The River Flows The Same

The River Flows The Same

By TRACY McCLAIN

To my friends in the Linwood West Virginia area, This is all fiction. I know I put a lot of familiar names and egos out there, but don’t take offense to this. I started writing one night while I was stuck back in Ohio and was missing ya’all. I know it wasn’t very cool of me to kill Monica off but when you go through a break up, albeit we stayed friends, it is fun to kill your ex off in a short story.

If anyone gets pissed off at me for this story, meet me at The Fiddle and I will buy you a beer or three and then we can throw flies in the morning. This was all in fun. For those who may stumble across this, I have to say the community at Linwood W.V. is probably the funnest group of folks you may ever encounter. If you happen in at The Fiddle sometime, get yourself a beer and put it on my tab.

Tracy

Dedicated to Lachlan McClain My Ole Blue Hound

1

It seemed like just a normal Sunday morning. The sun was just peeking over the mountains. Steam was rising from the Big Springs River as were the trout. A lone fly fisherman was casting along the banks of Kermit’s pasture which ran along Route 219 and route 66 in southern West Virginia. Kermit kept beef cattle on one end and feeder hogs at the other.

Kermit liked the taste of a free roam hog more than a corn fed hog. Life is easy here. Not too much happens in the spring and summer months until Thanksgiving when the ski resort opens and the seasonal employees and tourist return with a bang to awaken this normally quiet area. Most locals only think of the winter as the money making months.

When the ski season is over, life gets back to normal.

A small ripple in the river where the stonefly nymph fly lightly slaps the the water. The fly fisherman is a local, goes by the nickname of T-Mac, and he fishes this small river at least three days or more a week. The Elk is close by but the smaller river appeals more to T-Mac. As he begins to pull in some line he notices something out of place, or more like an odd shape on the opposite bank. T-Mac decides to investigate and starts to work his way through the swift current in the center of the river. As he gets closer to the object his heart begins to speed up with what he thought he was seeing.

Then with his heart pounding in his throat as if he had ran a mile, he realized the object was what he feared it to be, a body.

This was not a random body either, T-Mac recognized this young girl. He just saw her last night at The Fiddle, the only bar in town. The Fiddle wasn’t just the area bar but also functioned as the public meeting place for the three hundred or so locals who lived here year round. The Fiddle was the main music venue Wednesday through Saturday evenings with local mountain genres and even some national acts have made appearances. Many fund raisers and community meetings have been hashed out over the burgers and pizzas of The Fiddle.

The body was that of a girl which had come to the area some years back as a restaurant employee to the mountain ski resort and she loved the area so much she never left. Her name was Monica and she was an attractive girl who loved the night life and being apart of the community social scene. She had came here with her boyfriend to live the ski resort life. Ski and snowboard bums. They had left this area once and spent time in Colorado and North Carolina before returning to the place they enjoyed the most, Linwood. Monica, like nearly every girl who comes here, got caught up in the knowledge of only being one girl for every fifteen guys. This dilemma usually sends young girls into a “Princess

men of the area and this leads to competition and jealousy. The unspoken rule of the area is that if a man waits his turn on a specific girl, his turn will come. Most girls here have several boyfriends which tolerate the situation.

T-Mac had to walk to the Exxon gas station which was only a few hundred yards from the river. This area of Pocahontas County has no cell service due to the Radio Observatory being so close by in Green Bank. T-Mac called the local Marshal at his home, T-Mac was a volunteer fireman as many men here were and he knew Bo, the Marshal, would be home still. The other situation was that Bo was the brother of the man that Monica had been seen dating lately. Being such a small community T-Mac knew this would get out soon enough so no reason to speed the rumors up. “ Bo, we have a bad situation.” T-Mac said into the phone “ Dude it is like six a.m. this best be a real emergency.” Bo said back with a half assed grin not knowing the situation.

“Bo, it’s Monica, I found her down by the river, “ T-Mac paused to catch his breath and collect his thoughts, “ Bo, she is in a pool of blood, Bo, she is dead.”

Bo did not speak for a few seconds. The sound of both men breathing was all that was heard over the phone. Then TMac said “Bo? You there Bo?” “Ya, I’m here, Fuck!, this ain’t good”. Bo started “ You know my brother Ed is seeing that girl?

“Ya, I know, that is why I called you first. I saw them arguing at The Fiddle last night. Everyone did.” T-Mac replied “Shit, this ain’t good....Ok, I’m on my way”.

