Kathy took off down the road running and yelled over her shoulder at Maggie.
"I'll go git my Daddy, Maggie! He'll help us!" She ran as fast as her little legs would go, knowing she couldn't get her Daddy back up there in time to help Maggie! She was scared out of her wits!
.. It's awful... I think I'm going to die! And...why can't I scream?! Maggie thought as Johnny slammed her to the ground. She started to kicking then, but he still managed to pin her to the ground on her stomach!
He laughed in a menacing way as he sat on her back. "I gotchu now! I'll teach y'all to tell on me to ole stringhead! You stupid harelipped thang! You see these harelip?! I'll fix y'all up good!" That's when she found her voice as she heard the sound of metal snapping close to her ear! Scissors..?! Screaming and kicking did no good, as she felt the blow to the side of her head, by her ear.
"Shut up! I SAID shut up!" He straddled her back, grabbing one of her thick long braids...and cut it off at the base of her scalp with the scissors! Laughing, he threw the braid down by her face and jumped up and started to run. She couldn't move...for fear he was still around. Her head hurt.. it was throbbing as the tears streamed down her face. She lay there staring at the braid in the dirt, by her eyes. Kathy thought she would never get home! She had to stop every once in a while too...to get her breath, after running. And wouldn't you know it?! ..not another soul along the way either! As she stormed through the door, she almost collided with her Daddy, Clifford.
"Whoaaa! Where y'all goin' in such a fit?! And why are you home from school early?!" He knew right away that something wasn't right, trying to keep calm as he bent donw on his hunches in front of her. Gently placing his big hands on her small shoulders, he looked at her sweaty dirty face as signs of tears that had run through the .. He frowned..if anyone hurt his baby.....!
"Maggie needs your help! Johnny Mullins jumped out of the trees and grabbed her arm! And then he spit in my face and told her he was goin' to make her pay for tellin' Mrs. Weakly on him!" Her body was heaving now...
"Kathy..slow down little darlin'. You're not makin' any sense! You say Maggie is in trouble? Why are you girls walkin' home early? Oh, never mind..let's go.. you can tell me as we walk." He quickly grabbed a wet washcloth from the kitchen along with a cold glass of water and washed her face. Then he gave her the glass of water and told her to drink it slowly. But of course she didn't! He just sighed and she set the glass down on the table and ran to the door. Shaking his head, he knew his daughter wouldn't make up a tale like that if her friend was in trouble.
|
