99 Souls
99 Souls
Copyright © 2010, 2012, by Thomas M Malafarina.
Cover Image Copyright © 2010, by Alecia Nye.
Cover Copyright © 2010 Sunbury Press.
NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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THIRD SUNBURY PRESS EDITION
Printed in the United States of America
February 2012
ISBN 978-1-934597-25-5
Published by:
Sunbury Press
Camp Hill, PA
www.sunburypress.com
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania USA
Dedication
For my wife, JoAnne; without whose love, support, encouragement, level-headedness, tolerance and patience, this book could never have been possible. Mere words cannot express the depths of my love and gratitude.
Special Thanks
...to the copy editors at Sunbury Press and to my niece, Dana M. Nasados, who provided timely assistance.
Chapter 1
Dusk fell upon an overcast summer day in late August 1965 like a dark gray cloak of despair. A disquieting autumn breeze chilled the air, forewarning of the inescapable approach of another cold winter. In the distance, black silt-covered hills cleaved the earth stretching westward through the barren coalfields of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Elsewhere, the world was going through one of the greatest cultural revolutions in its history, but here time seemed to stand strangely still.
A dirt road snaked its way upward toward a plateau intersecting a rising hillside, where a timber-framed doorway stood, once the entrance to a coal mine, now abandoned and in ruins.
A group of six young boys trudged purposefully up the steep access road toward the neglected mine. They stared ominously at the rusted mine car rails that extended out from the breach, like the tongue of some nightmarish beast waiting to devour its unsuspecting prey. As they approached the entrance to the mine, the boys moved closer together, forming a tighter cluster, as if to somehow shield themselves from whatever unknown evil the mine possessed.
Nearby, a security light shown with an eerie glow from atop an ancient wooden pole from which wires dangled forebodingly. Seven feet above the ground, rusted metal footrests jutted from the sides of the pole, creating a staggered ladder pattern climbing toward the top. The light faded in and out of intensity indicating that repairs to this particular fixture were long overdue. In the setting sunlight, the mouth of the mine resembled a gateway to Hell.
On a rotting timber, crowning the entrance hung a painted sign, worn and barely legible reading, "Co ___ n’s Mine"; a bloody hand print obscured the missing letters. Several similar hand prints stippled the two mine doors, which dangled wretchedly askew.
One by one, the members of the group pushed a younger boy, Johnny Carter, to the front of the line. The boy tried desperately to project an air of false bravado, but upon seeing the decaying doors of the mine and the blackness beyond looming just a few feet in front of him, he became overcome with terror. Only ten years old, the smallest member of the pack, Johnny understood that something very bad could possibly happen to him; something very bad indeed. The boys pressed closer toward the mine entrance as Johnny strained back against them, trying to keep his distance from the intimidating cavity.
Johnny looked up at a washed out sign dangling on one wooden door warning "UNSAFE MINE - KEEP OUT". Graffiti covered the doors as well, spouting admonitions such as "Doorway to Hell", "Devil Dan's Hell Hole", "Soul Sucker", "Death Awaits You" and "Turn Back Now". Layers of coal dust and spider webs coated the access as insects crawled in and out of the decomposing structure. The young boy shivered uncontrollably with fright.
He looked up to see Billy Coogan, the largest and oldest of the boys staring angrily down at him, the bully’s freckled face and flaming orange hair making him appear almost demonic to the younger child.
“Let's move it, Pee Wee,” the tormenter demanded. “You said you would go in, so get your scrawny little ass in that mine now, or else I’ll throw you in there myself.”
Billy Coogan was fourteen years old, a direct descendant of the Coogan Coal Mine's original owner, Irish immigrant Big Bill Coogan, and unfortunately shared many of his late great-grandfather’s unpleasant characteristics. Billy took pride in using intimidation to get what he wanted from most of the town’s children by using his sheer size and bulk. The Coogans were considered 'well off' by coal region standards, and Billy did not hesitate to use that fact to win over followers for whom bullying alone might not be enough. Every member of the Coogan family learned early in life that money and intimidation made their world go around.
The boys huddled around Johnny who had wisely reconsidered his decision to accept Billy’s challenge to go into the mine. Johnny had no idea what he had been thinking when he agreed to the dare. He didn’t even like Billy; for that matter, no one did. Maybe he had just been trying to impress the rest of the gang. Now, just several feet from the terrifying mine, he was sorry he had let his mouth run away from him.
This might be his last opportunity to get out of this dilemma and still maintain some small scrap of his pride. “I changed my mind,” the young boy insisted, “I ain't going in that stupid mine!” Then he pointed his finger at Billy shouting, “And you know why Billy Coogan! You know why! And don’t act like you don’t.”
Towering over the boy, Billy stared hard at him shouting. “It’s too late for that now, Carter. You took the bet, and you’d better not think of backing out now.” Johnny had absolutely no idea what to do. He looked around for someone who might help him out of the mess, but most of the boys simply looked on with anticipation.
One of the boys named Jimmy McKinley stepped forward. He was about two years older than Johnny and was considered by most to be Billy Coogan’s "toady". Although a slightly smaller version of Billy, he posed an equally intimidating threat.