“Right behind the Fiddle between the Exxon station.” T-Mac gave his directions.

Bo pulled into The fiddle parking lot and drove around to the back so his squad car wouldn’t be as noticeable.

Walking back to the scene he thought about how he would tell his mother. His brother wasn’t a violent man by nature.

He had however been in love with Monica since he first met her working at the golf course on the resort. Monica was still with her boyfriend at that time and like most men here, Ed waited his turn.

“Over here, Bo,” T-Mac softly spoke up from the river.

“Shit, that’s her alright. Have you touched her at all?” Bo asked “ No, not at all.”

Bo rolled the body over and verified it was in fact Monica. She was wearing the white sun dress that she was wearing the night before at The Fiddle. It looked as though she had been hit with something hard across the head. No other marks seem to be on the body. A pool of blood had formed on the ground beneath her face from the blood which came from her nose and mouth as the trauma set in. Her white dress was soiled with the reddish mud from the river bank. Most of the river is rocky, but this area sits flat and collects some soil sediment.

By now a few folks have began to take notice that something was going on by the river. The town of Linwood is not really a town but more of a stretched area of businesses related to the ski industry and Realtors trying to take advantage of the sporadic growth of the ski resort. The locals who have repopulated the area have began to make it a true community by adding a library, a day care and other public businesses. So for anything out of the ordinary to take place, it will be noticed quickly by someone and then relayed by mouth even quicker.

Bo noticed a few folks walking through the field towards he and T-Mac and the body so he attempted to intercept them half way into the field. Bo knew as soon as the word got out it would make the case a circus and he wanted to get Ed into the jail before mountain justice began to spin it’s web. The area is so remote that self policing has been the way of life for many years. Usually it works but sometimes it doesn’t and when it doesn’t it can be dreadfully bad..

Bo knew once the boys who ran around with Monica caught wind of this, his chance of finding his brother and finding the truth about what happened would be much harder.

Monica had a group of friends that was more like her. They liked to party and raise a little Hell. Ed was more of a home body. He didn’t go out much and preferred to stay on the farm with his parents. He was a good guy with good values which is why the mix of he and Monica was a mystery to many in the area. Monica began staying at Ed’s house , which was on his parent’s large farm, and wasn’t going out as much. Her friends couldn’t understand her new way but knew it wouldn’t last, which is what the argument last night at The Fiddle between her and Ed was about.

Monica’s friends were also quite a bit of rough necks. Not saying they started fights, but they would actually stop fights at The Fiddle when tourists got unruly and again kinda self policed the small community.

On the other hand was Ed’s friends who were mainly farmers and hill folks. They could have a mean side too and Bo knew this also and the last thing the area needed was a feud between the two groups. They all seem to get along with each other now and for many years mainly because they have to exist in such a small area together. But if Ed’s friends thought he did this crime, they would not waist a minute turning him in. Alive. Monica’s friends however, would do much worse to Ed and Bo knew this and really needed to get Ed to the jail where Ed would be safe for the time being.

Bo asked T-Mac to stay in the field to help keep the onlookers at bay while he went to his truck to call the state police. Bo’s biggest reason to get to the truck was to radio his only partner, Darrel, at the station and let him know what was going on and to call Bo’s father to go find Ed. One thing about the area is that it seemed everyone had a scanner. Mainly because so many were volunteer firemen. So the wives would sit and listen to any radio chatter the local safety crews would radio in. Because Bo knew the wives were listening in he tried to keep his conversation as brief as possible with his Darrel only telling him to have his father bring Ed by the station for breakfast. Bo knew now though he had to radio state police and then the cat would be out of the bag. Soon after the call to state police the crowds began to arrive at the field by the river where the body of Monica laid.

The state police showed up soon and the area took the transformation of a real crime scene. The state police began questioning anyone in the area, which wasn’t a good idea because most folks were there just to gawk, but everyone had an opinion. Bo and those who knew Monica and Ed knew what had happened. Monica’s friends were already forming a make shift posse. This was what Bo knew would happen and wanted to stop it by getting Ed to the jail first. Bo did not want an old fashion lynching in the valley. This was 2013, not 1883.

