by S A Ison
Richard shook his head, “My parents was allus ashamed of our relatives, and said we cain’t tell nobody nothin. If I had said somethin, they’da whooped the tar outta me. I’d didn’t know any better.” He said, his face filled with shame.
“You know, now don’t you? Do you see how hurtful and brutal it is? Richard, we’re all family, and we are all we have got now that the world has ended.” Said Mary, and Richard began to cry once more, sorrowful sobs. Jutta turned her head and hid a smile, but Mary and David caught it. He hid his own smile, as did Mary.
They said their parents had taught them blacks were bad people, lazy and dirty. They’d trusted their parent’s beliefs and had never called them into question, until now. Until they saw what the harsh bigotry had wrought, something ugly, violent and deadly. David thought Mary had been very kind, she had forgiven the men. David was stymied about all the hurtfulness and the hating. It did no one any good.
Miles Whitman was the driver, he never said a word, but his eyes told everything, he was ashamed as well and when the last two boys got off the bus, he laid his head on the steering wheel and wept. The two boys had been horribly thin, on the edge of cadaverous. Most teen boys notoriously had high metabolism, their bodies had greedily eaten every calorie but it hadn’t been enough.
David had watched the guards look at the boys, their lips trembling. The boys were wretched looking and that broke David’s heart. He looked down at his own body, which had been robust, but was now incredibly thin. The food here had helped a great deal, but they were all still working hard in the fields, burning the calories fast. One step forward, two steps back.
It seemed like Sheriff Yates and Mayor Audrey were driving this train, with the help of a few key people in power. He and Mary had talked about it, and David thought that if they could topple Yates and Audrey, and their higher up KKK brethren. And just maybe turn the others, then maybe they could end this travesty.
He saw Gerhard and walked over, shaking the man’s hand. “That’s the last of the children. Thank you for taking them. I know it is a lot of mouths to feed.” David said.
“They is welcome here, Jutta wouldn’t have it any other way. That mayor said he’d want most of the crops, but he ain’t gettin much. We makin sure it gets put away, sommers safe.” Gerhard said smiling.
“You don’t think he’ll notice?” David asked, concern that Gerhard might have trouble look his way.
“Iffin his lard ass would leave town, I spect he’d know. But we both know he ain’t leave’en.” Gerhard laughed and David joined him.
Jutta came back out with Mary. It looked to David, that she’d started putting on weight, he’d noticed this visit. He was always glad to see her. She walked up to him and gave him a hug. He grinned down at her.
“You’re looking a lot better Mary, you have color to your cheeks. You were looking kinda gray. How is the baby?” He asked, smiling down at her.
“Good, moving a lot, and thanks to Jutta, I’m sure I’ve gained at least five pounds. She stuffs me full every chance she gets.” Mary laughed, her small hand going to her hair.
“I’m glad. I’m glad you’re feeling better too. I’m going to wash up and get breakfast and head out to the fields.” He said.
“What are ya’ll doing today?” she asked.
“We’ll be finishing up the taters, then head over to the corn fields. Most of the corn will be left for silage, there are some fields with sweet corn as well. We’ll get those picked, Jutta wants to start canning that. She also plans to dry some out, for grinding.” He said, hands in his pockets. It was hard to be around Mary and not want to hold on to her. He’d realized that he’d fallen in love with her. This wasn’t good, because she was grieving for Howard. Howard was a good man and he’d not do anything to shame himself or the man’s memory.
He lifted his hand in farewell and went to the barn. He hoped that one day, when a good amount of time had passed, that perhaps, he’d pursue a relationship with her. For now, he was satisfied with being her friend. She had enough on her shoulders right now, she didn’t need the complication of a love-sick man.
֎
Clay and Katie walked along the perimeter of the property, going into the tree line about thirty feet. Both were quiet, each in their own thoughts. Katie had the watch, but Clay had accompanied her. They had begun to get close again. Their romantic relationship picking up where they’d left off. He cared about her deeply and always had. They’d broken up because both were so busy in their careers that they had little time for dating.
