Ted stopped his swatting, “What was that?"
Lee knew. He'd heard it before.
It was plain this time, sounding like a sudden, sharp scream which came echoing out of the cleft in the stone from down in the unfinished duck pond.
"See, Dad!” Lee ran over, holding up his pants with one hand. “I told ya!"
His dad followed him, still carrying the towels as he came down the steps.
There was another scream, this one sharp and quick followed by frantic and broken sobs, almost like coughs or someone choking. Lee was close up so he heard another sound, a deep sound, then a mumbling, and finally a slam.
Ted came up right next to Lee, looking down into the inky cleft. After a few moments, he stood up straight and swatted at his neck. “What was it?"
"Dad?” Lee was busy defending his back, arms, neck, and face. “What do you mean what was it? You heard it. That's what I was telling you about. Someone's down there."
His dad looked down at the cleft, bending at the waist. “It sure did sound like something."
Lee saw it first. Inside, something moved. He jumped, startled as Flapjack came wiggling out of the opening. Once out, the duck set up a quacking, flapping his dirty wings and wagging his tail feathers.
"It's the damn, duck!” Ted sounded tremendously relieved. “Come on, Lee, we've gotta get inside before the mosquitoes eat us alive."
Lee followed his dad, arguing all the way that what they heard couldn't have been Flapjack.
But one in the laundry room Ted closed the door and his expression showed he was very unconvinced. “Lee, see, these things always have rational explanations. I have to admit I was going there too for a little bit. But it had to be Flapjack we heard.” His dad was scratching at the welts on his neck. “It's like all the other phenomena you've been so worked up about recently. There just always has to be a rational explanation."
Lee wanted to argue. He was positive that wasn't Flapjack they'd heard, but at this point he knew better than to try. But he wasn't going to just entirely let it go. “Dad, you know me. I'm not some kind of nut, and I know the difference between what's real and what isn't."
His dad held up his hands in protest. “Lee, I'm not saying you haven't heard and seen some pretty strange things. And at this point I don't have any explanations for the doors opening, the lights going out, or who is tying up our underwear. I'm sure it's not you though. But, I have seen magicians who absolutely can make it look like things can float in the air, and I once saw a guy at the county fair make a thousand pound bull disappear. I was in the front row, and I swear it was gone. But I know that the magician just fooled me. That's the fun of magic and stuff like that. You can't help but believe it really happened."
Lee looked back in deadly earnest. “Dad, none of this is any fun."
His dad shrugged. “I don't know what to say, son. But I can tell you I will try to be there for you if you need me, and I'll always give you the benefit of the doubt if I can.” He clasped Lee on the shoulder. “Okay?"
Lee nodded.
His dad dropped his hand. “Now you better get out of those clothes."
Lee pulled off his t-shirt and unbuttoned his jeans. Just before throwing his jeans in the washer, he pulled the quartz spearhead out of his pocket.
"Hey, Dad!” Lee held it out so that it caught the light. “Look what I found!"
Ted took it, while Lee wrapped a towel around his waist and then shimmied out of his sodden underwear.
"Lee, this is beautiful.” Ted walked out of the dim room and held it up to the light over the table. “Maggie!” he called out. “Come see what Lee found."
"You tell him he better get his filthy hiney into the shower,” she called back without looking away from the T.V. “If I see any muddy foot prints on my clean floor, I'm going to tan his bare bottom with a hair brush."
As if mesmerized, Ted was gazing intently into the facets while turning the shaped crystal around and around. But in response to Maggie's threat he took a moment to look over to Lee. “You better go on and get cleaned up."
Lee, pretty sure that Maggie would certainly make good on her threat, skedaddled to the bathroom.
Ed Sullivan was on when Lee came back from getting cleaned up. Patty was on the floor on her stomach, feet in the air. Maggie and his dad were on the sofa. The spearhead was lying on the coffee table, gleaming invitingly. Lee snatched it up and fell into the recliner.
Maggie didn't even look at him. “Dinner's in the refrigerator, if you want it."
