The tears streamed down Kaye's face. There were so many mixed emotions as she cried out deep from within, it was a soul cry. It sounded like the pain of legion and it felt like it to anyone in earshot. Even the animals who heard the cry stopped in their tracks. Violet felt her pain for a moment; however it was hard to resist the impulse of thinking ahead. She needed to know where they were. Based on the train leaving Boston going toward Mississippi and the fact that she had only been on it for all of day before the series of incidences, she could not have made it further than Maryland or Virginia. She recalled the map of the train route in her mind and the hours on board.
Violet calculated they had another 7 hours of nightfall before the break of dawn, but the growing fire would certainly conger up some attention. While Kaye held on to Rose rocking back and forth, Violet waited for a natural pause in her sob. She firmly grabbed Kaye’s shoulder. “I know you are in a lot of pain, more pain than this moment will allow for.” Violet allowed her words to register with Kaye and when she got eye contact she continued. “It’s time to go and we need to take advantage of the night cover. Do you know where we are? The state or city?”
Kaye’s sob suddenly halted. She looked around as if she had a lucid moment in the midst of insanity. The events which had just transpired were beginning to sink in. “What ‘bout Rose, she need a proper barial. We can’t, can’t just leave here her near these animals we just kilt.”
“Didn’t you hear her Kaye, she said she was free. That’s the flesh that held Rose; she is freer than you and I right now. She would want us to keep going and get as far away from here, as quickly as possible.”
Kaye stood up with Rose’s limp and frail body in her arms. With ease she walked toward the back of the structure, Violet resisted the urge to yell or stop her. The silhouette of the moon exposed Kaye’s strong stride as she continued to execute her mission. Her destination was a small garden surrounded by a picket fence; the irony of such a pure place next to the hell hole of a torture chamber. Violet stood back watching as Kaye gently placed Rose in the midst of the blooms. She kissed her forehead and pulled the sheet over her feet and all around her body, exposing her face like an infant wrapped in a blanket. Violet could only imagine that Kaye said some sort of prayer as she slipped something in her pocket. As if Kaye snapped out of a trance, she ran at full speed toward Violet. Kaye had such momentum she almost ran right past her. “Dis way, cum on.” Violet followed Kaye’s lead and based on the position of the moon she could tell they were headed west. It seemed like an hour or more before they stopped for a break near a small brook. Violet was impressed at Kaye’s stamina.
They paused allowing each other to sit down and control their breathing. Violet was wondering at which point they would need to go their separate ways. This was certainly a twist she had not anticipated. All of sudden she became very thankful for the fact that Kaye grabbed her bag. Digging in she felt for the cash that served as the cushion between the inner and outer lining. Her phone was long gone; she began to think of how Toby and Nahmie must be feeling. She sent a vibration and knew deep down Toby would sense she was alive, just delayed.
Violet began to talk and Kaye shook her head raising her finger to her lips. She got up and began walking west again. Violet decided to trust Kaye, realizing this was her territory. While moving in silence, steering clear of the noisy path of leaves and dense brush, Violet noticed that Kaye was staying on the soft mud path. Eventually there was a clearing and in the middle of a thick forest was a landing with a helicopter. Violet realized that Kaye had a plan all along.
They walked around the helicopter; Violet took note of the seemingly great condition of the blades and external landing apparatus. She intuitively jumped into the pilot seat and observed the fuel gauge and flight panel. She was right at home. Kaye started digging around for something in her pocket and came out with a key, attached to a chain. Pay dirt! Violet took the key, immediately inserting and turning. After seconds of choking the hum of the engine went full throttle and twirl of the blades made a powerful sound as they churned in harmony. Violet could feel the power of the hawk wanting to lift in her hands.
Violet and Kaye needed to exchange some dialogue about what was next. How long would she allow Kaye to remain her wing woman? What about the life that awaited her in Oxford? Where would Kaye go, did she have a place to go? It seemed like too many questions for the moment. Violet closed her eyes and just smiled at the situation, of all things in the middle of this backwards place, a magic bird to fly her away…
Monday, July 20, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment