Evangeline by E.A. Gottschalk Read Free Book Online

left,” I told him.
    The Cutlass swung down a gravel road, passing acres of ripened corn.  “You sure it’s down this way?  Looks like nothing but cornfields.”
    “Take this road here on the left,” I said. 
    “You sure?”
    “Yes, left here.”
    Down a dirt road now, scarred by deep ruts and jarring bumps.  The Chevy’s suspension was taking a pounding and Harland Lee was getting agitated. 
    “You’re positive this is the way?” he muttered as the car bounced.
    “Kind of positive,” I said without conviction.  
    “Kind of?”
    By this time the road had narrowed into an overgrown path barely the width of the car… and the man had had enough.  He braked hard and threw the shifter into park. 
    “Okay, where the hell are we?” he snapped, barely able to contain his anger.
    Chewing thoughtfully on my lower lip, I scanned the cornstalks that surrounded us.  “Hmm, let’s see now.   Whoops.  You know what?”  I turned to him, feigning embarrassment.  “I think we’re lost.”
    “You think…”
    “I just have the worst sense of direction,” I explained.  “Oh, well, what can you do?  Might as well make the best of it.”  I crossed my legs and the dress rode higher. 
    He bounced a glance off my thighs, then up to my bedroom eyes-- which I’d been practicing in the mirror for over a week now.  
    “What is this?” he demanded.  “Are you hustling me?”
    “Hustling?”
    “Because I’ll tell you right now.  I don’t pay for it.”
    No.  You just take it, scumbag… like candy from babies.
    But I didn’t say that.
    “Relax, Tiger,” I told him instead.  “I’m just your average bar-hopping slut, okay?  I’ll suck your dick for free if that’s what you want.  How’s that sound?”
    The pervie tried reading my eyes, working his jaw as he studied me.  In a moment a slow smile crept over his face.  “Well, if you’re serious, I’d say that sounds pretty good.”
    “Oh, I’m serious, alright,” I assured him.  “Dead serious.”
    When he switched off the engine, I heard crows cawing in the field and shifted my gaze out the passenger’s window.  
    “So what do we do now?” the man was asking. 
    I didn’t answer, mesmerized by the black birds rising and falling among the stalks.  A few years before I’d watched one of those cruel creatures attack a finch’s nest outside my sister’s window.  There was a savage beating of wings and the frightened chirps of young birds behind the shutter where they nested.  Then the crow flew off to a nearby tree branch with one of the babies held in its beak.   After perching there a moment, it opened its mouth and let the little finch drop dead to the ground. 
    Guess that big black bird just wanted to kill something.
    My friends, that’s how I felt that day sitting beside Harland Lee Wade.   Like a cruel bird.  
    Like a crow. 
    I heard the rattle of the man’s belt buckle and he said something.  But I wasn’t listening anymore.
    “Have you ever counted crows?” I asked wistfully. 
    “Excuse me?”
    “When I was younger my mother used to count the crows from our back porch.”  I started pointing to the birds as they rose and fell against the fading light.  "One crow means sorrow… two crows mean joy… three crows a wedding… four crows a boy… five crows mean silver… six crows mean gold… seven crows a secret that's never been told." 
    There’s more than seven out there, princess,” said Harland Lee as he began massaging the back of my neck.
    “Yes, but I have a secret,” I answered softly.  “Would you like to know what that secret is, Mr. Wade?”
    The massage stopped.  “How the hell do you know my name?”
    My hand slipped into the purse until I felt the hard grip of the Smith & Wesson. 
    “Oh, I know all about you Mr. Wade.  I know you live at fourteen Meadowview Lane in Middle Branch.  I know you work at the Shell station in O’Neill.  And I especially know you prefer your