by Bobby Dennis
“Come on in.” said Lefty Mace. He lead Tyrus to the crowd that stood in the corner.
Ransom looked up at the sudden hush and saw Tyrus trailing Lefty. He knew something was wrong when he saw the man’s face. Ransom turned back to the crowd, and said. “Ladies excuse us please.”
The other men looked at him and he said.
“Gentlemen we’ll need to talk out of the women’s earshot, please, this way!”
Ransom lead them from where the ladies stood and over to where the band had been.
“What’s going on Ty?” asked Ransom.
“The Klan rode tonight and they did some real damage Ran.” Tyrus said. “It’s better if they kill, cause then the community pulls together to help the bereaved. This way damn near all of the men suffered serious injuries and won’t work for at least four weeks and that means some hungry bellies!”
“We told them if they rode, so would we.” said Ransom angrily.
“Tell me you ain’t talking bout night riding on white folks.” Mace said.
“They’d ride on us Mace. They been stomping on our people for years and it ain’t bout to change unless we change it!” said Ransom
“I just can’t see where it would have a positive effect on black and white relationships.” Mace said.
“But it will,” Raven said. “Think about it. They’d feel like our people have felt and they’ll know fear. We’re invisible to them, unless we’re the victim of their wrath. They won’t know if the black man that’s been raking their yard, the maid cooking their food, or any other black they see, is the one behind the mask. Damn right I’d ride on them!”
“I’ll ride with you Ran.” said Drake.
Mace looked at him, and said. “Think about what this could start. Their next move might be to just kill some poor unfortunate son of a bitch, that’s in the wrong place at the wrong time. It could start a back and forth thing and if too many whites are killed, we’ll have all kind of government agencies down on us!”
“Mace is right!” Raven said. “The back lash could be more than we bargained for, so tread careful. Think before you make your move because lives will depend on it!”
“Pa, I don’t need to think. I’ve thought this out. I understand your and Mace’s point of view, but look at it from this point of view. They gonna ride, beat and kill us anyway. They was raping our women and lynching us, before we decided to do something. And they gonna keep on doing it unless we show them that if it’s good for the goose, it’s good for the gander! Ransom said firmly. “It’s done pa. I told them if they did it, we’d do it. They expect us to wait, or not to do it at all, but we do it and we do it tonight. Ty, do you know who the big men are in the Klan?”
“ I got an idea, but I know who does.” Tyrus answered.
“Who’s that?” Ransom asked.
“Lucy’s pa!” Tyrus said. “He’s a good man, but he’s alone and if they find out he’s involved he’s a dead man.”
“Let’s get the equipment and find out who these men are. Then we’ll see if they can take, as well as they give!” Ransom said. “Lao, Tim, Trace, Drake, Brook, Pat, Pauly, Turk, Prince, Juan, Jose, Cellus, Ed, Lonnie, Blake, y’all going with me.”
“I’d like to go too, Ran. If I could, that is.” said Lefty. “I always wanted to beat a cracker!”
“So where does that leave us?” Hawk asked.
“To watch the women as always, old man.” Raven said laughing.
Hawk clapped him on the shoulder and said to Raven. “The family is in god hands brother. The other elders nodded and it was then that Raven knew the torch had been passed.
“Let’s get the women home safely, Mace.” Raven said.
Mace looked in Raven’s eyes and knew that the survival of their families and their future would depend on Ransoms’ judgment. The men had knocked down the wall of dislike and banded together.
“Alright Raven.” Mace said smiling. “You ain’t half bad.” Mace threw his arm over Raven’s shoulder and they headed to where the women milled around.
“We got some pressing matters that we need to take care of.” Ransom said to the women. “I hope you won’t hate me for taking your men, but they’re needed. The family’s honor is at stake!
Emma looked at Ransom and saw a change. She turned to Raven and looked in his eyes. He nodded his head slightly, and she knew Ransom was selected to head the family.
“Em, you and Lucy head on home. I’ll bring Tim by before he goes in, no matter what time it is.” Ransom said to the women.
