Witch Doctor - Wiz in Rhyme-3 by Christopher Stasheff Page A

"even if he's invisible to you."
    "A familiar!" Her tones quaked.
    "No, an angel," I said quickly, and started improvising; anything to give her the guts to keep going. "You've got one, too, and he-"
    "She," my angel prompted.
    "She," I corrected. Maybe the Quakers had been right. "She is watching you every second."
    Sobaka glanced around her, fear turning into wonder on her face.
    "Can you see her?"
    "No," I said, "but she's there."
    "She is very happy just now," my angel informed me.
    "She's very happy just now," I told Sobaka. "Don't make her sad again, okay?"
    "Oh, I shall not!" She turned away, heading off downslope. "Oh, bless you, unseen angel, for never having despaired of me! Oh, stand by me and lend me strength, for I now must undergo the strongest trials of my life!" She turned back to call to me. "Ever shall I praise you in my prayers, healer of my soul!"
    I shuddered, but managed to fake a smile. "Pay it back to other people," I called. "You don't have much time left. Better get busy.
    " "I shall! Oh, I shall!" And she headed off down the hill, caroling her joy.
    I winced; a singer, she wasn't. "At the rate she's aging," I muttered, "I don't think she'll even make it to the bottom of the hill."
    "Even if she dies, she will be on the road to Heaven," my angel assured me. "Her angel thanks you, too."
    "Tell her she's welcome." I turned to him, frowning. "So angels come in sexes, too?"
    "Well, no," he admitted, "but it makes you humans think of us more easily if we seem to. You term it 'identification' and
    'selfimage.' Call it 'gender.' " "Identification!" I looked up, understanding something I'd been wondering about. "So that's why you've dropped the 'thee' and 'thou' form.
    "That you might better understand me, aye."
    "Understand, my foot! You want me to identify with you, to e mulate you! Hey, I'm not even supposed to be able to see you!"
    "You did call upon me," he reminded.
    "And Sobaka didn't, so she couldn't see her angel? Is that who you were talking to, about whether or not to get her out of the hole or let her die,
    "Her guardian angel, yes." He nodded. "You have made three most happy today."
    "Three?" I looked around, frowning. "I only count two-Sobaka, and her guardian angel. if you say so."
    "Three," he said proudly. "Count me, also. You have struck a blow for the angels today, Saul. You are on our side, after all." Why did that send such a thrill of panic through my veins? Why did I snap out, "No way! If I did something that worked for your side, it's just because it was the right thing to do under the circumstances!
    Don't bet I'll do it again! If something else comes up that I think is right, I'll do it, even if it's for the other side-by your rules!"
    A look of apprehension crossed his face. "Nay, nay! Do not sin for no reason other than my having said you are on the side of the angels! "
    "Very funny," I said bitterly, "considering who's talking. If it seems right, I'll do it, even if it's against your side-but don't worry, I won't murder, loot, or rape, just to keep from signing up with your team, either. I won't go out of my way to commit what you think is wrong." I turned on my heel and stalked away.
    "You have lied," he called after me, "with that speech."
    "See?" I said over my shoulder. "I've started already."

Chapter Four
    The nice thing about being past Sobaka's checkpoint was that I was able to keep on trudging up-slope. I didn't know where I was going, except that it felt right-especially since it was out of her domain. Maybe, if I was lucky, I could get out of this massive hallucination.
    Or else find Matt ...
    Another nice thing about getting up in the world, was that I kept stretching out the sunset. Finally, I came to a pass at the top of the mountain. Down below me, the valley was in shadow-twilight, to them. I could even see a few lights appearing-fires of some sort. Maybe smoke-holes in huts? Had these people invented the chimney yet?
    Then I looked up and saw one of the most