HornedToad by River Jordan

As a surprise, we were staying at my gramma’s house in McAllen, Texas, for the summer.  We drove all day yesterday and were so tired we went straight to sleep and slept all night until the next morning.   

It felt strange waking up and not knowing where I was.  I looked around and saw mom and Darla in the same bed with me and I felt comfortable enough to sit up and look around.  Then I remembered we were at Gramma’s house and I smiled. 

The spicy scent of chorizo and eggs wafted in from the kitchen and my stomach made a growling noise.  I could hear Gramma singing in the kitchen while she cooked.  Scooching down I slipped off of the foot of the bed so I wouldn’t wake Darla and mom.  After brushing my teeth, I wandered into the kitchen, knowing it would just be the two of us. 

“Buenas dias, nina!” She hugged and kissed me like she always does, squeezing me tight.   

“Buenas dias, Abuelita!  Mmmm it smells so good!” I said as my stomach growled.  I sat down at the table and Gramma served me a plate of warm chorizo and eggs along with a flour tortilla.  It was smaller than she normally made them, special just for me. 

Grampa slammed the back door as he walked in the kitchen, grabbing his cup of coffee before sitting across from me.  Leaning down, he looked me in the eyes and said, “Daisy, we been seein’ a lotta horned toads.” 

“Grampa! May I have one, please?” I was used to asking for pets and he was used to me asking for them.  He said yes and of course I gave him a big hug.  He sat me on his lap and brought my plate over to eat on his lap.  “Grampa, I’m too heavy!”  

“Well, you are the baby of the family…” he smiled down at me.  I waited, knowing what he was going to say,   “…baby elephant!”   

I didn’t particularly like being treated like a baby, but as long as Darla wasn’t awake to witness it, I was okay.   

Making fast work of my breakfast that was so delicious, I hugged Gramma, “Thanks Gramma, that was the best breakfast ever!” 

“Mija, you don’t need to say that,” she laughed, “I’ll be cooking all weekend.” 

“I can’t wait for lunch already!”  

Later that day, my cousins Delilah and Beverly came over with my aunt and uncle.  I was outside trying to catch horned toads since Gramps said I could have one for a pet.  Mom had said no, but Grampa over rode her decision since it was his house.   

We ran around playing freeze tag for a while but it was already extremely hot and it wasn’t even lunch time yet.  We sat under the Mimosa tree for shade to cool off.  We were laughing and going on about this and that when out of the corner of my eye I saw a horned toad. 

“Hey,” I said, “I’m gonna catch me a horned toad!”  Delilah and Beverly both exclaimed happily.  

“Go slow, Daisy, don’t scare it off.” 

I crouched down low and duck walked toward the bush the toad was cooling itself under.  With horned toads you had to go slow so they won’t spit in your eye.  I had never been spit in my eye and I didn’t want to. 

“Come on little toad, don’t you wanna be my pet?” I whispered.  “You’ll have all the crickets you want to eat, so be good and let me catch you.” 

When I was within a couple feet of the toad, I pounced on it.  Screeching with joy I lifted the handful of toad into the air.   

“All right Daisy!” 

“Hurry, let’s find a box!” 

Delilah and Beverly were both as happy as I was.  “Grampa, Grampa!” I yelled. “I got one, I got me a horny toad pet!” Grampa came out with a shoe box and helped me get him in there.  He poked some holes in the lid so the toad would have air to breathe.   

We all took turns looking into the holes at the toad.  “What are you going to name it?” Delilah asked me. 

“I’m going to name it…Star!”  We all giggled about that.  The last time Grampa gave me a kitten I named it Star too. 

We decided to take a ride on our bikes.  I placed Star’s shoebox in the basket of my bike and we went down the road on our bikes.  We stopped when we saw that the cactus had some prickly pears on them. 

“I’m gonna have me one of them prickly pears!” I said.  “I’m nine years old now.” I said, as if that gave me the right to eat a prickly pear.

“No Daisy, Gramma says not to eat them if she’s not here.” They tried to warn me but also they were excited, too.  Feeling like they could do it too without permission, they grabbed one each.

We grabbed the prickly pears, careful to not touch the invisible prickles and peeled them casually as I’d seen Darla do many times, to eat the yummy fruit.

They went along cautiously peeling the prickly.  I’d already finished my fruit, before they even took the first bite.

Not satisfied with just one, I took the last one on the bush, feeling very much like an almost “tweenager”.

In the first, big, happy bite, I immediately cried out because I’d missed a prickly and it stuck horribly in my tongue.

“Ahhhh!”  Tears streamed down my face at the sharp pain in my tongue. 

“Oh, no Daisy, I told you to be careful!”  They both threw down their fruit as if it were on fire, faces filled with concern.

“Come on!  Let’s go home! Gramma will know what to do.” They got on their bikes and motioned for me to do the same.

I slowly got on my bike, making sure Star was in the basket and not falling out.

Delilah and Beverly couldn’t help but laugh as I rode along, tears streaming down my face, tongue lolling out of my mouth.  I wanted to laugh too, but it hurt too much!

Well, Gramma saved the day by running a gentle fingertip along my too dry tongue and finding the teeny little thorn.  She took a pair of tweezers and gently pulled it out!

That night I slept with Star’s box, not able to enjoy gramma’s lunch or supper, but happily snuggling with my new pet!  The End

Chickensquawk by River Jordan

I’d arrived home late the night before.  Gina, Nieves and I had gone to the late show at the movies and then out to eat afterward with other friends.

Dad was awake even though it was 2am. “What time is it?” he asked.

“Not sure, Dad”

“Get to bed.”

“Yessir” I did my nightly ablutions and was in bed within 30 minutes.  I was so tired I fell asleep immediately.

I’ve always been a light sleeper and in the mornings I would usually hover in that space between sleep and full wakefulness.  That next morning I realized that the back door (which was in my room) was ajar.  I wouldn’t say that I was afraid or startled because a lot of times Mom would step outside to smoke a cigarette.  But I was concerned since it was still before dawn.

I didn’t get up out of bed just tried to see if mom was outside.  Usually I’d see the red tip of the cigarette as she inhaled.  But tonight there was no sign or scent that meant she was outside smoking.

Deciding to investigate, I threw the covers back toward the wall since my bed was flush with the wall. 

At that moment a blood curdling squawk ripped through the room; followed immediately by my blood curdling scream.  I jumped right out of bed at the same time that the most frightening horribly monstrous completely evil creature thrashed underneath my blanket.

I looked around for a weapon but all I saw were shadows creeping toward me, disguising themselves as piles of clothing or tennis shoes. 

Suddenly I was running for all I was worth, faster and faster as the creature let off some evil floating things into the air.

By this time everyone was awake and piling toward my room.  “Daisy, what is wrong with you?” my mom yelled.

“Arrhhh, ahhhh, uhhgghhh,” was all I could say.  My incoherence seemed to strike their funny bones as Darla and mom began to laugh. 

