"He let you take this," Rosalie asked excitedly looking through the old photo album.

"Yep," Emmett answered as they drove through Gatlinburg. Some of it was still the same. He still saw the flag waving at the entrance of the town square. He still saw the Nettie's quilts, except instead of the woman sitting around with cross stitched, they were sitting around chatting with sewing machines. He saw some of the children that would play baseball with rocks, now sitting outside the saloon drinking moonshine and smoking pipes with long white beards while sitting on rocking chairs. Except, unlike their grandfathers who sat around talking about the local baseball team, they talked about the local football team. They continued down the dirt road, passing the rickety houses of small town Appalachia, passing the same school building Emmett went to, and it seemed to be in worse condition. He notice the parking lot, it had teenagers sitting outside of it, some of the girls pregnant that was no surprise to him. He passed some other teenage boys drinking whiskey, like he once done, except instead of listing to bluegrass, this time it was country and some rock. He passed a group of mothers, most in make-shift clothes some as young as fifteen nursing their newborns out in public while sitting outside the tiny grocery store/gas station which was still the only food source for hundreds of miles. They passed through the houses, seeing clothes lines out front while children played barefoot with their dogs. The boys all had the same home bowl cuts, and the girls with their tiny breads, some wearing their brother's handy-me-downs. They passed the tiny trailer that was the library, with a couple of people outside reading. They also passed a couple of houses with a yellow ribbon tied in front, indicating a member of the immediate family in the military. Emmett figured, like back when he was a youngin', it was the only way that seemed to lead out of the Appalachia, some also had gold star banners hanging in the windows. Some of Gatlinburg has improved since he left, Emmett figured it was due to Kennedy's Appalachian Regional Commission.

Emmett could tell the town was the same people just a different generation. He knew despite the hardships they faced, these people survived. Despite the lack of medical care, and the lack of educational funding the people survived. They never asked for welfare, or money from the government but were the first to offer their services. What they didn't have, they would find a way to provide for themselves. They were least effected by economic hardships, due to their toughness and the generations of surviving with little to no luxury. When missionaries come, they were more than welcomed to help out, but they were determined to survive no matter what. They were the people who brought Homer Hickman, hosted one of the largest telescopes, raised Lincoln, started country music, kept many of the National Parks, brought in forensics, gave Jon Knotts, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton. At the same time, Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton, and Brooker T. Washington.

"Was he always like that?" Rosalie interrupted as she put on her sun glasses, when Emmett turned onto the majestic mountain path of pine trees.

"Who was like what?" Emmett questioned.

"Your brother," Rosalie answered. "Was he always so…..grouchy?"

"Was your Ma nuts along back when you were coming up?" Emmett asked, feeling his old Applaichen use come back to him.

"No, she didn't go around flickering lights just to get unwanted guest out." Rosalie answered.

"Well, he wasn't always telling young girls to leave him alone." Emmett explained. "He was actually mighty friendly. See that bar." Emmett pointed as they passed an old run-down building crowded with motorcycles.

"Yes," Rosalie answered.

"That's where my fellers and I use to fight fist and skull, after a frolic of course." Emmett smiled excitedly.

"Of course," Rosalie then passed. "What did you do there?"

"Drink, fight, and party," Emmett explained. "We are going to get to the road soon."

"Well…I really appreciate you here tellin me it all." Rosalie started as Emmett smirked at her attempt to use his childhood language.

"Look," He smiled. "The laurel bed is there, my grandpa planted that one." He explained and turned up towards another dirt road going deep into the mountain to find a tiny log cabin still standing strong as when Emmett left it. Yet, the signs of abandonment was obvious. It was empty, the chicken coop that was their main meat source was now a pile of wood, the vegetable bed now blended with the brown grass yard, the clothing pine where his bothers would often use as bases was now two rotting polls, the fire pit for their summer meals was none existence all their sat was the tiny log cabin with broken shingles, and cracked windows, along with a porch filled with weeds and vines.

"This was where I was reared." Emmett said as they got out of the car, while Rosalie saw Emmett's disappointed face to see the place of his upbringing totally disserted. Rosalie went to approach Emmett as she started walking towards him. She then heard the echoes of genital humming, and a static radio playing through the wind along with the smell of fresh apple pie baking in the oven and felt the presence of a serenaded as she came close to the cabin, coming to see Emmett's heartbroken for the first time since she met him.

