The voice grabs my hand and pulls me back out the door. The night is still, the ground below soft and thick. Can hear the faint sound of water rushing over rocks.
The voice stops, leaving us next to a small brook running below.
“Remove your clothes,” she says.
Earlier, I would have said no, not in front of a girl. Now? What the hell.
My back hurts as I try to peel the shirt over my head. What’s left of my britches falls off my hips as soon as I undo the first button. I’ve grown tiny.
Afraid of what I’ll see, I don’t dare look down at my body. I edge into the water. It’s surprisingly deep; it comes up to my waist.
Ah, God.
I sink to the bottom, letting all the filth and sin and lie wash downstream. The poor widow living in the house downstream can have all that. I don’t want it anymore.
When I don’
I stand up again.
“Jesus Christ,” the voice spits. “You’re s…skinny,”
I’d forgotten about her. I quickly cover my chest with my arms. The water covers to the rest of my body.
The voice tosses me a bar of soap. It skids across the water, foaming as it goes. I grab it, then go under the water again.
The combination of cold water and oily soap is pure bliss.
When I come up for are, the voice is chiding.
“Come out, then,” she says. “You’ll catch cold.”
Yeah, I think. That’s the least of my worries right about now.
I clamber out, immediately putting on the britches and shirt, both a bit too big for me, but it doesn't matter. I love the feeling of the water (still) against my skin.
Inside, there is mass of chicken and gravy on a rough metal plate awaiting us at the table. I wait for the voice to sit down, then I follow suit.
“Eat, dearest,” the lady says.
I clasp my hands together under the table.
Thank you, God. For everything.
It’s mad, I know. But I hope He’ll understand.
SAMMY! you've done it again...no clue what's going on or why he can't see the girl (and of course there are a few typos from typing w/ your eyes closed) but it's great! I still do NOT know how all of this came about...goodness knows I'm not following. One minute he's w/ Liberty, then he's in jail..now it's...who knows how long later and he's completely emaciated...lordy.