Chapter 21-2

Chapter 21-2

* * *

 

Morgan scraping, crawling along the hard, cold corridor like knives stabbing into flash, Morgan in the deepest part of the shadows long those corridors reaching, ever stumbling. “You think you won my friends?” His voice clawing, grating against the very soul of the inter-chamber of darkness picking himself up finding his notebook on the hard cold floor. “Think again,” as he slumps against the corner of the shadows. “For I have just begun,” as his eyes pierced red, thumbing through the pages rolling back his head laughing that shakes the very depths of your soul. Then turns and dissipates once more into the corridors with a trail of laughter whispering “I seeeeeee youuuuuu… Mr. Wells.”

* * *

 

“Well that's everything Sheriff and everyone, Wayne,” said Mr. Grams looked back at the empty field of once known as Cracken, handing Sheriff Whitmore and Downing the roster. 

“Yes sir,” Mr. Grams said, loading his wagon of the last of the tents. “We have built ourselves a mighty fine town down in New Downing. Just in the nick of time to looking at this here sky and those mountains, I'd say we are in for one heck of a winter. Well, I better get this load back to town or the misses be wondering where I'm at if you know what I mean?” He replied tipping his hat.

“Thanks again Mr. Grams,” Wayne said shaking his hand watching him go down the road. “Well, boys?”

“Yes, Pa,”

“Better hurry up with that and tie it down good,” Pa said as the wind starts to pick up a little more, “and before the rain starts in.”

“Yes, Pa.”

“Robert, have you seen EJ and Will?”

“They were in the barn bedding down the horses Pa”

“Thanks, Robert.”

“Well Kollie,” Wayne said shaking his hand, “you better get you and your boys home before it starts to blow any worse or Rena will have my hide,” looking at the sky, “ it's going to be a dosey,” as Wayne whistled. “Well be over next week me and the boys and we'll see we can help mend some those fences for you,” he replied.

“Thanks, Wayne,” Kollie replied.

“Hey what are friends for Kollie,” Wayne said waves for the boys to come before it got any worse.

“Phewy,” Wayne said looking outside shaking his coat off at the front door. “Its nasty one out there,” Pa said standing by the fire to get warm. “Has the boy's come in from the barn dear?” He asked.

“A few minutes ago dear why?” Ma replied.

“Just checking that's all,” Pa said looking outside the window one more time.

“Dinner will be ready in an hour or so dear if you want to wash up,” as she leans over to kiss him on the cheek.

“Thanks, dear, man I sure hate to be out in that storm,” Pa said looks out the window watching the trees twist around and listening to the wind howl.

* * *

 

“Come on you old ornery good for nothing horse we weathered more storms worse than this,” Mary said looking at the sky. “The boys are counting on me “Yah! Yah!” Mary riding hard down the road to find Doc Whitmore, across the gully. “Wow, nailly!” Mary seeing the river has jumped its bank. “Come on old girl we got to get across,” as she turned back finds a little forge in the broken road, “come on girl like your life depends on it. YAH! YAH!” as she jumped off the ditch bank nearly missing as the horse hind legs nearly losing her grip start up the steep incline of the ravine.

The rain pouring down hard on her back, as she reached the farmhouse as she leaped off the horse… “Doctor Whitmore!” Mary yelled looking like a wet dog, “you got to come quick its Betty. Were stuck out in the storm and she collapsed about half mile up the road Doc.”

“What in tar nation was she doing out the middle of this weather?” He said as he grabs his coat and his keys to his car.

“Sorry Doc, the roads and phones are out,” she said heading towards the horse tied to the porch soaking wet.

Kollie yells for the boys, “let's go,” grabbing his bag heading towards the barn with boys for the horses. Yelling orders to his boys sending Frank off to Downing's for help and Mark off to New Downing for Doc Hatfield. Rena grabbing all the quilts in the house loading them in the wagon out in the barn, Peter hooks up the wagon Mary and Rena are off in the wagon down the road following her husband in the storm as it picked up strength as they all head down the road.

* * *

 

Peggy and Dona with their grandmother in the car staring out the window at the storm, “Grandma, I am scared,” Peggy said as Grandma put her arm around her as lightning flashed as the wind howls around them.

“It’s alright sweetheart,” Grandma said as she tries to comfort her granddaughters in the car. “If it makes you feel any better Peggy,” she said looking her straight in the eye. “Grandma is to a little,” as she gains back some her composer. “But Grandma won't let anything happen to you. You know that?”  She said as she pats her hand then kisses her cheek leans her against the side of her with Dona on the other.

Grandma staring out the window seeing the storms blackened skies, sleet coming down hitting the windowpane. “I knew I should have called first, but no, I had to get in a hurry again,” she said looking down the road towards the direction of the farm. “Even though it was important,” as she pats the letter in her purse, “it would have kept for another day or so,” she said watching the weather outside. “Why couldn't that fool hearted women left well enough alone?” she said holding her two grandchildren in the car? “Wanted them home for Thanksgiving she did and the state granted her request and Danny too as long she behaved herself, not gone half-cocked like she done before.”

“Phwee,” as Grandma sits and stews about the letter in her purse granting rights for them to come home.  “They never seem to learn to do they, Peggy?” She whispers in her ear, “that Grandma's right,” she said and kissed her on the head one more time.

“Who Grandma?” Peggy said looking up at her.

“Nobody child, nobody,” she said as they all stare out the window at the storm.