Chapter 6-2

Chapter 6-2

She backs away from him hoping to soothe him as she looked into his eye's all she see is fear and darkness and pain. Danny crying as his mother tries to hold him in her arms hoping she can calm her boys.

Jim walked into the room flips on the lights starts to yell. “Linda I told you there's nothing you can do for him,” as he points to EJ. Then yells at her “just leave the brat be,” as Jim looks over at EJ huddled then scurries to furthest corner in the room.

Jim draws closer to EJ as more terror strikes with him. The room is more colder as it surrounds him, more so for him than his mother yet the cold and evil presence was real. He could see his breath in the room. The shadows were real, as EJ and Danny watched them dancing on the wall as his father walked closer to him, darkness followed him.

Linda tried to push Jim away from him and Danny. Jim just steps her aside like she was nothing but straw in the wind till he was in front of him, staring at him his face was hard and cold. His eyes seemed to turn black as night.  Jim began to raise a hand, Linda gasp screaming “NO JIM! You promised you promised,” Linda watching his hand clenched into knuckles turning white then shakes them, waving them at EJ and at Danny.

Jim grabbed EJ by his shirt as it tightened around the neck with both hands, shaking him hard against the corner of the wall as the anger and hate for him filled him and without warning slapped his face hard over and over again. Leaving a bruised mark on his cheeks then prepares to do it again. Blood begins to run down EJ’s mouth and noses dripping droplets onto his bedclothes.

Jim yell’s shaking him hard against the wall once more like was nothing but a rag doll. “Boy, I'm only going tell you this once." The words come spitting out of his mouth like a hot droll upon his face. "Me and you have to live in this house whether we like or not I would prefer "not," but for now its not up to me, so either you can walk out of this room with your head up and take it, look me straight in the eye or not makes no difference to me. But you will learn to live by my rules and how we do things while you're here.”

Jim lifted EJ up by his shirt once more as it begins to rip at the top then slams him hard against the wall leaving a dent where his head bounced, pushing him harder into the corner and slapped him again and again said. “These are family matters no one else’s, so get over it,” slapping him harder once more. Then let’s go of his torn shirt, staring cold and hard at Linda and Danny walked out of the room yelling, “back to bed girls!” Slamming the bedroom door behind him.

Linda stunned holding Danny looked at EJ across the room, her face white with anger. Quickly Linda grabbed a wet washcloth to wipe the blood off his face and get some ice. Then she softly tucked the boys back into bed shaking as she stares at EJ as the bruises become more apparent knowing full well they are in for some serious trouble. Closing the door after turning off the lights, she walked down the hall. Thinking what story if any she can give Mrs. Jennings as the tears being to wash down her hot cheeks.

Danny jumps into bed with EJ as they huddled close together as they hear their parents arguing down the hall. “I am sorry Danny,” as he looked into his brother's tearful eyes holding him close, as they both looked at the closed door in the darkened room around them. Danny fell asleep in EJ's arms with the clock ticking down towards ends of the weekend with two more day's to go…….

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As the sun rises over the mountains EJ waited for the day to begin. Things were happening down at the Mrs. Trenny place as Rena and the boys were doing a clean sweep of the place preparing for the tonight's social. Kollie was busy going door to door with Mr. Johnson gathering a list of members for their little work club.

The Downing and the Whitmore boys put a list together of all the kids in the neighborhood around EJ ages to participate. Not many of them liked his sister's thou, found them boorish or snobbish. Rather felt sorry for the poor fool that put up with them. Of course, they couldn't agree more which made the task harder for them. Relying on their aunts for some help when the time comes or hope EJ can and his mother can sneak by them somehow.

Operation possum is the code name as they spread the word around their little group. “Right now our possum is stuck in a tree ladies and gentlemen and we need to get him out.” As Rose stood before the group of people in her home. The room is all buzz eyes fixed on her. “Now then,” passing around roster down the rows “I have a plan that may solve our little problem in two-folds,” as Rose looked down the road then back at her guest. “But it’s going take some hard work and lot of effort on our part. Meaning us neighbors” as she winked back at Mr. Johnson, “put some that pride away and mend some those fences.”

