by Rusty Kontos
Copyright © 2018 Rusty Kontos
All rights reserved.
Published by Urban Diamond Publishing., Publishers since 2017.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume responsibility for third party websites or their content.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, contact the publisher via www.urbandiamond.org
Book Cover Art by Blazing Covers
[email protected]
I dedicate this book in loving memory of my beloved husband, Don.
CHAPTER ONE
OCTOBER 15, 1939
The falling leaves of autumn covered the well-kept lawns of the maple tree-lined streets of Bedville, Illinois. Standing in front of all the big two-story homes, were trees, like a straight line of tall soldiers, protecting the homes from the blowing north winds of old man winter, shading them from the hot sun rays of the summer. The leaves of bright colors were now turning to hard crackling ground cover. The hint that winter was just around the corner. The soft fall breeze gently made the trees sway as they gave up their leaves, so the trees could get ready for their long winter’s sleep. The leaves wisped in the air, as if dancing in the breeze as they made their way down the street.
Scraping and clattering sounds filled the air, along with the chattering voices of the children as another school week was history for the students. One could hear the sounds of leaves crunching under their feet, as the children joyfully made a game out of stepping on them. A young girl, about twelve, stood by a bike rack unlocking the chain on her bike. She was trying very hard to keep her long, raven black hair out of her angel-like face, as the breeze licked at the long strands of hair wisping across her face. Leaves danced around her ankles. She had an impatient look of annoyance on her face, while her deep blue eyes squinted. She unlocked her bike chain and put her books in the basket as she mounted the big blue Huffy bike.
“It’s about time!” She called out to the freckle-faced girl with bright red hair that was long thick curls. She wore blue-rimmed coke bottle glasses on her face.
“I had to write on the black board again,” she growled, as she ran down the schoolhouse steps.
“What did you do this time?” The girl waiting asked.
“Oh, Sister Mary Francis is just picking on me again. It was nothing.” The redheaded girl answered as she approached the bike rack.
“I know you, Sally Malone! Now what did you do this time?” She asked, sounding like a grown-up.
Sally unlocked her bike chain, stood up, scrunched up her face as she said, “All I did was drop my books on the floor.”
“Are you telling me she made you write on the black board because you dropped your books?”
“Come on Sally, what else did you do?” She said with her hands on the handlebars of her bike.
“Well, it just slipped out,” Sally said.
“What just slipped out?” The girl asked.
Sally looked the girl square in the eyes as she answered. “If you must know, Nickole, I said ah... Fuck... There, now you know!”
“Sally,” Nickole gasped, “Is she going to tell your mother?”
“I don’t think so. That is why I had to write one hundred times on the board, ‘I will not use bad words’. Then I had to wash the damn board,” she said in a huff.
“I don’t know about you, Sally Malone.” Nickole said shaking her head. “You know you’re not supposed to cuss.” Nickole scolded.
“Yeah, Yeah,” you sound like my parents.” Sally said, sounding a little snotty.
“I’m just saying it’s not a nice thing to do,” Nickole reminded Sally.
“Look, are you going to stand here and lecture me all day? Or are we going home?” Sally said with a little irritation in her voice. As she mounted her bike, something caught her eye. “Nickole, look, there’s that black car again!”
Nickole looked in the direction Sally was staring. “So? He’s probably just waiting on someone.” Nickole shrugged.
“Like who? Sister Mary Francis?” Sally said with a devilish grin.
“God, come on, Sally, let’s get home. You are one sick girl!” Nickole said in disgust, shaking her head as she peddled her bike to the street for home.
“What’s so sick about it? Don’t you think Nuns can fool around?” Sally giggled as she followed Nickole on her bike. As Sally caught up to Nickole’s side, she looked over her left shoulder.
“Nickole, look, that car is following us.” Sally said firmly.
Nickole looked back at the car. “You’re nuts. He is probably just going the same way we are.” Nickole
said with logic in her voice.
“I’m telling you, he’s following us!” Sally said firmly.
“He’s probably waiting for us to move over so he can pass us.” Nickole replied.
“Okay, so let’s ride up on the sidewalk, and see what he does.” Sally said as she turned her bike towards the curb. They jumped their bikes over the curb to the sidewalk. The car slowed down, and then slowly drove by them. The girls stopped their bikes as they watched the car drive slowly down the street.
“See, I think he’s watching us.” Sally said with a little worry in her voice.
“You just might be right for a change, Sally,” Nickole said as she watched the car until it was out of sight. “Come on, we better get home.” Nickole said as she gave her bike peddle a hard, fast push.
“Maybe we should tell our parents.” Sally said with worry in her voice.
“Oh I don’t know, maybe we should just wait and see if we see the car again.” Nickole said.
“Yeah, maybe you are right. My mom would freak out if I told her.” Sally agreed.
“Yeah, they wouldn’t let us go out of the house, and they would take us to school and pick us up.” Nickole said.
“Hey, are we still going to the hide out?” Sally asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe if I get my chores done, and Mama says I can.”
“Okay, you do your chores real fast, and I will do the same. I got something to show you when we get to the hide out!” Sally said with excitement in her voice.