"My parents build their life for this," He stuttered. "My father took two jobs to keep this place fixed, lumbering and coal mining, under the poorest conditions. My mother would spend all night sewing to make sure there was food on the table. Neither of them graduated from high school, they married at fifteen. My parents worn worked endless hours putting this roof over our heads and now its….." Emmett let out a deep breath. "This was my home. This was the place I grew up, the place I once slept and once ate. The place where I once laughed, once cried, once …lived and now its…..gone. Its disserted years ago."

'You abandon it,' Rosalie heard a voice as the wind blew causing a leaf to fly by causing a rusted squeak rang through the air.

"Let's go in," Rosalie suggested taking his hand leading up the dead grass path.

"I am scared to go near it," He huffed fearfully. "How dare they let the place my parents sacrificed for, the place they put their sweat in just fall to the ground…Rose, I recall nights where it'd be us kids eating, while they starved. How could they let their sacrifices be turned to trash."

"Come on," Rosalie took his hand and bravely led him in. "Tell me about your parents." She tried thinking of a subject to cheer him up as they entered the empty cabin to find a tiny room filled with dust and cob webs with a stove off to the side, and cob webs covering every corner. They walked in with each plank making a tiny squeak.

'I don't know where that boy ran off too, but somthin' gottin' me awful worried.'

'Well, sure he'll be home real soon.'

'And I will give him a good tong whip for treatin' me like this. I borned that boy into the world and yet he has the curtsy to just disappear on me. Hope he ain't drunk while goin' off a cliff.'

'Ma ya worri' too much. He probably got hisself in some strike and whup off on out thar and now he can't find the night way. Don't worry, he's a resider he can handle it.'

"Still makes me worried sick he's out thar doing lord knows what, the fact that he couldn't even make it to the meeting house this mornin' ." Rosalie then heard soft sigh as she glanced around the cabin slowly as the sun shone through the empty room with its rays shining brightly through the window, along with the dust dancing in its light. The wind then blew again, each sound was heard as it brushed up against the outside walls.

Emmett and Rosalie made their way through the downstairs, removing the cob webs from the corners, and taking off the layers of dust from the wood floors and walls. "How about I get some fire wood to start up the stove, while you get the upstairs situated?" Emmett suggested. As another howl came through the air, along with what sounded to the cracks of the rickety wood along with the soft patter touching the rickety house causing a door slamming and made a sound of fingers tapping against the window.

Emmett went out to get some wood, and saw that a couple bats have nested on the roof, which didn't make him any happier. He got some wood, used his arms to spit the logs apart and took them back in, and then open the stove to find it filled with old photo albums that poured out as soon as he opened the black iron door to find it filled with albums, the first picture was of Elijah taken a couple decades or so after Emmett left. It was him, standing tall with the backwoods iron-will in an World War Two uniform with his arms embracing a woman with a softhearted smile with her eyes glowed as her hands rested on her abdomen. Emily recognized her as Betty McNolen, the young meek freckled face girl who was at least twelve when Emmett left, and would always stair at Elijah at the Sunday gatherings, and church socials. Giving him a wondrous look, as if Elijah was the shining star, and would clap for him in the backwoods games, anytime Elijah beat someone, she grew beautiful and still kept her eyes towards his brother.

He then found a box of letters by Sara and Elijah to one another, Emmett scaffold through them until he came to one, announcing the birth of his daughter. It also had with his parents, Dale and Cora along with who he recognize as Adam and Sadie McNolan, along with Betty in the center holding a rosy cheek baby wrapped in a bright pink quilt with his mothers stitch roses for her granddaughter. She was round, and tiny with bright cheeks and a brilliant toothless grinned. Emmett smiled at his niece as he read the letter, her name was Thelma Emily McCarty. Thelma being Betty's sister who died of Polo, and Emily being named after her Uncle Emmett, of course him.

