The Haunting Hour

3. Aganasti Creeks, TN-4

‘Hennie? What do you think you’re doin’? You know you ain’t supposed to leave the cellar. It’s rainin’ to beat the band out here!’

‘I could say the same for you. Help pull me up and I might be persuaded to keep my mouth shut.’

‘That’s a deal, lil’ girl. Ain’t neither one of us seen a thing tonight. You go your way and I’ll go mine. I got a date and I can’t be late.’

Lucy grabbed my outstretched arms and yanked hard. Scraped the bejesus outta my leg gettin’ out, but what a feelin’ it was to be free! Stole a second to lift my face to the sky and take it in. What warm clothes I had was already puttin’ a chill on my bones as it stuck to my skin. Lucy looked much more prepared for the evenin’ with a shiny slicker and a rain bonnet tied tight to her chin. Lord knows what f*******n fruits she had hidin’ under all that business. She gave me a wink and a limp-wristed wave as she started down the hill. She had me feelin’ like a pale, wet beanpole. I felt a very foreign anger risin’ up—angry that she should look so much more like a woman, that I had been stuck like a mole in a hole for so long, that she was lookin’ to take my man for a little joyride when I was lookin’ for a ticket for one to a new life. I suppose that’s why when she turned away down the hill, I grabbed that shovel that was leanin’ up against the house. A shovel I might have slid out from the cellar earlier in the day. I wasn’t lookin’ to dig any holes that night, but I figured it might come in handy and it surely did. I slipped and slid down the slope carryin’ that shovel until I caught up with Lucy.

‘Hennie, what are you doin’ with that—’

I was already swingin’ with all my might when she realized where I was aimin’. Lightnin’ struck right then to provide me with the flash I needed to see that the shovel connected flat and true into her belly. She dropped to her knees and might have screamed if it hadn’t knocked the wind outta her lungs. She grabbed for that paycheck in her womb as I came back around and found her temple clean with a second blow. Knocked the rain bonnet clear off her head and she fell right over into the spongy grass. She looked like a sack of taters slidin’ down below me a bit. Another flash of lightnin’ revealed the nauseatin’, unnatural sight of her caved in head. Couldn’t look away as I threw up what little dinner I had forced down my throat earlier that night. After a couple of dry wretches, I grabbed the rain bonnet and rode my tailbone down till I had caught up with her grotesque stillness. I wrestled her galoshes off and put them on my bare feet. They were big and my toes were swimmin’ in water and mud. I tried to maneuver that slicker off her, but there wasn’t much I could do with a fleshy grown woman whose body was half-way to becomin’ two. She might have been bleedin’, but I couldn’t see much now that we were away from the house a good bit and the rain was poundin’ down even harder. I did push my tremblin’ hand down on her pillowy chest and felt a shallow rise and fall to calm myself from thinkin’ that I had killed the poor girl. Turned her mutilated head to the side lest she drown out there from the rainwater. I carried the shovel down the rest of the hill and made my way over to the drive to make the walk a little easier. Down at the bottom where it met what little road there was under some low hangin’ water-logged maples, I made out a certain delivery truck and what was sure to be my salvation.

Did I know that was Hennie that jumped in my truck that night? Well, seeing as I didn’t know a lick about the girl I had asked out, other than some curves, that evil eye and a sly grin, not even a name I had cursed myself all that afternoon for forgettin’ to ask for, I guess you could say that it was a gradual understanding.

She was skinny, but so sweet, and was hungry to hear anything and everything I could tell her. As she listened to me ramble on about dairy cows and the Navy, she pulled off boots that were full of water and stuck her bare feet on the heater. She was tremblin’ all over and I already longed to pull her close and share with her my warmth. Then she shook the rain out of her hair like a dog out of a bass pond, but it was so black and so dark outside the truck that I couldn’t even tell how long it was. Sure, I had more than a couple of questions of how she came to be climbin’ into my truck uninvited, but it seemed we had nothin’ but time. The rain let up sometime that night. I never looked at my watch. We watched the sun rise up and break through the edge of the clouds movin’ east to other mountains, other roads, other folks sittin’ on a bench seat of a pickup gettin’ to know their soulmate with their hands and mouths and bodies. Guess that night we were just two kids lookin’ for the same easter egg. We ain’t left each other’s side since—got hitched up at the Clinton courthouse a month later to the day, and now here we were about to settle down and start a family of our own.

