Waterbound

1931

~~~

Winter

~~~

Sarah couldn't stop counting what remained of their money. Even with the small amount that John brought home weekly, the number never seemed to increase. Fortunately, it held steady but hardly and that was with both her and Pat eating meals half the size of their children. Sarah knew they couldn't last the way they were living. And so, every morning, she found herself in the pantry, counting the money once again.

"John?" She called out as she stared inside the canister with a frown.

He appeared behind her. "Yes?"

"Did you take any money out of this?"

"No," he replied, shaking his head. "I've put money in it but never the other way around. Why?"

"It's missing $30."

"Maybe you miscounted?"

"No, I didn't miscount," Sarah snapped. She had counted the money twice just to be certain. "Where's your father?"

John shrugged. "Haven't seen him all day."

"He left," Eileen piped up from where she sat at the table, a coloring book open in front of her.

Sarah looked at her and felt a prickle of unease run up her spine. "Did he say where he was going?"

"He told me not to tell you." She didn't look up from her picture.

"And when was this?"

Eileen shrugged.

"He probably just wanted some air," John suggested. "He's been a bit stir crazy lately."

Sarah knew that Pat didn't like being stuck inside the house all of the time but she was so afraid of losing him again, of someone returning him to the asylum, that she could hardly let him out of her sight. But to leave without telling her? She hadn't the time to debate on whether they should search for him or let him be when Tommy came barreling into the room.

"Where's Aunt Sarah?" He asked, struggling to catch his breath.

"Right beside you."

"Oh." He turned to look at her and took a deep breath. "Mom told me to fetch you at once and to hurry because it's urgent."

Sarah left John to look after Eileen and followed Tommy home.

"Kate?" She said, the moment she walked through the door. "What's going—" Her words caught in her throat as she took in the scene before her.

Hugh stood at the far end of the room, his arms folded and a look of bored amusement on his face. Across from him, at the other end, stood Pat, a gun clutched in his trembling hand and anguish painted on his face.

Sarah sighed. At least now she knew where the missing money went.

"Ye have to do somethin'," Kate whispered urgently. "He's lost his mind."

"I can hear ye, mind ye," Pat snapped, his gaze never leaving Hugh.

"Then put the gun down," Kate pleaded. "Before someone comes to harm."

Hugh scoffed. "I doubt he knows what he's doing," he said derisively. "His mind's completely snapped.

Sarah reached for Pat's arm. "Let's go home," she calmly suggested. "He's not worth it."

But he refused to move.

"You know how easily I could have you thrown back into that place?" Hugh taunted. "Seeing how you were never officially released. Some orderly snuck you out in the dead of night. In fact, I bet they're still out there searching for you."