Nobody Can Say It's You

80

Nobody came from the hills to eat Button Dudley's sins. Nobody.

The old man had lived for so long and had pawned his soul for so many others that no mortal would risk his own soul's damnation by pardoning Button and assuming the guilt of so many transgressions. Button's soul was too black, the list of offenses too great.

Dara often thought of the midnight service. She'd never been to any other one quite like Button's.

And no one came to eat his sins.

No one.

It was sad. No one would even agree to speak a few words over the dead man. Certainly, no preacher worth his salt. Everyone in the far backcountry knew what Button did. Everyone was afraid the stain would somehow fall on them. Only Granny Dilcie was brave enough to tell the small group of elders that she would agree to say something over his sin-filled corpse.

"Ever'body deserves a decent burial," Dilcie had said.

The elders had vetoed the idea of Button being buried on his land. Such an act would curse the mountain forever. Someone said Button was kin to Harvey. They agreed to contact the cemetery man. Harvey would let them have a spot for Button dirt cheap.

So, it was agreed that Button Dudley's body would be brought down in its hand-hewn wooden coffin and interred in Memorial Gardens down in Hope Rock County. That would be all right. Those city folk did not believe as they. Let the curse be on that small plot there. They would bury him at midnight.

Dara wanted Chandra to attend the service with her.

"But. Chan," Dara said, "you gotta go. I'm gonna be the only one there my age. It's spooky. I don't want to go there alone."

Chandra would have none of it.

"You go if you want to, Dara," Chandra said, "but count me out. I don't want nothing to do with that circus. You and Granny can have it. I got a date with Berth."

Chandra was lying. Berth was out of town with his daddy. Floyd was having some kind of medical tests. But Dara wouldn't know that.

Chandra would have the house to herself. If it got too lonely, she might head over to Estill's. Dougal might pitch a fit, but not a very big one. For some time now, it seemed the Estill had finally managed tame to him. Chandra wondered what spell Estill had used.