Broken Branch by John Mantooth Read Free Book Online Page A

One side of his face was lost to the shadows. The other side seemed kind. She had to resist the urge to touch his cheek, to run her fingers along the rough, short hair that grew there.
    â€œI mean helping that old man. I should have done it too.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you?”
    â€œDon’t rightly know. Probably because I’m scared. You, though, . . .” He laughed. “You’re just a little thing, but you don’t get scared. Seems like the stuff the rest of us worry about doesn’t touch you.”
    â€œI’m not that brave,” she said. “Besides, you don’t seem like a man who’d be afraid.”
    â€œOh, I’m afraid plenty, Trudy. My whole life is just being afraid of one thing after the next.”
    â€œI’m leaving,” she said. “Saturday night. James isn’t coming.” She wanted to say more. She wanted to tell him he should come instead. She knew it was wrong. She knew it was, but knowing and caring weren’t always the same thing. It would be terrible of her to do that to Eugenia, though, and that was what stopped her.
    He leaned back in his chair, and his entire face came into focus in another flash of lightning. He was staring at her.
    â€œSee what I mean? That’s brave.”
    â€œYou could leave too,” she said. “You and Eugenia. The children. You could come with us. Mary and Maggie could play all the time . . .” She trailed off. He was shaking his head.
    â€œAs bad as it is here, I know this place, Trudy. The world out there . . . I’ve forgotten it. It’s forgotten me. Besides, even if I wanted to leave, Eugenia wouldn’t come.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    He laughed then. Loudly, and she put her hand on his arm to quiet him. His hand covered hers and held her hand in the crook of his elbow.
    â€œShe’s more scared than I am, Trudy.” He leaned his head onto her shoulder and she smelled the rain on him and something stronger underneath, his scent. It was a good odor, full of sweat and strength, the way a man was supposed to smell. Was there something else, though? Something vague, just a whisper? Trudy didn’t want to admit it, but there was. It was fear.
    She knew the scent well. It lingered in this place like ground fog on a humid morning. Of course it was fear. Everyone felt it. You just had to deal with it, she thought. That told the tale.
    She was about to say this when the door behind them groaned open. She stood quickly, putting distance between herself and Ben, which was probably a mistake, as it made it look like she had something to hide and she didn’t. Did she?
    James stood at the door. “Little late to be calling on folks, ain’t it, Ben?”
    Ben stood up. “Sorry, James. I came for a blanket. Maggie wet hers again, and the storm woke her up. Now, she can’t sleep without a blanket. Just sat down for a moment with your wife because I selfishly asked her to pray with me.”
    James said nothing, and it was unclear if he believed any of Ben’s story.
    â€œThanks, Mrs. Trudy,” Ben said. He nodded at James and bunched the blanket up under his arm. He took off into the rain, as the lightning flashed all around him. It went dark again, and he was gone.
    James said nothing and went back inside the house.
    Trudy watched the storm for a long time before going to bed herself.

20
    The fire wasn’t as bad as Trudy thought. Early reports the next morning said that it was mostly out and by the time it reached the creek, it’d be gone completely. The sun came out, and the community seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Otto called a meeting to thank God that the storm did no visible damage to either the homes in the clearing or the small progress that had been made on the church.
    Trudy spent the day preparing for leaving. She saw no reason to do her chores. She’d only continued them to keep up appearances,