“
Yes sir,” Drew murmured
as he finished putting on his socks. “Hope my Mee-maw and sisters
are here.”
“
I hope so too….” The look
on the first soldiers face was not too promising.
Drew was escorted out of the tent and back
underneath the dull, gray sky. The weather had eased up and the
rain was nonexistent. He continued to walk through the crowd
looking for his friends. He quickly spotted Sue Ellen and Mater
huddled off to the side comforting Tarynn.
“
Hey, what’s going on?
Didn’t y’all hear the soldiers? We need to get inside,” Drew said
inspecting his armband.
Sue Ellen stood up. Her eyelids were puffy.
It looked like she had been crying for days.
“
I saw my dad and
brother,” she half smiled.
“
You already went inside
the center?”
“
No…”
“
Well, how did you see
your dad and brother?” Drew asked wide-eyed. He was getting so
hungry that the rumbling in his stomach was louder than his
voice.
“
They are over there,” Sue
Ellen pointed towards the back of the Fairgrounds Center. She was
trying her best not to break down into tears.
“
I’m confused,” Drew said
scratching his head.
“
I’ll explain it,” Tarynn
interjected. Her eyes were swollen and as red as apples. “Only
people who are bruise, scratch, cut, or scrape free are allowed
inside the center. Those who have any opened areas on their skin
are banned.”
“
What?” The day could not
get any worse for Drew.
“
Same thing I said,” Mater
chimed in.
Drew glanced towards the back of the center.
After a few minutes of searching, he was able to spot Sue Ellen’s
dad and little brother. Father and son were locked into a tight
embrace.
“
I haven’t had a chance to
speak with my dad. But by the looks of it, Neither him or Jimmy
passed the inspection,” Sue Ellen said getting choked
up.
“
Neither did I…” Tarynn
murmured.
Drew felt the saliva get thick in his mouth,
once again. “Are you sure you were not bitten on the bus?”
“
No,
just scrapes and scratches. The solider told me she could not
take a chance and that I would be evacuated to another compound,
with the others.” Tarynn looked up into the sky. “The Lord knows
best,” she quietly added.
Drew’s eyes instantly flew down to Tarynn’s
arm. No armband. Sue Ellen and Mater’s armbands rested snuggly
against their wrists.
“
We will have to figure
out a way to sneak you in,” Drew said. He pulled Sue Ellen
aside.
“
Are you going to be
okay?”
Sue Ellen looked down. Drew always knew her
as the uptight, snappy, fierce girl. That was what had made him
crazy about her. But now she seemed to have softened like butter.
Sue Ellen was fragile and had broken into a million pieces.
“
No, I am not. I belong
with my dad and brother. Guess my journey ends here,” Sue Ellen
softly said.
Drew limped over to Mater. The missing shoe
had his balance unsteady. “What about you, Mater? Did you see your
mother?”
“
No,” Mater quietly
said.
Drew grasped Tarynn’s hand and pulled her
close so no one could hear them. “I suggest you go stand with Sue
Ellen’s dad and brother. At least you will know someone until we
come back. Mater and I are going to look for our family. Tarynn, I
will ask around for yours,” Drew turned to Sue Ellen, “Sue Ellen,
if you can take Tarynn to your dad that will keep her safe until we
get back.”
“
Okay,” Sue Ellen said as
she calmly took Tarynn’s hand.
“
I really think we should
get out of here. All of us, including our families. I don’t have a
good feeling about this place,” Drew said with caution, “something
is not right about the center, the kennels, even the soldiers. I
can feel it.”
“
You have kept us all
alive so far,” Sue Ellen said with a smirk leading Tarynn away,
“See you soon, Drew.”
“
See ya….Girls….” Drew
mumbled under his breath as he began to walk towards the building.
Mater trailed closely behind. Upon entering the massive Fairgrounds
Center, arm bands where checked immediately. Drew and Mater were
ushered into the building like cattle along with the other
evacuees. The huge space was filled with terrified, traumatized
people. Drew promptly scanned the area hoping he would find his
Mee-maw and sisters.
