Page 102 of Stone

Finally, I turned onto the road leading to the farmhouse, slowing a little on my approach. The winter sky was dark, the clouds thick, grey, and full of snow waiting to fall. It cast a shadow on the military truck, which, by then, was parked by the farmhouse.

Connie was at the door with Bandit. He had his arm wrapped around her shoulders, seemingly holding her up. His jaw was clenched tight as he stood, back straight, listening to the man in uniform who handed him a letter.

I braked, opened the door, and stumbled to the ground.

That was when I heard it. Connie’s shriek. Chilling, animalistic, and crammed with so much raw pain that the sound sliced through my heart like a blade. It filled the air, and it filled me with all its jagged edges, sawing at my heart like a dull razor.

I fell to my knees, breath hitching as I watched Connie’s face pale to white. She clutched at her chest, and I watched, horrified, as she began to fall.

Abe ran over, shouting God only knew what, closely followed by Iris and Chainsaw, who I knew used to be an Army Medic.

Bandit roared Connie’s name, falling to his knees beside her, scooping her up into his arms, and screaming for help.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

Chainsaw, Bandit, and Iris were on their knees, trying to resuscitate Connie, and the Military Officer was pacing as he furiously spoke to somebody on some kind of huge mobile telephone.

I began to shake. My arms, hands, torso, even my head. A dull, throbbing ache gripped my heart, then tore at it until I criedout with the pain. My insides felt as if somebody had thrust their hand through my skin, twisted, then ripped them out, root and stem.

Strong arms banded around me. “Elise,” Mayor Henderson murmured in my ear, “I’m getting you back in the truck. Okay?”

I didn’t reply. I hardly heard the words through the agony-filled wail filling my mind.

Suddenly, I was lifted and gently placed back in the driver’s seat. “It’s okay, Elise. Stay here, sweetheart. I’ll talk to Bandit and come straight back to you.”

I stared blankly at the crowd of people surrounding Connie, knowing I should go help but not trusting my numb limbs to work. Anyway, I was an outsider. I didn’t belong there.

Without John, I didn’t belong anywhere or to anyone.

Mayor Henderson hurried over and placed his hand on Bandit’s back. John’s dad was on his ass, his hands ripping at his hair. Torment, such pure torment. I recognized it, soul deep.

The mayor lowered to his haunches to speak to Bandit. John’s dad pointed to the uniformed man who stood by the door to the military truck and handed Bert the piece of paper still clutched in his hands.

Mayor Henderson read it, closed his eyes, and bowed his head.

And I knew.

Tears welled in my eyes, and I sobbed, deep and wracking.

The mayor stood to his full height and looked straight at me, his eyes conveying his sorrow. He began to walk toward me, and my chest jerked.

I didn’t want to hear it. Listening to the words would make it as real as the sight of my dad lying dead on the ground a few months earlier.

Thinking back, I wondered if I should’ve stayed around for Connie. Maybe I should’ve let the mayor say his piece andaccepted what he was about to tell me. Perhaps I should’ve told John years ago that he couldn’t enlist, and I’d never allow him to leave me, not for one day, not for one hour, minute, or second.

Maybe I should’ve kept John by my side where he belonged and never let him out of my sight ever again.

But I didn’t, and now it was too late.

My hand flew to my stomach, to mine and John’s baby, and with tears flowing down my face, I made a split decision.

Leaning forward, my trembling fingers turned the keys in the ignition, and without looking, I reversed Bessie, headed for the road, and drove.

I needed to be close to my ol’ man.

A few hours later, Robert and Stevie found me lying against our tree down at the creek.

The entire town had been searching for me, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want to be found. At least if I froze to death, I could be with him.

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