by Neal Barrett
Through Darkest America
Neal Barrett
Post Apocalypse America: Bluevale was about all Howie had seen of the world. Even his Pa, who knew everything, didn’t know much about the way it was before the war. Scriptures said all of the unclean animals had been wiped out. Howie didn’t know what that meant exactly. He’d seen horses. And stock of course. Stock looked like humans. ’Cept stock had no soul. That’s why they was meat.
Contains bonus chapter!
THROUGH DARKEST AMERICA
Extended Version
by Neal Barrett, Jr.
Introduction
Neal Barrett’s THROUGH DARKEST AMERICA is a masterpiece. What’s sad is not enough people know it. The book came out, got great attention, and then fell into Davy Jones Locker, deep down beneath the sea, tucked in a treasure chest wrapped in chains.
And there’s no reason for it.
This is one of Neal Barrett’s best novels. It ranks up there at the tippy-top as far as apocalyptic and dystopian novels go, and it should be on the shelf beside a lot of well known masterpieces, and it need not blush. It’s that good.
This e-book edition should go a long ways to improving the book’s reputation. Breaking those chains, floating up that trunk, throwing it open and revealing something that can only be described as Neal Barrett’s gooey center of goodness.
I won’t push that analogy too much farther, least it turn nasty. But this book is frightening, funny, inventive, amazing, and original in the way it’s presented. It’s in line with a number of Neal’s darker short stories, but that’s for another discussion.
Do yourself a favor. Read this book. It doesn’t matter if you like Science Fiction or Fantasy, or don’t. It’s just a damn good book, which is exactly what makes Neal one of the best.
Neal knows how to write with an honest, personal, and memorable style. And his stories are just that—stories. He’s one of the last of the true storytellers. He knows how to hook you and reel you in. It sounds easy. It’s not. Most writers are heavy plotters, or constructionist, but they are not engaging in the least. Those of Neal’s ilk are rare as blue jeans that fit.
Sure, plot is here, but it’s the voice. It’s the style. It’s the characters. It’s the fact that you never feel caught up in plot, but instead, you are caught up in a feeling of truth. Not a truth you would want to live yourself, but something you greatly enjoy viewing through a protective glass. It’s a wonderfully strange world that Neal has invited you into, and it will hold your attention and surprise you and startle you, and even make you laugh. It’s all Neal Barrett, Jr.
Please open this fine sea chest and climb on in.
Pleasures, both light and dark, both sweet and sour, await you.
Joe R. Lansdale
Nacogdoches, Texas
Chapter One
When Howie was twelve, Papa took the whole family downriver to the fair in Bluevale.
“Suppose it’ll be the same as ever,” Papa winked at Howie’s mother. “Growler’ll dust off his stuffed nigger and ’spect everyone to shell out a copper for it.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Like they never seen one before.”
Howie’s mother gazed out over the river and let her eyes touch deep water. She was a small woman, slim as a girl, and younger than Milo. Web-fine hair fell to her waist in dark disorder, and hid eyes that were feather soft, and sad as ashes. Howie thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Papa told her she was, too, and sometimes whispered things to her and laughed his big laugh. Then she would turn away or look down and twine her small hands together and this would make Papa laugh again. Howie liked to watch them together. The things they said, or didn’t say, to each other made him feel good inside.
“Milo…” She didn’t look at him, but kept her eyes on the water. “I guess Jacob’ll be there, won’t he?”
Papa’s face clouded, then he grinned and squeezed her hand. “Don’t you trouble yourself about Jake,” he said roughly. He looked past her to Howie and his sister, and ran a big hand through Howie’s hair.
“Colonel Jacob’ll be on a horse, Howie. Now that’ll be somethin’ to see, won’t it?”
His father knew it would. Howie nodded and Papa grabbed up Carolee and set her squealing on the rail of the barge. “You’re to have a good time,” he said to his wife.
His voice was deep and heavy, but the gentleness was there, like it always was. “That’s what fairs are for.”
