Episode 8 – A Promise to the Dead
590 Words
“John,” Corey said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, “why don’t you quit talking for a minute and get breakfast started? Grab some coffee and whatever we’ve got left from the bus.”
John chuckled.
“I was wondering when you were gonna put me to work.”
“You’ve been talking since daylight. Time to earn your breakfast.”
John laughed as he headed toward the bus.
“I’ll get the coffee going.”
The smell of bacon soon drifted across the barnyard.
Normally it would’ve made Corey smile.
Today…
Nothing felt normal.
He stood near the pasture fence staring toward the neighboring farm Michael had mentioned the night before.
Something wasn’t sitting right.
Michael had been friendly.
Too friendly.
Like a man trying to settle unfinished business.
Corey couldn’t shake the feeling.
“Dad…”
Hazel’s voice came quietly from behind him.
Corey turned.
“What is it, baby girl?”
“I seen somebody walking around your bus before daylight.”
His expression instantly changed.
“What do you mean?”
“I woke up because the horses were making noise. I looked out the loft window.” She pointed toward the driveway.
“I thought it was you… but whoever it was walked over by Mom’s truck.”
Corey’s heartbeat sped up.
“You should’ve woke me.”
“I didn’t know if it was important.”
“You did the right thing telling me now.”
He immediately walked toward Veronica’s truck.
Everything looked normal.
Then he noticed something tucked beneath the driver’s side windshield wiper.
A folded envelope.
He slowly pulled it free.
One word was written across the front.
Christian.
Only one person here knew him by that name.
Michael.
Corey unfolded the letter.
The more he read…
The paler his face became.
“What is it?”
Veronica’s voice startled him.
She had walked up carrying two steaming paper plates.
The smell of lavender reached him before she did.
“Damn it, Veronica.”
She frowned.
“What did I do now, love?”
He looked at her, eyes full of sadness.
“Nothing.”
She handed him a plate.
“I was bringing you breakfast.”
“What happened?”
Without answering, Corey handed her the letter.
She read silently.
Halfway through…
Her hand covered her mouth.
“Oh…”
Corey stared toward the neighboring farm.
“I found him.”
Veronica slowly looked up.
“What?”
“He hung himself in his machine shed.”
Silence settled between them.
“He waited until everyone was asleep.”
Veronica’s eyes filled.
“He couldn’t leave his children…”
Corey nodded.
“He says they’re still at the house.”
He looked toward the barn where everyone else was laughing over breakfast.
“I’ve been standing here trying to figure out if we should get involved.”
“You already know the answer.”
“I do.”
“What if it were Hazel…”
He couldn’t finish.
“What if something happened to us?” Veronica whispered.
“What would we pray someone else would do?”
Corey closed his eyes.
“I’d pray they found our kids.”
Veronica slipped her hand into his.
“So that’s what we’re going to do.”
He smiled sadly.
“I knew you’d say that.”
“That’s one of the reasons I married you.”
She squeezed his hand.
“Go wake everyone.”
Corey nodded.
“I guess we get to ruin some children’s lives today.”
- Writer
