Rebel Soul (9 page)

Her Dad reached for the door knob, "Go to sleep Emily," and he shut the door to her room.

"What’s going on Jack?" Judy ask again.

"Nothing Judy, now go home Ricky and Josh go to bed." Jack said sternly. Emily heard Josh's bedroom door slam, then the footsteps walking down the stairs and the front door slam. She knew she the war had started, clearly her fault, but now she didn't know how to end it. Life with her family as she had known it just a few weeks ago, was over and would never be the same again. How could she live in the same house with them, or eat meals with them?  She had betrayed her family and become the traitor of all traitors in their eyes, living in her own home. She would have to leave, her mind made up to go into town the next morning and look for a job. She would need money to live on. Would Billy go with her, she wondered? Surely he would, her relationship with him was the problem, and she was unwilling to give him up.

She laid back on her bed and starred out the window at the glowing stars and cried again. Emily opened the jar of moonshine, took a drink, then put the lid back on and closed her eyes. She hoped sleep would come soon and she would find out this was all a dream.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Tues 19th June

Her head hurt, she had known it would, "Shit," Emily said as she rolled over, grabbed her head and covered her eyes as the room begin to spin. She could bile burned her throat, and she could taste it in her mouth. Her stomach churned as she ran quickly to the bathroom, after vomiting, last night’s supper she lay on the floor. The memories of the night before flooded her mind, the details were foggy but she knew trouble awaited her downstairs.

How can I face my family she thought, as she closed her eyes? The laughter from the kitchen roared up into her room, and she didn’t want to face them. Her mind was so unclear, she rolled over, still on the bathroom floor and placed her hand on her head, pushing it hard trying desperately to stop the pain.

Guilt of her Mom fixing breakfast by herself struck her but she decided to skip the family thing this morning, it didn’t matter the rules, she was in trouble anyway. She pushed herself up from the bathroom floor and stumbled to her closet, then carefully picked out some khaki pants and a sleeveless purple shirt. Then headed back to the bathroom, after deciding to soak in the tub instead of taking a shower, hoping she could relax enough to get rid of the headache, plus she wanted to give her Dad and brothers time to leave.

After her bath she carefully applied some makeup, sent Billy a text to tell him she was going job hunting. Will see you when I get back, love you.

Love you to babe, he sent to her.

She stopped at the top of the stairs and listened to make sure everyone was gone. It was quite, so she headed downstairs passing Joe on the cough snoring. Emily heard the pots and pans clanging in the kitchen with the water running, her Mom had already started the dishes. Shit, this made Emily even worst. She took a deep breath knowing her Mom would have a lot of questions, then she walked through the kitchen door.

Judy turned and looked at her, "You look very pretty this morning. I figured you would be sick and sleep till noon like your brother out there probably will." The concern showed on her face but Emily knew she was also upset. My poor Momma Emily thought, she knew her brothers had put her mom through hell, now here she was adding more shit for her to worry about.

"No, I decided to go into town and see if I can get my old job back.” Emily said as she took a plate out of the cabinet and got a pancake.

Judy, pulled out a chair and set down at the table then took Emily's hand. "Honey,” she said gently, "Your Dad told me what the fight was about. Is it true, Honey? Are you seeing Billy Johnson?”

Emily laid her fork on the plate, a bite of Pancake remained on the end, and laid her head in her hands. Her head was throbbing.

    "Oh Mom I really have a headache. Do we have any pain reliever?" Tears were wailing up in her eyes.

"Yes, honey” she patted Emily on the shoulder, “let me get you some." Judy got up and walked to the cabinet. She shook out two pain relievers and poured a glass of water. She handed the glass to Emily, and set back down. Then gave Emily a serious look and said “Now honey tell me about, you and Billy.”

Emily swallowed her pain relievers, and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I love him Mom, I haven't been seeing him long but I've known him my whole life, and I love him."

Judy put her elbow on the table and rested her cheek in her hand and stared at Emily. She was concerned, "Well honey, you know nothing good can come of this relationship."

"I keep hearing that,” Emily interrupted, as she rolled her eyes.