‘No way on God’s green earth are you ever gonna see me livin’ in that, Mr. Hank Barrett. Get it outta your mind right now.’

Hennie was standin’ on the bank of Tricker Lake and she wasn’t havin’ it. She sure looked cute standin’ there refusin’ to get on the little boat to jaunt out to the floatin’ house I had just bought from Chuck Trucks, and I realized I would have a battle on my hands. Lucky for me, it was one of those late spring days where the air just lifts the soul and the water reflects a soft golden glow.

‘Now, Hennie, you ever been out on the water before? Ain’t nothin’ like it. You’ll never sleep better in your life and you can’t buy better views. This here is the prettiest lake in Tennessee. Hell, maybe the whole South. Look at the mountains everywhere right on top of us, it’s like they just dropped a lake in here from heaven. There’s a restaurant right over there that’s supposed to have really good grub and even a little store, so we ain’t gotta drive into town if we don’t want. There’s plenty of neighbors, but it’s like you’re on your own little island in the deep blue sea. Chuck didn’t want to let her go, but his wife needed to move back out to Oklahoma to help her sister with six kids whose husband just got killed in an oil well explosion. Fella wasn’t even workin’ the well, he was changin’ a flat tire on the side of the road by the rig and a hunk of metal bout split his head in half. I’d wager ole Chuck’ll be wishin’ he’s soon to follow, steppin’ into that whole situation. I’d rather get my toes chopped off and served in a sammich than live in Oklahoma with a slew of dust bowl young ‘uns runnin’ amuck.’

‘I don’t care, Hank. I can’t do it. It’s not in my blood. Heck, I can’t even swim. You have no idea.’

I walked back down from the dock and took her in my arms like a man should. ‘Why don’t you tell me, so I will?’

‘You don’t want to know and, to be honest, I can’t surely remember why.’ She was tearin’ up on the shoulder of my shirt and it was breakin’ my heart. ‘Let’s just live in a shack somewhere. Only beautiful view I need is your head on a pillow next to mine.’

‘Just come out and look at it with me. I’ll hold your hand. Hell, I’ll carry you!’ She wiped her hand across that snotty button nose and I felt like all the trust in the world that anyone had ever had in anyone, from Adam and Eve till right that second, was placed on me by dewy doe eyes that could’ve melted frozen butter.

‘Carry me, then.’ Hennie threw her arms around my bristly neck and her legs clinched around my waist. Lucky for me, she was light as a barn swallow, or we might have went right over the side of the dock before we ever got a chance to see our future. Five minutes later, I was pullin’ her outta the skiff. We stepped onto the deck of the house. I saw she had her eyes squeezed shut, breathin’ short and fast.

‘We’re here, lil’ darlin’. Open your eyes.’

‘No.’

‘C’mon now, Hennie. Trust me. You’re gonna love it.’

I carried her around the perimeter of the house as the floor moved gentle under our steps, and a few bass broke the surface for a quick meal. Once inside, I tried to set her down, but she was locked onto me for dear life. I carried her into the bedroom and was able to pry her off and lay her on the bare mattress of the bed.

‘Just feel that motion. Isn’t that the most peaceful thing?’

