Harmony

by Sienna Mynx

  Both men were so focused on the fight to the front of the barn they hadn’t heard her enter from the rear. One of the men turned and saw her. Without thought Harmony raised her gun and fired. She hit him in the chest. The other turned spraying bullets her way. She fired twice before dropping to her knees. She had hit her target. Harmony caught her breath thinking she’d been shot. She hadn’t. She sucked down another deep breath and struggled to rise. “Vin-Vinnie….” she panted. “Oh God please be alive. Please God!”

  She hurried around him though her feet felt as if they were weighted to the ground. He hung with his head bowed and blood dripping from his mouth. Both of his eyes were swollen shut. “Vinnie!” she wept.

  The door of the barn opened and Grease walked in. Harmony whirled and fired at them in an extreme state of panic. Both men ducked in time. Grease yelled at her to stop shooting. She was crazed with grief. The other man drew on her but she didn’t care. She kept the gun switching from one to the other, covering them both.

  “Get him down!! Get him down now or I will shoot!” she yelled at them.

  More men entered. All of them stared up at Vinnie Romano, transfixed. No one seemed shocked at her wielding a gun, or the fact that she aimed it in their direction.

  “I mean it! NOW!!”

  Grease snapped his fingers. Two men hurried over to bring Vinnie down from the chains. Vinnie was lowered to the ground and Harmony was there at his side. She brought him into her arms, trying to see if the blood to the side of his face was because of a bullet wound. She didn’t see one. His chest heaved and he staggered a breath but his eyes were swollen shut.

  “He’s a dead man Jazz Singer.”

  “No! No baby, you are fine. He’s fine. He’s just fine.”

  Grease approached and stood over her. “Mickey and some of his boys got away. We have to go after them. Our work is done here. Where’s the money?”

  Harmony kept stroking the side of Vinnie’s face, weeping.

  Grease raised his gun and pressed the barrel to the top of her skull. “Where’s the money? I won’t ask again.”

  She looked up through her tears. “Help me get him in the car. I’ll give you the money then.”

  For a brief pause he hesitated. She feared he’d refuse her request. Her unwavering stance may have convinced him. He nodded for his boys to help. They lifted Vinnie and carried him out the back of the barn. Harmony got to her feet swaying a bit. She didn’t look at the two men she killed. She walked stiffly to the back of the barn, then went to the trunk and opened it. She gave Grease Man the last of the money. She’d only kept eight hundred for her and Vinnie to escape with, and it was tucked safely in her bra. When Grease snatched her satchel to see if she had more money he could steal from her he found nothing. The bond was under the floor mat in the car.

  “That’s it. That’s all I have.” Harmony said, her chin high and face void of her inner turmoil.

  Grease Man chuckled. “You do realize he’s dead. You can’t take him into the city, no one will help him, or you. He’ll die on you and if you’re caught with a dead white man it’s game over toots.”

  Harmony shrugged. “He my problem. Not yours.”

  Grease man licked his lips. “Queenie told me to let you go. I got a good mind to teach you a bit of humility. Not sure if I like that mouth of yours, and you took a shot at me. No one takes a shot at me.”

  “Are we done?” she asked, and tightened her grip on the gun. He continued to glare at her as if he were trying to decide. “You asked me if I ever used this gun. Tonight you know I have. I suggest you and your men leave us be.”

  He wiped his jaw. “Where will you go?”

  She didn’t bother to answer.

  “Leave Woodbury. Mickey’s out there and he’s coming for him.”

  She shrugged.

  Grease Man tipped his hat and whistled, counting the money as he turned and walked away. Harmony gripped the gun with both hands. She stood perfectly still watching the cars drive out across the field. Her gaze swept the carnage. The main house continued to burn. Vehicles were abandoned everywhere with shot out windows and dead men strewn about. She and Vinnie were alone.

  The tension drained from her body, and she turned to check for him in the car. He was stiff, not moving. She could see his scarred chest rise and fall with shallow breaths. She had to get them out of New York and fast.

  Harmony jumped behind the wheel and drove to the small servant cabin that he had initially brought her to. She hurried inside and grabbed a fresh shirt for him, slacks and blankets.

  When she returned the night was eerily quiet. She glanced around expecting some survivor to appear, or worse Mickey Collins. It was her nerves. She dismissed the feeling of being watched and returned to the car. She covered Vinnie the best she could and then high tailed it out of Woodbury.

  She drove nonstop until dawn bled across the sky. She stopped for gas once they cleared New York. The attendant, a tall thin boy with dirty blond hair and dingy overalls spotted Vinnie in the back seat and glared at her. She thought to explain but instead she gave him a hundred dollars. His eyes nearly bulged out of his skull. He filled her tank and didn’t say a word.