“It’ll be new to the children,” said Howie’s mother.
The day was mild, and a fair spring breeze touched the water. It seemed to Howie as if the whole world had decided to take the day off and laze about in the sun. He leaned over the railing and watched the bargemen dip their long poles into the canal. The poles bent like fine bows with every stroke and he asked one of the men if they might not break in two. The man grinned through his beard and assured Howie this never happened. The poles were stout ash and up to the task.
Young cotton grew nearly to the shore on both sides of the river. He could see women and children weeding the long rows, bent in an easy rhythm. A boy his own age looked up and waved; Howie waved back. He thought the boy must wonder where the barge was going. He wished he could call out and tell him they were going to the fair, and would see a nigger and a real horse, and that Papa had promised him and Carolee they could have red sugar candy. He watched until the fields were far behind and the boy was still following the barge with his eyes.
After noon, the canal made an easy curve and veered south-east. Cotton gave way to young grain and the small shoots nosed out of the rich earth like tiny green daggers. A narrow creek wound, into the canal, adding blue water to muddy brown. Its banks were lined with stubby oaks and tall cottonwoods. A trunk had fallen over the shady mouth and a big mossback turtle slept there, just out of the water.
Howie automatically reached for the bow on his shoulder. His mind leaped ahead, feeling the tight hum against his arm as the shaft sped away. He could see the green shell split dead center—the arrow thrumming in dead wood.
The picture vanished abruptly as he touched his neck and remembered the bow was still at home. He felt near naked without it, but Papa said you didn’t take weapons to the fair. When Howie asked why, he said you just didn’t. Later, though, when the baskets were packed and they were ready to start for the barge, he saw his father slip a small skinning knife in the top of his boot. Howie didn’t wonder at this greatly. There were rules for grownups and rules for children and they weren’t always the same. Though he was twelve and over, now, and that was near a man.
The barge passed the creek and the turtle slid easily off its perch. Howie wished he could join it in the water. The creek made a quiet pool under the deep shade where it joined the canal and there was a fine swinging tree nearby. That was the only bad thing about going to town, he guessed: you couldn’t carry your bow and you had to dress different. His mother had patched his best trousers, which he hadn’t worn more than twice and which were too small for him. They pulled at his crotch something awful, but mother said he could stand to look decent for a day or so. He wore his regular shirt, the blue homespun, but she’d starched it until it felt like old corn shucks stitched together. He was certain he’d itch to death before they ever even got to Bluevale.
He looked away from the shore and back to the barge; under the broad canopy strung up across the bow. His heart swelled with pride at the sight of his mother. She had on a new fair dress, one she’d never worn before. It was store- cloth instead of homespun, patterned in tiny yellow flowers on the lightest of blue. She’d made Carolee one exactly like her own. Howie wished she hadn’t done that. He felt a twinge of guilt at the thought, but—dang it all—a dress like that sh
ould be special! For her, and no one else. So everyone in Bluevale could see just how beautiful she was.
They would anyway, he decided. Carolee was nine and no one was likely to notice her—no matter what kind of dress she wore—not with his mother about. She was pretty enough, he guessed, and looked like a sister was supposed to look. All right, but nothing special.
There was a little trouble late in the afternoon. Howie’s father was taking extra stock to market and had three geldings and a mare in the pens at the back of the barge. Two of the bucks had been fixed for some time and were placid enough. The third, though, hadn’t been out of action more than a few weeks. He was a short, stocky creature with a barrel chest and thick arms. He’d been a good stud, and easy going—,but he was nothing but trouble now.
Howie knew that happened sometimes. And when a stud didn’t take to fixing, he was good for meat and nothing more. Which was why he was going to market along with the older geldings. Those two had been fattened up during the winter and would bring a fair price, or make for good trade.
The mare was something else again. She was good stock, barely past sixteen, and had calved three times in four years. Howie’s father didn’t want to let her go, but there was bad blood in her somewhere. She was smart as a tack and had to be watched all the time.