Emmett then dug and found a tin can, he opened it and found pictures of Thelma. He saw pictures of her walking, pictures of her in a flag bonnet when her father was welcoming her home. Another when she was a toddler with scraped dress caring a ball. Emmett went through them all, he couldn't help but laugh, he saw pictures of his other nieces and nephews but this girl made him smile. Thelma was truly a child of his own heart. She was a tomboy, running around in sneakers and jean overall with her hair in braids. She was seen with shot guns and fishing poles, often playing baseball with the other boys. When she entered her preteen years she was seen with cameo and boots standing tall next to her father. This was very unusual, even for a backwoods girl.

It was later in Thelma's teenage years Emmett began to notice a change. She started to wear dresses again, and put on make-up. Emmett finally saw the reason, as she stood arm to arm in a poodle skirt next to a boy a bit taller than her. He seemed to be in every picture with Thelma, until the sixties when he saw her first colored pictures. She was wearing a bright yellow dress with her hair in a flip, standing next to a man in a green uniform just like her mother had once done. Eli went to the South Pacific, this one, who's name must of been Leroy, was going to Vietnam. It was then, Emmett found another letter a couple months later, it was to her from Siagon with some dog tags informing her of Leroy's death. The boy she planned to marry, and spend the rest of her life with was killed at war.

It was then he saw pictures of her not smiling, they were of a long hair girl in complete gloom. She wore black for a long period of time. It was clear she went through a morning period due to her fallen solder. Emmett then found a picture of her in a bright bell bottom jeans, with a tiny brightly color shirt along with a leather head band, and a peace symbol necklace. He saw another picture of her in a short skirt, a bikini top with large sunglasses along with the peace simple, standing tall in go-go boots. He then found another tin box with post cards. All from Ruth, from various parts of the country, New England, East Coast, the South, South West, Great Plans, West Coat even parts of Canada.. The first was from Nashville, it said she found some men who were taking her to Washington D.C. that was the second. It was a picture of her at a peace rally holding a sign to bring the GI's home. It said she found some other people who introduced her to an alternative form of life, she planned to travel with them.

Emmett then found various postcards telling them about Miami, Atlanta, Charleston, Williamsburg, New Orleans, Huston…the date was a year after Leroy's death. Thelma admitted in the post card, she snuck away from the group to break down and cry. Then out of nowhere stayed at a girl dressed form the 1860s came and comforted Thelma, informing her that her boyfriend never came back from war earthier and she was still waiting. He also found some form Santa Fe, Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, and even San Diego.

Emmett found more of them, he found some form the upper states he found them from Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, even New York City. He also found one from Rochester, in it she mentioned staying at a newly opened Bed and Breakfast, were this woman told her she needed o go home to her family. Thelma wrote form the Mid-West, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit., Minneapolis at a time when they were living there. Emmett wondered if he could of past Thelma without knowing it. She mentioned going through Chicago, were a sickly teenage boy dressed in a hospital gown followed her. He got one He seemed to be guarding her, it said in the post card. It seemed she went through every American city, for four years she did nothing but travel. Her home was a tie-die van.

Emmett then found a long letter from Thelma, admitting to drug use, and having a number of male partners. She also admitted to being terribly homesick, and longing to be in the comfortable green mountains of home. She was able to save enough money to take a train and was going to arrive in Memphis in a couple days. Emmet never saw Thelma McCarty in another picture. They stopped there.

~X~

Rosalie made her way upstairs and noticed something that was beyond strange. It was perfectly clean, the floors were lament into a clean country style hallway, with simple folk painting hung in frames. There was no cob webs or dust in sight. She made her way around the second floor. She went to one of the rooms, they were left in much better conditions then when Emmett left. She went to the side room, and saw four small beds with hand sewn quilts along with a large mirror. It had to belong to some girls room. Rosalie left, and then went to another room across the hall. Rosalie then went to another room, that had three bed, all dusty and unmade. It was a terrible mess, Rosalie looked around it and notice something rather peculiar about it. It looked lived in, she saw modern scattered along the hardwood floor. Some had a floral scent others had a strange rotten smell.

