevcr killed them。 They were safe in his room。 It was a sanctuary； a reserve。 A very silly thing； a child playing with things he didn't understand。
But the marvel of it was this was a White boy； doing something beyond even a Red man's reach。 When did the Red man ever say to the bear； e and live with me and I will keep you safe？ When did the bear ever believe such a thing？ No wonder the light was centered on this boy。 This wasn't the foolish knack of the White man Hooch； or even the strong living hexes of the woman Eleanor。 This wasn't the Red man's power to fit himself into the pattern of the land。 No； Alvin didn't fit himself into anything。 The land fit itself to him。 If he wanted the roaches to live a certain way； to make a bargain； then that was how the land ordered itself。 In this small place； for this time； with these tiny lives； Alvin Junior had manded and the land obeyed。
Did the boy understand how miraculous this was？
No； no； he had no idea。 How could he know？ What White man could even understand it？
And now； because he didn't understand； Alvin Junior was destroying the delicate thing that he had done。 The insects that had bitten him were metal pins that his sisters had poked into his nightshirt。 Now he could hear them laughing behind their wall。 Because he had been very frightened； now he was very angry。 Get even； get back at them； Lolla…Wossiky could feel his childish rage。 He only did one little thing to tease them； and they pay him back by scaring him； poking him a hundred times and making him bleed。 Get even； give them such a scare Alvin Junior sat on the edge of the bed； angrily taking the pins out of his nightshirt； saving them White men were so careful with all their useless metal tools； even such tiny ones as those。 As he sat there he saw the roaches scurrying along the walls； running in and out of cracks in the floor； and he saw his vengeance。
Lolla…Wossiky felt him making the plan in his mind。 Then Alvin knelt on the floor and explained it softly to the roaches。 Because he was a child； and a White boy with no one to teach him； Alvin thought he had to say the words aloud； that the roaches somehow understood his language。 But no it was the order of things； the way he arranged the world in his mind。
And in his mind he lied to them。 Hunger； he told them。 And in the other room； food。 He showed them food if they went under the wall into the sisters' room and climbed on the beds and the bodies there。 Food if they hurried； food for all of them。 It was a lie； and Lolla…Wossiky wanted to shout at him not to do this。
If a Red man knelt and called to prey that he didn't need； the prey would know his lie and wouldn't e。 The lie itself would cut the Red man from the land； make him walk alone awhile。 But this White boy could lie with such force and strength that the tiny minds of the roaches believed him。 They scurried； a hundred； a thousand of them under the walls； into the other room。
Alvin Junior heard something； and he was delighted。 But Lolla…Wossiky was angry。 He opened his eye； so he didn't have to see Alvin Junior's glee at his revenge。 Instead now he heard the sisters screaming as the roaches climbed all over them。 And then the parents and brothers rushing into their room。 And the stomping。 The stomping； the smashing； the murders of the roaches。 Lolla…Wossiky closed his eye and felt the deaths； each one a pinprick。 It had been so long with the black noise masking all the deaths behind one vast memory of murder that Lolla…Wossiky had forgotten what the small pains felt like。
Like the death of bees。
Roaches； useless animals； eating up garbage； making filthy rustling noises in their dens； loathsome when they crawled on the skin； but part of the land； part of the life； part of the green silence； and their death was an evil noise； their useless murder because they believed in a lie。
This is why I came； Lolla…Wossiky realized。 The land brought me here； knowing that this boy had such power； knowing that there was no one to teach him how to use it； no one to teach him to wait to feel the need of the land before changing it。 No one to teach him how to be Red instead of White。
I didn't e for my own dream beast； but to be the dream beast for this boy。
The noise settled。 The sisters； the brothers； the parents went back to sleep。 Lolla…Wossiky pressed his fingers into the cracks between the logs； climbed carefully； his eye closed so that the land would guide him instead of trusting in himself。 The boy's shutters were open； and Lolla…Wossiky thrust his elbows over the sill and hung there； looking in。
First with his eye open。 He saw a bed； a stool with clothes neatly folded； and at the foot of the bed； a cradle。 The window opened onto the space between the bed and the cradle。 In the bed； a shape； boy…sized； unidentifiable。
Lolla…Wossiky closed his eye again。 Alvin lay in the bed。 Lolla…Wossiky felt the heat of the boy's excitement like a fever。 He had been so afraid of being caught； so exhilarated at his victory； and now lay trembling； trying to breathe calmly； trying to stifle laughter。
His eye open again； Lolla…Wossiky scrambled up onto the sill and swung onto the floor。 He expected Alvin to notice him； to cry out； but the shape of the boy lay still in the bed； there was no sound。
The boy couldn't see him when his eye was open； any more than he could see the boy。 This was the end of the dream； after all； and Lolla…Wossiky was dream beast for the boy。 It was Lolla…Wossiky's duty to give visions to the boy； not to be seen as himself； a whisky…Red with one eye missing。
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