Over the Hills and Through the Plains

A lone man during the The Great Depression tries to find work, but he's different when it comes to his job.

Over the Hills and Through the Plains

 

 

The water trickled down the smallest of falls to a small pond, where here the water lay all still at the farthest reaches. A small chipmunk runs past the tree's at the edge of the pond to a sandy opening, almost as a beach. The smallest of breezes rushes past the tree's causing the slightest of rustling among the many tree's, green from springs start. Hills visible from miles, many with poor workers doing their bosses biding, maybe hoeing and collecting many different fruits or grains to feed their or others livestock. But the serene silence is interrupted as a single lone man walks through the thicket of tree's, stirring all around.

He walked to the edge of the pond, and kneeled down staring into the water. He splashed the water and watched as the scum swirled about and the small red tint stained the water. He leaned back into a sitting position. He sat there wearing ratty jeans, multiple holes and dust layering and dotting the jeans. His old working boots a dark dirty brown, a dull point at the end.  Sweat fell from his forehead onto the dirty white dress shirt he wore for years. The once brilliant shining brass buttons now scuffed and dark in color. The first 3 buttons open as sweat continued  down his chest. His sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

He set down his once deep black, but now dark gray derby hat beside him. His dark brown hair messy and matted to his head from sweat and exhaustion. His face long with a well defined chin and facial feature. A short pointed nose and eyes with years of sadness burnt in and around them. His mouth was long and thin, dark stubble surrounded his lower face and made him seem tired and poor, though he was.

He looked across the pond and looked at the beaten, barely there street.

"Damn heat, cant the rain ever come, why's it always gotta' be the freaking heat!" The man yelled out. "Whatcha' yellin bout' now Henry!?" A women yelled back at Henry cries.               "Notin' yah devil women!" Henry yelled in response.                                                "Well you better start yelling yer' a*s over here, cause we bout' to leave for your plantation!"

Henry quickly but his hat back on, splashed some water in his face and ran back through the tree thicket to the caravan of 11 people waiting around four horses and a mule, all carrying luggage box's and sacks of clothes and food. He looked over at the lady that was yelling, a lanky women with messy ginger hair and missing teeth.

"Petunia, yeh' don't need to yell so much I can hear ya!" Petunia gave Henry a cold glare and a snort and grabbed the reigns of one of the larger horses and started walking, all following behind.

 

 

Within 3 days the caravan arrived at  the "HillMond Plantation."  Henry looked at the small sign at the base of the hill the plantation was based on. He turned back and waved as the caravan continued on down the broken street, and turned to start walking up the hill.

He got to the top of the hill and looked at his work card, "Arrive at the white long house at 10:30am and do not be late." He put the card in his teeth and walked into the long house and looked about. 15 beds he counted, each with a small box next to each one. All the beds only a few feet apart from each other as they all lined across and next to each other.

"The one 4 down on the lef's yur's."

Henry spun around to see an old man in his early 70's standing there. He has on overalls but no shirt under, with light gray work boots and a dull red piece of cloth tied around his forehead, with long white hair flying loosely about, and large white mutton chops. His face was covered in wrinkles, and his eyes had decades of pain and memories that could've made any other man cry in his sleep. He was thin an almost decrepit, looking like a walking skeleton, as if there was no skin at all.

"Thanks'" Henry said as he went to put his sack on the bunk. "You're the new guy right?" The old man said. "You better put that away." He said as he pointed at the multiple rings Henry wore on his fingers. "I'll take ma chances," He said simply stating it as a fact.

"You best not do that, the boss don't like us wearin' nutton but work clothes, he thinks it makes you look better than him." The man said almost as a warning.

"So he be that kinda' guy huh? Well I'd rather quit that take these off." Henry stated.

The old man looked him over curiously, surprised by his unwillingness' to remove the rings."The name's Stacks," he said as he put his hand out  as a gesture of friendliness. "Nice to meet you stacks, how long you been here?" Henry reached out and shook his hand.

