CHAPTER 7

The Boy with the Red Hair

A few weeks passed and it was the same thing every night. One night Tommy sat on the porch till it was dark. The lights from the house light up the front yard. He heard a noise from their long drive way. He looked over to see a figure. A person, it was a young man. He walked into the lit yard.

It was none other than the boy with red hair. Tommy jumped a little. The boys long red hair laid still in waves.

"Do you know where that blond girl is?" he asked. He put is bony hands into his jeans. Tommy looked down and shook his head.

"Oh." the boy said. Thomas looked at him.

"I'm Malachi." he grinned. Seemed like a perfect name for a red head. Thomas smiled at him. One of their many dogs barked. Malachi and Thomas looked to see what it was. It was alive and sat on it's knees.

"What is it?" Malachi asked turning to Tommy. He squinted to make the figure out. He shrugged and walked off the porch to Malachi. They decided to follow the object. It turned around to see both of them were walking to it. It took off. Now the two boys knew it was a girl. She took off into the field. The two started running after her. She ran into the dry corn field. Both of the boys lost sight of her but kept going.

The girl got on her bloody knees and prayed God to forgive her. She opened her eyes to see if the boys were near. She closed her eyes and continued praying. Malachi saw her. He stopped Thomas from running. They quietly approached her.

"Amen." she said softly. She slowly opened her eyes and turned around. Tommy could recognized the face any where. It was cold, bloody, frightened Carrietta Lennon. She turned her head forward again.

"I'm sorry." she said faintly. Thomas and Malachi walked up to her. They both knelt next to her. She looked down quietly sobbing. She reached out and hugged Malachi tightly. Malachi hugged her back. She broke from the hug and did the same to Tommy.

"I'm sorry." she whispered in his ear. She looked down again. She fell forward with her face planted on the ground. Thomas rolled her over. She felt cold and sick. Her face was covered in blood. She opened her eyes and sat up.

"I gotta go." she said sickly. She got to her feet and looked at the two boys. Once again she took off running. This time though they didn't go after her.

Thomas and Malachi looked at each other. Tommy sighed and looked at the moving corn stocks.

"What happened?" Malachi asked. Thomas turned to him. With that looked Malachi knew.

"Oh." he said softly.

Friday slowly approached. Malachi came by. He was Shiloh's friend and the nicest to Tommy. He was tall and thin. I dog growled and slowly walked up to him.

"Whose this fire crotch?" Charlie said walking up to Malachi. Charlie looked him down.

"I'm Malachi." Malachi said harshly.

"Feisty thing aren't ya?" Charlie grinned. Malachi did the same.

"Yeah.." Malachi said a bit calmer.

"I see that. What are you doing here?" Charlie asked.

"Hoyt... He asked me to see where that Carrie girl went. Somebody called her in." Malachi explained.

"Fuck, Hoyt don't know nothing about her.." Charlie said walking up the porch.

"Yeah, he's just some officer." Malachi said. Tommy looked back at Charlie who was heading in.

"He's just doing this to be sheriff... He's like what 20? Dumb ass if you ask me.. I don't even know why I'm doing this.. But, I guess I do like that girl.." Malachi said. Charlie stopped and turned around.

"Why can't he do it himself?" he asked.

"I don't know? Lazy?" Malachi guessed. He crossed his arms and looked at the growling dog. The dog circled him. Malachi kept a good I on him though.

Tommy looked back at Charlie.

"They still haven't found Carrie?" he said surprised. Charlie scratched the back of his head under his cap.

"Yeah." Malachi said still watching the dog.

"How long has it been?" he asked.

"Probably... A month or so.." Charlie said watching the dog. He walked inside. He looked out the screen door.

"Smack her if you want.." Charlie offered Malachi to do to the dog. Malachi kicked the aggressive dog into the dirt. It whimpered and ran away. Tommy watched the fleeing dog. Shiloh came out with twin Ezekiel. They looked identical because of the loss of their shaggy, dark hair. The only difference was their eye color. Shiloh had dark brown eyes than Ezekiel with sharp blue eyes.

"What's this doing here?" Ezekiel said about Malachi.

"Watch it ya ass." Shiloh said walking to Malachi.

"Go with your boyfriend you dog dick." Ezekiel said from the porch.

"Ya fag!" Malachi said. Tommy shook his head and went inside.

He walked up to Luda Mae. She smiled and looked outside to the arguing trio.

"You like that red head boy?" she asked turning to Tommy. He nodded and looked out the window.

"So I heard still no sign of Carrie.. She saved me.." she said wiping off a beautiful piece of china off. Tommy glanced at the plate and nodded. He looked at his reflection. He slowly went over his face. Luda Mae saw him.

"You beautiful Thomas... Don't let anyone tell you your not.." she said. She turned to him and placed her hand on hid broad shoulder. She grinned peacefully and then resumed to her dishes.

The next day was Saturday. Malachi was over like he said he would the night before. He looked up at Tommy.

"We'll find her today." he sounded confident. But, he also was very tired. Both of them headed to the river. Maria went with them. They got to the river and looked from the bridge. Marie scanned the area with her eyes. Her eyes grew wide.

"What's that?" she asked. She pointed to something laying by the river side. It was a human. It's hand was gently in the water but the rest of the body was on the side of the muddy bank. It was Carrie. But, this time she laid there lifeless. The blood on her was darker than what Malachi and Tommy thought. She was cut and bleeding slowly. They walked over to the heap of person that was now Carrie. She was laying on her side. She had a kitchen knife about 12 inches long through her bare back. Half of the knife had been covered with her blood. The knife wasn't there before. Tommy knelt down beside one of his good friends. He reached around to turn her over when her hand from the water grabbed his wrist. He jumped up but Carrie didn't lose her grip. She opened her eyes widely and could hardly turn her head. She tried talking but couldn't, only a few soft mumbles. They knew this time she couldn't run anywhere. She scratched Tommy's wrist. Thomas picked her up slowly. He cradled her like a baby. Her head dangled off the side of his arm.

When they got to the Hewitt residence. Charlie and Luda Mae rushed over to Tommy holding Carrie.

"Holy fuck is that who I think it is?" Charlie said in shock. Tommy nodded and offered him to hold her. He backed away. Maria and Malachi hid in the brush near the shed.

"Well lay her down boy!" Luda Mae said rushing over the coach. She grabbed the blanket on top of it. Tommy came in and laid the lifeless body down. She was still breathing but unresponsive.

"Wait!" Luda Mae shouted. She grabbed Tommy's arm.

"She's got a knife sticking out of her!" Charlie pointed out. He grabbed it while Tommy was still holding her. With a hard yank it came free. Carrie screeched like a banshee. Tommy almost dropped her. Blood ran along her back onto Tommy's arm. But, he didn't mind. He actually some what liked it.