Dog Days of Summer (Damned of the 2/19th Book Four) - Finished

A Slip of the Tongue

McDaurn Family Farm
Back Woods
Lewis County, Washington State
United States of America
12 August, 1986
0430

I lit another cigarette, watching the front of the farm-house. Lights had come on when we first pulled up. Within ten minutes vehicles had pulled up, the occupants careful to stay away from the four of us. All of them moving slowly and carefully, making sure that their hands were where we could see them. Nearly twenty cars and trucks had pulled up, everyone going inside.

The news had spread. Command Sergeant Major Tiernan Stillwater had arrived.

"They appear a mite nervous," Bomber chuckled as another group got out of a car and went into the farmhouse, all of them glancing repeatedly over their shoulders at us.

"Been thirty years since I've set foot on this farm," My Father mused. "Came back from the occupation of Germany for a few weeks, was told I was going to marry a girl I had never met, and I have never returned since."

The next group got out of the car, nervously watching us. The adult male had his right arm and left leg in a cast, bandages on his face. He kept glancing at us until the door shut behind him.

"That one's nervous," Nancy chuckled.

"They're afraid of the boogie-man," my Father said, chuckling.

"They have reason to be afraid of you," I said.

He chuckled again, looking at me. "Not me, boy. You."

Nancy laughed at that.

My Father dropped his cigarette, toeing it out. "Well, let's get this show on the road," He said. He reached out to me, squeezing my shoulder, and I followed. My knee ached, and I knew I was limping.

I was running on not enough sleep, too much activity, and still pumped up from Matron Aine's primal ministrations. My knee hurt, and I couldn't remember injuring it again.

"You all right, boy?" My Father asked as we stopped in front of the heavy front door.

"Knee hurts," I admitted.

"They get a piece of you?" Nancy asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

I just shrugged. She moved toward me but the Sergeant Major reached out and stopped her. "Later." She nodded, looking slightly defiant, but moved to stand next to me.

"I'm not going to forget what they did to me," Nancy snarled. The scar on the side of her face was a deep livid purple.

"Let me handle this, Miss Nagle," my Father said.

"Yes, sir," Nancy said. My Father made a hmm, noise, ending the conversation, and reached for the door handle.

The door opened smoothly, revealing the broad entry hall with the portraits and wall hangings lit by cleverly hidden lights. At the far end of the hallway two young boys waited by the door, staring at us nervously.

"Return to your mothers, children, I can open a door myself," The Sergeant Major told them.

The nodded jerkily, one swallowing nervously, and they scampered out the side door, leaving the hallway entry. We stood there for a long moment.

"Let them realize that we will come in when we're ready, not before," The Sergeant Major said. "We need to take control of this right away. They aren't used to being the ones made to wait."

The three of us nodded. My nerves were singing and I had to keep myself for reaching for the knife. Just to touch the hilt, to reassure myself I was still armed, just to remind myself I was not a prisoner this time.