Back To Our Beginning (30 page)

“Don’t take that tone with me, mister,” Michaela mimicked. She’d heard her mother use the expression often enough with him as he recovered.

Laughing, Emmy grabbed her sister’s hand and steered her toward her teacup. Michaela was distracted soon enough. Also laughing, Shanie took Ricky to his cup and the children began slurping happily.

Tansy and Cord stood toe to toe if not eye to eye. “Everyone out here needs a babysitter,” Tansy informed him.

“Even you,” he stated belligerently.

“Yes, even me sometimes. You need to be shown where the safe refuges are in case of a storm,” Tansy responded. “Look, Cord, I know you are a powerful man, but you were hurt badly; you got lucky.”

He looked Tansy up and down suggestively.

“How lucky could I get?”

“Not that lucky.” Clint growled; he walked into the mine with the others.

Aidan and Ethan had joined him in a trek back to town to salvage what alcohol they could find. Tansy had been in agreement because it was also for medicinal and cooking purposes. They left early that morning and were now returning in time for dinner.

“Relax buddy, I was just playing,” Cord told him.

“Next time I go out I’ll find you a deck a cards,” Clint told him angrily.

Clint placed his backpacks filled with all types of liquor and other items on the ground and greeted Michaela with hugs and kisses. Still glaring, he cast a questioning look to Tansy who shook her head. Clint then visibly relaxed after noting the girls seemed unconcerned and Tansy was not in a foul mood.

There was an undercurrent of questioning surrounding Aidan. He had guessed Cord could be dangerous; he heard Shanie’s telling of the death of her young friend Chris. Clint implied Cord had been forceful with women on more than one occasion. Aidan understood after he walked in on Cord and Tansy that day that she hadn’t been just embarrassed she’d also been fearful.

Aidan had enlisted Ethan’s help and the two made sure not to leave any of the women alone with Cord. Except today. Today they needed their combined efforts and it had proved fruitful. They stocked the shelves with glass bottles and plastic bottles of wines and liquors of all kinds and sizes and found an amusing recipe in a tattered old magazine for birch bark beer and dandelion wine.

“Dinner smells wonderful,” Ethan told Tansy smiling, trying to ease the tension.

Ethan could see the struggle Aidan was having. Ethan knew because of Aidan’s mother’s death he was extremely sensitive to the vulnerabilities of women. Shuddering, Ethan thought God forbid if Cord ever tried to harm one of Tansy’s girls. If there was anything left of him after Tansy got through with him, Aidan would fillet Cord alive.

“I’ll say, I’m starvin’,” Clint said, nodding in agreement with Ethan.

To Aidan’s rising anger, he could see Clint dismissed Cord’s words as playful bantering. But was it? Was there an underlying of tension yet to come? Aidan witnessed Cord on one occasion browbeating Emmy to tears, and Tansy had come to her daughter’s defense immediately, making short work of him. Aidan knew Shanie was defiant and unruly at times, but she maintained respect for Cord’s large frame. Perhaps the death of her friend was still traumatic to her. For the most part, Cord ignored Mike, and Ricky seemed to be in awe of him. Clint seemed to have a mind of his own, if you could call it that, he often defended Cord. The only one Aidan couldn’t figure out was Tansy. At times, she seemed to enjoy Cord’s company; at others, they were at odds. They argued as violently as they laughed happily. It was an enigma and would need to be closely watched.

Tansy was near the mine door at the larger stove basting her roast when she heard it; a small sound growing in tempo. She had an odd thought a train was approaching and she sat stunned. Tansy’s heart began to pound in her chest as the rain suddenly came down in a deluge of thunder and lightning. She heard the unmistakable sounds of hail bouncing off the rocks at the front, outside the mine opening they kept partially open for air circulation.

As her breath took flight so too did she. She raced to Ethan who was close by and grasped up his hands, unable to speak; she looked into his eyes, her body was shaking. His questioning look turned to shock and fear when the sounds increased and understanding dawned.

“Tornado!” Ethan boomed, his grip tightened on Tansy’s hand and he began running.

Not releasing Tansy’s hand, Ethan yelled for everyone to take cover in the back of the tunnel, centered in the middle of the mine where their provisions were stored for the winter months. Ominous swirls of dust were picking up in the bottom and side of the mine closest to the other exits, which had been partially sealed.