"Almost 32 years now, I was one ah' the first hoer's the boss had when he opened up his plantation. But after a couple ah' years I got to old so now I jus' havta' make sure if anythin' bad happens I tell him, It's not as bad as you think, it's work for an old man." Stacks said as he looked out the door to the large brown barn only a few yards away. "He sounds like a nice fells' dont know he's so concerned with his image..." Henry trailed off when a short man in a dusty blue suit walked in, his rattan cowboy hat in his hand and a clipboard and a pen in the other. "Ahem, you are the new worker I presume?" The man spoke in a quick, precise tone." Henry looked at him, he was over dressed for a plantation owner working in the California heat, and his speech was as though he had a much higher learning that anyone here. "You know, rings are not allowed, nor are any articles of clothing that you don't need for working." The man said in a matter of fact tone. "I heard" Henry said, his eyes squinting in an angry way, showing he didn't care and would have no problem butting heads.

"The man's face didn't change at all, his dull facial expression showing he thought Henry was just a worker stayed, but Henry could see the surprise in his eye's at Henry's open disobedience.

"Well, seeing as there not that noticeable, or much of a hindrance, I suppose you can keep them, but anymore acts of argumentation against my rules and you will be shipped out without a second guess."

"Your rules?" Henry said surprised.

"Yes, I am the owner of this plantation, and there for your boss. Now what is your name?"

"Uh, Henry, Henry Moss sir." Henry said still shocked the small smart man was his boss. "Well Henry, I am James Barry, but you will to refer to me only as 'Boss', understand?" He stated in a dull tone.          "Uh, yes sir."Henry stated now fully recovered from his shock." Alright, Stacks here should tell you of all your duties here." With that his boss walked out of the longhouse and passed right by another as he left.

The man almost ran in, his eyes darting all around and landing on Henry. The man just as short as Henry's boss, probably 5'1, and thin, his hair was a dirty blonde and slicked completely back so you could see his hair line, he had small beady brown eyes and no eyebrows with a large hooked nose and short almost square face. He wore a black dress shirt and blue vest with a pocket watch in the chest pocket, and brown slacks with high-heeled black boots and a necklace seemingly made of teeth, small white and dark red shapes held together by a silvery chain.

The man quickly darted forward to Henry, who stood a good foot and a half over him. "Deh' f**k's yur problem!?" The man nearly screamed at Henry, but before he could answer the man punched Henry in the stomach, causing him to double over onto one knee and look up with only 1 eye visible."Wha' was that fur'!" Henry said through steady breaths and visible pain. "Dont'cha ever look at me like that again, got it!" The man then punted Henry in the head, Henry's hat flying off, and then walked out of the bunk house.

"Stacks helped Henry to his feet and handed him his hat."What the hell's that guys problem!" Henry yelled and tried to run after the man but Stacks held his arm and stopped him. "You best not do that, that guy der' be the bosses kid, his names Pat, and you don't want no fight wit' him." Stacks said cautiously. "Like hell I don't, I'm gonna' shove a baseball bat so far up his a*s he'll be hitting home runs wit' his mouth!" Henry yelled trying to get loose, but Stacks wasn't giving in. " You don't understand, he's the bosses son, you touch him yur done, not just here, but in all of California, his Daddy's got connections." "Then why in God's green earth did he hafta' go and beat me like dat'!" Henry yelled again. "Pat's always had a temper, and any time a new arrival comes he immediately has to show tem' who's second in command." Henry got up and was then string out the long house door. "That s**t heads gonna' learn one'ah these days." Henry said out loud and turn back to get settled into his new cot.

 

 

 

"Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring!" The loud bell signaling breakfast woke Henry from his sleep, and for a few moment just sat there staring at the ceiling. He then got up and quickly dressed and ran to the b=main house where all meals took place and where the boss lived. He walked into the house and looked around, immediately spotting Pat with an irritated face talking to a tall portly man, bald with a leather jacket on, and a large black beard.

Henry move through the line and got a plate and some oatmeal and sat down next to Stacks." What's Pat yellin' bout'." Henry asked as he ate a spoon of oatmeal. " That man there, the large one, name's Harl, wasn't at his post at the chicken coops, and we lost a couple oh' the hens. Pat's real mad cause' now he has to tell his dad. Boss has got an even worse temper den' Pat does." Stacks said plainly. "Serves the b*****d right, son'of a gun" Henry said under his breath. The rest of the day went buy slowly in a haze of grain, fruit, sweat, and yelling from Pat. The work part of the day finally ended, and Henry walked back to the long house to see it surprisingly empty all except for Harl, the big guy he saw today at the house.