Hennie curled up into a ball and started to cry—cried hard like it was the first time she ever had. Her entire body rumbled and shook with some deep, mean sobs. Come to find out later that was the first time. I laid down and held her best that I could. She had a lotta lost cryin’ to make up for.

wasI figured it was the right thing to do for Pop and Mrs. Dripp if I personally drove out to her place and let her know I wouldn’t be bringin’ her the goods anymore. I had just replied to an ad in the Sentinel and lo and behold got me a job sellin’ checks to banks all over the area. Sounded like a pretty swell gig and easy on the leg, even if it meant leavin’ Hennie to her own devices in a house on a lake she wasn’t all too fond of for days on end. Sooner rather than later, we’d have her heavy with our first child and that would help fill the time. Wish she had some kinfolk to help her out, but she was pretty tight-lipped, even when discussin’ where her family was. I wasn’t much help in that department myself, just had an ornery old coot for a father who was none too happy that I was leavin’ him high and dry with a dairy farm that had seen better days. I knew all too well that Hennie was livin’ at Mrs. Dripp’s when she hopped in the truck, so there was no tellin’ what route she took to wind up alone in a boardin’ house. Guess I’d find out in due time. Rest of our lives was a hair shy of forever, and there ain’t many secrets that can keep that long.

One morning, I told Hennie I was going to get us a dresser and other odds and ends from Pop’s. Then I took the truck on a detour up the hill to Mrs. Dripp’s on the way over. Everything was in full bloom and the air smelt of honey. Fat bumblebees snacked on the tulips in the front yard, and I swear: not a cloud in the sky had you seein’ clear to the Smokies. Takin’ in the view and knowin’ what was back at home had me floatin’ right on up to the door.

After a few knocks, a girl opened up. First thing I saw was a belly in a washed-out blue cotton dress, far ahead of the rest of her, testin’ some big white buttons that made their way down to her swollen knees. I had to let my eyes adjust before I could see past to make out her face.

‘Mrs. Dripp available? Tell her it’s Hank Barrett.’

I received nothing more than a blank stare as the girl didn’t seem too adamant about breathin’ much less deliverin’ a message for me. Slack-jawed, she closed the door and a minute or two went by. I was figurin’ that she was still on the other side just starin’ at the other end of the door when Mrs. Dripp opened it up, flustered as all get-out.

‘Can I help you, Mr. Barrett? Today is not a deliver day.’

‘Well, ma’am, I just wanted to come by and inform you that I will no longer be makin’ deliveries. I suppose my Pop or some kid from a neighborin’ farm he happens to hire will take over my duties, as I’m now a married man and have to be strikin’ out on my own.’

‘That is fine and well, Mr. Barrett. I do appreciate your personal attention to the matter, but right about now I have bigger fish to fry. You haven’t seen a young woman out loose along the roads have you? Tiny and pale, lookin’ to hitch a ride? It appears one of my residents has gotten lost and stayed lost now for over a month.’

‘No, ma’am. Haven’t seen anything. If I do, should I alert the authorities?’

I could still make out that mouth breather hoverin’ behind Mrs. Dripp’s shoulder. I noticed that she had a bandage on the side of her head, and it looked like it had a sizable dent in it. Made my stomach a bit sour, her being pregnant and all. She did look a bit familiar, though. Where had I seen her? Around here somewheres, I guess? How would you even have a baby in that state? Was she just carryin’ dead weight?

Mrs. Dripp closed the door a bit to hide the monstrosity, but kept a suspicious eye on me that was more suspicious than what I was comfortable with. ‘Oh no, Mr. Barrett, this is—shall we say—off the books. If you see her, just scoop her on up and bring her back to the house if you’re so inclined. Even if you hear of anything regardin’ a strange girl roamin’ the county, let me know. Would sure take a burden off my mind.’ Mrs. Dripp looked down at the cheap dime store wedding ring on my finger that I quickly shoved down into my overalls. ‘She’s been gone a good while, so I fear the worst. I just hope the coyotes or a hungry bear didn’t find her.’

‘I’ll keep an eye out. Does she have a name?’

‘Yes. Good afternoon, Mr. Barrett.’

Mrs. Dripp slammed the door. I walked back to the truck rackin’ my brain, tryin’ to place that vacant face. Kind of thing that would keep one up at night starin’ at the ceilin’. I also couldn’t help but to feel guilty for lyin’ about Hennie, but she was far better off with the way things currently found themselves. I had the strange feelin’ I would have years to remedy both predicaments.