All of the men had women there and there was a flurry of activities as they arranged transportation and reservations for later. None of the young men even thought that he could very well die this night.
“Be careful son.” Raven said to Ransom with Mace by his side.
Ransom looked at Mace, then said. “We’ll be back, it shouldn’t take long!”
Mace looked at him and nodded his head. Two of his boys were going to terrorize the whites. That was a chance he had to admit. These Kanes got balls, that’s for sure Mace thought. Then he smiled, as he thought he’d get a kick out of some action.
* * * * Ransom and the men he had chose stood in the barn like structure preparing for the coming raid. “How did your people fair in the raid by the Klan?” Ransom asked Tyrus.
“We come out good Ran.” Tyrus answered. “We live outside of the town and we’ll shoot, so they basically keep their activities in the city.”
“Do you know where they keep their horses?” Ransom asked.
“Yeah, they got a lively stable bout two miles out on
this side of town.” Tyrus answered.
“Well that’s good.” Ransom said. “We’ll use their
horses to ride on them!”
The men laughed, as they gathered all of the things
they figured they’d need. Ransom knew the Klan would never
expect them to attack tonight, but they would be on their toes
from here on in. The men gathered their things, loaded up in
the cars, and headed toward their destination.
* * * * Prescott heard the tapping sound at the back door. He had been in the process of having one of the most memorable nights of his life. That is before the Klan rampaged thru town and spread their peculiar brand of confusion and fear. From that point on, he had sat guard over the women with his pistol held tightly in his hand.
“What is it Pres?” Eula asked, afraid it was the Klan at their door.
“Shhhh…” Prescott hissed. “Let me go check. Don’t leave the room.” He eased quietly down the stairs and padded silently to a window that looked out on the back yard. He saw several dark figures huddled near his back door. He peered into the dim light trying to see a face, or something that would indicate who the men were. Just as he was about to give a warning, he heard one of the voices loudly whisper his name.
“Mr. Wellington, it’s me, Ty Biggers!”
Prescott recognized the man’s name and voice, he went to the door, opened it and whispered. “Get in here!”
The men filed past him into the kitchen. All of the men wore dark capes and had what looked like hoods held in their hands.
“Sorry to bother you Mr. Wellington.” Tyrus said. “It’s important and I thought you’d like to meet the men that helped your Lucy.”
Prescott eyed the three men that stood there and assumed that two were brothers. One was a big light skinned man, who’s face was tightly screwed into a frown.
“I’m Ransom Kane!” said Ransom extending his hand to Prescott. “This is my cousin Trace and my uncle, Drake Mace.”
“Prescott Wellington,” said Prescott shaking hands with the men. “I want to thank you for coming to the aid of my child, her mother thanks you as well!”
“Mr. Wellington,” Ransom said smiling. “I want to know who the heads of the Klan are!”
“I’m not sure who the head is, but the Sheriff is high in the order. As are the Mayor, Lucas Blackstone, A
rchie Ransom, Percy Chambers. I’m sure Oscar and Simon Bellamys are big men too, probably Bubba Stanley and Shel Parsons. Why do you ask?” asked Prescott puzzled.
Ransom looked in his eyes, and said. “We’re gonna give them a taste of their own medicine!
“You’re gonna ride on the Klan?” Prescott asked incredulously.
“Exactly,” Ransom replied. “The difference being, we won’t attack the innocent, only the guilty!”
“Do you realize what that could do? It could very well blow this town apart!” Prescott said desperately.
“Pres, I’m sure you’ve had your share of persecutions, but we’ve been persecuted for what to us seems like forever. If we strike against them, it could well mean they’ll stop. If all they do is ride again, so what? They rode unopposed for years and will do it for years to come if someone doesn’t take a stand now. They’ve lynched us, barged into our homes and dragged us into the streets like we’re trash. Then they beat and bruise us, plant fear into our women, and thru them to our seeds. The number of their injustices are uncountable and who has raised a voice for us? I will!” Ransom said.
Prescott stood there gazing into the big dark skinned man eyes and knew that this man was hard and unyielding when he chose to be. But there was also compassion for those who suffered the same fate.