Michaela screamed and Tansy cried out, “My girls!”

She tried to yank her hand from Ethan’s, but he held onto her and continued to race forward. They’d been the closest to the entrance of the mine, their escape more of a quandary while taking flight. Aidan grabbed a strong hold on Emmy’s arm, his other wrapped around her tiny waist, and was ushering her into the eighteen-foot tunnel. Shanie picked up Michaela, cradling the child to her chest; both were swept off their feet in mid-flight into Clint’s embrace as he continued to race for cover.

Seeing the girls ahead of Tansy and himself well on their way to safety, Ethan felt a wave of gratitude as Cord scooped up Ricky under an arm and both disappeared into the dark tunnel with Lucky close on their heels. Forcefully thrusting Tansy ahead of him, Ethan practically flew in behind her. They crouched at the back of the tunnel huddled together in fear for their safety. Tansy grabbed up a comforter from one of the shelves and had help as they pulled it over them.

They stayed huddled with their bodies pressed together in the dark, listening horrified to the sounds of trees and rocks being bashed mercilessly against the sides of their mine. Hail beating out a fearsome staccato, a death dance to hapless animals and unshielded foliage. They wrapped themselves within one another’s embrace, taking comfort in the warm body next to them even after the noise of the tornado could no longer be heard and the rain and hail had stopped pounding.

“Mommy, I’m hungry,” Michaela announced.

“Me, too,” Ricky said.

“Me three,” Clint offered.

“I think it’s safe now,” Ethan said.

All ventured back into the main area of the mine. Tansy was elated. Nothing had changed or moved. Perhaps the tornado only sounded close. Tansy was convinced the mines were in fact the safest home; she’d done it, she had protected her children. Shane would be proud of her; the promise had been upheld. Then to her great surprise, she began to cry. Then to sob hysterically. Weary hands came up to cover over her face as she gave into her anguish; her knees buckling from the emotional release of pent-up sorrow.

Michaela began crying. Ricky soon joined in followed by Emmy and Shanie. The four men stood helplessly while the women and children finally found solace in their grief. It had been a long, hard seven months.

Not being able to stand their tears, Clint grabbed up Tansy and Michaela and took them to one of the bear rugs while he did his best to console them. Ethan took charge of his son and a whimpering Lucky, while Aidan and Cord stumbled over each other trying to ease Emmy’s and Shanie’s sorrow. Clint looked in desperation to the other men.

“Jist how long do you think tornado season is?” Clint asked.

“All summer I would imagine now,” Ethan told him. Ricky’s head was buried in his chest while Lucky added his own pitiful howls, nosing his way under an arm.

“Well damn.” Clint rubbed Tansy’s back and patted Michaela’s head. “It’s gonna be a long summer.” There were nods of agreement all around.

* * * *

Squish.
Michaela laughed.
Squish.
Ricky laughed. They were both barefoot in the swampy section of a lake. Ricky wore only a breechclout, as did Michaela. Shanie, dressed scantily in the terrible heat that snuck up on them within days of spring, had made herself her own clothing; a piece of leather looped through a leather belt secured snugly around her hips, pulled through covering her front and back, then a rabbit hide halter top. She was searching for bullfrogs. The children were supposed to be helping her find smaller frogs or pollywogs to use as bait, but the new squishy game captured their attention.

Shanie’s gaze centered on another bullfrog, they both leaped at the same time but Shanie was faster. She grabbed the frog in a firm grip and bashed it against a log, killing it instantly. She added it to the others in the back of her pack. Once the legs were skinned and boiled they were fried in fat with seasonings added and were a favorite of Shanie’s who had been astounded at that fact. Shanie had to admit a lot of things were surprising. She came to realize her mother was more ‘together’ than she’d thought, or would have liked to admit. Emmy was tougher than she’d given her credit for, and she wasn’t really as jealous of Michaela as she once thought she was.

Almost losing her sisters and mother so many times, Shanie’s anger had been redirected to survival. Not only hers, but that of her family’s. Now that family included a little brother, who was at that moment squishing muck happily between his toes, the ever-present faces of the four large men who considered it their duty to protect her and everyone else, including each other.

Shanie heard more laughter and rolled her eyes while shaking her head. There stood Clint, in mid-length buckskin pants, also squishing muck between his toes. He looked just as happy as the kids.

