Will O Wisp

by Risner, Fay

The next morning they were still asleep when Shana was woken by a loud fluttering noise. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the window sill. It was the red hen, Two Feathers. She craned her neck out to its fullest length as she studied the room. For a moment, she teetered on the sill then flew to the floor. She cawed in a sing song way as she strutted to the foot of the bed.

  Shana elbowed May Jean and hissed, “Wake up this very minute and see something.”

  May Jean did a double take when she saw the hen fly up and land near her feet. Two Feathers sat down on the end of the bed. She scooted one way then the other to get comfortable and fluffed her feathers out. She seemed to be concentrating for the next few minutes. When she stood up, she humped up and strained. Out came a shiny, wet egg onto the cover. The hen lowered her head to look between her feet. Satisfied that her job was done, Two Feathers flew off the bed and walked to the window. She flapped her wings and flew outside.

  The girls went to the kitchen for breakfast with only half open eyes. Shana carried the egg over to the table, before she washed her hands.

  Melinda asked, “Where did that egg come from?”

  “Two Feathers just laid it on our bed and flew back outside,” Shana said.

  Melinda gasped. “Ah, Really?”

  Gracie grinned as she sat down by Shana. “If you don't want her to visit, best close the window.” She covered her mouth and sneezed. With her nose wrinkled up, Gracie sniffed the air. “Why does it smell like smoke in here?”

  Shana gave May Jean a sick look. They didn't think to put on clean clothes.

  “Oh, that's my fault, Gracie,” Melinda said. “I had trouble making the fire in the cook stove this morning . I wound up letting a bunch of smoke out into the kitchen. I'm sorry.”

  May Jean grinned at Shana. They were off the hook this time.

  “Just open a window for a while. That will take care of the smoke smell,” Gracie said.

  “What about Two Feathers?” May Jean asked, changing the subject.

  Gracie studied May Jean. “She won't be back for the day now that her job is done. Say, ain't it time you went home?”

  “I suppose,” May Jean said dejectedly.

  “Well, then after breakfast, you best high tail it for home,” Gracie said.

  “Gracie, we can walk along with May Jean,” Melinda suggested.

  “The girl ought to be able to go home by herself. If I remember right, she got here by herself. I'm not so sure I want to walk all that way on my sore ankle,” Gracie declared.

  Melinda gathered the apron in her hands as she shook her head. “No, I will not hear of it. May Jean is just a child like Shana. I wouldn't let either one of them walk home alone. We need to escort May Jean home.”

  “If you say so,” Gracie grumbled.

  After lunch, she hunted a sturdy stick hanging low enough on one of the oak trees she could reach it. She needed a walking stick. Time to get rid of the low hanging limb anyway. When they walked under it, it brushed the top of their heads. She leaned on it to try it out. The stick seemed to support her weight well enough.

  Once they neared May Jean's home, Gracie surveyed the yard. Neff wasn't sitting on the stump which was his usual perch while he drank. The place was too quiet. No sound from the children. Not any talking or laughter. May Jean and Shana darted off without a word and disappeared around the house to look at the puppies.

  Gracie glanced at a pen not far from the house. The small pen surrounded a small log shed. She walked over and tapped on the pen wire. Two small pigs jumped up, squealed loudly and raced for the shed's open door. They ran inside and hid.

  Junior Singleton mentioned two pigs missing at one of his neighbors. Gracie wished she'd thought to ask what color they were. She didn't mind pointing the finger at Neff rather than at the Indians. They hadn't ever done anything that she knew of except live off the land. She hated to see Junior spreading rumors that weren't true.

  Of course, some Indians were just like some white folks. Might be if they were hungry, they would help themselves to pigs or any other animal small enough to carry away.

  Melinda stood by the porch and watched Gracie. When she came back, Melinda said softly, “Is something wrong?”

  “Yip,” I don't like seeing two little pigs in that pen. They weren't here the other day when we talked to Neff,” Gracie growled softly.

  Melinda asked, “What's wrong with having pigs?”