“I see your point Ransom and pray that it works. Before you leave I’d like to introduce you to the ladies. Beth, Eula, please come down.” Pres shouted.
The two women came cautiously down the stairs, then saw the strange black men and came forward.
“These are my wives, Elisabeth and Eula!” Prescott said.
Ransom’s mind flashed to the stories his father had told him about his Grandfather, Lao Tzu and his wives Sparrow and Mandy. Ransom greeted them, as did Trace and Drake, then the men stepped out into the shadows.
“Things are gonna get pretty hectic around here, but they just might get safer,” said Prescott.
* CHAPTER # 17 *
Tyrus knew where each of the men named lived, so he was the point man. They rode to the livery stable and stole the Klan’s horses. They mounted up and galloped into town.
As they pulled the hoods on, Ransom said. “We can’t get them all, so we’ll just get the ones in town. Drake I want you, Lon, Pat and Lao to go to the jail and down any guards that are out. They’re probably Klan, so make sure to abuse them soundly. Trace you got Tim, Pauly and Brooks, y’all get the Mayor. Jose, you, Cellus, Blake and Juan get Blackstone. Me, Ty, Turk, Lefty and Prince gonna get the sheriff. They all live close, so we wanna get them together. Each one has to know how the other held up under our assault. We’ll start dissension in the ranks. Let’s ride!”
* The men all got in position and there was the loud cry of a bird screeching into a dark, clear, silent night. The men attacked as one. Ransom rode the horse thru the big French doors, at the side of Bull Parsons big house. Turk leaped from his horse cradling a Sub Thompson, with which he sprayed a shower of .45 slugs into the wall and ceiling.
Ransom leaped from the horse and pulled the twin .45 automatics from the shoulder holster he wore and charged up the stairs with Prince hot on his heels, holding his Thompson to his chest.
Tyrus raced thru the lower portion of the house, his Thompson leading the charge. Lefty was pulling up his rear.
Ransom kicked open a door and there was Bull Parsons struggling from between the thighs of his young wife Maybelle. Ransom rushed to the bed and clubbed the man viciously across the head. Bull slumped on his wife stunned. Ransom slammed the pistol into the man’s head again and this time he lost consciousness.
Lefty had come to the door and he helped Ransom pull Bull off of his wife. As Bull was pulled away, the men saw the golden bush of Maybelle, who made no move to cover herself. The men saw the swollen pink nipples, the full alabaster white breast, the expanse of her stomach and the pouting lips of her vagina open and inviting. Lefty looked at Ransom, and said. “It would be just deserved for this cracker.”
“Yeah it would, but look at this bitch. It’s what she wants, and I’ll be damned if I’ll be fuel for her fantasies. If she wants some black dick, let her go beg for it!” Ransom said.
They roughly dragged Bull from the room and rolled him down the stairs where he landed in a untidy head. They raced down behind him and drug him naked and bleeding from the house.
* Drake, Pat, Lao, and Lon had tied the horses a block from the jail and closed in silently. The men heard the bird call and Lon pulled the door open. Drake and Lao, stepped thru with machine guns blazing. They fired high to instill fear and the rounds crashing into the walls and ceiling of the jail did the job. The three men in the sheriff’s office all hit the deck, covered their heads and prayed. Pat and Lon rushed to the men and clubbed them into unconsciousness. They dragged the men from the jail and saw other dark robed figures doing the same thing.
* Trace, Tim, Pauly and Brooks crashed into Wally Cronin’s home and wreaked havoc. They shot his house up and dragged him into the street, after beating him senseless.
* Jose, Cellus, Blake and Juan brought Lucas Blackstone to the spot where the others held their men.
Ransom stood over the dazed, beaten and bleeding group of men. He ordered his men to get each man and plunge his head into the watering trough. They brought each man back sputtering. The frightened men, looked at the men in the black hoods and capes.
“What the fuck is this, a goddamn joke?” shouted Bull.
Ransom walked over to him and lashed a wicked kick to his mouth that dislodged several of his front teeth.
“Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to!” Ransom said with authority. “Get me a rope somebody. Make a noose too.”
