The washboard rasped as the clothes scraped against it. Early in the morning, it was the only sound for miles. Qiana, still on laundry duty, scrubbed each garment clean, wrung them out, and set them in baskets to hang on the line. As she glanced up at the Texas horizon, the deep purple and blue of the night sky gradually faded, giving way to the rising sun. She had to admit, she enjoyed the view—the cool morning air a welcome relief that would soon be replaced by the blistering heat of the day.
Her senses then zeroed in on a messenger dove that came into view. Qiana knew it was meant for her, and as it landed in front of her. The small creature morphed, blurred, and twisted, and in a flash, a familiar person appeared.
Jordan flashed a grin, "Hey white-girl."
Qiana sprung to her feet and hugged Caz's long-time friend. For once, she was glad to see the mean-spirited asshole.
"What are you doing here?" She asked on the verge of tears.
Patting her on the back in the loosening embrace, Jordan answered, "I'm sent here on business, so don't get your hopes up. It's fucking crazy you're still alive out here. I'm impressed, good for you."
"Any news about Caz, Germs, and my family? What about my sentence time?" She asked eagerly hoping there could be some say or limited time.
"Yeah, about that, let's siddown for that..." Jordan said softly as both sat on the outside work stools. Jordan gently held her hand, making Qiana even more anxious about what the resulting consequences were.
Sighing a long sigh, Jordan scratched at his shaven head, unsure how to go about breaking the news before decided it rip it off like a bandaid, "Worst news I can tell you is Mr. and Mrs. Bullard chose to take time off your sentence. They're serving time in Mexico's clan jurisdiction for about 15 years."
Qiana began to sob, hands covering her mouth so as not to wake up the other teens in the house. "W-what, no, they can't do that!" She pleaded before Jordan began to hold her again.
"I-It's not that bad," He said trying to comfort the crying girl in his arms, "I know they far away but it's for good reason. You can attest to their sentence but only after you serve your time, which is 5 years."
In a shaky breath, she tried to hold it together enough to ask her next question, "What about Caz? And is Germs okay?"
"Germs is doing okay. He's all cleaned up and still doing his weird bug hobby, but he's been ordered to move far away from here." He paused before continuing, "Same deal with Caz. They both were sent away because the council determined they would risk it all to break you out of your sentence. The last I heard is they settled in communal houses in Montana. I mean, shit, even I can't talk to either one of them and I didn't even do nothing!"
"Are they imprisoned too?" She asked him panicked.
He shook his head. "Nah, I was just sent off to live somewhere else. I know Caz is stuck doing the council's dirty work, though. Same as me—it's not really punishment, but they're keeping a close eye on us, 24/7. Always checking in. I'm pretty sure Caz and Germs are getting the same treatment."
Jordan then looked around as he focused his sight and hearing if any other shifters were around. After confirming it was just the Aussies watching/listening in as birds, he leaned over and whispered in Qianas ear, "If I hear anything else outside council business, I'll let you know. But trust me and the Aussies. Any other shifter they send in the future - don't trust them."
Nodding a 'yes,' Qianna understood it was important to take Jordan's word. As she heard and witnessed, anybody could be killed in this situation, and you couldn't trust many people.
Standing up Jordan gave her a last nod before transforming off and flying away. Leaving behind someone who desperately wanted to fly off too.
The deck in the front of the house took the longest to fix up after the Panther's violent attack made a ton of mess. But overall, Malachai was proud of himself for being able to help out the entire family. It was lodged into his brain that work meant serving the lord and fellow man. He guessed the religious trauma never really left him after everything that happened.
Hoyt nodded in approval as he pushed Monty in his wheelchair out on the front deck to enjoy.
"OooooWeee naw!" Monty whistled, "We gonna have to get this boy to redo the whole house!"
All three chuckled as a bashful Malachi responded, "Ahhh, it was nothing, really, I had a ton of help from Thomas and the twins."
"Now don't go giving them credit for all you did," Hoyt said sternly, "You act like we don't see all the hard work you do around here, them nap-haired idiots don't go above and beyond the way you do. Proud of you boy." The sheriff of the family finished giving Malachai a pat on the back.
"Say you wouldn't know if Tex is back at the waterhole hole again would you now?" Monty asked tapping his walking cane next to him, "Done healed up and running around not doing a damn thing to pitch in any help."
The redhead shrugged, wiping the sweat from his brow. He didn't like to involve himself too much with the Sawyer boys since they were a lot of trouble, except Thomas.
"No, Sir, can't reckon I've seen him around lately. Good that they are all walking again. Them boys lucky they alive."
Monty gave an uninterested "eh" after that answer, and he and Hoyt settled in on the porch shade.
The sun was now highest in the sky, Malachai decided to gather his tools inside the house and head over back to the Gatlin house. However, Luda Mae had already been waiting there, handing him an iced tea.
"Now don't tell me you finna leave just yet," the elderly woman said, smiling. "Don't worry ain't no more fixing that needs to be done just sit for a spell."