Spotting another bullfrog resting between a log and a rock, Shanie approached. She could have used her slingshot but needed the practice of sneaking up on her quarry. She made a hunting game of her own by stealthily following Ethan or Clint and surprising them in various areas. They were good natured and praised her when she actually caught them off-guard. But the one time she stalked Aidan she found herself flat on her back, a knife at her throat. Shanie had been terrified.

Aidan had been overly apologetic. Shanie left him alone after that, giving him such a wide berth when they came into contact Aidan felt like a pariah. He made amends by giving her a flute and called for a truce. Shanie accepted and played the homemade high pitched sometimes shrill instrument a great deal, much to the annoyance of everyone else.

“Gotcha,” Shanie said triumphantly, holding the frog around the waist. It opened its mouth and gave a small cry. “Don’t do that,” Shanie commanded. “Be a man...or a frog.” The frog cried again.

The sound, so pitiful and helpless to Shanie’s ears, she relented and lowered it to the water, releasing it. She decided she had enough anyway. Shanie took a step toward shore then tried to cry out as a hand went over her mouth, a strong arm pinned her arms to her waist.

Shanie struggled, but it was useless; he picked her up out of the water and held her easily, though not un-gently, in powerful arms and she tired.

“Mercy is for the weak.” A deep voice whispered in her ear, his warm breath ruffling her hair and tickling the side of her neck.

“Let go, Cord, before Tansy sees you and you get an arrow through your thick head,” Clint said in warning.

Laughing, Cord set Shanie back on her feet, releasing her. She spun and took a wild swing at him, which he dodged with ease. “You’re a jerk,” Shanie snapped.

“Now there’s an understatement,” Emmy voiced, having witnessed the exchange, a deep scowl set about her annoyed face.

“Aw now, I was just playing,” Cord called after Shanie as she stomped out of the water making sure she splashed him. He stood looking contrite, or as contrite as he could muster, while dripping and grinning.

“Come on, Shanie, I didn’t hurt you.”

“Forget another flute, you’re gonna need a banjo,” Clint told him. Emmy took Ricky and Mike by the hand, followed by a furious Shanie up the incline barefoot.

“How come when you do stuff like that they laugh, but when I do it I’m the big bad wolf?” Cord asked.

“’Cause you are. Hell, they’ve seen your fangs.”

“I saved Emmy’s life,” Cord argued, at once on the defensive.

“Yeah...yeah, but they seen you take one, too.”

“So, what the hell do I do?”

Under normal circumstances he wouldn’t care, but Cord realized he would doubtless be with his new family for a long time. Cord was beginning to ponder the benefits of acceptance while living in such close quarters to one another. On a certain level he was beginning to become dismayed at the antagonistic looks Shanie tossed in his direction. Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life hated or even feared.

Feeling a bit sorry for him, Clint sat down to think. “Flowers are bloomin’.”

“Yes, I’m sure they’d like them saved for my grave.”

“Maybe you could do somethin’ nice for someone.”

“Like what?” Cord asked.

“I dunno, maybe somethin’ will come to you,” Clint answered; he rose and began following the girls through the woods with Cord trailing.

Michaela skipped ahead, anxious to return to play with Lucky. The pup had been forbidden to come because of what happened the last time. Lucky had bounded through the water frightening every frog, fish and turtle insight.

Ricky trailed behind, poking his head into a few nooks and crannies along the way. At a particularly interesting opening of a group of rocks, Ricky stopped and peered inside. It was dark and dank and it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. As Ricky moved away he felt a terrible sudden pain as his foot was grabbed and held by sharp teeth, he screamed in agony as his ankle felt as though it were being crushed. Ricky grabbed at the rocks, at roots, anything to stop his descent as he was being dragged down into the dark frightening cave.

“Daddy, help me!” Ricky screamed as his small arms flailed.

Emmy was the first to reach him. She ordered Shanie to get Michaela and keep her away from whatever it was that was attacking. She saw Ricky being dragged down into a hole and reached out to grab his hand, he screamed as a power struggle of tug of war ensued. Emmy added her own screams of terror to Ricky’s as she looked into two dark soulless eyes. Her brain registered it was a snake but her mind screamed out a denial. No snake was this big.