Lee was ravenously hungry. He got up and ran to the kitchen, putting the piece of stone down on the table as he passed by. He got the plate out of the refrigerator and came back sitting down at the table, and immediately began wolfing down the cold pork chops, greens, and potatoes.
He kept the spearhead in front of his plate as he ate, seemingly unable to take his eyes off it. It was clear, and seemed incredibly thick and deep. At the edge of every worked facet spectral color sparkled hinting at blues, greens, and a fiery yellow. For an inanimate object, it almost seemed alive.
After finishing everything off by downing a huge glass of milk, Lee carried the dishes to the sink, did his dishes, and came back into the family room. As he passed the photograph hiding the goat face, he glanced into the reflection, relieved to see that what was in the glass was what was on the T.V.
At the next commercial, his dad took his arm from around Maggie and leaned forward putting his hands on his knees. “Lee that's really something you found there. Can I see it again for a minute?"
Lee was laying back in the recliner. All he had on were his pajama bottoms, and he'd had the spearhead sitting on his stomach. He did a sit up and handed it over. He noticed that in an odd effect he couldn't really tell how heavy it truly was, until after it had just left his hand.
"Where'd you get it?” Maggie sounded suspicious, as she moved in to get a closer look.
"I told y'all, I found it in the river,” Lee replied. He'd decided to condense things and not go into how he'd originally found it while with Phoebe. “It was in the roots of a tree that had fallen. I couldn't miss it, the way it shone out, though at first I thought it might just be a chunk of an old broken bottle."
Maggie had leaned across Ted, who was holding it between the tips of his fingers of both hands. She stroked it so delicately with her fingertip, the way she touched it seemed almost erotic and Lee actually felt a little embarrassed.
"It is just gorgeous,” Maggie cooed. “Amazing those savages could make something so beautiful."
Ted too, looked hypnotized, sitting there with his elbows on his knees. He had his face only inches from the stone, and Maggie was draped across his left arm. The program they were watching had even come back on, and they hadn't even noticed.
"Dad, your show's on,” Lee called out, breaking the spell.
Maggie started, drawing the tip of her finger down the edge too quickly, and she sliced the length of her finger open as surely as if she'd been playing with a razor blade.
Maggie let out with a piercing cry.
Ted reacted, fumbling with it, and dropped the spearhead on the rug.
"Mama!” Patty pealed, “You're bleeding!"
Maggie gripped the finger with her other hand and stood up, quickly running into the kitchen, leaving a few drops of blood on the new sofa. Ted followed right after her.
Lee had to get down on his knees to reach the piece of quartz where it had bounced, dead center under the coffee table. And when he had it, he noticed on the edge was a smear of blood.
Ted brought Maggie in, holding her by the shoulders and sat her down at the table. They had a dishtowel wrapped around her finger. Lee couldn't believe the amount of blood already soaked through the towel.
"You sit still and keep pressure on it,” Ted advised. “If it doesn't stop in a minute, I'll have to take you to the emergency room for some stitches."
Patty rolled over and got up on her knees. “Are you alright, Mama?"
/> "I'll be fine, baby.” Her face was white. “Momma's just got a little cut."
Lee couldn't help noticing the way she glared at him.
Patty got up and walked over, her eyes wide. “Mama, that's a lot of blood."
The red bloom of the towel was growing even though Maggie had her other hand clenching it tightly.
"I'm getting the keys,” Ted called as he ran down the hall. “Lee, you stay here with Patty."
"No!” Patty shrieked. “I don't want to stay here. I'm coming with Momma."
Maggie for once wasn't arguing. She got up and shakily, starting towards the door.
The way she tottered, Lee could see she was about to faint. He put the spearhead down on the table and jumped over in time to catch her before she swooned.
His dad came running down the hall, still in his bare feet, carrying his shoes in one hand and his wallet and keys in the other.
Lee and Maggie were at the door when Ted swooped over the recliner and snatched up the spearhead.
"Dad, that's mine.” Lee was afraid his dad was going to throw it away.
