The Woman with Eight Fingers

Part V: Changing The Lyrics

Isom was digging trenches. Ish was trying to help, but pained grunts denoted each time the trench had outlasted him. JJ and Eight Fingers sat huddled around one of the old cannons. JJ winced each time he heard Ish grunt in pain. "Do you really think you can get it working?" EightFingers whispered to JJ.

He nodded. "You think you and mom were the last fighters in our war? The Soldaderas did damn Well, but weren't the only ones fighting."

"I don't know. I was in the thick of it. I only saw us."

"You only had eyes for my mom." JJ joked back.

Eight Finger's face fell."I... God I wish..." She said in a sad, small voice.

Louisiana was hemming the four in on all sides.

JJ nodded bleakly.

"JJ... you don't need to stay. Its down below... you could..."

"Run away? Leave you behind? Never come back?" JJ's words were more harsh than they weremeant to be.

"You don't get it. I got both of your... I got... your namesakes are dead because of me."

"Yep."

"JJ. Look at me. I've only... I've only ever been... been in the," she stumbled lookingfor words, frantically she chose to say, "the shadow of the valleyof death." She sighed, frustrated. Scared. "I... I don't know if I can leave it. I want to leave it... but the... embers won't snuff out. I spent my whole life... every damn day... looking for revenge. It... Its like a noose around my neck. The farther I go the tighter It... the tighter it gets. But... I can't cut it... cause... cause it's also the only thing left holding me up... I... I don't now if I can  stand without it... this curse... or infection... whatever theHell has happened to Louisianna... its not a new lease on life forme. I'm not like you, or your friends. I'm here to..."

"To die?"

Eight Fingers did nothing to reply. As if she had not even heard the words.

JJ shook his head. "You know... I don't think you are the person you are in the big moments. The life or death ones. When you've got all the chips down, and all you are is gnashing teeth and desperation."

Ellie blinked. Not understanding.

"You are the person you are in the quiet moments. The ones where you're choosing your life. The little things you hold onto. Choose to do. I don't know who you are in the little moments."

Ellie gulped, realizing she wasn't sure she knew anymore either.

"But... I'm going to usemy little moments to try and get to know that person."

He returned to the cannonwithout another word.

Somehow the two felt as ifthey had gone beyond words.

*

None of the three had quiteunderstood what Ellie had said was coming for them. A spider made oftwisted limbs, a wicked beast in the center of this horrendous trap.Scuttling about in search of its prey.

All Louisianna was its web.

All its evil strandsbringing writhing prey deeper and deepering into Fort Carmick.

The longer the trencheswore on the closer they got to its den.

They could hear the fleshyskittering of its movements.

The hideous haphazardbreathing that never made sense.

The fort itself was echoingits sound at them.

A reminder that this placewas not a place of glory.

It was a place of death.

There were no new livesbuilt in Fort Carmick.

Then Ish swore.

He looked up at Isom. "Youwanted a shanty? Then join in." He began to sing.

"Well Isom shot the deadaway

And we say so, cause weknow so

Just took him all damn day

Oh, poor old Ish!"

At first he sung alone. Heshook his head and kept singing. He needed to. It drowned out hisfear.

"Then JJ shot till hisbarrel turned hot!"

JJ and Isom joined in onthe repeated lines.

"And we say so, cause weknow so"

Ish smiled. There weretears in his eyes. He had a crew again.

"Too damn bad he missedevery shot!"

JJ laughed in the chorus.

"Oh, poor old Ish!"

Eight Fingers and Louisianawatched on as Ish sang.

"Well 8 fingers, I don'tknow at all!"

Isom and JJ took over thechorus.

"And we say so, cause weknow so!"

Eight Fingers nodded, andlet her lungs fill with fresh air.

"So nothingwitty bout you I'll call!"

She joined in.

"Oh, poor old Ish!"

For an hour they sang attheir work.

Each took turns singing averse. Joking with each other.

At some point Louisianajoined in on the chorus. Its wind rattling the forgotten bones intime to the beat.

Eight Fingers nudged JJ,"he's a joker." she said nodding her head over at Ish.

JJ smiled. "Yeah. Inoticed."

"You know... you're momwas into jokers."

JJ's face went a deepscarlet. "I know!" He glanced over at Ish. By then Ish had takenhis shirt off to defy the oppressive heat of the dead bayou. "Onlydamn thing this bayou is good for."

"You said that out loud."Eight Fingers whispered.

JJ scowled, but his facestayed a burnt red.

The only counter-melody tothe moment of reprieve that persisted was the hideous screech of thespidery thing behind the heavy doors of the fort.

That was until it becametime to unleash it.