  Harmony continued to drive. But Vinnie didn’t wake and after a few hours the events of the night and her fear for him got the best of her. They were in Pennsylvania when she veered off the road and stopped the car near an open pasture. Harmony wept. She cried so hard she feared she’d lose her mind. She hadn’t thought the plan through. All she had on her was just a little over six hundred dollars. He needed a doctor. And she was too scared that it was too late. She couldn’t bring herself to pull back the blanket and check his chest for signs of him breathing again. The wounds and the blood covering him had her petrified.

  “Sunnng…berrrd?”

  Harmony’s head turned and her eyes searched his face. He lay perfectly still. “Vinnie? You awake?” She feared she didn’t hear him speak. That it was her desperate exhaustion that played on her mind, but he licked his lips and filled her with hope.

  “Oh sweetie, you’re okay. I’m going to get you help. Hold on.”

  Harmony heard a horse and carriage. She opened her door and stepped out of the car. A man dressed in a plain blue shirt and an old-fashioned wide brim hat with a long grey beard sat to its center. She ran out into the road waving her hands. She had blood all over her and she knew she looked a state. She had read as a young girl about the people called Amish who lived outside of society. She had no idea what he would think of a bloody colored woman trying to stop him.

  He stopped. Harmony, exhausted and desperate half staggered to him. “Please sir. My… I have a friend who’s hurt. Really bad.” She looked back and pointed to the car. “He needs help. Please!”

  The man followed her point with his steely clear grey eyes. He didn’t speak. In fact he scowled, then returned his gaze to her.

  “Please!”

  She feared he’d force the carriage to go on, but kindness flashed in his cold stare and he gave her a nod. It was a welcome relief. The man came off the carriage and Harmony gave him space. They returned to the car and he peered in. He glanced her way once more, then reached in to touch Vinnie. He then spoke in a different language. It sounded like German. Harmony pressed her hands together and nodded the universal sign of thanks. He pointed toward the road that veered right with several homes in the distance. She nodded that she understood.

  The kind man got back in his carriage and Harmony in her car. She followed him from behind as he steered the horse drawn buggy toward a large bell tower. She stopped and watched as he got out and rung a large bell. She didn’t know what he was doing but she prayed he wasn’t getting a lawman after them. If she didn’t find Vinnie some medical attention he’d die. She knew that for sure.

  When Harmony glanced out to the fields she was taken aback by the others emerging from homes. Women, in plain blue dresses, white aprons and matching white bonnets on their heads. Men, all wearing the same kind
of wide brim hats, had trousers with overalls that were a bit short on the leg. They walked or climbed in their buggies and rode toward the stranger house. Harmony held her breath praying again silently that the strange people would help her.

  The buggy continued along the dirt road and she followed. As soon as she parked the others arrived and circled the car. When she opened the door several of the women gasped, covering their children’s eyes from looking upon her. The stranger spoke to the alarmed people and whatever he said seemed to calm the crowd. Three men hurried to the car and they worked together to bring Vinnie out. Harmony stood there remembering her gun. She hoped on one saw it. It could turn the situation bad. The men carried Vinnie up the stairs of the house and inside.

  “Does anyone speak English?” she asked the crowd.

  A girl in the group raised her hand. She was small in stature with clear blue eyes and hair so blonde it looked white. She glanced over to the older man, as if she sought his approval for her to approach.

  “Tell him I’m grateful. I only wanted help, I don’t want any trouble. We just need help.”

  She looked to the older man who stared at her with hard eyes. It was clear he helped Vinnie because of his being with her. They all looked at her skin as if she had arrived from another world.

  “He’s my, my friend.”

  The girl stepped out of the crowd. She walked over to the older man and bowed her head when she spoke. She said something to him in a hushed tone. His gaze went from her to Harmony. He nodded. He spoke and Harmony knew his words were addressed to her.

  “His name is Ishmael. I’m Mary. He says I’m to clean you up. They will look after your friend.”

  “Thank you! Tell him thank you!”

  The girl did as she was asked but the older man had already started to walk away. Harmony swung her gaze back through the cloud of staring faces. Many refused to make eye contact with her. Only the children stared at her with open awe.

  “Come with me.”

  “I can get my things.”

  “No. I will give you something to wear. It’s expected. Leave your car and things. No one will touch it.”

  The request was odd, but she was in no position to argue. The others gave her wide space, making sure she didn’t pass close enough to touch them. She didn’t care what any of them thought, she just wanted to get to Vinnie. Instead she followed the girl to her home. When she entered the tiny house made of wood and logs she was asked to stand near the door. The girl reappeared with a large washtub and headed out past Harmony. She followed her to the well and under her instruction pumped water. Harmony hadn’t eaten or slept and had no idea what time it was, or how far in Pennsylvania they had driven. But she waited for the girl and tried not to seem like a nuisance. She was then led the short distance to a barn carrying one end of the tub while the young woman carried the other. Harmony realized they wanted her to clean up in the same place relegated for the livestock. She swallowed her pride and did so quickly. The girl gave her a calf length plain-cut dress with a white apron.