Now, they had all the time in the world. He took her small hand and smiled down at her. She looked up and returned the smile and squeezed his hand. He could hear Brian ahead, rustling through the undergrowth and he grinned.
“I think Brian gets more out of these patrols than we do.” He laughed.
“I think he has more fun anyway.” She sniggered, her brows waggling.
Both stopped for a moment, listening intently. They both scanned the surrounding woods, hearing and seeing nothing, they resumed their walk. Their foot falls were quiet except for the occasional snapping of a twig. Clay felt the cool wind coming from the south. It had the hint of smoke and something else. He wasn’t sure.
“I hope that is a cook fire and not a forest fire.” He said, picking up his pace.
“It isn’t strong, perhaps it just picked up from the wind.”
“Might be, lets head farther south, work our way over and down.” He said, leading her.
They walked farther away from the house and deeper into the woods. They kept walking for nearly twenty minutes but saw nothing. The wind had shifted and the smell of smoke was gone.
“Maybe it was a cook fire.” He sighed and stood for a moment looking around. “Let’s head back, I don’t think it is anything close.”
They turned back the way they’d come, and saw Brian ahead of them. It looked like he’d cornered something and Clay picked up his step. Katie keeping up.
“What do you think he’s found?” she asked.
“Don’t know.”
They came up and Katie gasped in horror. Beneath branches and leaves was a child. So thin, its bones etched out clear beneath the pale dirty skin. Clay took a knee and gently placed two fingers under the child’s thin neck.
“He’s still warm, and I think I feel a pulse. Can you check him?” Clay asked, looking up helplessly at Katie.
She quickly knelt down beside him and they rolled the child over. The boy, who looked to be about five, moaned softly.
“Let’s get him to the house quickly.” She said and Clay picked the boy up gently. He weighed nothing, he was skin and bones. Clay ran ahead, hoping Katie could keep up. He curled his body around the boy, protecting him from branches that scraped at Clay as he passed through the trees.
It took an agonizing ten minutes to reach the edge of the tree line and he looked behind, Katie was about ten yards behind. He paused a moment to wait for her to catch up. His heart was beating heavily in his chest. When she did reach him, he began to run again, up toward the house, calling for Willene and Marilyn. He saw as the two women came out of the house.
Willene saw what he was carrying and turned and went back into the house. Harry, Earl and Boggy came from the back of the farmhouse. They’d been cutting wood or in the garden, he wasn’t sure. He took the steps two at a time and went into the house with his precious burden.
Willene was setting a blanket down in the living room and had already gotten the medical bag. She’d pulled out a bag of saline and hung it on the standing lamp. Clay gently laid the boy down and he saw Marilyn and Earl setting up lights. Katie pushed through, gasping for air. Her hair was wild and she had twigs scattered on her head.
Willene squirted hand sanitizer in her hands and her own hands. They held up the child’s stick like arm and felt for a vein. Willene looked at Katie and shook her head.
“What’s the matter?” Clay asked anxiously.
“His veins are nearly collapse
d, I can’t get a needle in his arm.” Willene said.
Marilyn was feeling the child’s legs and feet but she shook her head.
“Stop.” Katie said dully, and she looked up at everyone with tears shimmering in her eyes.
“He’d gone. We found him too late.” She said, her voice trembling and she choked back a sob. She turned and Clay caught her and pulled her too him. His eyes were also shimmering with tears as he looked at the faces around him. He bit his lip, trying not to let the pain out.
“Poor little mite, din’t stand a chance.” Boggy said softly, his large hand petting the dead boy’s head gently.
The room was silent, no one knew what else to say. Earl sniffed and got up. “I’s’ll go start an grave for this baby, least ways, he’ll have a proper burial.”
Clay heard the man softly weeping as he left out of the kitchen door. Clay wiped at his own tears. “I’ll clean him up. I wonder where his parents are?”
“There’s no telling. It looks like he’s been out there starving, for a while. There is nothing left of him.” Harry said softly, his voice thick with emotion.