"Listen to me,” Judy touched Emily's hand, then continued, "You know your great aunt, your Grandpa’s sister, that is, she married a Johnson. She just up and ran away with him one night, she was 16 at the time. Broke your great grandpa’s heart.” Judy nodded her head and sadly looked at Emily. “So this ant the first time a Johnson and a Canton have had a relationship. What I'm trying to say is don't just up and leave in the middle of the night. Your Dad will come around to the ideal, but Emily don't be a fool either, use your head.” Judy emphasized the words. “Don't put this family through hell if this love isn't real for this boy.”

Emily finished her pancake, while her Mom finished the dishes. "Can you take me to town Mom?”

“Why don't you drag Joe off the couch, and make him take you.”

Emily walked into the living room and gave Joe a hard shakes, “Get up, I need your help.”

He rolled over, looked at her then covered his face with the pillow and rolled back over.

"Joe, get up now" Emily demanded.

"Leave me alone, Emily you dam trouble maker.”

"Joe, I need a ride to town so I can get a job. Are you taking me or not?” Joe rolled over again, his hands over his eyes, "Sure just let me take a shower.”

She waited on the front porch, for Joe, swinging in the old porch swing and ran her hands up the old rusted chains. She had spent her life here as had her Dad and his Dad, and his Dad and on and on, but she had decided to leave. It felt sad in away.

"Let's go," Joe said as he closed the front door.

"We taking Moms car?" Emily ask.

"Yeah, I'm going to even let you set in the front," Joe laughed. Emily laughed to although she really didn't think his comment was as funny as he did.

Joe turned out onto the dirt road, without saying another word. Emily wondered if he to thought her to be a traitor. She felt uneasy, but decided to keep her thoughts to herself. She could tell by the expression on his face that he was going over something in his mind. Finally as they turned out onto the highway, Joe broke the silence.

"So what exactly does Josh think is going on between you and Billy?"

"I don't know,” Emily bit her finger nails as she answered.

"Look at me Emily and answer. Just tell me the truth, we have always been close. I really don't know what’s going on here." Emily thought about what to say and continued to bite her nails.

"Emily, come on I can tell you’re troubled.”

"Joe,” she started "I have been seeing Billy and yes, I know how much trouble my relationship could cause. I have even thought about breaking it off but I love him and I don't think I should have to throw away my happiness over some stupid feud that started back in the 1700’s.” Joe continued driving and Emily couldn’t tell what his feelings where, he just stared at the road.

As they entered town she saw two cop cars setting in front of the feed store, her Dads truck was there as well as Ricky’s and the Johnson's car.

"Shit I wonder what’s going on," Joe stated as he parked, and jumped out of the car, Emily on his heels, but she didn't walk all the way up to the feed store. She could see her Dad, Ricky and Dan talking to the cops, so she hung back a little and watched as Joe approached them. She glanced over the crowd that had gathered. Looking for any sign of Billy, but he wasn't there. A feeling of panic hit as she though in her mind, Oh no, has something happened to Billy. Emily watched Joe and her Dad talking, her Dad was mad she could tell and hid her face as he looked over toward her.

Happy to see Joe heading back her way, she weakly smiled at him. "What’s going on?"

"Mr. Johnson accused Dad of killing his dog. I guess it hasn't been home for a while. That’s when John Johnson started running his mouth, and Josh busted him in the lip. Well anyway Josh is on his way to jail. Come on lets go get you that job."

Emily put in a few job applications then headed back home with Joe. On the way she sent Billy a text. I’m on my way home, meet me at the cave.

Ok, he quickly text back.

They pulled into the driveway and Emily set on the porch for a few minutes then headed toward the path to meet Billy, at the clearing by the cave, careful to not be seen. Josh being in jail had made it easier for her to get away. Thank you Josh for hitting someone, she jumped when she heard a branch break and turned to see a squirrel running toward a tree. Whoo she let out a breath then stood still for a minute and listened. Just a squirrel, she thought, I’m just being paranoid.