When they heard the commotion in the pens, Howie and his mother and Carolee all looked at Papa. Papa shook his head and muttered something under his breath. He started to raise himself up, then stopped and looked straight at Howie.
Howie almost knew what was coming and felt the hairs on his neck rise.
“Listen,” Papa said easily, like it was an everyday thing, “whyn’t you run on back and quiet her down, son?”
Howie wanted to jump up and down, but he checked himself quickly. That’s what a kid would do. Instead, he looked as serious as he could manage, and just said, “Yes- sir, I’ll do that, Papa.”
Papa unlooped the big stock whip from his shoulder and Howie ambled casually back to the pens. Behind him, he heard his mother say “Milo…” and could imagine the small hands making nervous circles in her lap.
“It’s all right, Ev,” said Papa, “the boy’s twelve and able enough…”
Howie looked straight ahead, grinning to himself.
The two old geldings squatted in their pens, not looking at anything. Howie walked out on the rampway overhead and the newly fixed buck glared up at him and made noises in his throat. Howie touched the coiled whip on his shoulder, like he’d seen his father do. The buck stepped away, turning his attention back to the mare. She’d gotten him all worked up, plain enough. And purely on purpose, too, Howie figured. The buck stood in the middle of his pen, shaking his head from side to side. His chest heaved. He stared straight at the mare, like there was something he wanted to understand, but couldn’t.
The mare looked up at Howie and grinned out of vacant blue eyes. She saw the whip, but ignored it.
“Just get on back and sit down,” Howie told her.
She giggled and looked at the buck. Her hair was wheat- colored, thick and matted. It fell in tangles down her broad back, darkened by the sun.
“Go on, now!” Howie warned. Stock couldn’t tell what you were saying, but they were good enough at reading tones. Only this one just plain didn’t care. She turned and stood square in front of her pen, as close to the buck as she could get. Watching the buck, she squeezed her breasts and jiggled them purposefully, holding the brown nipples in her fingers.
A low growl stuck in the buck’s throat and he threw himself against his bars. The mare grinned, spread her legs, and put one hand between them. Howie flicked the-whip along her back and she skipped away. Again, he laid the leather easily over her shoulder, snapping it lightly, so there was more noise than damage. A back full of welts told a clear story to a buyer.
The mare quieted, glanced once more at the buck, and went to the back of her pen to urinate. The recently gelded buck looked up blankly at Howie, touching the spot between his legs where the red scar was still healing. Howie watched them a moment longer, then walked back up to the bow. His father took the whip without comment, but Carolee stared at him, wide-eyed.
Oh, Lordee, Howie thought darkly, if she says anything I’ll fair drown her right here, sister or no sister!
Chapter Two
It was near ten at night when the barge bumped up against the docks at Bluevale and an hour or more after that before Howie finally got to bed. The time didn’t matter. He couldn’t have slept, no matter what. His eyes popped open every time they closed and his head was full of wonders.
The inn was near the river, just on the edge of town, so there wasn’t much to see. A little, though, was plenty for Howie. One glimpse toward the square, lit bright as day. Lordee,’ more lanterns than you could count, all strung out on wires across the street! Blues, reds, greens, yellows and what all! And people, still up and about. Fiddle music. And laughing.
Somehow that seemed more peculiar than anything. He couldn’t remember hearing that many people laughing at one time.
“Couldn’t we stop? Just a minute? Just one minute, Papa!”
Papa grinned and laid a big hand on his shoulder. “You’ll get plenty of fair come morning, boy.” He gave Howie a broad wink. “Does sound like they’re having fun, don’t it, now?”
His mother, with Carolee asleep on her shoulder, hurried along. “I reckon fun’s what you make it out to be,” she said coolly.
“They’re just feeling their oats and having a good time,” Papa told her. “That’s what a fair’s all about, Ev.”
