~The only sound ,to be heard, as the mad man laughs...~
~Josiah's memory swept backwards amidst the gun battle, to a time when he was happy. This time the memorys did not bring bitter tears of anguish, because it brought, so much turmoil to his life. No. Instead. This time the brought a sense of peace of mind.
Josiah remembered growing up in his town, Oakhills, and meeting Clara as a child. They would go swimming in the summer and during autumn they would sit in the tall grass and talk about things.
One year in the fall when Josiah had turned 13 and Clara was midway there they sat and talked.
"Clara? You got yourself another one of those bruises on youse arm." Josiah said touching her shoudler. Clara flinched away and scowled off into the distance.
"It aint nothing to be throwin a fuss about." Clara muttered. Josiah was not to be thrown off though.
"Yeah it is. I know its youse brother ain't it. You was tellin' me last summer that he was taken to bein a little rough on youse when ya'll wrestle." Josiah said. Clara looked at him and punched him in the shoulder.
"So that don't be matterin'. I know what you be think Josiah Wilkinson. You shut yer' trap and let me deal with this here problem." She said wrapping her arms about herself. Clara shivered and tucked her chin to her knees. So much was changing. Well Clara was... Josiah figured. He sighed and kicked a rut into the dirt with his shoe.
"My pa is gettin some new seeds for some clover. We'er gonna be rotatin the fields again." Josiah said changing the subject. "Hey you cold?" Clara shook her head. Even so Josiah took off his tattered shirt and pulled it over her head, making her a makeshift gown to go over her. "There."
In the suns setting Josiah did not see Clara's blush. They sat in silence.
"Your pas rotatin' the field again?" She said. For the rest of the day till they went home they talked about nothing in particular.
Even so as Josiah went home and curled up in bed, his body trembled. Clara's brother...no, no man should, lay a hand on a female. He seethed with rage.~
~Is like a concave scream...~