Ted stuffed it in his pants pocket, and hurried over to take Maggie's other elbow. “Help me get her out to the car,” he said sternly.
Patty was crying, following right behind and still saying she wanted to come too.
Lee held the passenger door of the Fairlane open, while Ted got Maggie settled in the seat. It was a clear night, clear and surprisingly cool for July.
Once she was in and secure, Ted ran over to the driver's side. “I'll call when we get there."
Lee knew it wasn't really the right time, but he asked anyway. “What about my spearhead?"
Ted cranked the engine and then switched on the lights. “I just want to show the doctor what it was that cut her. Don't worry, son, I know it's yours."
"I want to come too,” Patty called out, clearly extremely upset.
"No!” Ted shouted back. “You stay here with Lee!"
With that, Ted backed out as fast as Lee had ever seen him. Once on Seminole Road he gunned the engine once, and dumped the clutch, spitting gravel behind in a cloud of dust. As Lee watched the taillights flicker and disappear behind the tree line, he knew this would be one time Maggie wouldn't complain about his dad's driving too fast.
"Come on, Squirt,” Lee said coming up the steps. “We better get back inside."
"What about Mamma?” she snuffled.
Lee opened the screen door for her. “She'll be okay."
Patty ran back to the T.V. and flung herself down before it, the feet going right back up in the air.
Lee, suddenly feeling uneasy about being home alone with Patty again, closed and locked the front door.
"What'd ya do that for?” Patty called out. “It'll be too hot with the door closed."
"Remember last time?” he asked.
"Oh,” she nodded, her eyes going wide. “O.K."
Lee walked around to sit in the recliner, but noticed the blood on the couch. He didn't sit down, but went immediately to the kitchen for a wet towel. As he retraced Maggie's steps there were other drops of blood standing out on the hardwood floor, and in the kitchen, he found the sink was a mess.
Lee washed it out, using the sprayer. The blood had clotted and was thick, stubbornly refusing to just be washed down, so he had to use his hand to wipe at it. It was really awful; he could even smell the blood.
Finally, he came back in on his hands and knees wiping with the towel as he went. When he came around the edge of the couch where Patty was laying, he held up the bloody towel and dangled it at her.
She swatted at him, letting out a little shriek. “If you don't cut it out,” she warned, “I'm tellin’ when Momma and Daddy get home."
Lee let her alone and sat down on the sofa, being careful to fold the cloth so he could use a freshly damp clean edge to blot up the drops. Carefully, he touched the corner of the cloth down, but the blood didn't soak up, it spread out. The other drop did the same.
Frantically, Lee ran back into the kitchen and got a glass of cold water and the bottle of dish soap. He could see the size of the stains as soon as he came back around. These weren't drops any longer; they were blotches. Not even taking time to worry over the impossibility of the spread he squeezed out a few drops of liquid soap onto the fabric and carefully blotted the towel down working up a soft lather. As soon as he lifted the towel, he knew the cushion was ruined.
Patty had gotten up and was watching intently.
"Mama's gonna kill you,” she said.
"I didn't do anything,” Lee said desperately. “I'm just trying to clean it up."
Patty looked up at him and repeated herself with utter finality, “Mama's gonna kill you."
The best thing Lee could think of to do was to turn the cushion over.
Patty shook her head. “You know she'll find it."
"It's not my fault,” he argued. “It's her blood."
"It was your rock that cut her,” Patty came back.
Lee fell back into the recliner, utterly defeated.
Patty was still staring at him.
"Leave me alone, Squirt,” he complained. He reached over and picked up a pillow from the corner of the sofa and threatened to throw it at her, waving it in the air.
"You do and you're gonna be in even worser trouble,” she said laying back down on the carpet but keeping her eyes on her brother.
"I'm always in trouble,” he came back miserably, tossing the pillow back on the sofa.
Lee tried watching the show but found that all he could think about was how he was going to catch the blame for everything once again. Maggie would probably take the cost of the cleaning out of his allowance. Since he got twenty-five cents a week, he figured he'd be about to graduate high school when it would be paid off.