Rosalie then went to the center of the hall and found another room, she opened it to find a large master hand carved bed stand with a green and blue quilt that was spread out clean on the bed with two matching quilted pillows, and a half empty lantern to the side with a black wick that was almost empty. At the end of the bed was a large cedar chest, indicating that it was Cora's family chest, because it was too large to be her Hope chest which was painted blue and off to the side filled with a few dishes and some lace curtains making a small dowry for her. Rosalie studied the large beautifully hand carved chest, it was painted a brown color with some pine trees carved in the center. Rosalie opened it and inside she found the carvings:

To Cora Brady from Dale McCarty, made with love, do you want to be my wife?

May 15, 1906.

It had a heart carved around it.

She observed it, and studied the fine woodwork, then opened it up to wandering what was inside.

Rosalie first pulled out a beautiful hand sewn quilts, showing her mother-in-law's talents. She found one that had vibrant bright oranges and yellows, mixed in with browns cut into triangles formed into hills to show the Appalachia's autumn scene, Cora's favorite time of year. Rosalie found a large red patches sewn into a blue scenery, forming rows of interloping circles, and the date of May, 22, 1906 sewed in a corner, indicating it was her wedding quilt. Rosalie found some baby quilts, some with beautiful roses, and a couple with bright baby blues in a checkered shade. Each wrapped in with some sort of footers with a name sewed to them. Rosalie couldn't help but laugh when she saw Emmett's pair of fuzzy boots from when he was a baby. She also found her wedding veil tucked in a bag to be carefully preserved.

It also had an old brownish lace wedding veil that was most likely white when Cora and her mother sewed it for her wedding, followed by frames of pictures, from births, to christenings, to weddings, to military leaves, and some just proud moments such as Dale with what looked to be a large elk, Edith at the forage fair with a ribbon next to some kind of pie, Elsa in church choirs, Eldon in a bluegrass band, Elijah at high school graduation, Emmett with an ax, along with a ribbon for ax throwing, Ethel with a ribbon next to a sampler, and Edna who had a ribbon while holding a cage with a large rabbit. She then found another small case, Rosalie opened it and found it filled with children's art work, everything from Christmas paper ornaments, valentines, birthday portraits, wall hangers, just filled with art works Cora collected from her children over the years. Eldon and his bluegrass band, Elijah's graduation, Rosalie also found a small case of children's art work. She found everything from homemade paper ornaments, to stick figure family portraits even a homemade card that said:

To Ma

HAPPY MAMMA's Day,

LOV

EMMETT

She couldn't help but let out a laugh at Emmett old paper card, he had to be in the first grade whenever he made this for her, and she kept it with her, as she did with all eight of her children. She observed the picture, of the construction paper with the crayon letters and the large words on the heart cut-out along with the backwards 'D' in day. Rosalie observed it, and felt a paper attached behind it, Rosalie turned the handmaid piece to see a folded newspaper clipping. She unraveled the brown paper to see an old article: Two Boys From The Same Family Disappear In The Mountains, Months Apart'.

Rosalie wanted to read the article, but it was then she felt the sound of what seemed to be a angelic fiddle, playing the soft sound of bluegrass that was echoing form the mountain hills. The house was very lived in, abandon on the outside but the inside remained strong, taken care of, it was clean. The quilts where worn out on the bed, and smelled of floral, along with another disgusted smell, of a creature Rosalie couldn't quiet recall what it was, but it was disgusting.

'Save this land.' Rosalie heard a soft whisper as she packed the quilts back up, making sure each was folded and pack, in a way they won lose the vibrate feeling the quilts brought out. She then went through repacking the picture frames in the exact way Cora McCarty had them out of respect for her mother-in-law. Rosalie put each away one by one, when she turned to pack the picture of Eldon playing the mandolin, surrounded by boys in white shirts and suspenders, with instruments such as the fiddle, the banjo, a woman with a washboard that stood to be a bit shorter with a red-rash face. Rosalie then heard music, it was soft bluegrass music of the mountain hills coming in tune with the wind chimes echoing the voices of those who past threw here.

"Ready to get some huntin' done?" Rosalie heard a startled voice behind her she turned to see Emmett behind her.

"Yes, of course." Rosalie answered him as they disappeared into the green yonder of the high green mountains, that rolled endlessly following the high blue skies that seemed that reached far out to the light blue sky with only streaks of clouds, coming to the end point where a streak of light indigo shaded bringing the night to the old mountain life.