F Wilson: Deep as the Marrow

He got his answer a few minutes later when they reached the clearing and found Snake facedown in a puddle. Geary ran up to him, gun drawn, but it was obvious he was long dead.

“Must’ve tripped and fell,” Lester said.

Geary and Matt Mulliner had a hard time lifting the body because Snake’s face was sunk so deep in the muck at the bottom of the puddle. Finally it came free with a sucking pop.

“He must have ‘tripped and fell’ pretty damn hard,” Canney said, giving Lester a hard look.

John wondered if Canney had noticed Levon’s muddy hands, or the churned-up mud around Snake’s hands and feet, as if he’d been kicking and clawing…

But Lester was unruffled. “Like I said, the pines has a way of takin‘ care of his sort.” And suddenly John realized that Snake’s death closed the circle.

It’s over, he thought, and with that he felt himself fading again. He had to lean on Canney a little more heavily until they got him into the back seat of the Roadmaster. He was already riding the ragged edge of unconsciousness and the grinding pain of the transfer all but pushed him over, but he hung on because Decker was slipping Katie in next to him. John wrapped his good arm around her and snuggled her close.

At last, at last, at last, she was safe and back where she belonged. He kissed her cool forehead and felt as if he were going to explode with gratitude. Decker, Canney, the Mulliners, even the Appletons, but most of all…

He watched Luke seat himself on the passenger side of the pick-up, still clutching Poppy’s sheet-wrapped body. He didn’t seem to be able to let go of her.

Thank you, Poppy Mulliner, John said in his mind, from his heart, from his soul. Wherever you are, thank you.

As Decker, Geary, and Matt lifted Snake’s body, John heard the bearded brother tell them to toss it into the back of the pickup— “with the rest of the trash.”

“Katie, Katie, Katie,” John whispered, squeezing her tighter, barely able to hold back the tears, “it’s so good to have you back again.” She looked up at him. She seemed more alert now.

She gave him a little smile, then closed her eyes again.

She whispered a single word. “Poppy.” John wished she’d said Daddy, but he’d take Poppy— he’d take anything. Just hearing her voice was enough.

The End