"Harl right?" Henry said as he walked to his own cot and grabbed a small flask and went to the bathroom to fill it up with water. "Yeh, you're the new guy?" Harl said as he got off his cot. "Names Henry, i seen you today dealin' wit' dat' idiot Pat." Henry said from gritted teeth. "Sounds like you don't like'em much." Harl stated. "You do?" Henry said in a confused tone. "I hate with all meh' strength, but most of teh' guys here don't openly say it. But the things him and his daddy do to us bull s**t!" Harl was now angry and picked up a glass from a nearby table but stopped himself from throwing it. "What do you mean, he just kicked the crap outa' me." Henry said wondering what else they do here. Harl had calmed down now, and sat at his bonk." Yeh' promise you won't tell none bout' dis?" Harl said urgently. "Ah' course." Henry said wondering what was going on.

 "Well, it happened about a month ago, we had dis' guy, his name was Barry, real nice fella' he'd only been here bout' a week, and Pat hadn't got a chance to teach him who's the boss's son, so Pat goes upta' him right outside the house, and he's all yelling trying to frighten Barry but he aint fallin' fur' it. So Pat jus' goes for teh' kill, he tries to punch him right on the jaw, but Barry goes an blocks deh' punch and deliver's his own right to Pat's  eye, Pat goes down screaming, and Barry jus' climbs on him and is there barrelin' fist after fist, and punch after punch right inta' Pats face, der's blood flying and guys tryin' to get Barry offa' Pat. Eventually 6 of us goes and gets Barry off, ah' course Pats on the ground crying like a newborn, his face is all beaten and bloody, he can't see. So Pat has teh' got and get a couple ah' stitches and his nose put back into it's place. But the boss is so steamed, he goes and stabs Pat, and then frames Barry, teh' boss also goes and pays dis' women teh' say dat'  Barry done raped her. Uh course the sheriff believes the boss, and he sends a searcg party after Barry, not an hour later they got a rope hangin' from teh' tree in front ah deh' house and they draggin' Barry along, a bag over his head, and they put the noose 'round his neck and next thing yeh' know, theres a dead Barry hanging from a tree in the center of teh' place."

Henry stood there, dumbfounded."Is this the only time the Boss ahs caused people to be killed or worse?" Harl looked at him a deep angry, seriousness in his face."No, it's happened countless times, hell, the boss even killed Pats furst' wife when he found out she was sleepin' wit' one'ah us. He done killed her and then framed the man she done slept wit'. They stuck him in teh' middle  of teh' main street and have him trampled to death by teh' horses." Henry was nearly mortified, he couldnt believe that short man would do such things. Henry put his hand over the rings on his other." We have to do someting' bout' this!" Henry got up and almost yelled. Harl sat with a large grin on his face. "Glad you feel that way." He said with an ominous tone.

 

Henry opened his eyes to darkness and looked around to see Harl and 2 others out of their bunks. Henry grabbed his bag from under his bunk and grabbed an old watch. He could barely read 1:18 on it through the darkness. He got up and quickly put on his pants, boots, and then a white shirt. He walked out as quickly and quietly as possible. He walked out of the bunk house and past the barn to a small work shed, then took out a bowie and stabbed the door to the shed. The door promptly opened and Harl stood there a look of fear on his face. "Quickly get in, you wasn't followed was yeh'?" Harl asked urgently. "No I was real careful like."

"Good, cause' were close to finishing deh' plan, we just you yeh' to know yur' part." Harl now spoke calmly. "Now dis' here is Jackie," Harl gestured to a tall, lanky guy,. He was balled with a long face and short pointed nose. He had big thick eyebrows  and a bushy brown moustache. He was wearing black slacks and suspenders over a white shirt and brown, old boots. He had a small tattoo on the top of his hand of a blue star. "And then dis' here be Wiser," Wiser was an older guy, late 50's with a thick brown beard, and black fedora, with a dirty dusty black suit on, with the same black work boots everyone else seemed to wear. The only thing noticeable about him was his left ear was missing. "I think you already met Stacks hur'." Henry shook Jackie and Wiser's hands before sitting and getting ready to listen to the plan.

