| STORY 2 Page 35 |
| Studying about that good old way And who shall wear the starry crown Good Lord, show me the way!" "Oh sisters let�s go down, Let's go down, come on down, Oh sister's let's go down, Down to the river to pray." "You like that cher? My Mom, she taught me. She loved to sing. So did my Pop. They could have sung on the radio, they were so good, but Pop was too busy chasin' the bad guys and Mom, well she taught music, ya know....What? You want more? Shoot cher' I got me a voice like a hippo with a sore throat!...Huh? Okay, if you say so. Here goes." "As I went down in the river to pray Studying about that good old way And who shall wear the robe and crown God Lord, show me the way!" "Oh brothers let's go down, Let's go down, come on down, Come on brother's let's go down Down in the river to pray." She clutched his finger in her fist, still watching him. "I wonder what Mom would've had?" he asked absently. "My Mom was gonna have a baby when she was ki...when she died, so...well...you know...But don'tcha fret, cher'. Her and Pop and Papere, why...they're all helpin' with that little one. And you know what? When I get done doin' what I have to take care of...See me? I'm gonna help 'em too." "As I went down in the river to pray Studying about the good old way And who shall wear the starry crown Good Lord show me the way!" "Oh fathers let's go down, Let's go down, come on down, O fathers let's go down, Down in the river to pray." Kit continued to rock and sing softly to her, while she cooed at him and blew tiny bubbles. "As I went down in the river to pray Studying about the good old way And who shall wear the robe and crown Good Lord show me the way!" "O mothers let's go down Let's go down, don't you want to go down, Come on mothers, let's go down, Down in the river to pray." "Wonder if she'd of been pretty like you, cher'? Me and Pop, why we'd have had to beat them ol' boys off with a stick! Shoo-wee! Your Papa, he's got his work cut out for him...He better sharpen that scimitar right now, zuRar mela 'ika. That means Little Angel, in Arabic. Betcha didn't know that! Yeah it does... Naw!...I wouldn't kid you. Betcha your Pop calls you that a lot, when he gets to know you. You gotta kinda look over him right now though. He's worried about your Mama. But like I said. He'll get to know you and cher' you are gonna be so lucky. And then your Mama, she's gonna get to know you and dang! You are gonna have so much love, you won't know what to do," he whispered, as his voice cracked with emotion. "Look Little Angel. I gotta get. Can't sit here and rock you all night and sing, besides it'll be dawn soon, and I got places to go and things to do." And a bastard to kill, he thought to himself. "So look you gotta go to sleep. Okay? What?...One more verse? Well...Okay can't say no to a pretty girl, I guess. It wouldn't be gentlemanly, but that's all. Just one more." "As I went down in the river to pray Studying about the good old ways And who shall wear the starry crown Good Lord show me the way! He watched her dark eyes droop and he kissed her forehead. Suddenly he pulled back.. What the hell was he doing? The last thing he needed or wanted was to get tangled up with these people. NO! NO! NO! He glanced down at her again and shook his head furiously. "No zuRar mela 'ika, I'm the last person in Hell, you'd ever want around. Where I'm usually at, people always wind up dead." He quietly carried her back, laying her in the cradle and covered her with a blanket, then slipped out into the dark. It was still an hour before dawn, but that gave him more than enough time to get too the end of the tunnel. He was glad now, he'd paid attention when they talked about it. It amazed him the big gorilla thought he was too damn dumb to pay attention. As far as O'Connell was concerned, if it cost a nickel to pay attention, Kit couldn't afford to listen. "Surprise Asshole!" Kit grinned as he walked to the end of the tunnel, waiting for the sun to crest the dunes. "Guess what you old knocker? I ain't so dumb after all!" He smiled brightly as the portal opened before him and he saw O'Connell the camel waiting below . As he walked through thinking about his fateful meeting with Alan Skarzinski he began to sing one more time. "As I went down in the river to pray Studying about the good old way And who shall wear the starry crown Good Lord, show me the way! "O SINNERS LET'S GO DOWN, LET'S GO DOWN, COME ON DOWN, O SINNERS LET'S GO DOWN, DOWN IN THE RIVER TO PRAY." Shelby ([email protected]) April 27, 2003 Morning was announced by Asyria's cries, which lasted as long as it took for Ardeth to get up and take her to Nefret so she could nurse. The tired mother could barely stay awake, let alone hold the baby secure enough so she could have her breakfast. She barely noticed as Ardeth settled next to her, gathering both she and the baby in his arms, slipping his arm under the baby, who finally settled down. The new father looked down at the tiny baby, amazed that she was his, that he had a part in creating her, and knew that he would protect both of them at all times. He saw movement in the left far corner of the room, and saw Evelyn enter with fresh linens for both mother and child. Seeing Ardeth holding Nefret and the baby in his arms, took Evelyn back quiet a few years to when Alex was a new born. At times such as this she missed those times, when she could hold him in her arms, and protect him, knowing where he was almost all of the time. These days she counted herself lucky if she even got a hug from him. He was at that stage in his life where he saw motherly affection as something to push away. "How are they fairing this morning?" she asked as she made her way to their pallet. As she drew closer she saw how pale Nefret looked, and wondered how they would get her back to the Med-jai village. "Asyria is doing well. Nefret..." He broke off as she stirred, and leaned his head to her right ear whispering to her softly in Arabic. She spoke something, barely audible, but Ardeth understood her need. "She is thirsty," he said looking back at Evelyn, as the baby began to stir in his arms. When Evelyn offered to take the baby he agreed, but only after both he and Nefret gave her kisses, and reassurances that they would see her soon. Before Evelyn even started out of the small room Nefret and Ardeth were sharing, she as well as anyone within a ten mile radius of their cottages heard Rick's booming voice. "I'm going to kill that Little Shit!" Only Asyria, whose tummy was now full of her mother�s milk seemed not to notice that he was less than happy, and was content to rest against Evelyn's shoulder as she was carried into the main part of the hut. When she entered the room where she, Rick, Alex, and Kit had slept, she found her husband pacing, while Alex sat up |