********************
Their daddy wasn’t
an evil man. No, his affliction was much worse.
He was weak.
All their lives
they’d been surrounded by weakness. At least that’s what Ham said and if there
was one person Gertie could count on, it was her brother.
Their mama’s body
was weak and it gave out. Ham said that their daddy’s weakness was of the spirit.
Gertie wasn’t sure what that meant, but apparently it had something to do with
taking them up into the Wichita
Mountains and leaving
them there.
Gertie looked up
at Ham as their daddy disappeared around the mountain’s bend under the guise of
finding brush for a fire. “He did it again.”
Ham dropped a hand
to her shoulder. “We knew he would.”
It wasn’t the
first time their daddy tried to lose them. Just a month earlier, they’d gone
through the same thing.
Their daddy and
stepmama didn’t realize that empty bellies kept the children awake. So, they
heard their stepmama say there wasn’t enough food for her with them around and
they would have to go. Gertie didn’t understand this. No one had enough food
anymore. What made their stepmama so special that she should?
Sure, their daddy
hemmed and hawed, but they knew he’d say yes. And he did. He forgot something,
though. No one was a better tracker than Ham. Gertie’s brother left little clues
along the trail and they’d easily made it down the mountain the next day.
Their stepmama
yelled at them for getting lost and worrying her. For their misbehaving, she
sent them to bed without supper.
Now, they were
alone in the mountains again.
Ham took Gertie’s
hand. “Come on. We can sleep under that ledge. Head back down in the morning.”
He’d left all the necessary
signs to ensure them of the path back to the dried out farm. Their stepmama
might be trying to kill them, but it was the only home they had.
Gertie curled up
next to Ham, keeping a tight hold on his hand. With this assurance, she fell
quickly asleep under the darkening sky.
She woke the next
morning to a harrowing wail. Looking up, she screamed.
A black blizzard.
Ham was already
moving, gathering her in close. He tied bandanas around their mouths before covering
them fully with the blanket. The blowing dust raged, trying to rip their meager
shelter away, but Ham held strong.
The storm lasted
for what felt like forever and then it was gone. They quickly realized that
with it went all of Ham’s clues. When they reached the bottom of the mountain,
nothing looked the same.
So, they walked.
And walked.
Finally, across
the plains, they saw something. A grand riot of colors raised up from the
ground. As they slowly drew closer, they realized it was a circus tent. Between
them and the canvas was a wooden trailer with a small horse. Faded paint
proclaimed, “The Amazing Cornelia Will Reveal Your Future.”
On the ledge of
the trailer, Gertie saw two small pies. Without hesitation, the starving
children set to eating them. When they were about halfway through, they heard a
noise.
Standing to the
side of the trailer was a surprisingly plump old woman, the whole of her eyes
milky white. “Is someone eating my pies?”
Ham spoke quickly.
“We’re awful sorry, ma’am. My sister and I have been walking a long while and
we were hungry.”
“Children?” The
old woman opened the door to the trailer. “You'd best get inside. It isn’t safe
around here. Circus children keep disappearing. Sleep here tonight and I’ll
help you get away in the morning.”
Ham took Gertie’s
hand and thanked the woman. Inside the trailer were many boxes covered in
blankets. Ham and Gertie climbed atop one and fell quickly asleep.
Gertie knew something
wasn’t right the second she woke up. She reached for Ham’s hand and hit bars.
Sitting up, she found herself inside a covered cage. Scattered around her were
bones. Bunches and bunches of bones.
The blanket was
pulled back suddenly. The old woman’s hand reached in and grabbed the girl’s
arm. Gertie screamed and heard Ham yelling for her.
The old woman
frowned. “Why you’re thinner than a rose petal, honey. But I’ll make due. Won’t
be like the rest of them. Moving from place to place. Slowly starving to
death.”
She dropped the
blanket back down. Ham’s muffled yells were silenced with a thump. Gertie found
the sharpest bone she could. Like her brother, she had a skill. She was blessed
with a talent for locks. How else would she and Ham have ever gotten into their
stepmama’s food cabinet?
Quietly, her small
hands worked. With a soft pop, the lock gave. Very delicately, she lifted up
the corner of the blanket. She crawled over to a small window. The old lady was
outside, building a fire.
Gertie quickly found
Ham. His temple was bloodied, but his lungs rose and fell. Still, he was in no
condition to help.
Gertie’s legs
shook as she made her way to the trailer door. She wanted to vomit, but ignored
the weakness. She wouldn’t let Ham down.
She pushed the door
open just enough to squeeze through and climbed up into the small seat where
the horse’s reins rested. As soon as the leather touched her hands, Gertie
slapped the animal into action.
The old woman’s
head snapped up at the sound of hooves. Gertie watched as she staggered away
from the noise. The old lady’s foot caught and she went pitching straight into
the fire she’d been preparing for the children. Her bellows filled the air, but
Gertie didn’t look back, riding hard to the colorful tent in the distance.
What with all the
bones, it didn’t take much convincing for the circus folk to believe Gertie’s tale. They
welcomed the children in and left the old woman’s body to the coyotes.
********************
Hey - you picked this too ;-)
ReplyDeleteNice dialogue. And I like the change at the end - the kids don't go back home. A hard choice, but hopefully will be for the better.
Thanks!
DeleteThe father in this story always bothered me. I didn't feel like he should be part of the happy ending.