  “Junior Singleton said two pigs were stole from his neighbor recently. That pen was empty last time we were here. That's what about it,” Gracie said, knocking on the Graves door.

  May Jean came to the end of the porch. “Just go on it, Miss Gracie. Mama, may not have heard you. Shana and me are playing with the puppies. They sure grew while I was gone.”

  Lettie opened the door and stepped out on the porch. “I thought I heard talking.”

  “We brought your girl back,” Gracie said.

  “That's nice,” Lettie replied.

  “Lettie, how is the new baby doing? Did you have a boy or girl?” Melinda asked.

  “I don't have a new baby,” Lettie said. Her lips trembled.

  “You don't. I sure thought you were expecting one a couple months ago when I saw you in Locked Rock,” Melinda said, puzzled.

  “Not me. I do have a bigger belly than I used to. Don't seem to lose that after having so many younguns,” Lettie said, tightening her apron over her stomach to prove it.

  “Oh, well sorry. My mistake,” Melinda apologized. “We just wanted you to know we walked May Jean home. We should go now, Gracie.”

  “Yip.” They walked down the steps, and Gracie hollered, “Shana.”

  The two girls came running around the house and stopped. Shana asked, “Can I stay with May Jean so we can play with the puppies some more?”

  “How long, dear?” Melinda asked.

  “Two days, and I will come home,” Shana said.

  “Lettie, what do you think? You too busy to put up with another girl under foot?” Gracie asked.

  “It's all right with me. I will never notice one more with the brood I have,” Lettie said with a weak laugh.

  “All right, but just for two days, and you get yourself home before chore time on the second day. We don't want you getting out of your chores any longer than that,” Gracie said.

  “Yes, ma'am,” Shana answered meekly. “Come on. We can go back to the puppies, May Jean.”

  As soon as they tired of the puppies, May Jean asked Shana if she wanted to go see a spooky cave.

  “Where is it?”

  “Not far. The cave is in the bluff at the back of our property,” May Jean said.

  So they took off across the cornfield and through the timber to the rock bluff. May Jean led the way right to the cave opening. “Come on in.” Her voice carried to the back of the cave and echoed back at them.

  Shana stepped inside. “To be sure, it's too dark to see anything. Is it safe to be in here?”

  “Yip, I reckon it's safe right here at the mouth of the cave. Let your eyes get used to the dark. That blindness always happens when the sun is shining outside,” May Jean said.

  “Listen! Sounds like running water,” Shana said.

  “Yip, there's a spring way to the back, and water runs under the rocks and the bottom of the cave,” May Jean said.

  A black blur sailed at them and skimmed over the top of Shana's head, causing a cool breeze that made her hair stand up. She ducked and rubbed the goose bumps on her arms. “What was that?”

  “A bat. This cave is full of them,” May Jean said.

  “No funnin',” Shana said. “How far back does the cave go?”

  “We don't know for sure. We've been afraid to find out since we heard the story,” May Jean said.

  “What story would that be?” Shana asked. She had a creepy feeling, being in there with bats trying to land in her hair.

  “Well, Jasper heard tell two Indian lovers decided to hide in here. The must have walked too far back in the
cave and got lost. They were never heard from again. My brothers said we best not go any farther than right near the mouth of the cave just in case,” May Jean explained.

  “I agree. I wouldn't want to step on human bones in the dark. That would for sure make the spirits angry at us,” Shana said. Her mind came up with another idea. “Wonder if the will o wisps live in here durin' the day?”

  “I have never seen one in here or heard one, but that might be where they go,” May Jean agreed quickly. “We should get out of here before one of them things come after us.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Gracie and Melinda weren't worried until the two days went by. By chore time of the second day, Shana wasn't home. Gracie managed to hobble along to get the chores done, including egg gathering. Melinda had supper ready and still Shana wasn't home. They went ahead and ate. Always in the back of their minds was Shana would come bursting in the door, apologizing for being late. By the time Gracie helped Melinda with kitchen clean up, it was close to dark.