He smiled, joining Luda Mae, Henrietta, Gladys, Babi, and Thomas at the kitchen table. Thomas had the blonde girl on his shoulders as she passed her toy teacup down to his lips as he pretended to drink, which delighted her. The rest of the gals were playing a card game, fanning themselves.
"Them boys coming inside yet?" Gladys asked glasses tilted forward, "This Sunday feeling like hellfire the way outside be burning up."
Luda answered, her hand on her chin, "They said they counting how much ammo and guns they have altogether. Tinker and Alfredo brought a stash they put out in them sheds out back. I guess they like to hoard the same way they mama do."
"Somebody said something about me?" A robotic voice called out, it was Anne who wheeled her way in smiling, "You chicken heads sure like to keep cluckin'."
The ladies laughed as Thomas stood up giving up the space at the table for his Aunt. "Thank you, son, you such a good boy. Hey Malachai?" Anne called out as he leaned against the kitchen counter.
"Yes Ma'am?" The said straightening up his posture.
"Thanks for all your help around here. Mah boys appreciate the help. And by the way..." She trailed off slowly, "That demon that's being kept over there, she acting up none?"
Malachai shook his head slightly, "She does what she's told except...I keep having issues with her and Rachel."
The women at the table perked up, Henrietta asking, "What you mean? they fightin'?"
"Yes," he groaned, "I don't know what to do. They keep going at it, and she told me it's because Rachel has a jealousy problem."
"Oh lord!" Luda mae drawled out in her southern accent, "Now why she frettin' like that? Comparing yourself to a creature like that, I thought Rachel was better than that."
Getting worked up again Malachai pouted, "I been telling her just don't mind her. But I don't know I don't get these girls. I talked to Vilmer and Darla about it but wasn't any real help."
"Well, that's nothing new," Gladys scoffed, "Seriously, they stuck here with us yet they lied with dogs and got bit by fleas now so do the rest of us!"
"Mmm-mm-mmm," Luda tsk'd in response, "I told em they need to come up with something soon, they dragged the entire family in the mud just cause they wanna get messy doing some...shady things gettin' involved with others!"
Malachai looked over to Thomas as he snuck himself and Babi off to the living room, where he proceeded to toss her up in the air him and catch her. She giggled aloud as Leatherface continued. Malachai could guess everyone knew she was Alfredo's kid by the face shape and mouth, but it didn't matter, Thomas was her dad.
The front door opened with a rowdy crowd of the Sawyers and Slaughters coming in. It seemed the stock-taking went well since Drayton walked in with a different rifle.
"Hey Cook, got yerself a new friend!" Malachai commented which made the older man grin.
"Sho' is plenty enough to blast them devil's back to hell!"
As everyone in the family gathered around, Drayton stepped forward to start an impromptu family meeting. "We gotta figure out once and for all what to do with these creatures slithering around our family home. Now, I talked with Hoyt; we have come up with blasting them all to hell, but Tinker's gonna have to show us to make up homemade bombs to put out the fields around here."
Tinker sucked his teeth, irritated at being asked now, "Problem is, captain, a lot of materials are needed for that, and I don't know if you notice once anyone steps foot or drives up these roads, they follow you. I can't even look out the wonder without a damn crow cawing overhead."
"Ain't no material left out back in the sheds?" Vilmer said slyly with arms crossed, "What about in the basement?"
"What about the basement?" Tinker said with an attitude, "Me, Alfredo, Tex, the twins, hell, even W.E. looked over counted and recounted every damn thing we got to fight against the demons. Oh shit! Not to mention, they stay watching us and what we doin'. It's only a matter of time before shit hits the fan."
Vilmer turned towards his brother, who nodded to confirm, "It's true, only bet is to scour the lands or send them kids to scout. Either way, ain't no telling what those animals could be fixin' to do back."
Tex then decided to tell his family what he knew from the watering hole yesterday." I know two of their names: Julibee and Freddy."
A pause of surprise filled the room as Tex got some looks from his family. Alfredo then barked up over to his brother, "You betta have more than just their names. What they tell you?"
Tex shared his encounter, "At the old watering hole, two of them girls come around to get in. None of us ran off so I started speaking sweet on them. All I got was they were all blood, maybe siblings. Had funny tones - from Australia. But sounds like they can't go back, all stuck here in Texas."
"Seen 'em nekkid then?" Alfredo leered, being his usual perverted self.
"Man, they were stacked like stallions!" Tex answered, causing almost all of the men to chuckle at lecherously.
Rolling his eyes, Malachai calmed down the jeers, "Alright, Alright. Did they tell you anything else that could help us get 'em out of here?"
Tex took out the bandana in his pocket to wipe his face trying to recall anything else, "They trapped here with us. Of course, they don't wanna be here. But that storm of them other creatures, like Chiquita, from that night got the higher authority. So I gotta say even if we do wipe em off the property, ahhh, who's to say they just won't send more."
