Sam Williams - Tales from the Swollen Corpse

We walked back to the house. I saw the sun had taken away the morning blue and knew we were going to get a late start today. Pa told Ma what happened and not to let anyone near the well. He had me get Greta saddled to go up to the McCray’s to fetch enough water for the day. The troughs were full with good water. We just needed enough for drinking and so Mama could cook. Pa said I would be making daily trips until the irrigation ditch was dug from the stream above the McCray’s.

I grabbed two canteens including the big one that hung by the door. I also grabbed Pa’s drinking bag, Pa called it his boot, and I found it under their bed. Unlike the half day rides to town, it’s a short trip to the McCray’s. They were nice older folks. They were the only other ones out here besides us. Pa didn’t know how they managed out here with no young ones to help out, but the two of ’em seemed to get along just fine.

The ride back seemed even faster. Coming down the last small hill I could see our farm out in the meadow. Our house looked like a little brown boat on golden sea. The little hills behind it looked like rolling waves. It made me miss the ocean. I grew up by the sea. Every morning I started the day hoping Pa would change his mind and take us back.

Back home, Ma had set out some jugs and a wash bowl for me to fill. That way the canteens would be ready for my next trip. The rest of the day Pa kept me busy. In fact I didn’t think at all about how the day had started. Not until on the way in, I saw Shep’s pile of rags in the corner of the porch. I took his bedding out to the work shed. The twins didn’t need a reminder and neither did I.

The next day we got so busy working on the new fence, I had forgotten about my trip to the McCray’s. Ma came down the long dusty road to tell us we were down to one jug and asked when I was going. Things weren’t going so well with the fence, we had lost track of time. Wiping the sweat from his brow and looking frustrated, Pa said he could finish by himself and I better get.

After I had Greta saddled and the canteens strapped on I headed out. Down at the end of the dirt road I could see Pa. He had stopped working on the fence and was talking to two fellers on horses. We didn’t get many visitors out here. The last one was a preacher; Pa wasn’t too nice to him; of course Pa had been carrying around his boot that day.

As I got closer, I could tell Pa was angry and he was pointing for them to go away. One of the men pointed back at Pa. I heard a bang. There was a spray from the back of Pa’s head and he dropped straight down to the dirt. I yelled and the men started towards me. I turned quick and got Greta going as fast as she could back to the house.

Their horses were a lot faster than poor old Greta. I didn’t beat them by much. As soon as I was close enough to the porch, I jumped down and ran inside. I saw in a blur Grands in her rocker with the twins playing by her feet. I yelled at Ma to come and help while I tried to hold the door. The plank we used to latch it was missing again; Billy was always playing with it. Ma came running around the stove to ask what all the fuss was about. Before I could say, the door flung open sending me to the ground.

Two of the biggest ugliest sons of bitches I had ever seen came in. Both were dusty and their faces were dark and leathery from the sun. One had what Ma called that “different look” to him. It’s what she called a man in town. She told us that man was like a baby, even though he was taller than me. That guy from town had a weird look to his face and this one had it too. The other had a face full of beard, it was black as night. His eyes and the bit you could see just looked mean.

After looking around the room the bearded one looked at Ma and said, “Well ain’t you a pretty thing?”

I jumped up and yelled for them to get out of here. The “different looking” one walked over and hit me so fast and hard I didn’t see his hand move. I saw a flash and then things went dark and quiet.

I woke up by Grands’ feet. My head hurt real bad and I felt dizzy. Using all my strength, I lifted myself up onto my knees. Grands was in her chair and the little ones were on her lap. She had her arms around them and they had their faces buried in each side of her neck. Grands was staring at something, she looked angry and I could tell she had been crying. I started to ask what was going on then I saw what she was looking at. Standing over by the table was the one that hit me. As soon as I saw him, everything came back. He stood there pointing a gun at us with a dumb smile on his face.

I didn’t know where the other one was until I heard Pa and Ma’s door open and the bearded one walked over to his friend. I could hear Ma whimpering from the room behind him.

“Well, she’s all yours Junior.”

He turned and looked at the empty jugs on the table, “Damn it, that whore done wore me out and you ain’t got a drop in here.”

He picked up a jug and slammed it down at his feet. The jug exploded, sending ceramic shards everywhere. Picking up another he pointed at me and said, “Damn it boy! You go out to that well and get me and Junior here a drink.”

I started to protest, then Grands broke her silence and cut me off. “You heard ’em Jim, go get these men some water from the well.” Her voice was cold; I had never heard her speak like that.

I took the jug from the man and headed off to the well. I heard him tell Junior to go with me and make sure I didn’t try to run.

When I got back I handed the full jug to the bearded man. He brought the jug to his sun blistered lips and drank like he hadn’t had a drop of water in days. After spilling a good amount on his shirt and letting loose a disgusting belch, he handed the jug to Junior, who drank the same way.

I didn’t think that a man could have squealed like that old hog had before she died. But that’s just what he did before he dropped to his knees. Junior lost his dumb grin and looked very confused. I almost felt sorry for him, then he started screaming.

First they scraped at themselves with their own nails, clawing away at the skin on their faces and arms. Then the bearded man got a piece of the broken jug and started on himself with it. I picked up Junior’s gun which had been lying on the floor.

Without turning away, I shot each of ’em in the head.

Paul’s desk was on the second floor of the Brown and Johnson building. It was large, a dated brown color from decades past, and covered in paper. It gave the impression Paul had more work than he could handle. Truth was, things had been slow and every day Paul felt he was treading water. He knew he was running out of projects anyone gave a crap about. He also knew if he didn’t come up with some new ideas, he was screwed.

He gazed out the window down to the street below. Paul had been excited about getting the window seat until he discovered the tinted glass made the brightest afternoon sky a dismal gray. The view wasn’t too stimulating either; just a parking lot and another office building across the way.

Paul pinched the corner of a cardboard envelope poking out of a stack of papers. Wiggling it free, he held it and contemplated mailing it. Then, smacking it against the palm of his hand he thought; now or never. He also thought it was time for the first of the day’s many cigarette breaks. As he stood, he looked to make sure the address was right then tucked the envelope under his arm. He walked from his desk towards the hall, as he did, he didn’t notice the loud crash or sound of car alarms from the parking lot below.

He liked taking the back stairs over the elevator. With luck, he would only have to walk past the receptionist, Harriet, who took the mail anyhow. He felt like today just might be okay because when he turned the corner to the lobby, he could see it was empty except for Harriet. Walking towards her, he could see she seemed to be smiling at something.