Clay nodded. Knowing that others were struggling was one thing, but seeing this tiny child, this skeleton of a child tore him to pieces. There was nothing to be done now, except bury the poor thing. This could have been Monroe.
“Poor rabbit, he never had a chance.” Willene said softly, wiping her eyes. She began to put the supplies back into the medical bag.
“Where are the kids?” Katie asked, looking around. Clay looked around as well, realizing that Angela and Monroe were missing.
“They are napping thank goodness. I’d hate for them to see this.” Marilyn said sadly.
Clay reached over and picked the small body up. It was now heavy in his arms. He felt the weight of it as he carried the dead child to the kitchen. Willene laid a towel on the table and they laid the boy down. She poured warm water into a bowl and she and Clay began to clean the child up.
The boy had blond hair, though it was difficult to see the true color under the dirt and grime. He had pale blue eyes, and a stubby nose. Clay choked back a sob as he held the tiny hand, wiping the dirt from the boney little fingers. Katie came into the kitchen with a small blanket.
“We can wrap him in this when we are done.” She said softly. Clay nodded, not trusting himself to speak. They finished up and he carefully wrapped the child in the blanket. Before coving the boy’s tiny face, Clay bent down and kissed the child’s forehead. Then Willene bent over and kissed him as well.
Clay gently gathered the bundle in his arms and everyone followed him out of the kitchen and out to the graveyard. Earl was there with Boggy, both men digging the small hole for the boy. Clay didn’t know why this was killing him. He felt like falling to his knees and never getting up.
He handed the child to Earl, who gently laid the body down in the hole. Clay could see that Earl had been crying, as everyone around him had.
“What should we calls him?” Boggy asked.
“Howard.” Clay said and broke down crying. He could feel Katie’s hand on his arm and he placed his hand over hers and turned into her and held her. His shoulders shook with grief for this child, but also his friend Howard Deets, who’d been brutally murdered.
“Lord, we’us give you this baby, Howard. Cause we’uns don’t know his name. We thank you oh Lord, for let’n Clay find the mite. So’s he’d not die alone. That baby is wit you’uns oh Lord. We’s sorry we couldn’t help.” Boggy said solemnly.
They each nodded and Earl and Boggy began to fill in the grave. Clay watched as everyone began to leave. He wiped at his face and he looked at Katie. He saw his own grief reflected in her eyes.
“At least he’s with us now. He isn’t alone.” She said softly, and he nodded and hugged her.
CHAPTER NINE
Harry and Clay were in the woods, they’d smelled wood smoke once more. It was well after midnight and they were moving quietly through the woods, Harry had the NVGs and Clay was behind him. It was difficult moving through the dense forest. It had been a horrible day. The loss of the small boy had hit them all hard, but it had really torn Clay apart. The boy had been skin and bones and Harry wondered where the child had come from.
Brian was ahead, but he was quiet, he was tracking and Harry and Clay followed. They were seeing more and more activity. Thanks to the NVGs, they’d seen a large group of people the night before last. There had been twenty people, men, women and children, heading to Beattyville. Everyone had sat on the porch, quiet as Harry softly described what he saw through the NVGs.
They were strung out along the road, walking slowly, someone in the lead had a flashlight, but its beam didn’t illuminate very far. Some carried bags, one pulled a wagon behind, filled with belongings. He watched them for thirty minutes until they moved around a curve in the road and out of sight.
“What are we going to do if that happens in the day time? With that many people, and children too?” Willene had asked softly.
“I honestly don’t know. I’m hoping firing warning shots will be enough of a deterrent.” Harry said softly. He wondered if the small boy had broken away from them and had gotten lost in the woods. There was just no telling.
Clay hissed softly, bringing Harry back to task. Both men stopped, listening. They heard voices talking.
“You’uns thank they’s got food?” one man was saying.
“Yeah, I’s smelled it, and they’s got women too. I’s aint had a woman in fifteen years.” The man laughed, but there was no humor in the harsh laugh.
“I ain’t believe they done did let us go.” The first man said in wonder.
