Long Holler Road - A Dark Southern Thriller by David Lee Malone Read Free Book Online Page B

thoughts all the time. Madge had fountains and birdbaths strategically placed in shaded areas that looked like something you’d see in Southern Living magazine. The trees all had flower beds around the bottoms with river rock borders and pretty, multi-colored flowers I couldn’t identify then, and probably still couldn’t. There were various fruit trees spaced at intervals like you’d see in an orchard and grape vines clinging to expertly crafted arbors in the back yard. The back yard ran all the way down to the edge of the woods, where the small ridge started its descent. Carl had buildings of all shapes and sizes scattered around his property. They were all constructed from different materials, but none looked out of place. I was thinking he must have made a fortune at whatever it was he did for a living to be able to have a spread like this.
      Me and Madge had become bosom buddies in the three hours we had been there. She kept bringing us lemonade and sandwiches, but would wait until I was the one sitting under the pecan tree before she brought them out. I could tell it was eating Glenn up. He was supposed to be the one getting to know old Madge and there I was getting all the attention.                                                        
      She was without a doubt the prettiest woman I had ever seen in my fourteen years. But not just on the outside. She was pretty on the inside, too. She was the nicest lady I had ever met. She wanted to know all about my family, especially my mother. She asked how I liked school and if I was studying hard and what my interests were. She even asked if I played football. She really won me over when we started talking about football. She knew everything there was to know about it and said she had become a huge Crimson Tide fan since moving to Alabama. I was falling in love. What woman in the world that pretty and sweet could know so much about football, especially Alabama football, my favorite subject. I also found out she was well educated, and like me, was a history buff. We talked about Civil War battles and the different generals involved, then moved on to Washington, Jefferson, Ben Franklin and the other founders of our country. She even touched a little on European history, but had me at a disadvantage there. All I did was listen when it came to that subject. The conversation was so pleasant that before I knew it, Glenn and Snake had finished the mowing.
      Madge told Snake and Glenn to sit down and rest and have some more lemonade and sandwiches while she went inside and got our money.
      “Oh, no ma’am,” I said. “You don’t owe me and Glenn anything. We just came to keep Snake company and help him out a little.”
      Glenn looked at me as if he was thinking, ‘speak for yourself, asshole . I was the one out there sweating my ass off while you were cozying up to the sexy woman I came here to get to know .’ Glenn was gonna let me have it when we finally got alone. I couldn’t wait to tell him this was all his big idea and I didn’t want anything to do with it from the start. Although now, I was glad he talked me into it.
      Madge said she was going to pay all three of us and that was all there was to it. She walked into the house to get the money and I looked at Glenn. When I did, he turned his head and looked the other way. So, he’s gonna give me the old silent treatment instead, I was thinking. I was having to bite my tongue to keep from laughing out loud. Snake, of course, was oblivious to it all and was woofing down peanut butter and jelly sandwiches like it was the last time he was ever going to get to eat.
      Madge returned with the money and gave us all a twenty dollar bill. Snake’s eyes were as big as saucers when his eyes fell on the picture of old Andy Jackson.
      “You ain’t never give me more than ten dollars, Miss Madge,” he said, never taking his eyes off Andrew Jackson’s face.