My Time By the River

Chapter Two

"The River"

"So, I figured I should start givin' these chapters a title but I haven't decided on where to put 'em... I guess that's what Dally would'a wanted from me on his part. Maybe a little more detail, too. I ain't gonna say this chapter will be longer, but I need to take the time to explain the importance of the River. Dally felt at home there as we-all did."

"I sure wish Barry was here. He would definitely have more to say and more to give to this story. But I'm still here. And the River ain't goin' nowhere far as I can tell. And the sun's shinin' with all its rays, and, as Dally would say on such a fine day 'I'll give it all I got.'" -Peter R. Connors

Me and Dally stood there as we always did, lookin' this way and that, from one stretch of the river to the other. It didn't seem to have no end neither a beginnin' and the water was a type of calm neither of us seen in ages. Barry, crossed in front of us and sat near the edge and tugged off his shoes so he could dip his feet into the coolness. He didn't say nothin' and I was wonderin' if he was still speechless. To be honest, none of us spoke for a good minute and I was thinkin' we was just gonna spend the rest of the day in silence with the serenity of the water. (Huh. "Serenity." I would'a never used that word at that age. Couldn't tell ya what it meant.) Now, I dunno if this happened b'fore or after, but, when I looked at Dally, I noticed his face was no longer red or hot like the sun. No, his face was relaxed and his eyes were softened and trained on the water. He didn't say nothin' but I knew he was yearnin' for sumthin'. Maybe searchin' for it. And who knows what it was. A sign or prophecy? A peace or, maybe, a hallelujah.

"Them tadpoles in the water always get to me," said Barry, who had rolled his trousers up to his knees and plunged his legs in the water. "Always swimmin' 'round and stuff. Tryin' to imitate fish. But they ain't fish and they ain't foolin' no one." He was tryin' to break the silence. Perhaps it was uncomf'table for him. I went along.

"Yeah, they just like gnats of the water 'til they evolve into useless land-dwellers."

"Yeah, and I ain't got too much a strong likin' for them frogs neither. Especially them ones in the trees. Always hoppin' 'round makin' me all antsy and causin' a mess down by the saloon. You hear them gals yesterday screamin' all the way into the square? Bet it was a stupid frog that hopped across the bar. Like slimy rats that jump 'round. So, theys worse than 'em."

"But they got some tasty legs. I can't down talk 'em too much cuz they hoppin' puts food on the table sumtimes. I think, the more they hop, the more muscle they got. And that makes 'em tender. Hop-hop little frogs. Keep hoppin'." Barry laughed at that and it was the first time either of us cracked a smile that day. And, I think Dally even smirked. We joined Barry in the river, rolling our trousers up and tugging off our shoes which were fallin' 'part at the soles. Dally dipped his feet into the water, carefully takin' in the cool. I plunged mines in cuz I wanted them tadpoles to scatter along with the fish. Hate 'em kissin' my feet and ankles.

The evenin' went on and we finally got a word outta Dally and it wasn't sad neither carryin' the weight of emotion. "Them fish... You scared them over here, Pete..." I looked at him a good minute and burst out laughin' hard. He laughed too and began kickin' the water to make 'em go away. He didn't particularly like 'em neither. And, of course, bein' boys, we took to splashin' each other, all of us, Barry included b'fore gettin' up to go on home. Now, Dally was already home bein' that this was his dad's property. Yeah, seventy-two acres of land and ole' Zach Butcher was proud of it. Dally once said it was the only thing he was proud of. And the river cut right through it, providin' his land to be the most prosperous in the entire town.

We stood up off the ground and pulled our trousers back down and gathered our shoes and turned 'round to leave. And, as we was leavin', I turned and saw a big ole' wooden box floatin' down the river. And a little gal was followin' it. I nudged Dally as he was next to me.

"Hey Dally" I said. "Dally, what's that gal doin' over here?" He turned 'round and was surprised by the little one.

"Hey," he called out, "Hey gal!.. Hey!" She paid him no mind and kept chasin' the box t'wards us. "Hey, gal!!" Dally called again. This time she looked up and saw us. And as she got closer, I saw tears streamin' down her face faster than the river.

"Stop it!" she said. Excuse me?! "Stop it, please!!" she called again, this time pointin' at the box. Barry was already ahead of us. He ran and grabbed a branch and was reachin' out to tug the box t'wards him. He ain't made it seem too heavy so, me and Dally focussed our attention on the gal. Dally's fists were a little tightened and I worried for the gal's sake.

"Dally," I said, "let me talk to her."

"Pete, we don't know where she's from or what she's doin' here. I don't trust no strangers nevermind how young or innocent they look. I'mma talk to her."

"Dally, no. You're not. Find a place to put that anger. I'll talk to her." Dally didn't say nothin' after that and I assumed it was alright if I went ahead. I turned back t'wards the gal who stopped a good 6 or 7 feet in front of us. Her tears was still flowin' as her eyes darted between me, Dally, and the wooden box Barry was still tryin'a fish outta the water. "It's alright, gal," I said slowly movin' t'wards her, "it's alright. I ain't gonna hurt you." She stepped back, my guess, in fear. I stopped and looked back at Barry who was still tuggin' the box aground. I looked forward again t'ward the gal. "Ain't no need to be afraid, gal. We here to help you. Ain't none of us gonna hurt you. Just wanna know yer name and where yer parents at is all." She didn't move. Her eyes were fixed on that box and she didn't say a word neither. Everythin' about her was curious. She appeared human. Had the look of a female child about the age of 10 years old. Her hair was matted and full of forest; her face survived cuts; her clothes were mud spattered and torn; and all long her arm and I assumed her body were bruises and what appeared to be burn marks. And, it was safe to say she wasn't prepared to trust nobody same as Dally wasn't prepared to trust her.

Thank you for reading Chapter 2 of "My Time By the River"

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All constructive criticism is welcomed by all means. 

*Chapter 3 will be posted next week Thursday/Friday

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Thanks for reading!

-David