The Legend Lives

Tommy's Back

Mindy watched as Tex tied the woman to a chair in the kitchen. He then hammered nails into her hands to the wooden arms of the chair that way she wouldn't escape so easily.

"So", Tex said as he hammered in the nails. "How do you like Texas?"

She cried not only in pain, but also from fear. Tex stood up and pointed a nail in her face.

"More little nails if you don't stay put."

"Why are you doing this?" the woman asked.

"Because if you don't poke them, then they don't leak", Carrie answered. "And if they don't leak, then we can't feed Grandpa. Silly."

Mindy looked at the corpse of Grandpa Sawyer that sat in the corner of the kitchen. Thomas insisted on bringing his corpse with them. Their family belonged together. Mindy took the cup of the woman's blood and handed it to Carrie.

"Go feed Grandpa, dear", she said.

"Ruckus, ruckus. My nap is just a goner. I hope you're all pleased with yourselves.

Mama Sawyer wheeled into the room looking tired.

"Oh, I'm so sorry", Mindy said. "We didn't mean to wake you."

She nodded and looked around.

"Where's Tommy?" she asked.

"Mopping up, Mama", Tex answered.

"Uh-huh... uh-huh. That's what you always say. Mopping up, which means you ain't caught them all like last time."

Mindy shook her head. Tex and Tinker always made Thomas' job harder than usual.

"Please", the woman in the chair cried. "What have we done? Can't you stop this?"

Mama Sawyer looked at her.

"You'd best shut up or I'll do your tongue first", she said.

"That's right", Tex said. "Best not to get Mama angered up."

Mindy nodded as she opened the refrigerator door looking at Thomas' birthday cake inside. She quickly closed the door as she heard someone coming inside.

"Tommy?"

She sighed in disappointment when she saw it was just Tinker. It looked like he was dragging someone inside.

"Brought home the bacon, Mama", Tinker said.

Mindy, Carrie and Mama Sawyer watched as Tex helped Tinker tie the young man up by his wrists and legs above the sink.

"We got some dark meat coming too, Mama", Tinker said. "Sure to be trotting in here any minute."

"If he minds", Mama Sawyer said.

Mindy started tapping her fingernails on the counter. Where was Thomas? She was getting impatient. Tinker looked at him as he looked through his tools.

"You know Tommy's been getting out of hand lately. That present we got for him should keep him in line."

"If he gets out of hand, it's probably because something's bothering him", Mindy said. "He's not an animal you can control."

Tex and Tinker looked at the woman in the chair who continued to cry.

"She looks to me like she could go all screamy on us, Eddie."

Tex picked up a meat cleaver and slammed it on the counter in anger.

"I wish you'd call me Tex", he said. "I told you."

"I'm sorry. Say, how'd you like to do us the honor of plugging her up?"

He thought about it for a minute and then nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Mindy shook her head as she looked out the window, ignoring what was happening in the kitchen. She tried to see if she could spot Thomas outside.

"Mommy!" she heard. "Mommy, watch!"

Mindy turned to see Carrie with a roll of tape. She watched as Carrie and Tex wrapped the tape around the woman's head getting her to be quiet.

"I'll get Tommy's present", Tinker said. "Say Tex, you want to give me a hand with this? The thing's so damn heavy."

Tex looked at the woman and grabbed a handful of her hair.

"Don't even think about leaving before dinner."

Tex went outside to help Tinker with Thomas' present. Carrie helped Mama Sawyer into the other room, leaving Mindy alone. She put her hands on her stomach and looked out the window waiting for Thomas. She saw Tinker and Tex by the truck, but out of the darkness came another person.

"Tommy!"

Mindy ran outside and jumped into his arms.

"Tommy, where have you been? I've been so worried about you!"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.