Ravens by George Dawes Green Read Free Book Online Page A

job, but in all those years, it never
     breaks the guy. He never stops dreaming. Because he knows there are powers he can tap into. Whenever he looks at the world,
     he thinks, this can be a world full of beauty, this can be a
rapturous
world. He thinks, somehow I will find the power to bring rapture and beauty into this world.
    “So one day he’s on vacation. Going south — for the first time in his life. He’s on I-95, he’s maybe a little jacked up on
     dexies. He stops at a convenience store. He goes in and discovers that in this very store a jackpot ticket has just been sold.
The
ticket. And he’s thinking: now here I am, I have this great dream. I have all this love; I want to bring kindness and truth
     and virtue to the world. But I’ve never had the tools before, and here a tool is set down before me —”
    Dad suddenly rose up. His hands clenched. “Get out of my house.”
    “What, now?”
    “I’m calling the police. Get out.”
    “Mitch, I’m talking about our future —”
    Dad drew his cell phone from his pocket and flipped it open.
    But Rooney dipped his hand into his briefcase and brought out a gun.
    And said, “Put the phone down.”
    Mom cried out.
    Rooney placed the muzzle of the gun against her temple. “PUT THE FUCKING PHONE DOWN!”
    Dad let the phone slip through his fingers. It clattered on the floor.
    Jase was crying, “MOM! MOM!” But Rooney grabbed him with one hand and pulled him close and said, “One more word and I’ll
kill
your mommy, little boy. Right in front of you. So shut up.”
    Jase heaved with sobs but managed to stop screaming. Rooney pushed him away again, and Tara took him into her arms.
    “OK,” said Rooney. “Do I have everyone’s attention?”
    Looking from face to face.
    Then he lowered the pistol. Took a breath and slowly exhaled.
    “OK then. Everything in the open. My real name is Shaw McBride. What I want is half your winnings. When I get that, I go.
     If you cooperate and don’t fuss, then I’ll leave and you’ll be safe, and happy, and still rich beyond your wildest dreams.”
     He was looking right at Tara. As though it were she and not her parents who made the decisions in this household. He said,
     “You understand me?”
    She kept her eyes lowered. “Yes.”
    “You’ll do what I ask?”
    “Yes.”
    But he cocked his head skeptically. “No, you’re already scheming. I can see it. You’re thinking, how can we get word to the
     cops? How do we make a sign to the cops so they’ll come rescue us and cut this weasel down? Right? Are you scheming against
     me?”
    She kept her eyes down. “No.”
    “You want to know why your scheme won’t work?”
    She didn’t know what to say. Finally she whispered, “All right.”
    He commanded, “Jase. Turn out all the lights.”
    Jase didn’t move.
    “TURN OUT THE FUCKING LIGHTS!”
    Jase, in tears, got up and flipped the wall switch, then the lamp switch. All that remained was a trickle of feeble streetlight
     from the window.
    Shaw McBride said, “Look out there. You see him?”
    A shadow, a trace. Beneath the hickory tree.
    Mom moaned in fear.
    Said Shaw, “I want you to go out there, Tara.”
    “Out there?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why?”
    “
Why?
Never fucking say ‘why’ to me again. Just go.”
    “I’ll go with you,” said Dad.
    Again Shaw set the pistol’s muzzle against Mom’s ear. “Sit down, Mitch. This is just for Tara.”
    Dad considered resisting, thought better of it. Sank back down. Shaw told Tara, “Go now.”
    She got up and went to the door and opened it. And stepped out into the front yard. The figure beneath the tree said, “Come
     here.”
    Her breathing was no longer under control. She thought she might lose consciousness. She tried to pray, but every prayer flew
     from her head.
    Again the man summoned her. “Come here.”
    Then she was with him beneath the tree. Close enough to see his face in the dark. Childish. Big soft eyes, an overbite.
    She wasn’t sure, but