“
I am going to take this
side,” Mater said, “If I find your grandma or sisters, I will let
you know.
Drew liked the person that Mater was
involving in too. It seemed as if she was no longer the shy girl
that he once knew.
“
Thanks, Mater. I will do
the same for you.”
Drew and Mater went their separate ways.
Soldiers lined the walls holding high powered weapons while others
had German Shepherd guard dogs. No laughter or cheer came from the
children who were fortunate enough to be alive and have their
parents. Some people were still trying to use their cell phones.
Others rocked themselves constantly. A few wept silently for their
missing and loved ones.
Drew instantly realized that his Mee-maw and
sisters were not there. They would have made their presence known,
especially with his grandmother’s military background. A lady in
distress momentarily took Drew’s attention away from searching for
his family. He knew instantly whom the lady was by the dark cherry
colored hair and pixie cut.
“
I am
demanding
that someone take me to
Stoney Central Middle School! My husband is the history teacher
there!” She cried, “I am a nurse! Freeman is his last name. He
might be hurt and need medical attention.
Please
!”
The lady shouted at the solider who
continued to stare straight ahead like she did not exist. Her cries
went unheard and blended with many other cries that fell on deaf
ears
“
Please for the love of
your mothers and children!” The lady pulled at her short hair. She
finally gave up and went to another solider. She pulled a picture
out of her tattered blood stained purse.
“
Sir, this is a picture of
my husband. How much would it take for you to bring me to him? I
will pay you whatever it takes.” The lady quickly rummaged through
her wallet pulling out wads of cash. She held the money high up
into the air for all the soldiers to see. “Is this what you want?
Money? Is this what it will take for someone to run me down the
road to get my husband?” The woman finally gave up and walked to a
table and collapsed crying. She slowly pulled open her purse and
began to search through it.
Drew calmly walked over to the lady who was
having a meltdown at the table. He slowly put his hand on her
shoulder.
“
Are you Mrs.
Freeman?”
The lady quickly turned around and stared up
at Drew with rapidly blinking, matted eyes. The woman’s mascara had
clumped together in her eyelashes and made black streaks, which
flowed down her cheeks. For a second she studied Drew with
curiosity before going back to rummaging through her handbag.
Drew leaned in closer. “I
know. I
knew
Mr.
Freeman.”
The frazzled Mrs. Freeman stood to her feet
like the speed of light.
“
Knew?
You know where Mike….Mr. Freeman is?” Mrs. Freeman pulled
Drew away from the soldiers so that their conversation would not be
easily heard.
“
Yes ma’am. He was my
teacher. He saved my life….” Drew said reaching into his pocket. He
pulled out the billfold, the last will and testament of Mr.
Freeman. Drew held the wallet like it was a fragile egg.
Mrs. Freeman rubbed her eyes to remove some
of the clumped mascara that was blocking her vision. She held out
her hands like she was going to surrender.
“
What is that?” Mrs.
Freeman asked biting her lip.
Drew brought the cradled wallet closer to
Mrs. Freeman. He thought about his last moments with the teacher. A
flood of feelings washed over him. “Mr. Freeman wanted to make
sure, I gave you this.”
Mrs. Freeman began to laugh hysterically.
Her mood switched immediately to small sobs. She brought her hands
together as if she were praying and slowly retrieved the wallet
from Drew’s hands. The first thing she did was bring it up to her
nose and inhale its musky leather scent. She slowly opened the
wallet and pulled out a letter with trembling fingers. Mrs. Freeman
released a deep sigh when she opened the letter and there laid a
nice size diamond ring and a picture of her and Mr. Freeman
together.
My Sweet Dear Love,
If you are reading this letter, then I am no
longer here with you. Today would have been our Fifth Anniversary.
I wanted to let you know that those extra hours that I had been
working the last couple of months was so that I can buy you the
ring that you always wanted but I could not afford. Now, here it
is. Please. Do not be sad for us. Live on for me. We shall meet
again. For I wait for you underneath that big ole oak tree, feeding
the squirrels….