The world must be going insane, I thought.  My incredulous expression met theirs and I followed their gaze toward the bed. 

There, calmly making its way off my bed, was a big fat white chicken!  Of course it would be a chicken, I thought.

Soon everyone was laughing and I had to laugh, too.  My poultry bed mate strutted out the back door calmly and then was gone.

We laughed until tears streamed from our eyes.  Them going on and on about how freaked out I looked and how I’d been running in place so frantically.  Yeah.  Real funny, but I know the real truth…

The frightening horribly monstrous completely evil creature was REAL and just changed its form to safely escape me.  Word of my being a bratty warrior princess had finally made its way into the Netherworld.  I had prepared myself to face the creatures of the dark but maybe I’d have to work on my game face a little.  No more running in place screaming like a banshee, just not really warrior princess actions. *smiles* *winks*

The ENd

ChickenPeeps By River Jordan

"Mom!  I'm going to play outside!"  It was the first day of summer break and I was ready to play freeze tag with my friend Dottie from across the street.

"Okay, don't go far!" Mom always let me play with Dottie, even when it was dusk outside.  "But don't go further than Dottie's yard.  Darla, go with your sister!" I knew that was coming.  I let my breath go frustratedly, but ran outside happily anyway.  Darla was my older sister and everyone thought she was cool. 

We'd just moved into my great grandmother's house, it was tiny but had a big yard and lots of chickens.  The kind that are not in cages.  Our house out in the country had burned down and my Aunt Rachel had invited us to stay in great grandma's house.  

Dottie and Cathy were waiting for us outside.  We had a plan.  First, we would play Hide N Seek.  Then, it would be storytelling time! 

"Hi Dottie! Hi Cathy!"  I ran up to them. 

"Not it!" said Cathy.

"Not it!" yelled Dottie as she ran off to hide.  I looked at my sister Darla and knew that I'd be the Seeker for this game.

I covered my eyes with my arm and leaned my face against the Chinaberry tree in the middle of our yard. "One, two, three..."  I counted to fifty and turned around, no sight of anyone!

Cathy would be easy to find, she always hid in Uncle Pete's workshop.  I ran as quietly as I could.  I stood on tiptoe to look into the window.  Smiling confidently, I went around back and entered in through the back door.  She was crouched next to the front door because she was afraid to go deeper into the darkness of the workshop.  I wasn't and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Daisy!!" She shrieked.  We both giggled and ran out to find the others. 

We found Dottie up on a tree branch.  Cathy jumped up and tapped her out.

All three of us spent the next ten minutes searching for Darla.  She'd hidden under the house which I would never do because there were spiders down there!

Dottie reached in to tap her but couldn't reach her.  We all declared Darla the winner, again.

It was now full dark and we gathered around the huge Chinaberry tree and attempted to scare each other silly.  As usual we laughed until tears squirted out of our eyes.

Mom called us in and we quickly made our plans for the next day.

***

That night Mom, Darla and I slept in the strange metal bed next to the window.  We prayed for Daddy to come home.

Soon their sleeping muffled breaths whispered in the room.  My shower that proved to relax my mom and sister, did the opposite for me.  I lay on one arm, looking out of the window up at the moon. 

It’s frightening to sleep in a strange house sometimes.  But I must have slipped into sleep because I remember waking later, my body twitching awake as if I’d been startled.

I was awake but with my eyes closed.  But they flew open when I heard a strange noise.  A little noise that sounded like a door creaking open.

I looked to see if the door had opened but it hadn’t.

The strange noises kept me awake and after a while I nudged my mom awake.

“Mom” I whispered, “wake up”

“What is it Daisy?” she said sleepily.

”What’s that noise?”  It was more obvious now.  A creaking noise, then a responding noise.  The most scary images kept flitting through my mind.

“It’s the chickens, they’re talking.”  Mom said and promptly began to snore lightly again.

“What?” The slow little creaks were actually chicken peeps? 

“They’re talking in their sleep.”  Mama responded, frustration showing.

“What are they saying?”  The thought of chickens talking to each other mesmerized me and my mind flew with the possibilities.

“Daisy, I don’t speak chicken, okay?  Go to sleep, now.” 

I lay my head back down and thought about that for  a minute.  The thought of the chickens talking made me smile.  Suddenly I was giggling and my giggling woke Darla up.  When I told her what mom had said we were both giggling uncontrollably.

“Girls!  It’s the middle of the night, go to sleep!”  We finally controlled our giggles and soon drifted off to sleep.  The end.

Did I ever tell you about the time I woke with a chicken in my bed?  

Chiaroscuro by River Jordan

(part of a submission being considered for publication in an anthology)

Moonlight shines through the window panes down upon the girl, Necie, reflecting the squares of light divided by shadowed lines.  Dark hair surrounds her face in a soft halo, her lips tipped up in a slight smile.  Underneath her closed eyelids, her eyes dance back and forth, as if enjoying a dream. She lies curled on one end of a powder blue couch, her knees pulled up to her chin.  Not far from her on the other end of the couch lies her sister Sue stretched out haphazardly, all knees and elbows akimbo.  The room around them lies in darkness. 

***

In her dream, Necie stands in the living room facing floor to ceiling windows that look out upon the backyard, admiring her handiwork of window washing; the rag clutched in one hand the window cleaner in the other.  Her smile widens as she hears a vehicle pulling up the driveway.  Hurriedly she packs away the rag and window cleaner.

“Sue, Daddy’s home, hurry!” she calls out. 

“Give me a second to finish setting the table!” Sue replies.  They each take the edge of the table cloth and fluff it up on the air, pausing to watch it come down, mesmerized by the happy sight; remembering summer days when their mother would fluff the sheets over them before nap time.  Baby powder scented sheets floating softly down upon them as they giggled and squirmed; the stark white sheet like a magical cloud.
In just a few minutes the table is perfect; a vase filled with Mom’s prized pink roses as the centerpiece. 

“Okay, I’ll get Mom,” Necie exclaims, running out of the room.

Necie walks through to her mother’s room, the open bedroom windows let the breeze run through, the bed made up with Mom's favorite royal blue bedding.  She sees that her Mom is wearing her favorite yellow dress and brushing through her long auburn hair.  Her face is radiant; lips so pink they could have lipstick on them, but they don’t. 

“Mom, Daddy’s home,” Necie says, the breeze ruffling her hair.  Smiling brightly at Necie, she lifts her into her arms and kisses her nose.

“Wonderful, just in time,” Mom responds.  “Wash up and change for supper, he’ll be very hungry!”
Running to her room, Necie dresses in her Sunday best; pale pink skirt and matching blouse.  She calls out to her sister to hurry as she slips on her sandals.
Sue is dressed in her Sunday best, as well; tan slacks with a pearly white blouse and heels.  A shiny silver barrette holds her hair back from her face.