She reached the clearing next to the cave, and set down. Then opened the backpack she had carried with her and pulled out, one of the jars of peach moonshine, she had taken from her brothers, the night before. Her nerves were on edge and she wished Billy would hurry, she needed to see him so bad her heart ached.

"My life as it was known before, has changed forever" she whispered as she took a drink, and listened to the birds sing, whip a whirl, whip a whirl in the trees above her head.

Billy walked into the clearing coming off the path from his house, his charming smile, lite Emily's face up, as he set down beside her.

"You want some peach shine," she ask shaking the jar in front of him.

"You want a smoke," he said shaking a joint in front of her face. They both laughed, happy to be together. Emily was distracted by his muscular body, and the memory of the day hunting, she could almost feel his lips on her body.

They set and talked about all that had happened as they drink, smoked, and shared music on an iPod, not realizing the skies were getting dark, as storm clouds approached them.

"Oh shit," they both yelled at the same time as the first of the rain drops hit their heads.

"Into the cave, come on," Emily grabbed Billy’s hand as she pushed aside the bushes pulling him as the thunder roared and lightning struck in the distance.

“The infamous Canton family cave, wow baby.” Billy stated as they stepped into a full black mass of darkness, as if they had stepped into nothingness, barely lite by the lightening outside.

"Who would have ever known this was here, the opening totally cover with bushes. You ever been in here?" Billy ask her.

"No never," she answered as she felt for a wall, light your lighter let’s see if we can start a fire," she continued. Billy lite his lighter, as they gathered some dry leaves and wood, that was scattered on the cave floor. He had to light the lighter several times as it went out and burned his fingers, but they got a small fire started.

Lite up the cave was remarkable Emily thought as they looked around. There was writing and drawings on the cave wall, scraped into the walls with a rock, she figured, as she ran her fingers over the pictures and the words. She noticed Billy in the shadows from the fire doing the same. She licked her lips at the sight of his body as the shadows danced around him. Alone in the darkness with the man in front of her had stirred the yearning inside, but she couldn't let their relationship go any deeper. Not till she was sure, he would leave with her. The family ties in these parts were too close. Was his ties so close to his family that he wouldn't leave them, she wondered?

"Someone’s been here," Billy said as he picked up a blanket. Emily examined the blanket she didn't recognize it but it could have been anyone’s in her family or her ancestry.

"This cave was part of the underground Union railroad. My family hid Union solder's here." She told him still holding the old brown striped blanket in her hands.

"I know the story well. Hey I wonder were this tunnel leads to." his voice sounded excited.

"I don't know, it could lead to anywhere.” Emily put her hand on his back, and leaned into the dark room, his skin was warm, she felt like grabbing him and throwing down, to kiss him.

"I want to find out."

"Billy its dark in there, we might get lost and besides you can't see where you’re going." Billy flicked his lighter then looked around on the floor.

"What are you looking for?" she ask.

"A stick, or something, they used something to see through this cave back in the day. Look this stick kind of looks like a torch, we can rip the blanket and put it on the end of this stick then light it."

"Oh Billy, I don't want to be lost in a cave."

"Come on let’s have a little adventure." He smiled and kissed her.

"I have a feeling I’m going to regret this but ok," she told him.

Billy lite the blanket on the end of the stick then they stomped out the fire, they had built to lite the cave and off they went into the unknown.

"I sure hope we don't run into a bear den," Billy said with a laugh.

"Now you tell me, I don't think that’s to funny Billy Johnson."

They headed into the tunnel listening to the music of (Alter Bridge, Ghosts of Days Gone By.) as they shared the IPod. Emily grabbed Billy’s hand as he led the way.

She thought the cave was amazing, there was names carved into the walls everywhere along the way. She had a feeling of Deja vu, and shook off the chills it sent through her body, but she also had a feeling of honor as she thought about the soldiers her family had lead through this very cave, as she walked the path that they had walked, so many years ago. When they were running and fighting for their lives and beliefs.

They came to a spot with three tunnels leading in three different directions. "I don't think we should go any further," Emily told him.

"Ok, let’s turn and go back, do you want to stop and smoke a joint first."

"Sure," Emily answered him.