Linked Through Time by Jessica Tornese Read Free Book Online

jealousy!
                  Once again, I was the last to arrive for mealtime. The food vanished quickly and I barely had time to stab a slice of meat and potato from the table before it was gone. The room echoed with noisy chatter; I sat amidst the sea of clanging plates and raucousness, my mind still on the night ahead. What would I wear? What should I say?
                  Matthew slammed into my side, jolting me back to the present. He, Patrick, and Dean were jostling each other, fighting to reach the last slice of homemade bread. Plucking the piece from the table, I handed it to my father, the skinniest of the bunch. The other two boys groaned and pushed away from the table. Winking conspiratorially at my father, I slid the remainder of my plate in his direction. I felt sorry for his skin and bones physique, even though forty years from now, he turned out just fine.
                  Stretching to the ceiling, I gave a huge exaggerated yawn and sighed. “I think I’ll wash up after lunch… er, I mean, dinner. Those weeds kicked my butt,” I said trying to join the conversation.
                  Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at me like I had grown a second head.
                  Gran threw her hands into the air and made the sign of the cross on her chest. “Lord, give me patience,” she muttered.
                  “What? All I said is that I was going to take a bath. My back is killing me.”
                  At the table, Rodney growled in his throat and kicked his chair away from the table. “You want a bath, Miss High and Mighty? I’ll give you a bath.” Without another word, he grabbed me by the arm and swung me up over his shoulder like a sack of grain.
    The rest of the children stood frozen, watching with curiosity.
                  Shrieking, I kicked my legs in protest. I beat my fists on his muscular back but he never flinched. Nobody at the table made an effort to stop him.
    As we passed through the doorway, I made a vain attempt at grasping the doorframes, my fingers curled around the edges like claws.
                  Rodney pushed through the porch and out into the yard, heading straight for the pig’s pen.
                  “No! No ! Anything but that!” I screeched, afraid of the hulking, filthy beasts behind the fence.
    A few yards before the pen, Rodney stopped at the water pump and turned to the giant stock tank. Stagnant water with an oily film on top filled the giant barrel to the rim. Flies floated lifeless on the surface. Rodney lifted me effortlessly, pausing to let his intent sink in.
                  I opened my mouth to scream but closed it quickly as he launched me headfirst into the chilly water. I broke through the surface, sputtering and coughing on the water that poured from my nose. Hair clung to my cheeks in thick clumps. Flicking a fly from my arm in disgust, I bit my lip to keep from screaming.
    Rodney stood next to the tank, hands on his hips and a smirk on his face.
    “What was that for you, big Neanderthal?” I managed to choke out.
    Rodney shook his head. “What the hell is the matter with you, Sarah? Just because you hit your head doesn’t mean you can act all stupid. Quit shirking your duties around here; we’re tired of picking up your slack. We’ve been doing it far too long.” His face clouded over and his eyebrows knit together as he thought. “I’ll tell Dave he’s not allowed to come over anymore if you can’t do your share,” he threatened.
    I swallowed my retort and went for the apologetic route instead. “I’m sorry, Rodney. I’ll do better, I promise. I got so hot from weeding today; I just needed to cool off, is all.”
    “Yeah, well, we’re all hot. If you get hot, go jump in the river. Baths are Saturday nights, and that’s it. You may not like the way we live, you’ve made that clear before, but