Both girls rush into the hallway simultaneously, almost tripping on each other, but laughing.  Sue reaches over and straightens Necie’s collar, Necie brushes a stray strand of hair back from her sister’s face.  They hug impulsively and continue on to the living room to await their father’s arrival.

As they enter the living room they see that Mom is just walking to the door to open it for Daddy, the smell of his favorite supper of fried chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, green beans cooked with bacon, and corn on the cob permeating the air. 

The girls hold hands and smile because their mother must stand on tip toe to look out of the peep hole.  Mom straightens her dress and opens the door wide, a smile on her face.  From where the girls stand, the light shining through the doorway is brilliant and they squint slightly until Daddy steps through and Mom shuts the door behind him.

“Daddy!” the girls call out, “we missed you!”

The girls and their mother circle Dad and hug him a warm greeting.  Daddy kisses them each on the forehead, but kisses Mom on each cheek.  Giggling, the girls turn away, blushing happily.

In the dining room, Dad sits at the head of the table, Mom opposite him; the girls on either side of them.  After Dad says grace they pass around the food, Dad exclaiming at how perfect it all is.  All are unable to control their smiles as they eat the supper that Mom had lovingly made.  When supper ends Sue and Necie clean the table while Mom and Dad wash the dishes. 

They make their way to the living room, Mom turning the console stereo on.  The sound of Chubby Checker’s The Twist filling the room.  Necie runs to Dad, Sue to Mom.  Dad sets Necie’s feet upon his own as they dance away in circles.  Mom and Sue twist their hips to the music, one toe pointing out.  When the song ends they make their way laughingly and out of breath to the couch.  Their laughs quiet as they lay their heads back.

Necie jumps up with a start, a smile spreading across her mouth that she is the first to waken.  But then her smile freezes in confusion as she notices it is nighttime; the darkness in the room blinding her temporarily.  As her vision returns, her heart skips a beat, tears instantly coming to her eyes.  The room she looks out upon is dilapidated and filthy; the carpet threadbare.  Rude graffiti covers the boarded-up wall of windows.  The walls themselves are water stained and moldy, dark soot framing everything.

Then, she remembers; the fire, Dad leaving, Mom breaking down, Sue crying and crying.  Tears stream down her face, low moans escaping her lips in a steady chant of no, no, no. 

“A dream, it was all just a dream.”  She whimpers, circling her arms around her middle.

For the first time she notices her clothes, her pale pink Sunday clothes.  Surprise and confusion fills her as she looks down at her beautifully clean crisp outfit, her shining sandals and beautiful tanned skin that seems to glow with health. 

Looking up again to the tumbledown room, she notices a soft ray of moonlight cutting across the room.  A piece of the board covering the windows had fallen away, letting in the moonlight.  Her gaze follows the moonbeam down to a child lying on the couch.  Her cries temporarily forgotten, she steps over to the child.  Reaching out gently she brushes aside the dark lanky hair so that she may see the child’s face. 

She feels as if she will faint, her blood pounding in her body as she realizes that the face she uncovers is her own; ashen and thin, with lines of chalky residue trailing down from the corners of the eyes, disappearing into the folds of dark hair. 

Necie falls to the filthy carpet, crying outright.

“Necie!  Come on Necie!” She hears Sue calling her and lifts her head.  Sue is there shining with health in her Sunday best, reaching out a hand to help her up.

“Sue, what’s happening?” she croaks.

“It’s okay, baby sister, Mom and Dad are waiting for us,” she whispers.

Sue takes Necie by the hand, leading her into the light; leaving the two emaciated children on the couch, the children they once were.

Emma’s Prayer by River Jordan

Moonlight kissed the features of the small girl as she lay holding her doll tightly against her.

Emma Cortez was squeezed into a corner of the bed she shared with her two older brothers.  Ramón was nine years old and Carlos was eleven.  Emma was eight and she still loved the doll Papá had given to her on her fourth birthday.  That was the same year that he had died.

He had taken care of them well when he was alive though.  They owned their own home which consisted of a bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen (the Christmas tree was in the living room).

Emma and her brothers slept in the bedroom and her mamá slept on the sofa.  The reason her mamá slept on the sofa was because she woke up very early in the morning to cook breakfast and warm the water for their baths.  To keep them warm at night, mama turned the burners of the stove on all night and also covered them with many blankets.

It was Christmas Eve and Emma had learned from very early in her life that Christmas Day was the only day of the year when mama would be home to spend the entire day with them.  Mama had been cleaning house for señora Green for many years, but since papa died, Mama had to take a second job cleaning rooms at the Circle 3 Motel down the street.  Even though Mama had the second job, it was hard for her to pay the bills.  At times, Emma’s brothers would have to take after-school jobs at the motel as bus boys or gofers.

Señora Green helped Mama find the second job.  She and her husband were very nice to Mama.  Every Sunday we all went to church together.

Mama had just told us our bedtime story and Emma was still thinking about it.  The story was an old one, but it was Emma’s favorite.  She remembered her father telling them the story whenever she or her brothers were sad or mad at each other.  He would say, “You see, God sent his little boy, whose name was Jesus, to love the whole world!  To love everyone no matter who or what they were.  He was sent to forgive us and give us a choice.  The choice to be mad and sad and hate, or be happy and glad and love.  He gave us hope, hope for a better, happier life.  All we have to do is pray and ask with faith of receiving!”  It always made them regret their anger.  Then, they would forgive each other.  Which was surely the reason Papa told them the story.

Emma had been very sad lately because her mama was sick.  She had a very bad cold that made her cough very loudly at night.  Then, in the morning she would look so tired that Emma wished she could also get an after-school job so that her Mama could buy a big warm coat for herself.  Emma even knew which one she wanted for her mama.  She had seen it in a magazine she had looked at when she was at señora Green’s house.  Emma prayed that God would hear her prayers for a coat for mama and also bikes for her and her brothers.  With thoughts of God’s love and hope, she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Emma woke to loud cries of joy.  She looked around and she was alone in bed.  Her brothers had gotten up without waking her!  She quickly put on her slippers and ran out the door to the Christmas tree.  Señor  and señora  Green were already there and they were hugging mama.  Mama was crying!  Tears came to Emma’s eyes as she saw why her mama was crying.  Señor and señora  Green had bought Carlos, Ramon and her brand new bikes and a coat for mama!  The coat was the one she had seen in the magazine!  They also brought food for Christmas dinner.

Emma ran to her room and knelt at the edge of the bed.  She wiped her tears away on her sleeve.  She had made the right choice, she had chosen to be happy and glad.  She knew that God had sent señor and señora  Green with the gifts that she had prayed for.

She heard someone behind her, it was mama.  Mama wanted to know why she was crying.  Emma said, “I love Papa for loving us so much to tell us about God’s love for us.  He really answers our prayers when we believe!”

Mama said, “Yes, honey, God does love us all.  He hears our prayers!”