  “Gracie, Shana has been so good to mind since we have been here. It isn't like her to stay away when she knows we're waiting for her to come home,” Melinda worried. “What if she tried to walk home on her own and got lost? She might not find here by herself.”

  “I know it,” Gracie said sharply.

  “What should we do? It's almost bed time, and it will be dark soon,” Melinda worried. “With someone roaming around in the timber you don't want there, this is a dangerous time for a little girl to be out alone.”

  “It doesn't look like the Graves family feels the same responsibility to a youngun as you do, Melinda. There are so many younguns in that family, they figure on all of them taking care of themselves.”

  “What should we do? I'm really worried,” Melinda said.

  “We're going to walk over to the Graves, and see what is going on. That's what we're going to do,” Gracie said.

  “Hopefully, Shana is having so much fun she just lost track of time or forgot which day she was supposed to come home,” Melinda said. “It is almost dark outside. Maybe we should wait until morning to go get Shana.”

  “Oh, no. We ain't going to do that. You would keep me awake all night worrying about that girl,” Gracie groused.

  “I suppose I would,” Melinda said softly.

  “I know you would. Besides, Shana might be in some sort of trouble, and we don't want to wait all night to help her. I'll get the lantern so we have light to see to walk home. You put some matches in your pocket,” Gracie said.

  Birds fluttered over head in the trees along the lane, roosting for the night. The white moon was just peaking over the hayfield. The cemetery was quiet and spooky that time of night with the stones shrouded in shadows. Gracie and Melinda walked faster to get past it.

  Gracie had to really balance to hobble along at a quicker pace with the walking stick she made. They were just about past the trees near the Graves house when they heard the explosion. Both women froze.

  “What was that?” Melinda said in a hushed voice.

  “A shotgun blast if I'm not mistaken,” Gracie whispered.

  “It sounded like it came from the Graves place,” Melinda said. “Oh dear, who would be having a shootout with Neff in the dark with all those children there.”

  “Now don't go worrying about what you don't know until we get there,” Gracie scolded.

  The two women edged on until they stood at the edge of the stand of trees. The Graves house was lit up. The last of the sun was setting in the west, throwing a red glare on the windows that made the house look like it was on fire.

  Neff Graves staggered back and forth in front of the porch with a shotgun wavering around in his hands. “You little heathens, get yer butts out ta here now. I mean to have ya line up in front of me so I can look at the whole bunch of ya. I'm gonna shoot every one right here tonight and get rid of ya.”

  The children filed out the door one at a time with Lettie behind them. Their heads were down as they slowly came off the porch steps. It was the sight of Shana in the midst of Graves children that filled Gracie and Melinda with fear.

  “Oh, Gracie, what are we going to do?” Melinda hissed.

  “I don't know yet. That good for nothing is drunk as a skunk and capable of doing what he says,” Gracie predicted.

  “This is all Venus's fault,” Melinda whispered hoarsely.

  “What are you talking about?” Gracie asked.

  “Venus is too close to earth right now. It makes crazy things happen,” Melinda said.

  “Where did you get that bit of information to mull over?” Gracie asked.

  “Madeline predicted this when she read tea leaves for me, before we came with you to the farm. I should have listened to her. We should have stayed in Locked Rock,” Melinda said with a groan.

  “There's no way Madeline could have foreseen this problem. She doesn't even know the Graves family or what happens out here. As far as that goes, we didn't imagine this kind of happening, either,” Gracie said. “You know that, Melinda.”

  “Not all of this Madeline didn't see. She didn't see Neff being violent when she looked in the tea leaves. Just that something crazy would happen during this month because of Venus being too close to earth. That's when bad things always happen Madeline says,” Melinda explained, keeping her eyes glued to Neff. “But for your information, she did see the will o wisps roaming in the timber. Just the way you and Shana described them. That's how I knew what they looked like. So there.”

  “Sounds like a lucky guess on Madeline's part. Tea leaves are just that, tea leaves,” Gracie groused.

  “Madeline doesn't know what a will o wisp is anymore than we did until Shana told us. Yet she described them to a tee. So there,” Melinda defended.