Ed Sullivan was staring out at Lee, his arms crossed as he swiveled to and fro. He introduced the next act, a trio of jugglers from Japan. The three little men in white gymnast costumes bounced onto the stage, and after bowing to the audience, they immediately began throwing knives at one another. Lee couldn't help wondering what they did when they cut themselves. They were incredible, constantly in motion, and there wasn't a spilt second that a knife wasn't flashing through the air. For the finale, one leapt atop another's shoulders while the third, at the edge of the stage, tossed the knives up from behind his back. The juggler on top caught each knife one by one in his mouth, swallowing the long blades to the hilt.
When Ed Sullivan came back on, he seemed to be as impressed as Lee.
Patty turned on her side to look back at Lee. “Maybe we could have a Popsicle?"
"I don't think we have any more,” he shot back. “You ate ‘em all."
"No I didn't,” she argued back. “I know there's a couple left."
Lee got up and went into the kitchen. He opened the freezer and poked around. All he found was the empty box.
He came back dejectedly, swinging the carton by its top flap. “Told you so."
He tossed the box on the table and went back to the recliner, falling into it and scooting back all in one motion.
He pushed up his nose and snorted at Patty. “Popsicle pig."
Patty stuck out her tongue, then hollered back, “You're the pig.” Following up with a few snorts of her own.
Lee looked away from her over to the T.V. suddenly thinking, “Hadn't we been watching Ed Sullivan?” This was a Western; some Indian was standing out in front of a tee-pee.
The phone rang.
Lee jumped up, racing Patty over and snatched the receiver off the wall just ahead of her.
Putting her hands defiantly on her hips she called out, “I'm tellin'!"
Lee put the receiver to his ear. “Hello."
"Lee, this is you dad,” he heard, along with the sounds of busy people in the background.
"Yeah, Dad?” he replied. “How's Maggie—I mean, Mom?"
"It's a good thing we left when we did,” Ted said. “They had to put a tournique
t on to get the bleeding to stop. The doctor is giving her a transfusion for the loss of blood."
Lee couldn't believe what he was hearing. It wasn't that big of a cut.
He had to fend Patty off to keep her from pulling away the phone. “Is she gonna be alright?"
"She'll have to spend at least tonight and maybe tomorrow in the hospital.” Lee heard someone call his dad's name from the background. “I'll be home later to check on you kids once they get her into a room. I've gotta go. They're about to start stitching."
"Hang on,” Lee said quickly. “Patty wants to talk."
He gave her the receiver and stepped away, almost feeling in shock himself.
Patty was standing on her tiptoes crying that she wanted to talk to Momma right now.
Lee shivered; something eerie ran up his spine and tickled at the back of his neck. The air in the house grew suddenly still, and he instantly recognized that it was coming on again. That same, quiet before the storm tension reached out and took hold.
Lee caught a glimpse of the reflected glare of T.V. in the glass of the reunion picture. He saw the Indian on T.V. drag a child from the tee-pee by her long, black hair. The little girl, barefoot in a buckskin dress, was scratching at the arm that held her and kicking out fiercely. The huge man knelt down and snatched her over backwards across his knee. Though she continued to kick and resist, her struggles stopped abruptly when he cracked her spine. Lee whirled around to face the T.V. as the Indian got up off the one knee, letting the body roll off into the dust. He looked Lee squarely in the eyes; there could be no mistaking it. Then he pulled a stone knife from his belt and lunged into the tent. The little girl in buckskin lay on the ground; her eye's vividly wide open. A trickle of blood fell from the corner of her mouth. Lee knew that girl was dead.
Reflexively he looked for the illustrated Indian in the wood grain of the paneling. It was gone.
Caught up as though in a crazy hall of mirrors, he looked back into the picture. There was the family he'd never known. His grandmother, grandfather, his real mom, other relatives, and in a shadow by the corner of the house was that big Indian. He looked to be creeping around the corner, his long, hard face intent, like a hunter closing on his prey.
Evil Heights, Book IV: In the Pit Page 17