  “Are you hungry? It’s time for Jacob to return from the fields and I’ve already prepared dinner.”

  “Yes. I would like to know about my friend, if he is okay?”

  “They will tell us when there is news.”

  Harmony followed her out of the barn. They headed back to her tiny home with Harmony in bare feet. “How did you learn to speak English?”

  “My father, he felt strongly that we should know. Ishmael granted it for me but not the others. I translate mostly. We do get strangers at times. So it’s useful.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  That was the last of their conversation. She was brought into their home and even welcomed at the table. She sat with them and ate in silence. Jacob looked to be as old as her. Mary however couldn’t have been any older than fifteen. When dinner was done a knock came. A young man spoke briefly to Jacob and he then addressed Mary. Her eyes turned to Harmony with sympathy.

  “Your friend has a fever. He also has severe injuries. They are not sure if he will live, but they will continue to try to help him.”

  “Can I see him?”

  “No. I’m sorry you cannot. Ishmael forbids it. He says we are to give you an area to sleep. In the morning we will know more.”

  Harmony swallowed her objections. They stared at her waiting. When she nodded her acceptance she could see them visibly relax. It was strange, their community. Though they regarded her as the foreigner, the simple lifestyle and singular thinking made her a bit nervous. How long could she sit with these people and just wait?

  After the visitor left Harmony was led to a room and given a blanket and pillow to sleep on the floor. Exhaustion got the best of her and she slept for the rest of the night. And so it went for two days. She worked in the yard with Mary and tended to the animals. They were very kind to her, but denied her even the simplest of conversation. Mary would only speak to her when spoken to, and offered shy smiles when Harmony tried to press for more details about her life.

  The solitude gave her time to come to peace with her conflict over the things she’d done. She regretted nothing. Still she refused to justify any of her actions. Vinnie rested behind doors, locked away from her. At night she’d leave her room and sit on the porch, staring out at the stars. He’d wake soon, and he’d demand answers. She prayed he would set aside his pride to see the blessing they had with this second chance she bought them. However, she was prepared if he didn’t. Life held much more promise than ever before and she wouldn’t give up on her dreams for anyone.

  On the third day, while carrying a bucket of water to fill the troth she thought she heard her name. Harmony glanced to the left and squinted at the sun blaring in her face. A man walked stiffly toward her. He balanced his steps with a cane. It was Vinnie. The bruising around his eyes had healed enough for him to open them, but his face was covered in ghastly bruises, the left side of his jaw was a bit swollen and protruded. Harmony dropped her water bucket.

  “Vinnie? Vinnie!” She ran through the tall grass for him. Mary glanced up from where she led a horse into the stable and others within distance stopped to observe. She stopped herself from throwing her arms around his neck. But he surprised her by bringing her to him. He held her as others that were around stopped to watch.

  “They wouldn’t let me see you. I knew they were helping you so I didn’t push. But I was so scared.”

  “Don’t be. I’m fine.” He let go of his cane to hold her to the best of his abilities. “I’m fine.” She lifted her face and the soft press of their lips made the past two days of torture worth it.

  “We’re leaving. Today.” He lifted her chin. “Can you be ready?”

  “Are you sure? You aren’t a hundred percent.”

  He glanced up and she looked behind her to see Jacob had joined Mary and was staring at her. He then lowered his gaze to her matronly dress and white head bonnet. “We aren’t really wanted here. Besides, I need to talk to you. To understand… how this all came to be.”

  Harmony bit down on her bottom lip and her stomach fluttered with nervous energy. “I guess I owe you an explanation. I just don’t want you on the road if you aren’t ready for the drive. It can be tiring… we have such a distance left. We’re in Pennsylvania somewhere.”

  “I made sure I was able to sit upright without much pain before I left the bed. What I want to know, Songbird is how you managed it?”

  Tears slipped down her cheeks. “You won’t be happy about what I did.”

  “I’m happy to have you again.” he kissed her forehead. “Get our car, and change out of these clothes. We need to go.”

  They said their goodbyes with Mary’s help. Ishmael seem relieved to have them leaving. He did come out and wish them well. They drove off the land and headed back to the main road before she got the nerve to speak. She told him everything, starting with the plan she concocted with Paulette. She confessed what she did with the fifteen thousand he gave her. He cut her a f
ew looks but didn’t interrupt. She explained how she found him. How she got him out and why they ended up with those people.

  “Stop the car,” he said.

  “Why?”

  “Stop the damn car!” he yelled.

  Harmony veered over and off the road. Vinnie threw the door open. He got out of the car and limped away. She turned in her seat to see him behind the vehicle pacing on his bad leg. Releasing a deep sigh she opened her car door and got out.