“Roger, you’uns knowed them thar prison guard didn’t give a pig’s shit bout us, they’uns just wanted the food that thar prison done did have.” The man laughed.
“But Hank, they’s coulda just let us rot in them thar cells. They’uns din’t have ta free us.” Roger said.
“Is you an idjit? They’uns is afeared the gobment might come back, and then’ they’d be charged wit murder.” Hank laughed nastily.
“I’s don’t thank them thar gubment boys is a comin. I’s thank we’uns is on our own.” Roger said morosely.
“Yeah, well, that thar house up thar gots food and womens. We’uns can fuck and eat all’s we want.” Hank laughed.
“Yeah, too bad that lil’ boy we snatched got away. We could use him as bait, or even eat him. He was a scrawny thang. Just wish’d he ain’t got awa.”
“That thar boy ain’t had a lick a meat on’em but we could use’d him, that’s fir sure.” Hank said and snorted angrily.
“Yeah, they’uns gots mens up thar, an they’uns is lots more of them thar men then me n you’uns.” Roger said, worry evident in his voice.
“That thar is a problem an I’s been pondern on it. I was a gonna use that boy, but the little bastard is gone, so all’s I’s kin come up wit is sneak up an git one them thar woman. Meybe have some fun, an then holt her hostage, an ask for a weapon an then we kilt them thar men. Or better, I’s seen a kid an a baby. Take them too, we kin have fun with them too. Then we’us pretend we’s gonna trade fir food and guns.” Hank said.
“Makes me wanna git’em now.” Roger sniggered low, and Hank joined in.
The convicts continued to talk and laugh between themselves. Harry could hear the heavy breathing of Clay beside him. He nudged the man and they moved closer. The brush was thick and they had to move slowly. Harry didn’t want to alert the two men.
To Harry, it took forever to get close enough to see the two men. He couldn’t see or hear Brian and hoped the dog didn’t engage them. At least they weren’t armed with weapons. He could now see them sitting before a low fire. Harry could see they still had their prison garb on, they were filthy and greasy.
He wondered at the mindset of the guards who’d turned them loose into an already damned world. He shook his head and leaned over to Clay and whispered, “What the hell are we supposed to do?”
> “I’d say we just kill them where they sit. Those are evil men and there is no telling who they’ve hurt or killed along the way to get here. We do know they took that child and they mean our children and women harm.” Clay whispered back, the rage laced every word.
Harry pulled out his Glock, and Clay pulled out his service revolver. “I’ll take Roger, you take Hank.” Harry whispered. Both men stood, lining up their shots, and Harry counted down, “3…2…1” and both men shot simultaneously.
The convicts Roger and Hank flew back and lay sprawled, away from the fire. Brian whined and went forward, Harry and Clay following. Both aiming their weapons at the downed men. Harry stepped over to Roger, and looked down. The man was still alive, but the life was fading fast from his eyes. The eyes had a shocked look to them, they were wide and frantic and then he was gone. Harry looked over to Hank, and the man was gurgling, blood bubbling out of his mouth and nose, it looked black in the near darkness. The man’s feet were in the fire, but he didn’t seem to notice it.
“You should have kept on moving along. Now you’re dead.” Clay said in a voice devoid of emotion. The man sputtered and tried to talk, his eyes wide and then the light of life began to leave and then they went dull.
“Let’s leave the bodies here. It is well away from my property. We can come tomorrow with shovels and cover them up, so we don’t have to smell them. I don’t want to try to do that in the dark.” Harry suggested.
“Yeah, thank the Lord and all His wonders, that they lit this fire. We’d not have known, they were too far away from the property for Brian or Charley to detect. At least we know where the child came from. There is no telling where these assholes took him from. I guess it doesn’t matter. I’m glad the woodsmoke travels far, and with the breeze blowing just right, we got real lucky tonight.” Clay said, shaking his head.
“True enough, I think they could see the house from just above this tree line. They could see the activity without detection. That was too damned close. And why in the hell did the prison release these animals? Christ.” Harry said in disgust.
