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“We are not married.” Anna shoved a sad and
sighing Carl away. “Darn it, Carl. The vows were till death do us
part. You died.”
Carl shuddered and gave her the saddest look he
could manage.
“I love you--“
“And I love you,” she said, backing away.
“But we are not going to do that unless we get remarried.”
Chills shuddered in Carl's heart, and the
shon:gili within whined.
He turned, and there were the twins, dressed now
in what clothes the neighbors could afford to lose. Their eyes were
green ice, and the gaps in their teeth showed in snarls. He scowled,
turning back to plead his case with Anna. He was chicken, a coward,
yeah, but did that mean he didn't want to marry her again . . .
some day?
She was gone.
Carl sagged. He raised himself up and squatted in
a chair wincing as the ice-cold seat met bare skin under the sheet.
No one had clothes that would fit, and Ama was dickering with a
neighbor that had a loom and wool.
The twins sidled by, but he was ignoring them, so
they went out to play.
Carl sprang to his feet. He grabbed the sheet to
stop it from falling away, and roared out the door.
Trying to entice a rat from a hole, the girls stilled, staring at him.
“One thing catches fire,” Carl said, “and
I'm feeding him, you.” He pointed at the rat, then grabbed the
sheet again. A woman whistled, Carl glared at the shuffling bulk of
Ama.
He glanced at the girls. They were grinning. The
grins disappeared in a flash.
“Yes, Unca Cahl.”
The other one rapped out a quick nod.
Carl scowled. “Any crossed fingers?”
They held out their hands, the fingers spread.
“Toes?”
The feet were bare, and the toes uncrossed.
“Dixie, uncross your eyes.”
The girl scowled, but complied.
“Swear it.”
“We solemnly do so forever swear right now.”
“Now, spit.”
They spit on the road.
Ama chortled. She patted their heads.
“Sweet child, wonderful young uns. My, but
you're both so beautiful.” She moved away and made a quick count
of the fingers of the hand she patted them with. Just in case.
Trixie gave Carl an ugly scowl.
“See?”
“Somebody knows we're honest folks.”
“Amen.”
“Bring God into it, and you deal with Them all
alone.”
Eyes huge and scared, they watched him stalk back
in the house.
The rat started to smolder. It thrashed in the
hole.
Dixie squeaked in horror. “Trixie, we
promised!”
“Forever, but only for now.”
“Ain't now no more.”
Dixie giggled and helped to pull the cooked animal
out of the hole.
©2004 StoriesByEmail.com
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