"Now hur's how it's going to play out, most ah deh' oder' guys will probably help us right Stacks?" Harl looked over at Stacks."Yeh' I been talkin' teh' most of deh' guys, teh' only worry deh' have is teh' Sherrif comin' up her'."

"Don't worry Stacks, I done taken ah dat'." Jackie now stood up and spoke."Teh' only way the Sherriff would be knowin' is if he gets a call, so tamorroah' when the boss asks me teh' clean out his basement I'll take teh' chance to cut the phone line."

Harl then stood back up when Jackie sat down."Stacks remember to get teh' guys ready right befur' 8, so the boss'll just be gettin' teh' bed. Wiser have you got teh' stuff?" Wiser now stood up and pull out a bag he hide behind the bench he sat on. "Took meh' some time, but I done got it." He put the bag down and opened revealing several shotguns, pistols, and knife, with some rope, matches, and a canister of gasoline. "This should do teh' job." Harl looked over the bag and ammunitions. "Good, nah Henry."

Henry promptly looked up at Harl and listened. "Henry, you got the most important part. Nah' when we get in teh' house, the boss has a safe with , if Jackie's right, thousands of dollah's, we could all be set fah' life. Now, he has teh' combination somewhere in his room, top floor of teh' house. So you get in and find it, you also have teh' get us teh' keys to teh' wagon outside, cause' we don't want to be here when people come around and find what we done did." Harl spoke with a stern seriousness. "Alright Harl, I got it." "Good Henry, remember this is starting tomarrah' at 8pm, no later or earlier, yeh' got it?"

Henry shook his head in a 'yes' motion and got up with the rest and all walked back to the longhouse, ready for the plan the next night.

 

The morning bell awoke Henry, and told him this was the day. H e quickly put his jeans, dress shirt, boots and derby hat on with all his rings. H walked out the bunkhouse to go get breakfast. He walked into the house and looked around and saw only Pat walking around making sure everyone was doing as they should. Henry grabbed his oat meal and sat closest to the door in the cafeteria bunkhouse. He looked out the door and saw his boss and a women who he assumed was his wife walk out to the barn. Henry looked to see if Pat was turned around and he quickly sprinted out to the house a few yard from the bunkhouse. He ran through the front door careful not to get caught he stopped running and took slow, careful steps. He hurried up the stairs to the largest door and opened it. He looked in the room, seeing a large bed and a dresser with a mirror, and an electric lamp on a bedside stand. He looked through drawers and the closet, nothing but small suits and dresses.

He went back to the dresser with the mirror and searched through the drawers. He looked around the top of the dresser and looked under an open newspaper and grabbed a black pocket book from under it and stuffed it his pocket. He then quickly ran downstairs and stopped right at the basement door. He opened it and went down to where the telephone cable sat. He went to the phone that was by the box and picked it up and started to twirl the number set. He hoped it wasn't loud enough for someone to hear. Just after who he called pick up he heard the house door open and then slam shut. Henry quickly hung up and ran up the stairs. He stopped at the top of the stairs and looked around seeing nobody. He bolted through the kitchen the basement entrance was in and sprinted through the door and back to the cafeteria longhouse and ran back to where his now cold oatmeal sat and started to eat it as if he hadn't just stolen from his murderous boss.

 

After breakfast Henry ran to where Harl stood hoeing the fresh soil. "Harl, I done got the combo, and I grabbed the wagon keys whilst I was in ter'." Henry took out the keys to show him. "Good now put them away. You're gonna' be driving the wagon as soon as wur' done. Remebah' 8pm sharp, we all meetin' at the shed, this all counts an yah'." Harl spoke quietly and then sent him away so Pat wouldn't get suspicious.