  At the bellow of Neff's loud voice, both of them turned their attention back on the front yard. “Bout time you all showed up. Now get those tails in gear and line up in front of me, so I can figure out which one of you I want to shoot first,” Neff said. He slurred his words as he staggered closer to the children, unsteady on his feet.

  He paced up and down in front of his children, waving the shotgun at each of them. Mattie, about three years old, started to wail when Neff stopped in front of her. “You shut up if you don't want to be first you snot nose midget.”

  Lettie rushed off the porch and grabbed up the little girl. She placed the little girl's head on her shoulder and said, “Hush now, baby. Don't cry. That makes Papa mad.”

  “Oh, Gracie, this is terrible. Someone has to stop him. He's scaring all of those children to death and look at poor Shana right in the middle of them,” Melinda whispered.

  “I know it. He's scaring me, too, but how are we going to do anything? We're too far away. If we rush him, Neff will shoot one of us,” Gracie said. “If that Sheriff Logan was here, I'd give him a piece of my mind. He could have prevented this if he'd come out here when I told Earl to call him. Maybe it's Earl's neck I ought to wring. He may have forgotten to call the sheriff.”

  “Mercy Sakes, Gracie, it doesn't matter either way right now. Those men aren't here to help us. Poor Shana. She's scared to death just like the rest of them. She shouldn't have been put in this dangerous situation,” Melinda said, glaring at Gracie.

  “Don't blame me for her being here. You were right there when she asked to stay with May Jean for two days. You could have said no,” Gracie said. “She should have come home earlier today like she was supposed to, and she wouldn't be in this fix now.”

  “Don't put the blame on that sweet girl. Look what she's holding in her arms. That's the dress May Jean borrowed for church. No telling how long Shana has been trapped in that house with the others, wanting to come home,” Melinda defended.

  Gracie took another look and conceded, “Reckon you're right.”

  “Miss Molly is going to be mad at both of us when she finds out about this,” Melinda said softly.

  “Not to mention what Mr. Orie will say,” Gracie added.

&n
bsp; Neff swaggered backward and waved the shotgun in the direction of his lined up children. He looked as if he was trying to figure out how many of the children he could shoot at once.

  Suddenly, Neff stopped moving. He went very still. The shotgun in his hands wavered along the line of children. They shivered with fear, and their faces were covered with horror. How could their father do this to them? Just as Neff pulled the trigger, his hand on the shotgun stock jerked down. The shotgun exploded above the children's heads.

  “Oh please, Lord, let Shana and those dear little children be all right,” Melinda cried in prayer with her eyes squeezed tightly shut.

  The explosion was ear deafening. Next was a loud clattering from the lead pellets that struck the curled up tin on the house roof.

  “Melinda, your prayer must have worked. Open your eyes and look. Everyone is all right so far. Neff missed them,” Gracie said.

  The explosive gun noises were enough to bring Neff to whatever little bit of sense he had left. He looked at his gun as if he didn't recognize it. “Wha' happened?”

  A couple of the older boys rushed over to him. “Let me have the gun, Papa,” Bobby said. That boy took the gun from Neff's hands, and he gave it up willingly. “Boys, that shotgun isn't safe to have around anymore. It just went off on its own. I might have hurt myself.”

  The boys got on each side of him and took him by an arm. They led him up the porch steps and sit him in a rocking chair. Neff's head immediately lowered, and he passed out.

  The children hugged each other and quietly filed past their father to go in the house.

  “Now's our chance. Let's get Shana out of here,” Gracie said.

  She hobbled out of the trees with Melinda right behind her. Lettie was starting up the steps still holding the littlest Graves girl when they got to the yard.

  “Hold up, Lettie,” Gracie called. “We came to take Shana home.”

  “That would be a good idea,” Lettie said softly, glancing over at her snoring husband to make sure their voices hadn't woken him. She looked worriedly at the women. “Did you hear the ruckus just now?”

  “We not only heard the shotgun go off we saw what happened,” Gracie said. “You best get away from that man of yours before he kills all of you.”