Eilise, God, And The Witches [Fake Tattoos #2]

Foul Language

July, 1977

Eilise took the shoe box from under her bed. She laid belly down on top of the quilt that covered her bed and opened up the shoe box. She took the roll of money out of the box and removed the rubber band.

She added the money she had put aside from her pay check and did a recount. She banded the money back together, put it in the box, and closed the lid. She needed but a little more and it would no longer be money. It would be a car.

Eilise came down the stairs. It was a typical evening the Smith American family house hold. Everyone was packed into the kitchen. Lahrlin was finishing up dinner and John sat patiently at the table for supper, drinking his glass of whiskey and contemplating the day. Erin and Bethany were standing just out of their mother's way. The two sisters were giggling away.

"Oh my God!" Said Bethany.

"Oh my God!" Young Erin replied.

"Oh my God!" Said Bethany again, this time with more dramatic flair.

"Oh my God!" Said Erin with an eardrum splitting screech.

"Mother..." John said, but it was barely audible. He didn't even turn in her direction. He took another sip of his whiskey.

"What in God's name are you two going on about?" Lahrlin yelled through the steam of the pot roast. "You better calm down, right now!"

The girls ceased their noise, but continued to laugh silently to each other, speaking in secret sister smirks. Bethany gave Eilise a smirk too, before whispering in Erin's ear. This sent Erin into another fit of laughter.

"I'm not joking around," said Lahrlin.

"Eilise?" Erin asked. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" Eilise asked defensively.

"Is it true that you talk to God?"

Eilise and Lahrlin both turned bright red.

"Erin!" Lahrlin cried. "Who told you that?"

"It was Bethany!" Erin shouted pointing a finger at her sister.

"I mean..." Bethany said with an exasperated sigh, "it's not like it's a secret. We can hear you talking all night. We have ears you know!"

"Oh yeah!" Eilise shouted, "Well guess what, Erin? Did you know that Bethany is named after our dead sister? Yeah! She's nothing but a replacement model!"

That had been enough.

No one knew exactly what order everything had happened in. The sound of the sliding chair came first though. That was for certain. For the rest of their lives, none of them could hear a chair slide without thinking of that night.

Suddenly John was standing in the middle of the room, looking like his eyeballs were going to shoot out from their sockets. With a massive gorilla swing, one arm came upon Eilise, sending her into the wall hard enough to break the drywall in the other room. The other arm came down on Bethany knocking her to the floor.

It was rare that John had ever had to spank his children. The girls were always Lahrlin's responsibility. He certainly had never hit them before, the thought had never crossed his mind.

The girls cowered in fear. No one made sound. All that could be heard was the ticking of the grandfather clock in the other room and the sound of John's heaving breath.

Erin started to cry...

John looked up at Lahrlin and she flinched.

"Mother..." John spoke through clenched teeth. "Would you please learn to control your children?"

Lahrlin reached over cautiously and snatched Erin, avoiding John's arm's reach.

"I'm sorry, Father..." Lahrlin said.

John turned his gaze back down to the floor.

"I don't even know who the hell you people are anymore..." John said. He voice was now solemn. "If you see my family, let them know that I'm looking for them."

John walked to the front door. He put on his coat and hat. He stopped for a moment before opening the door. He stood there for a moment, holding the handle of the door with his head hung. He brought his other hand up to wipe his face and left.