 

 

 

 

Henry quickly checked the time on his watch, 7:58pm. Henry put his hat and walked out to the shed. He stabbed the door with his knife and was let in. A good 15 people were all shuffled in. Harl spoke in the center. "Good, Henry's hur' nah', we can start. First, when we get the moneh', you all disapure' and never speak ah dis' day again. Nah', the telephone lines ur' cut, so they can't call fur' help. We got the keys to the wagon so they can't go and run. Remebah, leave non of'em' alive. Let's go." Wiser put a bag in the center of the crowd and started handing out rifle, shotguns, pistols, and knifes. 3 people got ropes and matches with some gasoline. They all ran out of the shed and marched in front of their bosses house and stood. there. Harl walked out of the crowd in front of them all. "Get out here Pat!" Harl yelled angrily. Pat ran outside angrily tucking his shirt in his pants. "Teh' hell yeh' think yur' doin!" Pat snarled at Harl, seemingly oblivious to the mob behind him. Harl smiled and punched Pat in the jaw, everyone cringed at the cracking sound they heard as Harl's fist connected with Pats jaw. Pat fell to the ground angry and tears falling down his face. "You can't hit me, i'm, i-i-i'm yur' bosses kid!" Pat screamed hoping to wake his father and scare Harl. Harl simply kicked Pat in the stomach."String him up on teh' tree, but don't drop'im yet."Harl said as he pointed to the men carrying ropes and then gestured to the tree.

They then ran through the houses hanging open door and ran through yelling and screaming war chants and kicked down the door to the boss's bedroom. Harl stood there as his boss and boss's wife sat shocked and scared. "Harl, what in god's green earth are you doing! This is my home, if you do not leave, you may end up like Barry." He said in a menacing tone. Harl just smiled and moved to the side as 2 more men walked in with ropes and dragged them out, both delivering well deserved punches to their bosses face and then slamming his wife's head against the bedside table. They practically dragged them out of the house as they went outside. The sun had just set and they lit the oil lamps hanging around and hung one on the tree. The boss and wife were dragged out to see three ropes hanging the same branch, and a man named Springer, real tall black guy with a thin moustache tying a noose into the last rope."There all tied hur' Harl." Springer said as he stepped down from the stool he was using to tie the ropes.

The boss only then realized what was going to happen, and fear and anger rose in him. Before he could speak he was bumped by Henry walking out form the house carrying several stacks of bills, and put them in the wagon."Wait, what are you doing with my money!" The boss spoke angrily trying to get up but was shoved back down. Harl kneeled in front of him."Yah' see, "boss", we have had enough of you, you treat alla' us like dirt, you got men killed cause' of your lil' baby over ter', "Harl gestured to the crying Pat, "and now it done caught up wit' yah'. Now that's what we get for putin' up whitcha'." Harl pointed to the truck Henry was filling with stacks of cash. Harl stood up and nodded to Henry, Jackie, and Stacks.

Each one picked up one of the Boss's family members or the boss himself. Henry dragged Pat over to the stool and put the noose around his neck."Next time, maybe yah' won't go kicking guy's when they down." Henry said in a humorous tone. Stacks went and put the rope around the boss's neck and tightened it."Go f**k yur'self." Stacks whispered into his boss's ear and stepped down. Jackie went and tied up the boss's wife and copped a feel before stepping down."How dare you!" She yelled in surprise.

"Always wanted to do that." Jackie chuckled.

Harl then stepped up. "All who are hur' will bear witness teh' the death of one of teh' most vile men teh' walk this side of California. Anything you'd like teh' say?" Harl said as he stared at them on eyebrow raised.

"Pat just stood there crying, and the boss's wife stood their her eyes shut tight."Your all gonna' burn in hell." The boss stated as he looked down at Harl with a look of sickening disgust.

"Then we'll all see you there." Harl shot back as he gestured for Springer to kick the stool's they all stood on.

"More like you'll be ter' to welcom'em." Harl turned around to see the Sherriff standing there, rifle raised. Harl stood wide eyed, there was no way they could've known. He quickly snapped out of his trance and looked back at his men and then the Sherriff and deputies. He had only one choice. "Kill'em all." Harl yelled. The men all yelled the same and gun fire blared out from the plantation. Harl was immediately dropped by several buck shots pattering his chest and his large body collapsing in a heap. But nobody noticed, they all kept fighting, as if for their freedom.