Now that got everyone attention as they squirmed in their seats. Actually, it made her nervous too. Rose took a big swallow watching Rena and Kollie as they nodded back to her. “As I was saying we need to put our differences aside, come together as a community by helping one another,” with more assertive voice. “That way, we all have someone we can turn to when we need help, when we get stuck in a tree like that poor possum is down the road.

“Now who's with me?” Rose asked as she looked around the room at all members they invited to the gathering watching them raise their hands shouting. “We’re with you Rose.” Rena and Kollie counted heads. They had 14 couples 12 boys plus their own and 6 girls ready to for Operation possum.

It was Kollie and Rena turn to address the group as they go up together. “Folks, first of all, we want to thank you,” as Rena dots her eye quickly. “As you know or little possum has had a tough time and will be returning back to the nest day after tomorrow.  Which means that.... one; we must work on the second part of the operation. His sanctuary here so when he returns, the transition won't be so hard on the little fella.”

Whispers among the group are heard as when they mentioned his parents. Rena steps forward, “folks. I understand you have a grievance regarding them. I do to have many myself,” looking at her boys in the back row. “The truth and the facts or whether we like it or not she is his mother.” Rena swallows hard. “And I do believe, or think as his mother she is trying to care for her son, but can't do it without some help and all she is asking for is another chance to do it.

“His father is a whole different story I am afraid,” as Rena wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks looking at her husband for some help. “I can't, dear.” looking into his eyes, “I just can't,” she replied. Wiping tears from her eyes.

Kollie carefully hands her to Rose as they leave the room so she can compose herself. Kollie sum's him up, “folks. The way I have been told, he is stubborn, pig head fool could care less whether his sons were there or not. Actually, I think not is a better word or preferred way told by some. They are just extra baggie that ties him down, their useless according to him. And his sisters have the same opinion.”

“That's for sure” Will and Robert whispers among the other boys in the room as they all nod their heads in agreement.

“So folks. We have a heap a lot of work to do in the coming months are you up to it is the question?” as Kollie looked around the room at the small gathering as they whisper among themselves for a minute.

“Alright, I'm in Doc,” as Mr. Johnson stands signs the roster then nods to Rose, “for the boy ya know,” he smiles.

Rose smiles back, “yes for the boy.”

Then one by one as they all stand. Wives first pulling up their husband by their bootstraps looking them straight in the eye. “Alright, alright” as they mumble putting their names down on the roster one at a time. Rose and the Whitmore's had their committee and it was organized as they looked down the road. Rose and Rena passed out refreshments as the ladies talked about how they were going to get Linda out of the house into their little group.

“Rose you know she never leaves that house very long.” Mrs. Gavin replied.

“Well, then you are just going have to visit her till she does. It’s the only way, maybe if she sees that you are not a threat she might come out. Martha tells me she lousy cook according to their grandmother we might be able to help their ladies if know what mean. In fact. I was there the other night. The roast beef was so tough I could have worn it home as shoe leather.”

“Those poor children,” as they shake their heads.

The menfolk in their corner of the room discussing how to handle Jim and the work around the area for the boys. “He's a tough nut to crack, I'll give you that. Never says much, goes on down the road not saying much as a howdy. Just looks straight head like your not even there. Might as well be talking to a rock, cold as an iceberg when stand next to him lest that feeling I get last time I looked into his face.” Mr. Parks replied.

“Still that doesn't solve our problem folks,” Kollie said looking around the room.

“Sorry Doc, just that all the stories we heard coming, surrounding that house. Some say it’s haunted with ghosts. That's why the children scream in the middle of the night.” Mr. Kwan replied.

“Heck I even seen shadows hang on the wall Doc that weren't ordinary shadows.” Mr. Thomas replied.

“Boys that just my point. Stories, we all have heard them.” He heard a few himself takes a hard swallow. “But that's what they are, stories that fuel the mind. Now I have been in that house, I didn't see one ghost boys and neither did these boys over here. Just a boy in a room that needed our help, that's it, so the question is boys how are we going to get him out of there freely without fear? ......”

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