Jimmy shouted at the smaller boy, “Carter, you stupid little pussy! You don’t know what you’re talking about! You don't really believe that stupid legend crap, do you? It's all garbage! This is Billy's dad's mine for Christ’s sake. Billy would know if the legend was true. Ain't that right, Billy?” Jimmy said looking to Billy for support.
“You said it, Jimmy!” Billy interjected. “That story ain't nothing but a load of crap from a bunch of losers who are just jealous of my family's cash. This mine's been in my family for more than a hundred years. Just ‘cause my family has some money; these low life bums around this town like to make up stupid stories.”
Johnny shouted, “Yeah right, Coogan. But what if it ain’t crap? What if it ain’t just a story? What if it is true? What then? If that legend turns out to be true, your family is gonna be the first to pay when he gets out. That's what the story says. And you better hope to Jesus that it ain’t true. ‘Cause you got that Coogan name and you got Coogan blood, and that means that you will be one of the first he comes for.”
There were concerned murmurs of agreement among the boys, suggesting an unspoken truth. They looked at each other
nodding in agreement. Billy felt uncomfortable seeing the one thing happening that he simply could not tolerate: that was the loss of control. He needed to act quickly to get back in command of the situation.
“That’s all a load of baloney, Carter! And you know it! Now stop your stalling and get in there! You little queer.” This slur against the boy’s masculinity made most of the other boys chuckle.
One of the boys watching the escalating exchange was not chuckling however. He was not the type who could be easily manipulated by Billy with either his money or intimation. The boy, Tommy Marchinsky, tended to get along well with most of the other boys and considered Billy Coogan an irritant that he simply tolerated in order to hang out with the others.
Though not as big or as old as Billy, Tommy was still quite tall, muscular and athletic for a boy of twelve. He learned the ways of the street from his three older brothers who taught him how to take care of himself after his father’s death. He continued to watch from the sidelines deciding how far to let things go before intervening.
“It ain't no baloney, Billy! And I ain't going in there! …and you can't make me go in there neither!” Johnny said, laying down the final challenge to Billy’s authority.
Billy’s face reddened, his fury growing. He shouted down at the boy, “The Hell I can't, you little turd!” He advanced on young Johnny.
Johnny pulled back, trying to stay as far away as possible from the menacing mine entrance. He looked around hoping to find a way to escape Billy approach, but did not see a way out.
Johnny realized that he was about to get what might possibly be the worst beating of his young life at the hands of the sadistic bully. However, just when things seemed hopeless, Tommy stepped forward and took a position in front of Billy, blocking his advance.
“That's enough now, Coogan! Johnny said he doesn’t want go in. So that is that! You never really thought he would do it anyway. It was a cool idea, but now it’s over.” He stood tall and defiant making sure that Billy knew that he would not tolerate any harm coming to the younger boy.
Visibly uncomfortable, not wanting to tangle with Tommy, Billy contemplated his next move. He recalled how a few months earlier during an altercation with Tommy, he had taken a swing at the boy only to discover that the younger boy was both faster and stronger than he had anticipated. Tommy had overpowered Billy, twisting his arm so far backward, so hard and so quickly that had Billy not cried uncle, Tommy might have snapped Billy’s arm like a twig. Billy had been fortunate that day as no one was around to witness the embarrassing event.
This time, however, there were plenty of witnesses, and Billy could not allow Tommy to beat him in front of the other boys. He needed to find a way to save face without getting that very same face smashed.
Billy warned the boy, “Look Marchinsky, don't you start messing with me today. I ain't in no mood for none of your nonsense.” Then he remembered that he did not have to deal with the unfortunate situation alone. He had his toady Jimmy to back him up as well as two other boys named Peter and Tony.
Billy suggested, “And besides, look around Marchinsky.” He waved his arm to indicate Jimmy, Peter and Tony. “It’s four of us against one of you. You might think that you are some kind of tough guy, Marchinsky, but I don’t think you will do so well with these kinds of odds.” Jimmy stood alongside Billy while Peter and Tony stayed behind the pair. The two boys appeared to have not yet made up their minds about how best to handle the uncomfortable situation in which Billy and Jimmy were putting them.
Tommy looked sternly at Peter and Tony. They lowered their heads, kicking up clouds of black dust, and backed away to indicate that they wanted no part of the altercation.
They understood the law of the small town jungle and decided that Tommy Marchinsky was not someone to cross. Although they knew that they would have to pay for not backing Billy, they weighed their options and made what they believed was the best choice; especially considering what might be waiting for them behind Tommy’s cold stare.
“Looks like it’s down to two against one now Coogan.” Tommy said with defiance never breaking eye contact with Billy. Then he motioned his head toward Jimmy taunting “…that is, if you really think you can count on that pussy-boy over there.”
Jimmy McKinley’s face reddened with anger and embarrassment. Tommy had just lit a spark under Jimmy’s well-known short fuse. “Hey, who you calling a pussy-boy, Marchinsky?” Jimmy shouted. “Huh? Who you calling a pussy-boy?” Jimmy was a mass of angry motion, his arms waving, his feet stomping.
