Aunty

6

Morning came. I had paced all night, letting the lovebirds sleep. I was about as tired as an empty tick. My mind fitful with knives scraping on bone. In the middle of the night, I had smelled the meat in Horence's satchel start to turn and moved upwind. Now that the light came, I watched as it filtered to the Washington estate. I listened as the rooster crowed. I heard a gate open. I let the time pass and finally Zadie stirred.

"Good morning,".

She sat up and stretched, leaning against Horence's bulk.

"Hello Rupert,".

"Ready to wrastle with Walt,"?

"Hmmm. I hope it's more of a quick whack on the head,". She rubbed her eyes, "Did you get any sleep,"?

"Horence needed it more than me," I said. "Plus, I need to work up the courage. Strange how when the anger subsides and you're left on your own, you can talk yourself out of anything. I'm half inclined to go back to Thrapston and let Walt keep his little sinister plot,".

"But,"...

"Yeah. Anna. She didn't do anything to deserve Walt,".

"Not a wink for Jasper,"?

"Jasper seems not Walt's type. Anyway, let's get on with it before I lose my gall,".

Zadie shook Horence awake, "Wake up you beast,".

He rolled over, putting his jacket over his head, mumbling.

"Poor bastard,".

Zadie patted his back with her hand, "Let him sleep,". Scratching her chin with her stump, she continued, "Walt's not going anywhere,".

Walt's not going anywhere but if we sit here long enough, he's gonna smell us.

I nodded, "Not too long. I don't want to lose my courage,".

It was well high noon before Zadie let me wake Horence. I had wiled away the time wondering what kind of life Zadie and Horence could have. Probably a good one. She the brains. He the brawn. It'd work quite nice if I didn't get them killed...

A pain in my gut told me I had to shit, and I scrambled to the other side of the road while they covered our camp with elm leaves. I spent too long covering up my business, and Horence came walking out on the road, as big as a house.

"Get down," I whispered.

Horence looked about himself, confused. I motioned for him to duck, and he got it, ducking. I scrambled over to him, and we went back behind the elm.

"Sorry old boy, I'm as rattled as a chicken in a doghouse,".

Horence smiled, "It's ok Rupert. I know this fella must've kicked your teeth in or something. You haven't said nary a bad thing about him,".

"Ha. That's right. I'm afraid he'll hear me,". I turned to face them both, "Ok let's go. Horence you get up to the door, but don't knock until Zadie and me are hidden,".

"Got it,".

We ambled down the road and turned into the Washington estate driveway. The short, neat bushes provided a pretty entrance. The rows of dahlias and carnations bobbed about, and I thought of all my dock friends who rushed me when I showed up, broken-faced. Holy hell Rup, you get kicked by an ox? You're uglier than Robert's granny! Can you see outta that eye? I said nothing, just got madder than a hornet and told them all to fuck off. I was in deep with the dock rat crew, but they only knew the smart tongued Rupert, the sleazy wiseacre. They didn't know what to do with the morose Rupert, so they pissed off, and I stewed for a while. How long had I stewed? Had I stopped? No matter. Aunt Alzina soon came to visit, taking my mind off my scars. I forgot about the dock rats and focused on new pleasures. I stayed away from the dock and found a job on the Blakely farm, baling and milking. I grew strong. My dour mood stayed with me though. Was it my mum's teasing that led me to leave Braintree, or was I scared of Walt? Reflection always tired me.