CHAPTER ONE
"Ma?" I stepped into our tiny shack that was our house, and squinted until my eyes adjusted to the dim light. Ma was lying on the bed, sleeping. I stepped over toward the cot and shook her. The coldness of her body frightened me, and I touched her again. The ghastly paleness of her face looked chilling, and I knew she was dead. Ma had a fever for several weeks, and this morning she had been too weak to move. I had wanted to call the doctor, but Ma had protested, saying there wasn't enough money.
I sat down numbly, not being able to think. I was upset. How could God do this to me? Now I was an orphan, almost. My pa left us three years ago, and now I was thirteen, surely I could take care of myself. We figured Pa was dead, since we hadn't seen him for a long time. I fought off the anger as I tried to think of what to do next. I could feel tears rising in my eyes, but blinked quickly. Ma always said crying did no good.
Sleep overcame me, and when I woke up the sun was setting behind the gloomy gray clouds. I stretched my legs and made my way outside. When I knocked on our neighbor's door, it opened, the hinges squeaking. "Mrs. McGregor?"
"What do ya want, Crystal?"
"My ma, she's ...dead. I don't know what to do with her."
"Bless me, child, when'd she die?"
"This morning. I found her when I came in from gathering wood."
"Ya got any money?"
I hesitated. "A little."
"I reckon we'll give her a proper burial, then. Ya got any folks?"
"Yes, in Tennessee." I wasn't exactly sure where my relatives lived, but had heard Pa telling stories of his childhood. He had run away from home when he was about ten years old. Pa was able to get a job in the mines when he was twelve, and had worked there since. He married my ma fifteen years ago.
Cutter Gap. It was near a town called El Pano. I found El Pano on the map, but no Cutter Gap. I had enough money to take me most of the way there.
I went over to the shelf and took down the jam jar that contained the coins. Once I sold the furniture, I was sure there would be enough.