“What?” Nickole asked curiously.
“When we get to the hide out, then you will see.” Sally said with mystery in her voice. They rode up Nickole’s driveway, to the back of the house. They parked their bikes next to the garage.
“Quick, go ask your mom if you can go after our chores are done.” Sally said as she followed Nickole into the back door of the house.
Nickole’s mother was standing in front of the kitchen stove checking the fresh tomato sauce she was making for supper. Her long black hair swept back into a neat bun. She was a very beautiful woman.
“You’re a little late, girls,” she said firmly as she turned from the stove to face the girls as they came in the back door.
“I’m sorry, Mama, I waited for Sally...”
Sally cut in before Nickole could finish. “I helped Sister Mary Francis with the black boards, Mrs. Martino.”
“My, my, Sister Mary Francis must really like the way you clean the black boards. This is the third time this week you have stayed to help her.” Mrs. Martino smiled.
“I guess so.” Sally replied with a sheepish grin.
“Mama, can Sally and me go to the park after I do my chores?” Nickole asked with pleading eyes.
“Sally and I,” her mother corrected.
“Sally and I,” Nickole corrected herself. “Please Mama, please?” Nickole begged.
“Oh, all right. But only after your chores are done with the stipulation that you take your sister, so she can play on the swings.”
The girls’ excitement quickly fade
d at the thought of taking Nickole’s little sister, Tiena, with them. Sally gave a little groan. Nickole elbowed Sally as she quickly spoke up.
“Okay Mama, I will get my chores done right away, and get Tiena dressed as soon as Sally gets done with her chores.” Nickole looked at Sally giving her the hint to go home and get her things done.
“Right, I am on my way!” Sally said as she scrambled out the back door for home.
Nickole swiftly worked to get her chores done. She dressed her little sister warmly, and took her by the hand and started to walk her outside to the garage where her bike sat.
“Make sure you are home by 5:30. You have to set the table before your father comes home from work,” her mother gently said as she added an additional touch of fresh garlic to the tomato sauce, as Nickole left for the garage.
Nickole waited for Sally. She called out to Sally’s house, “Sallyeeeeee, you better hurry up, or I am going without you!”
“You don’t have to yell, I’m coming.” Sally said, as she made her way through the tall shrubs that divided the two yards. Nickole put her little sister in the handlebar basket of her bike, and they headed for the park. Sally moaned and groaned all the way to the park while they biked through the bike paths in the park with colorful fall leaves dancing off their bike tires in the gentle wind.
The one hundred and-eighty-acre park was across the street from where the girls lived. It had a forty-acre
lake, with a ballpark, and many well-spaced shade trees. Nestled amongst the shaded trees were picnic tables. The park is always full with families on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the summer. The winter season filled the park activities such as football, baseball, sledding, and ice skaters on the lake. The park offered a little bit of everything to all sorts of people. There were nature trails for hiking. The remaining acreage was covered in woods. The girls rode their bikes down a small path toward the wooded area. They came to what used to be an old tool shed. It was very secluded from the rest of the park. The girls declared this hide out as theirs. It was a very special place to them.
“I want to go swing,” Tiena said, with a little-girl pout on her face.
“We will in a little bit. First, I have to see what Sally has to show me, okay?” Nickole said soothingly as she lifted her out of her basket.
“I’m glad I don’t have any little brothers or sisters.” Sally said snidely.
“No, you just have an older brother to contend with.”
Nickole reminded her.
“Yeah, well at least I don’t have to look after him and have him tagging along wherever I go.” Sally replied.
“I don’t have to watch her all the time. She is here and so are we. Now what was it that you wanted to
show me?” Nickole said.
“OK, but first, Tiena, you have to promise you won’t tell anyone about this place and anything you might see, you promise?” Sally said as she knelt down in front of Tiena.
“Can I tell Mama?”
“NO!” Sally yelled.
Tiena puckered up as if she was to cry. Nickole bent down, and assured Tiena, “Don’t cry, it’s just this is our secret place and it is for kids only....and only for girls, like us! You want to be in the club, don’t you?”
“Yes! Can I tell Paul?” Tiena asked insistently.
“No stupid, it is for girls only, no boys or grown-ups!” Sally screeched.
“Sally, she is not stupid, so stop yelling at her and show me whatever you have to show me. Tiena is not going to tell anyone. Now let’s go.” Nickole said sternly. “You wait right here, Tiena, and I will go and see what Sally needs to show me. Do not go near the lake. You stay right here, okay?”
“Okay, can I pick some flowers?” Tiena asked.
“Yeah, if you think you can find some,” Nickole chuckled. “Remember, don’t go near the lake!”
“I promise.” Tiena said, as she searched the ground for flowers.
“Come on Sally, let’s make it quick. I don’t want her to wander off too far.
“Okay, it’s in the shack, come on. You’re going to like this.” They headed towards the shack as Nickole looked over her shoulder taking one more look to see where Tiena was.
Nickole followed Sally inside the shack. Once inside, Sally reached into an old bucket located underneath an old workbench. She pulled out two bottles of beer. “Here, have a brewsky.” she said holding out a beer to Nickole.