“Just a minute here mister.” Wally pleaded.
Ransom kicked Wally viciously in the mouth, then asked. “Anymore of you crackers got something you wanna say?”
The men all looked up fearfully except Bull, who’s eyes blazed with anger.
“You men rode thru town tonight and you beat and humiliated us. We told you that if you ride, so do we. If you kill one of ours from this day forth, we’ll kill two of yours. Molest our women, we’ll molest yours. Harm our offspring and yours wont be safe. One of you will provide a message to the others. The same message your lynching send, we are going to send.” said Ransom.
Drake walked to him with the rope and Ransom walked to where Bull sat glaring.
“Well, sheriff, your lucky today. You’ll be the one. If we string you up they’ll know how serious we are!” said Ransom walking to Bull Parsons and dropping the noose over his head.
Bull’s hands shot up to the noose and Drake and Lad moved in and grabbed his arms. Bull struggled mightily, but the two strong young men were too much for him.
Trace came over with a short length of rope and they tied Bull’s hands behind him.
“You niggers are all dead!” Bull shouted thru his mangled lips, as blood flecks flew thru the air.
Ransom slapped him across the face, with a blow that sounded like a pistol shot. Bull’s head snapped back and his eyes took on a glazed look, because the blow from Ransom’s callused hand had stunned him. He shook his head and blood from his head and mouth was flung into the night.
“Maybe we all should rape your wife in front of you first.” Ransom said to Bull. “But, we want you to know what happened to your friends. Beat them.!”
The men fell on the stunned Klansmen with barely restrained ferocity. They beat them with quirts, boots, fist and short lengths of rope. When they backed off, the men were bruised and battered masses of quivering flesh.
Ransom tightened the noose on Bull’s neck, then asked. “Anything you want to say before we hang your dog ass?”
“Fuck you, your ma and your pa, nigger!” Bull said with hatred.
Ransom laughed in his face, then said.” You got balls boy. I admire that in a man!”
He lead Bull to a lamp post, where he tossed the loose end of the rope. He caught it, then
pulled it tight, and said. “Somebody come help me hang this heavy bag of shit!”
Drake and Lao stepped up and the three men took the rope, and looked at the beaten men, to be sure they watched.
“Oh God,” a voice moaned out softly.
The men pulled and Bull’s feet left the ground. He kicked and jerked wildly. He farted, then his bowels voided.
“Enough!” shouted Ransom as they let Bull down. Ransom ran to him and loosened the noose. Bull’s face was purple, as he choked and sputtered. When he caught his breath he looked up and met the dark, dead eyes of Ransom, who said. “Next time you die!”
Ransom’s fist crashed into his eye and he rocked backward. Drake, Ransom and Lao beat Bull, broke his ribs and knocked several of his teeth out. They left him curled in his own shit, vomit and blood. “Mount up!” Ransom shouted.
The men got on the horses and Ransom pulled out his pistol and fired into the night sky. Soon the sound was echoed, by the staccato burst of the Sub Thompson’s. The men spurred the horses and raced away into the dark night in which they emerged.
* * * * Drake rode in the car with Trace and Blake. He spoke from the back seat. “Do you think Lisa really likes me?”
“Man whatever you do, don’t get love sick on me. Here you, just met the woman!” Trace said.
“Lisa ain’t just any woman, Trace.” said Drake. “I’ve known her for her whole life and I know that
the question is this, what are your plans?” Trace said. “It’s like you just said. I just met her, so how would I
know. I just wanna see where this goes.” Drake said. “Well you’ll see her again tonight. She’s at Myra’s. That’s Myra’s way of making sure I come back. You can take Lisa home and come pick me up in the morning. I think we got a place for a man of your caliber!” Trace said reaching back to pat Drake’s shoulder.
* * * * Tim and Ransom, pulled up to Ransom’s house. “Tim, if Lucy’s awake you can set with her for a spell. I want you to respect her Tim, cause she’s been thru a lot!” Ransom said.
“I like her Ran and I ain’t worried about the past. I’d like to spend some time with her.” Tim said earnestly.