Rooster by River Jordan

During the year that Daisy was about ten year's old her family lived in a house on a lonely empty road outside of the city limits of town.  Every day after school, they were allowed to walk home since the school they attended was just down the road.  Their dog, Baby, would meet them at the end of their long driveway and accompany them, knowing that they would throw the ball to her so that she can play fetch.

Daisy's family owned cows, horses, goats, pigs...and chickens.  There were at least a dozen hens and two roosters.  One of the roosters was a Banyan rooster named Pete.  He was small with feathers all the way down to his claws.  The other rooster, Homer, was a big white rooster that had been blinded in one eye.

One mild Spring day Daisy ended up staying after school to help her teacher put away books.  She was maybe thirty minutes later than her sister, but the road was empty anyway.    When she got to the long driveway, there was no Baby.  Daisy didn't worry about it, knowing that her sister was more than likely playing fetch with the dog. 

Her mind was elsewhere, thinking about the exciting new book she had in her backpack, so she didn't notice Homer at first.  Homer beat his wings, frantically running toward her.

Daisy had always been afraid of Homer, not because of his missing eyeball and little dark socket, but because he would always chase her.  Usually it wasn't a problem because she would just run inside the house and then peek out of the bay window.  Homer would be standing there, looking at her threateningly.  Sometimes he would just stalk her from the shadows of the tall grass, eyeing  her with it's one eye.  Daisy could almost feel it's malevolent gaze upon her skin and automatically run her hands down her arms.

Time seemed to stop as Daisy's mouth opened in shock, staring at this normally small creature running toward her, larger than life with it's wings spread out.  It was a terrifying sight and Daisy sped off running in the opposite direction from Homer. 

Homer continued to chase her as she yelled out for someone to help her.  Tears were clouding her vision and she didn't see the root sticking out of the ground until she was face down in a clump of clover.  Quickly, she turned to see if Homer were nearby when he jumped on top of her.  She scrambled to get away, but her body was not cooperating.

She floundered around, backpack lost and forgotten, tears running down her face, incoherent cries escaping her mouth when Homer ran up her legs and onto her stomach.  Eyeing her with it's awful pirate eye, it moved slowly toward her face.

She closed her mouth, moaning, now on her back when he began his horrid and hurtful dominance dance on her chest and stomach; flinching and crying out every time it's back claw entered her skin.  Her mind screamed out to grab the rooster and choke it or bite it, anything to stop it, but her body was paralyzed with fear! 

She had lost all hope of being rescued when suddenly her Mom was there, cussing at Homer in Spanish.

"Animal estupido! Escapar o te mato!!"  Her mom grabbed Homer and threw him aside.  As she reached down to help Daisy up, Homer attacked her!  He buried his beak into her shin, hoping to peck her hard enough to back her away.  The blood gushed out of the wound he'd made in Daisy's mother's shin. 

Daisy's mom was no stranger to farm life or vicious animals so she clamped her mouth shut, calmly and coldly grabbed Homer by the neck and spun him round and round, its' neck cracking loudly.  She tossed Homer aside, but horror of horrors, the wicked rooster still ran around in circles!  I shut my eyes at the sight, hoping without hope not to dream of this nauseating creature.

Daisy's mom helped her to the house and instructed her to shower and take a nap.  Her face stern, she walked back outside.

That night Daisy's family enjoyed a wonderful dinner of arroz con pollo.  Everyone remarked that it was one of the best dinner's they'd had.

#################################

The urge to peck out of it's tiny confines was instinctual for the little creature.  Pecking through, it flinched it's eyes at the brightness.  Once it was free of the tiny home, its desire was to peep, loudly and consistently at the rumble in it's tummy.  It had twelve fellow nesters and had to peep loudly to be heard.  He was the smallest of the twelve chicks and frequently forgotten by Mother Hen.  His siblings were voracious animals and would quickly gobble up the feed the huge featherless creature would toss around to them.

The only way he could even hope to get fed would be to shove the other chicks away.  Being small, this was no easy task.  But he was hungry.  Every single morning he would storm at the most distracted of his siblings, startling it long enough for him to swallow up the little kernel of feed.

This tactic worked well for him insuring a meal; so much so that he would use the tactic more and more.  He grew to be one of the biggest chicks while his sibling were all of average height and size.  His siblings had taken notice of his bullying ways and were understandably fed up with his behavior.  They got together and worked up a plan to teach Homer a lesson.

The four largest of his siblings lay in wait for him at the feeding grounds.  Homer had just leaped toward an unsuspecting chick slamming into it and making it hit the ground hard.  When he leaned his beak down to scoop up the kernel, the four siblings attacked him.

What a deafening ruckus they made.  If you were looking on from the sidelines all you would be able to see was dust, feathers, beaks.  The squawks were eerie in their intensity.

When the dust had settled, Homer lay sliced and featherless in spots, one eyeball hanging by a thread of flesh, the blood dripping down like a dark red tear.

No one came to help him, not even the large featherless feeder.  Homer thought about giving up, but slowly got himself together and was upright in no time.  Going to his nesting site, his own since he was now old enough to have his own, he went straight to sleep.  He dreamed of his revenge on the four who'd attacked him.

The morning brought many featherless creatures communicating in an alien way that left him unnerved.  He was boxed away in a dark box and roughly bounced around until he felt that he would surely die.

When the box opened next, he was in a huge yard.  There were several hens, but he was the only rooster.  Beaten and bedraggled, he still managed to hold his head high, his red flare of pride standing straight up and to the side.

A small featherless feeder creature, whom the other creatures called Daisy, ran up to him and Homer instinctively showed his anger by bucking up and flapping it's wings.  The Daisy creature cowered and ran away.  Homer nodded, knowing that he was master.

Thus began his reign of terror until the day he ended up on the kitchen table in a hot casserole of arroz con pollo.

Invisible Winter by River Jordan

Most people grow up over a period of years.  Scrapes and bruises helping to form the mature person that they were meant to be.  Although, from what Daisy understood about some people, they intentionally never grew up.  It seemed like her “growing up” lasted all of ten minutes.  If even that. 

****

Daisy remembered that day clearly.  It was the kind of cold that was also quiet.  It was quiet with people snuggling comfortably in their warm beds, reluctant to leave.  She stood outside by the path bordered with winter dead hibiscus bushes.  The cold felt good to her, she breathed clearly for a few minutes.  Overhead, the geese flew in vees in a sky the kind of gray you sometimes see in an ice cube, with white where the teeny bubbles have frozen.  She wore the same clothes she slept in, a sheet covering her shoulders and wrapped around her, the edges fisted in her hands.

Daisy's father had left soon after the insurance company had settled for the damage to their family home. He then promptly closed their accounts at the grocery store and the local department store as well.

Daisy and her mother stayed with the Shanks' family for four weeks. They were kind and considerate but the strained conversations were an indication that it was time to leave.

After that it was a series of her mother's best friends houses. Each less welcoming than the last.

