Darkness Falls - Ch. 2 (Sinners AU)
I quietly stood by the side and watched as my father and Chayton discussed the terms of their trading. As the chief listened, his eyes would find mine every few seconds when my fatherâs eyes were on the paper I brought him. When my father looked up, Chaytonâs eyes were quickly back on him. I looked down slightly flustered at the manâs eyes on me.
Seemed the three men could read and understood everything my father said. Meanwhile, I checked out some other customers who came into the store, smiling and ringing them up, counting the dollar bills given and then counting the change given back.
I glanced back over to see Chayton scribbling on the paper, and then Father did as well. The two shook hands and the blankets were given to us.
âNysa, take these blankets out to the truck!â Father called.
âYes sir.â I replied and did so.
When the day was over, we drove back to our small part of Mississippi. In my lap were the blankets given to us. I didnât want them in that gross bed of the truck. Itâd be more work for me when I have to wash them.
âNow you ainât to do any business with those Indians when they come into the shop. Ya hear?â he asked.
âYes sir.â I replied looking down at the blanket. It smelled of leather and tobacco. As we drove past the houses of our neighbors, I see an older woman Hattie Smith, sweeping on the porch. Sheâs a seamstress. I stick my hand out the window and wave.
âHis Ms. Hattie!â I yell, and she looks up and waves.
âNysa!â she calls happily back to me. Father smiled and looked ahead.
When we got home, I got started on dinner making a delicious beef stew.
âYou can wash those blankets tomorrow. âBout to be dark soon. No point in going out now.â Father said as he removed his jacket.
âYes sir⊠oh I promised old Fred Williams Iâd feed his chickens before it gets too dark.â I replied. Fred Willians was an elderly man getting up there in age to where he couldnât do too much on his own. But he loved his animals and until his family can figure out what to do with him, I offered my help when I could.
Father nodded sitting down on his chair.
âAlright. Finish up here and then go on over.â he said.
After food was eaten and dishes were washed, I walked down the dirt road to Fredâs house. By this hour he was most likely already asleep. I didnât bother trying to get into his front door. I jiggled the front door and saw it was locked. So, I go and walk around to the back to the chicken coop. I grab the bag of feed and go inside. The chickens were moving about, their baby chicks following around their mothers. I spread out the feed smiling gently as the animals flocked around to eat.
Their soft clucks and cheeps were adorable. As they ate, I looked around at the fence and their hen house to make sure there was no way a fox could get them. Abel Mills, a sharecropper does well with making good fences to protect livestock. A loud cluck makes me jump and I turn toward the direction of the forest of which the coop faces. A black and white hen is clucking away at the tree line. Well not good enough I see.
âOh Dorothy!â I said placing the bag of feed away and lifting my dress to move from the pen and over toward the hen. How did she get out? I move toward the hen, and she clucks at me and scurries off into the forest. âDorothy no!â
I glance back at the gate to make sure itâs closed before sighing and moving further into the forest.
âDorothy come, please!â I call out as I follow her clucking. Tree limbs snag at my dress and I pull at it as I continue to follow. I can hear the crickets chirping and the birds squawking in the trees. I see Dorothy and try to move slowly toward her, but she hurries off.
âDorothy a fox is gonna get you, and I ainât fightinâ no foxes!â I called out. As I move forward, I notice something strange. The sounds are slowly fading away; the crickets and birds are going quiet. I slow my walk and look to my left: trees and dirt. I look to my right: trees and dirt. I look up at the sky to see darkness. I shouldnât really be out here. My father is definitely expecting me back. A distressed cluck rips through the silence and makes me jump as I look ahead.
âDorothy!â I call out and run toward the direction I heard her in. However, a deep guttural noise stops me in tracks, this sound the only thing I hear in the silent forest. My eyes widen as I see a shape, a big dark shape off in the distance. There is no light anywhere and my eyes blink hard trying to make sense of the shape. Two white dots suddenly appear in the midst of the form. My heart pounds heavy in my chest as the silence only adds to the danger I know Iâm in. My body is shaking and all I can smell is leather and tobacco around me.
I start to feel weak, like something is sucking the life out of my very body. Then this form moves, like a shadow toward me. A force hits me, and I hear the sound of fabric tearing as I fall back to the ground. The force of the ground knocks my mind in place, and I scream loudly as I look all around. I get up quickly, turning on my heels and just running, running back in the same direction.
âSomebody help me!â I scream. Now my voice is the only noise in this deathly silent wood. I lose my left boot, but I keep pushing, not looking back as I run back toward the tree line. My face is wet with tears as I keep moving. The trees give way to the houses now, lamps, light is finally seen.
âHelp! Somebody help me!â I bawl finally falling to the ground and crawling away. I look back to see only darkness in the forest. Crickets are chirping and owls are hooting now. People who live beside Fred are coming out of their homes, shot guns and lamps in their hands. Ms. Hattie is coming out with her husband, Dale Smith, leading the charge.
âNysa, whatâs the matter?â he asks as they rush over. My heart feels heavy, I feel like I canât breathe, canât speak as I look back toward the forest again.
âNysa what happened!â another neighbor man asks.
âWhat happened to your dress!â another asks. I look down and see the front of my dress is torn. I cry and cover myself feeling embarrassed and panicked as everyone is surrounding me, trying to figure out what happened. I donât even know what happened.
âNysa!â a familiar voice calls making my head snap up. âJesus, baby what happened!â
âDaddy!â I sob as he parts through the crowd, placing his pistol away. Heâs the only one among the crowd that makes me feel safe. My eyes feel hot from crying, my heart is still pounding. He gets down on one knee and looks me over quickly. He sees my torn dress, and I cry wrapping my arms around his neck. He raises me up in his arms with ease before turning and carrying me through the crowd that follows.
âGet on home!â he yells as others try to figure out what happened.
âShould we call Sherrif Meyers!â Dale called out.
âWe donât need them crackas here this late at night! Go on about yaâlls business now!â my father demands as he hurries to bring me home. Through my tears I look up, my vision blurred but the forest is behind the houses we pass, and I see those eyes, those white eyes moving along with my fatherâs strides. I whimper and bury my face into his chest. Was it the devil thatâs come tonight? Did I see the devil?