“Beer! Where on earth did you get beer?” Nickole asked, as if she was very surprised.
“I snagged it from my dad’s stash in the old ice box in our garage.” Sally said in a smug tone.
“Won’t your father miss it?” Nickole asked.
“No, he has so many. He doesn’t count them every day, ya know.”
Nickole took the bottle of beer from Sally. “It sure feels cold,” she said, as Sally popped the bottle open with the beer opener.
“Here, try one of these,” Sally said as she held out a
pack of Camels.
“You got cigarettes, too!” Nickole said, shaking her head in disbelief as she took a cigarette from the pack.
“I want one, too!” Tiena said as she stood in the doorway.
“You were supposed to stay outside,” Sally said. She then added, “Besides, you are too little!”
“No I’m not! I want one or I will tell!” Tiena said firmly.
“I only have two beers, so there.” Sally snorted.
“You can share. Mama says we should always share, so give me some!” Tiena said with a firm smug look on her face.
“Look, half-pint, how about a Coke instead?”
“Okay.” Tiena smiled.
Sally went into the bucket once more and pulled out a Coke for Tiena.
“How did you get this so cold?” Nickole asked.
“I used my Dad’s saw and cut off a piece of ice from the block that is in the ice box.” Sally said all proud of herself.
“Won’t your father notice that the block has a piece missing?” Nickole questioned.
“Nope, I just turned the block around to the back side. It will look like it just melted away.” Sally said as she lit the Camel and took a puff off her cigarette. She lit Nickole’s Camel. Nickole took a puff, and then she started coughing as she choked on some of the smoke. Sally started laughing, “You’re not supposed to swallow the smoke, dopey. You do it like this; you just puff and blow.” She demonstrated to Nickole. Nickole waved her hand, shaking her head at the disgusting taste in her mouth. Sally put her Camel in the in the end of a long cigarette holder. She flipped her red hair back, and posed as a rich, diva movie star that had high brows painted lips and looked glamorous every minute of each day. Nickole started laughing at her, as she wiggled her hips and took a puff off the holder.
“Darling, do you think I would make a great model or movie star?” Sally said as she swayed from side to side as she walked.
“Yeah, sure, you’re another Greta Garbo.” Nickole laughed.
“Here, take a look at this, Miss Smart Ass,” Sally said as she handed Nickole a magazine. Nickole’s eyes widened as she stared at the cover of the magazine.
“The girl is naked!” Nickole screeched!
“Don’t look at that one, look at the next page. You see, she has long red hair, just like mine, and she is holding a black cigarette holder, just like this one that I have in my hand. That’s what I want to be when I grow up, a movie star, just like her.”
“How do you know her hair is red? The book is all black and white.” Nickole, pointed out.
“Can we go swing, now?” Tiena asked as she stood in the doorway with pleading eyes.
“We will in a minute, half-pint. Hey, kid, you want another Coke?” Sally said as she took another cold bottle of Coke out of the bucket and opened the bottle. With a big grin, Tiena took the second bottle of Coke.
“Thank you.” Tiena took a big drink. She smacked her lips as she said with delight, “That tastes good. Can I go swing after I drink this
? Please, I want to go and play on the swing.” Tiena said with a little determined look on her face.
“Shut the hell up, you little shit, or I’ll take back the coke!” Sally yelled.
Tiena puckered up as if to cry. “Sally, don’t yell at her, she’s just a little kid!” Nickole scolded Sally. “It’s okay, Tiena, we will go in a few minutes,” She said soothingly. Nickole gave Sally a mean look as she held Tiena in her arms.
“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to call you a little shit. Just let me finish my beer and cigarette, and I will push you as high as you dare to go on the swing, okay?” Sally smiled at her.
“Okay, but I want to touch the sky, so you better push me hard.” Tiena giggled.
“You got it, kid!” Sally said then tipped the bottle and took a long swig of beer. She took another puff off the Camel and stubbed it out. “Okay, let’ go to the swings!”
“Oh goody,” Tiena squealed. The girls headed down the path to the play area where the tall swings stood. Sally kept her promise and pushed Tiena high. “That’s enough, I can keep myself going now, Sally.”
“Great, just keep pumping your legs.” Sally said as she joined Nickole sitting on top of one of the picnic tables.
“What are you going to dress up as this year?” Sally asked Nickole as she sat down next to her on the table.
“I don’t know, maybe a witch. Have you decided yet?” Nickole asked.
“I’m not sure, maybe a hobo or a clown.” Sally said thoughtfully.
“Well you got the hair for a clown!” Nickole chuckled.
“Fuck you.” Sally snapped.
“You better stop using bad words,” Nickole warned.
“Yeah, yeah,” Sally mocked. “Come on, Nickole, you’re starting to sound like my mother.” Sally groaned. “Sally, Sally, what do you have? Why it’s
another bar of soap for me!” Sally mockingly expressed while she imitated a conversation she and her mother recently had with each other.
“Sally, shut the hell up and listen to me.” Nickole said, trying to get Sally’s attention.
“Why, Nickole Martino, did I hear a bad word come out of your clean mouth?” Sally chided.