That winter, three months after her father left them, they were staying with her mom's friend Fannie. Fannie and her grown daughters all lived together. Really, they were kind-hearted people but they had a huge family to worry about.

Her mother was in the midst of a nervous breakdown and Daisy was no longer visible to her.  Truly invisible, now.  She had older siblings, but they were preoccupied with their own families.

That winter Daisy became so ill with bronchitis that she was coughing up blood. Normally, it would be a visit to the doctor, but there was no money to do that. She could not sleep laying flat on the ground (for they did sleep on the ground, lucky to have a sheet to keep warm), but laying flat caused her to cough and the coughing led to blood and headaches, so she slept on the top three stairs.

Fannie had taught her in just a couple of days to crochet. She could crochet chains the first day, by the end of the week she was sewing booties with yarn Fannie had given her.

Christmas Eve was spent cooking a feast that they would not be a part of. She cleaned dishes and wiped up messes behind Fannie and her daughters hoping they would be allowed to join the family dinner and at the same time, hoping not to be asked to join. 

Christmas day was one of the worst and one of the best. Secretly she had crocheted a pair of booties for her Mom and for her sister Glory who was flying in from New Jersey. She had also made a pair for herself. She wrapped them in leftover wrapping paper from Fannies' grandchildren's gifts.

She woke extra early that day, before anyone had woken, and peeked into the den to see the floor around the tree and most of the room covered in gifts. Her heart quickened hoping there would be one for her. Hearing someone in the kitchen she hurriedly went back upstairs and pretended to sleep until her mother awoke.

They were not invited into the den, encouraged not to attend the gift giving. It was only right. Who wants to see a girl looking on with hopeful eyes knowing that she would not be opening any gifts?

Instead, Daisy, her mother and her sister Glory sat in the entry room talking. They were reminiscing about past Christmases, laughing. The room grew awkward and silent as they listened to the cacophony of presents opening and children squealing with happiness in the other room. Daisy's mother mumbling to herself. Glory staring off out the window probably wishing she had not come.

Daisy had been sitting on the loveseat with a pillow on her lap. She uncovered it and presented the presents to her Mom and sister. Her mother smiled distractedly and caressed Daisy's cheek with hands as soft as silk. Daisy's heart soared at this caress. Glory opened her gift and smiled and began to cry.

"I didn't get you anything, Daisy."

"That's okay Glory. I'm just happy that you are both surprised!" Daisy beamed at them both but wished that Glory would stop crying.

"Well, sis, you're the best. I can't believe you learned to crochet!" as she smiled and wiped away the tears.

There weren't a lot of presents to open, there was just the three of them, but it was the first time Daisy did not feel powerless and adrift.

Journey-WIP By River Jordan

Strong winds picked up bits of trash and swept them past me and on into the night.  Distracted by my blaring ipod, I had gotten on the wrong bus.  Now I was stuck here at the bus station in downtown Houston.  The hustle and bustle of the busy terminal insured that people would not be curious about me.  It was about five o’clock.  I had nowhere to go and no money to spare.  I called my sister Minnie and told her what had happened.

“You dork” she said.

“I know, I know”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ll just find someplace nearby to stay.”

“Will you be okay little sister?”

"Yeah, don’t worry."

I hung up thinking that I should have told her that I would be staying on the street somewhere.  Maybe I could find an all night diner. 

As the sun started to set I knew that I only had about an hour to find a shelter before full dark. 

I started walking west on Fannin.  Before long I was turning into a residential subdivision.  I wanted to be safely ensconced in a hidey hole before long.  I only carried my backpack with what few belongings I had.  Turning onto a street lined with houses, I noted that there were no people outside their homes.  They were all settling in for the evening, one man walked his dog down the other side of the street in the opposite direction as I was going.  He passed a home that looked empty, there were no lights or cars in the driveway.  I looked around to see if there were any signs warning of dogs, but there were none.  Trees and bushes lined the privacy fence, and before long I found an especially dense part of bushes behind a tree and tucked myself in.  Even though it was nighttime I could still see what I was doing.  There was no grass under the bush so I pulled out my windbreaker from my backpack and set it aside, then used the backpack as a pillow.  I put my ipod in my left ear and covered myself with the windbreaker.  I set my watch alarm to go off at 6am when it would still be dark since the bus would leave at 8:15.

Slowly the lights in the neighborhood went out one by one.  The house whose yard I was in was still dark but I could hear some noises inside.  I prayed that God would watch over me while I slept and even though I was out in the open in a strange city in a strange neighborhood, I fell asleep.

Sometime later I woke up to rustling grass.  Someone or some animal was walking around stealthily near me.  After a few nervous moments, the noises disappeared.  I waited a few more minutes but the silence was absolute. 

After that I decided to turn off my ipod and soon fell asleep again.  My watch alarm woke me up and I hurriedly made my way out of there. 

When I got to the bus station, I went straight to the restroom to wash up and brush my teeth.  Looking at myself in the mirror I was glad that I didn't pass anyone getting to the bus station.  Bed head and sleep wrinkles all along the left side of my face.  I bent over to splash water in my face and noticed an insect bite below my ear.  I looked closely in the mirror but disregarded them as maybe ant bites since they were not that far apart. 

Breathing a sigh of relief that I was back on the road at last to Killeen, Texas, I promptly fell asleep. 

I called Minnie as soon as I stepped into the lobby at the tiny Killeen bus station.  We hugged each other warmly and I followed her to her car.

"You look awfully pale, Lisa"

"Yeah, I didn't sleep well last night."

"That must be it."  She didn't say anything else about the way I looked for the rest of the trip home.  We spoke excitedly about my rooming with my oldest nephew Junior.  When we got to her house all four of my nephews ran out to hug and welcome me home.

"Titi Lisa, you're staying in my room with me!" exclaimed Junior.

After leaving the employment office the next morning, I called the two measly contacts that had provided me with. 

By the end of my first interview, I had a job!  Joe Ramirez, owner of Fajita Joes hired me on the spot.  I would be responsible for selling fajita tacos and other snacks at two local night clubs, Cody's and City Streets.

Minnie wasn't that happy I'd be working in a night club but at least it was separate from the bar!

I planned on taking classes at Central Texas College during the day so it was a perfect job for me.

That evening I dressed in my "uniform" of jeans, boots and neon pink Fajita Joe t shirt.

I let my hair hang loose for tonight and it covered my shoulders.  My tshirt was a little small but since I'd be behind the food bar, I wasn't worried.  My black ropers lifted my petite 5 foot 2 to 5 foot 4 so I was happy.

I stuck a barrette into my back pocket just in case Joe said I needed one.

It was so exciting to be working in a nightclub.  I wasn't as busy as I'd thought I would be, but it was just fun to be looking at all the people dancing and having a good time. 

After work when I was finished cleaning up I grabbed my purse to leave.  I thought I heard a noise behind the bar,but no one was there. 

Even though I was very excited about my first night at work, after my shower I fell right to sleep.