While gun fired traced throughout the plantation, Henry ran on the other side of wagon to get cover, waiting for the assault to stop. Finally as Wiser stood, last alive, Stacks on the ground with a pistol round above his left eye, and Jackie with several rifle shots in his stomach and chest, Springer's body was sitting against a tree, a trail of blood pointing down on the tree where his body slid down. Wiser, there with one arm unusable from several shots already taken. 1 bullet already grazed his neck, and another in his right thigh.  He barely stood, looking out at the Sheriff and 1 deputy, the only ones left standing.

"Put the gun down old man, jus' give it up." The deputy said from behind the Sheriff. Wiser looked at him and back down at his bleeding arm holding his gun. He looked back up and raised his gun and fired."Kill'em all!" Wiser yelled as his gun got off one more shot and his body collapsed, one rifle shot from the Sheriff landing perfectly in Wiser's heart. And then the Sheriff looked behind him to see his deputy's own body in a heap on the ground. The one shot Wiser shot hit his deputy right in the center of the forehead. The Sheriff shook his head and walked to were the boss's family was standing, surprisingly fine after the gun fight, each one still alive. "Looks like yeh' might need meh' help."The Sheriff said with a chuckle. As soon as Henry heard the Sheriffs voice and a chuckle, he knew he was the last one standing.

He quickly got up and ran past the front of the wagon and up behind the Sheriff silently.

"Sheriff!" He heard the boss's wife yell, but Henry was too quick, and he ran behind the Sheriff pulling out his bowie knife and grabbing the Sheriff's shoulder with his free hand and put the blade to the Sheriffs throat. "Kill'em all." Henry whispered into the Sheriffs ear as he slashed his throat and let go, watching the Sheriff's body collapse to both knees then fall to his face, blood pooling around his throat. Henry looked up to see the boss's family horrified, and mortified, there chance to live again taken away so swiftly.

Henry walked over to where the boss and family stood. They looked down at him, the victor. "Why Henry, Why?" The boss yelled out in anger and fear. Henry stared at them all."Do you fear death, Boss?" Henry said sternly."Wha-", he was cut off. "Do you fear death?" The boss was surprised but answered, hoping he can talk his way out of this predicament."Yes, yes I do." The boss said in a quivering, fearful voice."You shouldn't, cause' I have often though upon death and I find it the least of all evil." Henry's back was to the boss and went and grabbed a rope from one of the workers bodies. He walked back and tied one part of the rope to each stool the Boss's were standing. Then took the other end not tied and tied it to the bumper of the wagon. Loosely. He shut the back door of the wagon so the money wouldn't fly out. The boss still stood wide eyed, he though Henry was just another man searching for a job, but what he said about death, that was far too complex for Henry to understand, if he was as dumb as the boss thought he was. He was snapped out of his thought as he saw the sun rising over the hill's far away.

Henry walked up to the boss, standing there. He reached and grabbed the boss's right hand and looked at the thick gold ring with a large sapphire in the center. He pulled it off on put it on his free pointer finger on his left hand."Another one teh' add teh' the collection." Henry smirked and started to walk away.

The boss stood, there looking as Henry took his ring of his hand and stared down at the other 5 rings he had on his right. and the 2 he had on his left. H also noticed that Henry also had on 4 different necklaces, 1 gold, and 3 silver. He could barely see them now because they were so well hidden under his shirt's collar. But the boss was then drawn back as he noticed the slight of color of red. He looked down at the ring on the index finger of his right hand. It was a large gold ring, no stone, but it had the smallest of red splash marks on the right side of it. H e was drawn from his wondering when Henry started to walk away from then.

Henry open the wagon door and started the engine, taking a few minutes, and closed the door, settling into the seat he poked his head and one arm out, "See yah' in hell Boss!" Henry yelled as he waved one arm and started to pull away from the house. When he got half way down the driveway the wagon seemed to jump back, like it hit a pot hole, and he looked out his window, while still slowly driving, to see the rope now detached from the bumper, and the stools tumbling down the hill towards the wagon.  Henry smiled and sped up until he was at the dirt road that drove past the plantation. He grabbed a map out of his shirt pocket and looked over , 11 red X's dotted the map of California and he added one more X where the map said "James Barry Plantation". He looked slightly to the left and put a red circle over "Curl Farm".

Henry smiled and looked to his left, right, and then turned right and started driving down the long dirt road that went over the hills, and through the plains.

 

Author's Note

3rd story, bring it.