His mother didn’t answer. But he could hear them whispering long after they went to bed. They spoke too softly for anyone to listen, though, for the inn was crowded, and there were twenty or so travelers bunked in the big raftered room.
“I suppose you’re going to see it,” Papa muttered darkly, “come hell or high water.” He shook his head and dug into his pocket for coppers. For a long moment, he brooded over the pile of coins. Like they were covered with bugs or something, thought Howie, and grinned. He loved Papa to act mad when he really wasn’t.
When he was angry was something else. Papa was a big man, so tall he had to duck to get in most places, and sometimes his broad shoulders scraped both sides of the door. His face was dark from the sun, his long hair a shock of yellow, and his eyes nearly too light to be blue. He and Howie’s mother looked like they’d been born on opposite sides of the world. In truth, though, they’d both been raised less than ten miles apart.
Papa reached down and raised Carolee high in the air. “Well, honey, you want to see it too, I reckon?”
Howie’s mother showed concern. “Milo, I don’t know…”
“Papa-papa-papa-papa!” shrieked Carolee. Her little legs pumped air.
Howie glared at Carolee, then studied the sign above the door. It was painted on cloth in big red letters and nailed to the store front:
SEE THE ANSHINT NIGGER
IN HERE. RIL AS LIFE!
“Papa. I gotta take her?” He knew it was the wrong thing to say before he said it, but it just came out anyway.
“Howie!” frowned his mother, “is that nice, now?”
Tears started in Carolee’s eyes, which were big and dark like her mother’s.
“Howie. Men take care of women.”
Howie reddened. Papa wasn’t mad-sounding at all, and that made it worse. He looked down at his feet. Papa tousled his hair and dropped two coppers in his hand. “We’ll be waiting out here,” he said. “I sure ain’t gonna see it again. Carolee. You hold on to Howie and don’t let go.”
Blankets had been hung inside to form an aisle toward one corner of the room. The rest of the store was empty, but there were bare wooden shelves on one wall, and broken boxes all about. The air was heavy and musty, like the room had stayed wet a long time.
A short man with eyes like a bird took Howie’s coins and pointed him toward the back. A farmer was just coming out, and Howie studied hi
m for some clue as to what they might see. If the man felt anything, though, he didn’t give it away.
Carolee began to cry the minute she saw it. Howie tried to make her stop, but it was no use. She shrieked all the louder and wrapped her arms around his legs and buried her head. Howie was thoroughly disgusted. It was like walking around with a big rock tied to your foot.
He tried to control Carolee, and look at the stuffed nigger at the same time. In the dim light of the lantern, all he could see was a lean body standing stiff against the wall— leathery, shrunken; pleated features under a gray layer of dust. The eyes were closed, but someone had painted bright staring pupils on the lids. For some reason, that seemed to give real life to the thing, and make it more than something that had been dead and dried out for a long time.
Howie jumped when the short man pulled the blankets aside. He glared at Howie, then at Carolee. “Listen, you’re gonna have to get her out of here.”
“I haven’t got to see nothing yet!” Howie protested.
“Out,” said the man. He threw a finger over his shoulder and held the blanket aside. Howie jerked his sister to her feet.
“You went and ruined it,” he said harshly, “I hope you’re good an’ happy!” She pulled away and he wrenched her back, hard enough to hurt. Carolee screamed and broke for the door. Howie’s mother scooped her up and gave him a questioning frown.
“Howie pulled my arm and broke it!” Carolee sobbed. “I didn’t do nothing,” said Howie.
“Son, did you hurt your sister?” asked Papa.
“I didn’t do nothing,” Howie repeated. He stuck out his chin to Carolee. “She made such a fuss the man threw us right out an’ I didn’t even get to see the nigger.”
Howie’s mother soothed Carolee and rocked her gently. “See, Milo?” She looked at her husband through a dark veil of hair. “I said it wasn’t something for a girl to see. You just wouldn’t pay any mind. She’ll have dreams, now, and be up all night.”