My routine for the next two months never changed.  Sleep until eleven,  make lunch for my nephews and then we'd all go to the park or fishing at Lake Bellton.  Everyday at 5pm I'd go to my aerobics class.  Afterwards I'd shower and change into my uniform and head out to the club. 

This particular day was different in that the club was still locked when I got there at 6:30.  Barry always had the club open at that time with country music playing.   He favored Randy Travis.  I looked around to see if maybe he was just parked out back but the back lot was empty.  

I was sitting on the hood of my car when the police cruiser pulled up a half hour later it's light strobing brightly since dusk was setting in. 

I smiled nervously at the police officer and introduced myself.

"Hi, I'm Lisa, I work here."  Pointing at my Fajita Joe t-shirt.

"Hello, how long have you been waiting here?"  No sense of humor.

"About a half hour, usually the club is open by now.  Barry is always here when I get here.  Is everything okay officer?" 

"How long have you worked for Barry?"  Could he be any more granite?

"I actually don't work for Barry, I work for Joe selling fajita tacos to the patrons.  Why?  What happened?"

"Joe?  Oh, Joe Ramirez.  How long have you worked for him?"

"Well, about five weeks."  I glanced at his name tag.  T Dannon, I wonder what the T stood for?  Terrible? 

"I'm sorry ma'am, I'm afraid you're going to have to go home.  The club will not be opening tonight.  If you'll give me your name and number someone will be calling you.  In the meantime, just go home and wait to hear from someone in your employers office to call you."

"Can't you tell me what's going on?"  But he wouldn't budge.

"I'm sorry, someone will be contacting you soon.  Here's my card if you need anything."  I took his card and wondered if he'd heard me when I'd asked for more info.  I looked down at the card.  Theodore, his name was Theodore.

Before I finished reading his card, he was pulling away from the parking lot with his strobe lights off. 

I could only get in my car and worry all the way home.  I had my friend Ray's phone number at home.  He worked as a bartender Sundays.  Maybe he could tell me what was going on.

"You're home early."  Minnie said with raised eyebrows.  She tilted her head slightly as if she questioned why.

"Yeah, no one was there.  Then this cop pulled up and told me to go home to wait to hear from someone from Fajito Joes to call me."

"What do you think happened?"

"I don't know he wouldn't say.  But I'm going to call Ray.  You know, that guy that we met at the Piggly Wiggly.  He works on Sundays as a bartender."

"Oh, I hope everythings okay.  Do you think that you still have a job?"

"I don't know.  I hope I do."

I went to my room and pulled my address book out from under my pillow where I had left it earlier. 

His phone rang ten times before I hung up.  No answering maching.  I knew he had one.  When he told me to call him anytime, he'd said he had voicemail.

Hmmm.  Maybe he's on the phone and doesn't want to pick up?  Maybe.  I'd call him later.

It rained all day the next day and I still hadn't heard from anyone about going to work.  After aerobics I dressed in my uniform and drove over to Codys. 

Empty parking lot.  Empty back lot.  I turned into the gas station across the street to make a u-turn and got down to buy a Diet Coke.  I was walking out when someone called my name from off to the left.  

"Hey, Lisa,"  the man was tall, well everyone is taller than me, but he was at least six feet tall.  He had dark hair that was cut short.  But the short haircut could not hide the fact that had his hair been longer it would have lovely curls in it.  He smiled and it was breathtaking. 

"Hi" I hope he didn't notice my voice was breathy.  I looked down and smiled.  Unfortunately that brought my gaze down to places I didn't want to go.  I felt myself blushing and turned to look out the front of the store to keep him from seeing my blush.  He laughed quietly and I knew that he knew my shame.

I took a deep breath and turned back to him.

"Do I know you?"  I asked a little too harshly because I was embarassed.  

"Well, we met at Codys, remember, I'm Frank."  I think I would have remembered this guy he was gorgeous.  But I would have met lots and lots of people there because they were always at full capacity.

"Really?"

"Well, it was about a month ago.  I just got back to town last week."  

I still couldn't remember him but my mama taught me to always be polite.  So, I had to try.

"Oh, how was your trip?  Did you get to see the sights?"

"It was fine.  I'd love to tell you all about it.  Hey, would you like to have dinner with me?  Tonight?"

Even though I really wanted to say yes.  Handsome as he was, I didn't want to appear too eager.  I smiled, "I'm sorry, I have plans this evening.  Maybe some other time."  I was turning away not wanting to welcome a second invitation when he touched my elbow.  I looked down and then up to his face as he escorted me out the door.

"Would you give me your phone number if I asked nicely?"  He smiled down at me and I had to stop breathing for a second.  His hand was warm on my arm and I found myself smiling up at him.  

I looked into his eyes as if I would be able to see what he was thinking.  They were the color of milk chocolate.  Hey, I like chocolate. 

"Umm, okay."  He pulled out his cell phone and waited with his hand still on my arm.  Thumb wreaking havoc with my thought processes.  He put the number into his cell phone while I took a step away from him.  

"Well, bye!"  I waved,turned away and walked quickly over to my car.  As I unlocked my car I looked over to him and saw the oddest expression on his face.  It was almost sad and definitely far away.  He noticed me looking at him and smiled and winked.

"I'll call you later."  He walked back into the store while I tried to catch my breath

Malanga By River Jordan

There was a little boy sitting in the passenger seat of his dad’s truck fondly called Black Beauty. He was watching the sky through the window while waiting for his dad to come back from the house because he’d forgotten his keys. The boy sat there, looking like what others would call cute with his stuffed animal clutched in his arms. But the boy wasn’t at peace. He was only three years old, and was still afraid of the dark.

While looking out the window he saw a greenish glow that came from the odd patch of trees outside his window. He studied the strange glow and got out of the truck. He got closer and saw that it was a big green eye with a red pupil. He walked closer, and saw it had many arms and on the end of each of these arms was a single claw. His eyes were adjusting to the dark but suddenly he saw its mouth. It had many rows of sharp, needle like teeth, going all the way back to his tonsils. The child was afraid but still curious; the horrific shape didn’t scare him. Finally his eyes adjusted to the dark, and he saw its skin. It was red, with little bony bumps on it sticking out. He still wasn’t scared, but then it growled. The child thought it was trying to scare him the way he and his friends often growled to scare the girls at the playground, so he growled back.

“Grrrrr, I’m a Tigah.” The creature seemed astonished that something wasn’t scared of it, but that lasted only a short time. It growled louder. The child responded with,

“RAAWR! IMA BEAW!” The creature got frustrated that something so small STILL wasn’t scared of it, so it roared.

The child said, “RAAAAAR! IMA KING OF THE JUNGLE! RAAAAAR!”

The creature got angry and hissed, “Malanga.” At this, the boy did get scared and scream. This in turn made the creature totally freak out and it screamed so hard its uvula started dangling like it was a speed bag being hit by a boxer. Finally the boy did get scared and he ran back to the truck, his stuffed animal left behind in his haste.