I will love you forever,
Mike
Mrs. Freeman let out a long primitive cry.
It was the sort of wail that reached into the depths of one’s soul.
She looked up towards the ceiling and stumbled back towards her
table. She appeared as if she would pass out at any minute. Mrs.
Freeman took a deep breath and swallowed hard. She took the diamond
ring that her late husband had bought for her and added it to the
plain gold band that was on her wedding finger. Tears flowed from
her face like a smooth rhythm as she studied the picture of them
when they first started dating back in high school. She glanced up
at Drew.
“
Thank you,” she
whispered, “thank you….”
“
You are welcome, ma’am,”
Drew muttered as he backed away.
He fought the urge not to
cry. Boys did not cry.
Fight or Flight.
Fight or Flight.
Fight.
He continued to retreat as he watched the
broken woman wallow in her grief. Drew began to feel a sense a
dread. His family was nowhere to be seen. He wondered if he would
soon feel the same sorrow as Mrs. Freeman and countless others.
“
Ouch! Needdd to watchhh
where you are going kid!” A slurred voice shouted.
It was a familiar voice that he recognized
all to well, which was accompanied by a sickly sweet, nasty
chemical odor. It was the last person on earth he wanted to see
right now… his mother.
Eeny, bloody, miny, moe,
Catch an Eater by its toe
If it growls, let it go
Eeny, bloody, miny, moe.
“
Boy! Where have you
been?”
Drew’s mother smothered him with kisses and
a bear hug. She reaped of booze, cigarettes, and mint flavored gum.
His mother was no doubt beautiful in the midst of her frenzy hang
over. Her shoulder length blonde hair was healthy and full despite
the toxins that she slipped into her body. She was every man’s
golden dream but worst nightmare. She stood tall with long toned
legs and a small waist. Her bright, big blue eyes were as crystal
clear as the ocean’s water. Her perfectly straight white teeth had
begun to take on a yellowish tint from the chain smoking and
recreational drug use. But Drew’s mother was smart as she always
disguised her secret by regularly rinsing with peroxide and popping
mint flavored chewing gum.
Drew eyeballed his mother from head to toe.
It was no shock to him but his mouth slightly fell open. She was
currently wearing black spandex tights, a bright red halter-top,
and red ankle boots. Her overly voluptuous bosom literally spilled
over the top leaving no imagination to what was beneath. Drew
became embarrassed that every man’s eyeballs in the center fell
onto his mother. Even the soldiers were salivating like hungry
dogs.
“
Oh my word on a stick, it
is absolutely hot in here,” Drew’s mother began fanning her face.
Her long eyelashes blinked rapidly as she scanned the
center.
“
I need a cigarette like
really bad. Boy! Do you hear what I am saying to you?” Drew’s
mother pulled out a stick of chewing gum from her cherry red
halter-top. She quickly popped it in her mouth and the routine
smacking that Drew despised began.
“
Drew
… Jessie. My name is Drew, remember?” Drew said as he shyly
looked at his mom.
His mother did not want to
be referred to as
mother
,
mom,
or
momma
in any shape, form, or
fashion. She was too young to be a mother at thirty. Having three
kids, starting at the tender age of sixteen, was a big mistake, as
she would often say when she had one of her many drunken rages.
Jessie Jacks still felt and lived like a carefree
teenager.
“
Boy! We need to get out
of here. I need to go to the trailer and get my—“
“
Where is Mee-maw?” Drew
interrupted.
Jessie’s eyes darted back and forth before
she nonchalantly rolled them.
“
Maryann? Grace? Have you
seen or heard from them?” He continued.
“
What are you
asking
me
that
question for? Aren’t
you
supposed to be watching them? I can’t do
everything myself. That is what you are here for, boyyy!” Jessie
slurred her last words before bringing her hand to her head as if
she were about to lose her balance.