The Family (VOL. 1)

Chapter 22

Bubba sat at the foot of the stairs in the hall bawling his eyes out and burying his face into one of Tilly's dresses, his screaming sobs only interrupted by his need to draw a quivering breath. His broad shoulders wracked with each whine. I've heard a lot of crying over the years, but his were more agonizing than any of the cries I've heard come from the trespassers we've butchered and cooked up. 

"Momma, what're we gonna do? She's gonna rat us out to the coppers!" Nubbins asked.

I ran my hands through my hair and massaged my temples. Pacing across the floor, I tried to drown out the noise and come up with a plan. I have to protect my babies any way I can. Even if it means we have to leave our home and find a new place to set up shop.

"Momma!" Nubbins started harassing again " If they find us they're gonna throw us in jail. They'll- they'll put Bubba in a straight-jacket and lock him away in a padded room. Momma, we'll never survive!"

"Would you shut up and let me think!" I snapped. "You're not going to jail, neither of you are. I swear it! " The sound of crunching gravel and the soft rumble of an engine filled my ears. It's a car; someone's here. Aww crap!

"It's the coppers! She snitched! " Nubbins hollered, rushing around the house in a hurry shoving anything and everything into his backpack and pants pockets. "Bubba, go get the saw!" He gripped the front of his brother's shirt which only made Bubba panic and when he panics, we all panic. I still have a hole in my ceiling to remind me of that....you know, I don't think Nubbins ever recovered from it.

I darted towards the window and drew the curtain slightly aside while sticking to the shadows in case Nubbins was right and it was the police. A familiar beat up truck rolled up the drive and parked in front of the house.

"I'm not going down without a fight!" Nubbins yelled pulling out his pocket knife and clutching it with two hands like his life depended on it.

"Calm down, boy! It's just Drayton!"

"Oh, that's just great..." He muttered beneath his breath, dropping his backpack to the floor and putting his knife back in his pocket.

I strode out onto the porch and leaned against the railing trying to act as inconspicuous as possible. The engine shut off and the car door flew open. Out stormed my eldest son, Drayton, his face flushed either with anger or heat.

"You knot haired idiot!" He pointed a finger at Nubbins who was standing beside me with his arms crossed over his chest "What in the sam hell y'all been up to around here?!"

"Whatcha mean? We've been doing what we're normally doing!" I spoke before Nubbins could answer as I know whatever he'll say will start an argument between the two "Not that you'd know what that is anyway. You're always too busy to come around and see yer old momma."

" Everything as normal, huh? Then how come I got four stiffs in the back of the truck tellin' me about some maniac with a chainsaw tryin' to kill 'em! "

"Shut up, ya cook!" Nubbins yelled before I could get a word out. "You don't do none of the work around here. You don't know how hard it is to catch every single one of 'em all the time cause you're just a-a lazy old cook."

"Why you little-" Drayton growled, balling his hands into fists.

I jumped in the way of the two before he could lay a finger on him. Nubbins is all bark and no bite when It comes to his brothers, but Drayton, on the other hand, is all bark and all bite. "WOULD YOU BOTH SHUT UP!" I hollered unable to listen to their bickering any longer. 

"Momma, do you even realize what could've happened to us if they'd..." His voice trailed off as he furrowed his brow and stared at something behind me. "What's wrong with, the boy?" He asked.