"So we can't kill em?" Vilmer scowled. Causing a sudden tension in the room.
"Then what?" Drayton drawls out "Then they kill us!"
"Even if we do our best," Anne's voice crackled, "We would be getting chased the rest of their lives."
Monty, however, kept it together, "That's not what Tex said, my nephew just a warning they animals, but they ain't stupid. Very organized in their ways, I seent the way they change posts throughout the day and chirp to each other."
"We gotta go about a more crafty way," Tinker finished, "We gotta make it look like an accident or, shit, make them kill each other."
"Stirring up some drama could work." Malachai agreed with Tinker's plan. He was nervous about what the rest of the savages might do to him—and everyone else—if they got caught for killing one of their own. As time passed, the plan took shape. Tex would continue to get close to Freddy and Julibee, looking for anything he could use to create tension between them. The goal was simple: either get them to kill each other or make their council see them as too unstable to lead. With the council out of the picture, they could use the opportunity to slip away to Drayton's or Anne's old homesteads.
Hoyt warns them all to make sure they don't get too close to the demons since they would most likely stab anyone in the back. This only made Malachai think of Qiana's beautiful face and blushed lips and how it slightly hurt him to know Hoyt was right. At any chance she would get, she would kill him, no matter her loyalty to the clan's sentencing.
As the sun went fully down, all family members settled in for the night. Malachai waved goodnight to a sleeping Tinker in his truck, rifle in hand, along to Alfredo swinging in a hammock.
"I ain't asleep yet boy," Alfredo mumbled.
Standing nearby him, he turned his head, "Can't sleep either? Got too much on the brain?"
Snorting, Alfredo replied, "Nothing on my mind except sum devil women's jugs. Heh, Tex prolly gon git to 'em before I do. Sloppy seconds still good nuff to me." The half-blind pervert cackled at his own imagination before continuing with an awkward Malachai.
"Say!" He continued sitting up, "You think since they like animals they like going doggy? Hahaha!"
Shrugging, he didn't really know what to say. In all 18 years of his life, he never thought about going all the way with a girl, when he was a kid it never crossed his mind much and when Isaac came around, the only thing that was focused on was surviving and serving He Who Walks Behind The Rows. Until now, being here in Texas brought a lot of new changes.
"How about that one you keepin' in the old house, huh?" Alfredo asked, twiddling with a Polaroid camera he kept on him at all times. "You been gettin' sweet with her?"
Malachai thought about even talking to the sick bastard about anything relating to women. But curiously, since he asked...
"I mean, to tell you the truth, man to man... I don't know it's something about her I can't stop looking. Shit, even the others notice how much attention I pay to her. It gets my head all mixed up, but I don't know how I even go about making any moves on a girl..."
Alfredo could see the boy blushing even in the dark with one good eye. He decided it would have to be him to teach him the ways of a man.
"It don't matter how you go about it, son. What matters is what you gon show her when you get there. Fuck, buddy, I can't tell you how many women I broke a bed with by saying anything 'n being persistent. Because at the end of the day, that ass always gon mine. You ever need any pointers on how to get women to never forget you in the sack, come to me. Heh, heh..." He finished confidently. As he did, Thomas walked up to Malachai, gesturing to follow him to the shed.
"I better be going now," Malachai said waving goodbye, "I'll let you know if I get that far."
"Sure ya will," Alfredo assured before thinking all of his sinister imaginations run wild again, "Oooo just you wait pretty ladies, Al gon show you a thang or two. Take real good care of ya..."
Walking farther away, the young man's mind was scrambling even more now; it didn't add any help, just more confusion. The only person he felt he could talk to now was Thomas.
As the large man put away some stray ammo left on the table Malachai helped him organize everything again & decided to just tell the mute as all he could do was listen.
"H-hey Tommy? I got a crush on the blonde girl we're keeping." He stammered out. Thomas said nothing but glanced over in acknowledgement letting him speak.
"I'm kind of worried about the plan. I don't want her to hate me, but I also don't want her to kill me either. I still remember her transforming into a beast and almost ripping me apart. Still, every time I look at her, I just see this small cute girl with beautiful eyes that sparkle...sometimes, I miss out on the things she says because she's so pretty...I just don't know what to do."
Thomas had about enough, he didn't think it a good idea at all and saw the shapeshifters as a thorn in the family's side no matter how attractive all the men in the family saw them. He just wanted them to go away but thought about the new tricky plan they would have to pull and decided to help the boy out.
Handing over the shed bible to Malachai, he remembered seeing her read it that night with Hoyt and thought it would be something they could talk about.
Suspicious in disbelief, Malachai asked, "Talk with her about the bible? I don't know Tommy." However, Thomas kept shoving the bible onto him grunting in a manner of tenacity.
"Jeez! Okay! Okay! I'll see have having a bible study or something just watch the arm strength Bud damn!"