Not being very intelligent or in control, Jimmy McKinley was always inclined to let his anger surpass what limited common sense he might have. Jimmy never had any occasion to lock horns with Tommy in the past, but he thought that today might be the day for him to do just that; and especially since Billy was here to watch his back. Perhaps today would be the day that he would take Tommy Marchinsky down a peg or two.
Tommy continued taunting, “I'm calling you a pussy…” Tommy poked Jimmy hard in the chest snickering, “… you pussy.”
Meanwhile, young Johnny Carter watched the events unfolding on his behalf, with minimal interest, as he was still standing much too close to the mine entrance for his liking.
Billy Coogan realized that Jimmy was about to make a major mistake, affecting both of them, and he had no desire to enter into a fight with Tommy. To diffuse the situation Billy positioned his arm in front of Jimmy, holding him back. Billy said, “Alright already. That’s enough, Jimmy. And you calm down Marchinsky. You don’t need to go off acting like a stinking retard, for God’s sake.”
Billy did not realize that he had just said something to cause the situation to escalate further. After all, most of the neighborhood kids called each other retards most of the time anyway; it was just something that was accepted in politically incorrect world of 1965. However, Billy had forgotten about Tommy’s unfortunate history.
As a younger child, Tommy was unhealthy, and as a result, missed a lot of school during the first grade. He had to repeat the first grade and then was required to take several “special” remedial classes to help him catch up with the rest of his classmates. He was by no means a stupid boy and did not take kindly to such insults.
In addition, Tommy had a younger cousin who was born with his mother’s umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, and as a result had suffered severe oxygen deprivation, resulting in brain damage. His cousin was a kind young boy but would never have the capacity to do any but the most menial of jobs. Tommy loved his cousin and empathized with the needs of the mentally challenged.
Jimmy, however, seized the opportunity to exploit what he presumed to be Tommy’s weakness and taunted him without mercy, “Yeah. Mar chin skeee,” he said, taking each syllable of the boy’s name one at a time stretching out each segment, “don’t be acting like no reeeeee-tard.” Tommy stared angrily at the taunting boy, his fists beginning to clench.
He continued his insult, “But maybe you can’t help yourself, can you Mar… chin.. skeee? Maybe that’s because you are a reeee-tard. After all, you did spend two years in first grade. Didn’t you? Mar…chin…skeee.. … Two years in first grade, you stupid flunker.” Tommy’s fury continued to grow and was visible on his stern young face.
To make matters worse, Jimmy laughed and contorted his face and hands giving a cruel demonstration of someone with cerebral palsy, limping around in circles doing a bad impression of the Disney character, Goofy. All the while, Tony and Peter laughed hysterically.
Jimmy mocked Tommy with a horribly offensive demonstration, “Duh duh, yup, yup, a ‘hilk, a ‘hilk. Look at me I'm Tommy the reeeeee-tard. I flunked first grade. I'm dumber then dirt. Yup. Yup. Yup. I ride the short bus to school. Yep that’s me. Look at me riding the ‘tard cart to school. Ha. Ha.”
“Shut your stupid mouth, McKinley”. Tommy said finally losing his temper. He stepped forword, pushing Jimmy hard. Jimmy lost his footing, stumbled backward landing on his backside in the coal dirt. Bla
ck dust flew up into the fading sunlight as Jimmy coughed, growing angrier.
Furious beyond reason, Tommy shouted “Okay… let's go McKinley…. right now, you stinkin’ queer.”
Jimmy struggled to get up and readied himself to charge at Tommy, spitting with fury. However, Billy Coogan stepped in front of him. He knew that things might have already gone too far, but he needed to stop the altercation before the real swinging began. “Jim! Jimmy! Listen to me. Knock it off! That's enough now! Just cut it out!” Jimmy calmed down after a time, still uttering a variety of obscenities, threats and accusations at Tommy.
Billy Coogan turned, looking down again at little Johnny in disgust, remembering that the younger boy was the main cause of the situation in the first place. Johnny looked back and forth between Billy and the mine opening.
Billy shouted, “Fine. So don't go in the stinkin’ mine, you little pussy. That’s all right by us. Just don’t bother trying to hang with us anymore. You are nothing to us … so what do we care what a couple of sissy boys like you and Tommy do anyway?”
Billy gave the single finger salute to Tommy and Johnny and started walking away. He turned and looked back to see Jimmy still standing with his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.
“Come on, Jimmy. Let's beat it.” Billy said “Those little girls can go back home and play with their Barbie dolls…or put on dresses…. or maybe they would rather play just play with each other or maybe play with themselves, the stinkin’ homos.”
Billy made jerk-off motions with his hands laughing. Then he looked angrily at Tony and Peter who probably wished that they had backed Billy after all. He pointed at them shouting “... and that goes for you dick heads too!”
Peter and Tony lowered their heads, humbly. They knew that they had their work cut out for them, trying to get back into Billy’s good graces. Jimmy turned and joined Billy walking away down the access road.
99 Souls Page 1
