Stone Maidens by Lloyd Devereux Richards Read Free Book Online

his hands close to his face, talking to it, crooning. He didn’t seem to have noticed her.
    Julie rested her cheek against a smooth-barked beech for a better look. The man was gently petting the thing in his hand, talking in a soothing voice. How sweet, she thought. The truck must be his. Maybe he had stopped suddenly for a baby animal crossing the road. Squirrels and rabbits were always making mad dashes in front of cars. How many times had her mother slammed on the brakes, muttering to herself? But she’d never gotten out and comforted a poor creature like this guy was doing—stopping to save it from harm, walking it into the woods to set it safely free.
    The man brought his cupped hands close to his chest, tenderly nestling the frightened creature.
    “Excuse me, mister?” She cleared her throat and spoke a little louder. “What are you holding?” She stepped through ankle-deep leaves a few feet closer. “Is it hurt?”
    He pivoted his head her way, smiled pleasantly. Julie walked closer.
    “What have you got there?” A small turtle, Julie could see it now. She liked turtles, especially the way they stretched their necks out to check if the coast was clear before trundling off.
    “Was it crossing the road?” she said, guessing what had happened.
    He held up his palm, nodding. “You can say that again. Nearly a goner, this one was. The guy in front of me swerved on purpose. Know what I mean? Shocking, man’s cruelty to animals. We’re all God’s children. Am I right?”
    Julie nodded, feeling more at ease by his mentioning God. Raised a Baptist, she and her family went to church most Sundays.
    “He’s lost his way.” The man examined the turtle at eye level. “I believe he’s got a brother down near that creek.” He motioned with his head farther down the wooded ravine.
    Julie noticed the man’s clothes were heavily stained, spattered with layers of paint.
    “My name’s Julie. Julie Heath,” she said, stopping ten feet from him.
    “This here’s Snappy.” He held the turtle close to his face again, marveling. “Because he ain’t told me his real name yet.”
    Julie could see the creature had a steeply ridged shell. “Oh, it’s a baby snapping turtle,” she said with a smile.
    “Yeah, I guess that’d be right, a young whippersnapper.” The man glanced up at her, then returned his full attention to the reptile.
    Julie cut the distance between them in half, more slowly this time. “Is that why you stopped your truck all crooked, to save it?”
    “She’s got a head on them shoulders,” he said to the turtle. “Makes you feel good, don’t it, Snappy, when someone else cares so much?” He showcased the turtle on his upturned palm. “Would you like this nice girl to hold you some? Take you for a sip of nice water? You would?”
    The man didn’t look up at Julie this time. He kept his eyes glued on the turtle. When he finally did glance, the girl was standing an arm’s length away.
    He offered the turtle. “Here, you hold him.” Only the end of the small snapper’s snout protruded.
    “Thank you,” Julie said in a hushed voice.
    The man craned his hand over to meet hers. Julie carefully lifted the turtle by the top of its shell. Its head, legs, and tail stayed neatly tucked in.
    The man got quickly to his feet and started down the slope without another word. Julie stood still, watching him go. He descended the sheer bank until all she could see was the top of his head. She started down, watching her footing as she went. The bank quickly became steeper. She checked behind her but couldn’t see the road anymore. She wiped her brow with the back of her wrist.
    The turtle poked its head out. Its eyes glistened. When Julie looked up again, the man was stooped in front of her with his hands braced on his knees, waiting. She hesitated, caught by a crosscurrent of feelings. The turtle could make it fine if she let it go here. It didn’t need to be put down beside the creek. Turtles knew how