The creature saw this, and looked at it, it didn’t seem to move. “Frozen by fear, I guess,” it thought. He growled, roared, and even shrieked at it, but it still wouldn’t say anything, the stuffed animal didn’t even have a scared expression on its face. It took the stuffed animal back to its lair still screaming at it. No reaction whatsoever, nothing!

So if you happen to hear a strange screaming sound in the night, it’s just the Malanga trying to scare the stuffed animal the little boy left for him.

Soul Light By River Jordan

More than two years ago Daisy's mother had been diagnosed with lung cancer, but during the surgery to remove the cancer, she had a massive stroke.  She was in a coma for about five months afterward and the first time she opened her eyes everyone cried tears of joy.  She couldn’t speak and was paralyzed on her right side but had only slightly limited movement on her left side.  After being in a long term acute care facility for an additional five months, her condition had not changed and that was when the doctors decided she could be transferred to a skilled nursing facility.  That was how she ended up at Seaside Nursing Home in a skilled nursing bed. 

About the same time she was moved to a skilled nursing facility, a hurricane was wreaking havoc all along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana.  Namely, Hurricane Rita.  Most people along the coast wereunder a mandatory evacuation, including Daisy and her mother. 

Rita did  her damage and had dwindled down to mostly rain and wind. The mandatory evacuation was over and people were now allowed to come back to their homes.  Rita had left flooding and damage throughout Houston and the surrounding areas, including the hospitals. The Medical Center was hit the hardest, no one having been prepared for the major flooding.

Daisy almost never got phone calls in the early morning before leaving for work, so she answered automatically thinking it was a computer generated call or something similar.

“Hello” she answered.

“Hello, this is Jinny and I’m calling from Seaside Nursing Home.  Is this Ms. Daisy Rivera?”

“Yes.”

“I’m afraid your mother stopped breathing after having another small stroke last night and we had to transfer her to the Oak Grove Medical Clinic (OGMC).”  This was an urgent care center.

“Oh my goodness!”, she exclaimed tears coming automatically to her eyes.  “They can’t help her there!  She needs to be in Houston!”

“Ms.Rivera, we tried.  The hospitals are not taking patients as the whole medical center is flooded.  We don’t even have access to Life Flight because of all the emergencies.  If we could find a facility that would take her we could only send her by ambulance.” 

“I will be there right away.”  Daisy felt lightheaded and was unsure of whether she could make it to the OGMC safely so she called her bestfriend Aaron and he immediately agreed to take her.

After hanging up with Aaron, she called her brother and sister.  Her brother was already on his way having received a voicemail from the facility.  His flight would land in Houston within 15 minutes and then he would drive from there an hour to OGMC.  They would be arriving within fifteen minutes of each other. 

Next, Daisy called the hospital where she worked and was told that they were at full capacity. Over the next ten minutes, she called every hospital within a fifty mile radious of OGMC.  None were available. 

When Daisy arrived at OGMC, she was led to where her mother was.  The nurses looked up at her as she entered the triage room, eyes full of sympathy.

Her sweet gentle mother lay there.  Eyes closed.  The nurse at her mother’s right was breathing for her with a Bag Valve Mask or BVM.  The nurse on the right was monitoring the machines keeping track of her heartbeat.  She learned that the nurses were taking thirty minute shifts in breathing for her.  Had her mother been at a full hospital, she would have been hooked up to life support that would breathe for her.

Daisy’s heart began to break, tears quietly streaming down her face.  Even though her mother had been sick for over a year, Daisy felt blindsided.  Memories ricocheting through her mind at an alarming rate.  Darkness began to frame her vision so she sat in the chair the nurse provided and so she leaned over to put her head between her knees.  After a few seconds the darkness faded.  Leaning back, she breathed deeply of the medicinal air, choking.  Minutes passed as she watched her mother laying helplessly.

She stood and walked slowly to the foot of the bed, reaching out with her hand to touch her mother’s foot.   She could feel her heart beating loudly in her ears, hear the stream of blood racing through her own veins. 

“How long?” she asked breathlessly.

“Since she’s been here?  About 5:30 this morning,” the doctor said.  “We think she must have had a stroke right before they found her.  When we could not find a nearby hospital to take her to, we started calling Houston.  But with the hurricane they are all full and not able to take any new patients.  Most importantly, Life flight is all over so she would have to go by ambulance.”

“You’ve been breathing for her all this time?”  She saw that it was almost 8 o’clock.  More than two hours breathing for her mother with the BVM.  “So, she’s not able breathe on her own?”  Her questions repeating themselves on their own.

“No.”

“Okay, I’ll be right back.”  Daisy calmly walked out and into the bathroom around the corner. She walked in and locked the door walking to the farthest corner of the bathroom.  She leaned her head against the wall.  A low moan escaped her lips and quickly escalated into frantic closed mouth screams as she attempted to not be heard.  She covered her face turning her back to the wall.  She slid down to the floor.  Nausea struck and she barely reached the toilet in time.

After a few minutes Daisy rinsed her face and walked back to her mother's side.  She pulled a chair up to her mother's bedside and took her mother's beautiful hand and held it firmly.  She whispered, "Please, Mama, please don't go." 

Daisy's mind traced back over the months since her diagnosis with cancer and the many months caring for her mother as she lay prone on her hospital bed.  Daisy's whole life this past year centered on the occasional glance from her mother's beautiful eyes, saying more in one look than a lifetime of words.

The doctor held her mother's other hand as the nurses silently stepped away, taking the BVM with them.  

"Breathe, Mama!"  she whispered.  She remembered her mother singing and dancing with Daisy's feet planted atop her own.  Picnics by the bay, books in hand.  Watching her mother sketch and paint beautiful landscapes. Weeding around her beloved rose bushes.  Always laughing and smiling. 

"Breathe!" she said firmly.  Daisy's brother walked in, on the phone with her sister Glory.  He reached over and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding firmly.  Daisy impatiently shrugged out of her brother's embrace.  She didn't even look at him or acknowledge his presence, angry that her mother would not breathe.

"Breathe, now, Mama," she said angrily.  But her mother did not.  Her heart beat slowed, and then stopped gently, as if she were really just sleeping.  The beautiful light of her soul that could light up the room was now gone.

Daisy pulled herself together and handled every last detail of her mother's funeral, refusing the help offered by her siblings.  It took a long time for Daisy to find her light after that.

The Invisible by River Jordan

In seventh grade, my favorite class was Ms. Atkins' science class.  When everyone was talking and passing notes to one another.  I was sitting at the front of the class paying rapt attention.  
Right now, Ms. Atkins' was calling out the words whose definition we had to memorize for the current chapter.  "Diaphragm" she called out.  I raised my hand to answer when someone knocked at the door.  It was the front office secretary, Ms. Bates.  Ms. Atkins' spoke in hush tones to her for a few seconds and then called me over.  "Daisy, get your things.  You'll need to go with Ms. Bates."
I had never been called to the office before and I could feel my face suffuse with color.  All the other kids called out, "oooooooh, you're in trouble" and I wished the ground would open up and I'd slip through.  But of course that didn't happen. 
Ms. Atkins said, go ahead and take your books and purse with you."  I quickly closed my notebook and scooped my books into one hand.  I reached out to grab my purse but Ben, who sat behind me, slipped the strap over the side so that it fell to the floor.  I looked over at him and he pretended to be studying the chapter.  I bent over to pick it up and quickly made my way to the door amid a cacophony of hoots.  
Ms. Bates was quiet was mostly quiet as she walked me to the office.   Except to say that Mr. Reason, the school Principal, would explain everything when I got there.  
Mr. Reason was standing just inside the office door.
"Darling, I'm sorry to tell you but there's been an emergency at your house.  Is there someone you can call to come pick you up?  An Aunt or Uncle?"  I couldn't think of anyone to come so I shook my head.  I did have Aunts and Uncles in town, but I couldn't think of them at that moment.  I just stood there with my mouth slightly open trying to process what was happening.
"What happened?" I asked. 
"Well, it seems there's been a fire.  It's best if your family talks to you about it."  Looking back, I guess Mr. Reason just didn't want to have to deal with an emotional child.  I sat down ain the chairs, not knowing what to say when in walked Mr. Shanks.  
Mr. Shanks was my band teacher.  He was also one of my favorite teachers.  He walked in and opened his arms for me.  I walked over to him and let him hold me.  I was trembling and afraid.  I was normally very quiet and tried my very best to not attract any attention and he knew it.  His family went to the same church as my family did.
"I'll take her home." he said.  "My wife is on her way now, we'll just drive over to her house and see what can be done.  Ms. Faulkner will be taking over band class today."  Mr. Reason seemed as if he would argue the point, but then he sighed and nodded his head.
"Okay.  Let us know what's going on."  
At that moment, Mrs. Shanks walked in and pulled me into her arms. "You okay, hon?"  I nodded my head.
"Come on Richard, let's take Daisy home."  I wiped my palms on my jeans, grabbed my books and followed Mrs. Shanks out the front doors.  I let myself into the backseat of their car, careful to put my seat belt on.
When we arrived at my house, it was only a dark smoking shell of a home.  The tears had been quietly falling for a while, and I was hiccuping now.  My elderly aunt's car was in the driveway so we had to park on the side of the road.  
Mr. Shanks got out of the driver's seat and came around to help me out of the backseat.  Mrs. Shanks took one hand while Mr. Shanks took the other.  They squeezed my hands to give me courage.
As we walked down the driveway, I could hear my aunt yelling at my mother.  "My brother worked so hard to be able to buy this house and you burn it down!  You no good for nothing piece of trash woman!"  her mouth was twisted in an ugly snarl.  Every word she said drying my tears and stabbing my heart.  She was not my favorite aunt, but I disliked anger because I had never been exposed to it.
My mother was soft spoken and even-tempered.  Never had she spoken with such hatred as my aunt was now doing.
"Angela, please, keep your voice down, Daisy is here."  my mom entreated.  "She's going to be upset by all this anyway."
"I don't give a damn!  You can all just go to hell for all I care.  You do not deserve my brother!"  She reached out as if to strike my mother and I loosened my hands and ran to my mom.  I grabbed my mom's soft hand and stood in front of her as if to protect my mother.  Reversing the roles.
"I'm sorry Aunt Angela.  You look so very pretty today.  Did you buy a new dress?"  I called out calmly.  I knew how to distract my aunt, I had had plenty of practice.
"Daisy, your mother burned your house down.  She's crazy and should be locked up!"  Already her voice was coming down an octave.
"I'm sorry Aunt Angela, you're probably right."  I had learned to just quietly agree with Dad's family.  It was no use arguing, they were the best at it and I would never win.
"My brother should have never married your mother!" she went on as if I wasn't even there.  This is what I wanted, for her to forget that we were here.  
I pulled my mother behind me and we went to stand next to Mr. and Mrs. Shanks.  They both embraced my mother, not knowing what to say after the spectacle they had witnessed.  My mom patted them gently as they hugged her.  Her eyes looked dazed and troubled at the same time.  I knew she was upset but not how to comfort her.
"Mom, it'll be okay."  I held onto her hand tightly.
"I know baby, I just don't know how it happened.  The firemen questioned me as if I had started the house on fire, but I didn't.  I just walked into the kitchen and saw all the smoke billowing out of the laundry room."  She quietly cried and my heart wanted to burst.  "I just don't know what your father is going to say."
Dad was not a bad person, but since he worked out of town a lot, I wasn't sure.  Sometimes I would not see him for more than two weeks.  Then he would show up with presents and hugs and smiles.  I loved him very much and I hoped that he would smile and wink at me and say everything would be okay.  I felt sure that he would.  My heart was comforted by that thought and I squeezed my mom tight.
"Mom, everything will be just fine.  Daddy will take care of everything!  He will make sure that Aunt Angela stops yelling and then she'll go home."  I smiled up at my mother and she looked down at me, her eyes hopeful.  All the while, my Aunt's accusing voice kept up its tirade.
"Sweet Daisy, I should be the one comforting you!" she laughed.  She kissed me on the top of my head and released me from her embrace, keeping hold of my hand.  I heard her intake of breath and saw her look over to the road.  I followed her line of sight and saw my dad pulling in behind Mr. Shanks.  They also watched quietly as Dad parked.  My Aunt noticed too and her voice rose in volume spewing out it's excrement.
I ran over to where Dad was just getting out of his truck.  I embraced him tightly.  "Daddy, help us.  Please don't be mad.  Momma didn't do it.  The house just burned."  He said nothing, barely noticing that I was embracing him. 
The air blew my hair across my eyes, smelling of the salty Gulf; his shirt, old and worn, smelled of him and sweat; the fabric soft against my cheek.  My hands touched around his narrow waist but they clenched his shirt and not each other.  I heard the noise of the firetrucks putting away their hoses and preparing to head back to the station; my heartbeat;  his heartbeat.  All this I noticed while my child's heart was breaking.
 "Daddeeeee" I said again.  "Daddeeeee, look at me."  He still had not put his arms around me.  My voice became higher and higher and my heart seemed to close in on itself. "Daddy, Daddy, please hug me back."
He didn't even acknowledge me.  He just pushed my arms from around him and just walked away.  I thought that maybe he hadn't heard me but as I was about to follow him, he threw back, "Go with your mother and get out of here.  I don't want to see ya'll again."  
I couldn't talk.  The tears poured down my eyes and my heart broke into a thousand pieces as I watched my Dad walk away.  My mom had somehow appeared behind me.  She was crying, too.  She wiped her tears away and she guided me to Mr. and Mrs. Shanks' car.  They had waited patiently as my heart broke.  We loaded into the backseat and drove away.