Bo told the state police that Monica had been seen the night before at The Fiddle and that T-Mac had seen her and Ed argue. The state Police pulled T-Mac off to the side and T-Mac told what he had seen: “.....Monica arrived about 8:00 by herself. She was in rare form. When she came in the bar a big cheer of MONICA!!! went up. That is the way it is here, everyone parties together. Monica got a drink and joined her friends on the floor dancing. The River Ramblers were playing and they are a quite popular bluegrass band here, so it was busy last night. About three drinks in and Ed came into the Fiddle. He didn’t seem to be drinking, but seemed agitated. He went over to Monica at the table her and her friends had moved to and I saw him grab her arm. Riley, one of Monica’s friends, pushed Ed back and I saw him point his finger at Ed. Ed seem to back down and Monica got up and motioned for Ed to go out back. The back is fenced in for playing corn hole, horseshoes and for smoking. “ ”Monica and Ed continued their conversation only a few minutes because I saw Ed come back in and storm out the front door. Monica stayed outside a little longer, probably to smoke. That’s all I saw. Monica rejoined her friends and they stayed past the time I left which was around midnight.”

‘Who else saw any of this?” the state policeman asked “Oh shit, everyone who was there last night. We all seen it coming when Ed walked in. It was only a matter of time. A hippy and a redneck, can’t believe they hooked up in the first place.”

“Bo, ain’t this Ed your brother?” asked the state policeman.

“Ya, he is. I’m not saying he did this or he didn’t. If he did, then he needs to be arrested and tried. My thing is I need to get him before Monica’s crew does” said Bo

“ Ya, I understand. Ya’all got your own way up here, I know. Not sayin’ it’s right, but it is what it is.” the state policeman replied .

“Ya know”, T-Mac chimed in,”them bear hunters around here are fond of Monica too, she always flirted with them and not too many girls will pay much attention to the bear hunters, so

you know they might become an issue here too.”

“Fuck, you’re right, T-Mac They will definitely have something to say about this. Goddammit, Ed,........... I swear if my brother did this I’m gonna......Fuck!” Bo vented his frustration.

Just then Emily, The Fiddle manager, walked up, “ hey ya’all, not to interrupt but I was outside smoking last night when Monica and Ed came out. They were already in a heated discussion about Monica wanting to hang out with her friends but Ed wanted no part of it. Ed was really pissed off at her. Monica told him if he couldn’t play nice to go home.

Ed told her to fuck off and Monica said she was going to move out and back to The Mountain.” The state policeman interrupted,”what do you mean ‘The Mountain?”

“The resort. We just call it The Mountain.” Emily continued, “That really put Ed in a fury. He stomped back in the bar and right out the front door. I saw him speed away towards Back Mountain Road where he lives.”

“Ok, thanks, You will probably have to go to Marlinton and write a statement. Now the question is did anyone see Ed return after midnight? He and Monica are accounted for til midnight. What happened after that we need to know. For all we know Ed was home with his Pa watching Jimmy Kimmel.” the state policeman said.

“Speaking of Pa,” Bo started” here he is now.” gesturing over to the field where his father was walking toward them.

He had that look of ‘this ain’t good’ on his face.

Bo and Ed’s father’s name is James. He walked up to the men and said, “Can’t find Ed and he didn’t go home last night. At least his truck wasn’t in his drive when I fed the cows at 5:00 a.m.”

By now the Shaver’s Fork rescue team had came to take the body to the coroners in Marlinton. Marlinton was thirty five miles away from Linwood. This was the nearest town to Linwood. Elkins was another ten to fifteen miles away the other direction and that was also the nearest Wal-Mart and place to grocery shop. The locals in the area drive nearly forty five miles to shop once or twice a month, so it is common to see several families and friends gather and convoy to Elkins and make a day of it. They will go see a movie, shop for whatever is needed and get a meal at C.J. Maggie’s or a chain restaurant near Wal-Mart. Most folks in the Linwood area only see a fast food joint but once a month.

The state policeman finished taking pictures and notes and then the rescue team put the body into a black rubber bag, zipped it and put it into the ambulance. The last killing in these parts was an escaped convict who stole a dump truck and a gun, kidnaped two hostages and drove up The Mountain to get his wife. On the way up The Mountain he was intercepted by the resort snow cat team and The Mountain security with Bo leading. He was stopped on the “S” turns leading up the winding road to the resort and surrounded by the snow cats. When the convict attempted to shoot his way out, the security team opened fire on him killing him right where he stood. Again, mountain justice prevailed. But this wasn’t a murder, it was a justified killing. Monica’s killing was different. She was considered a local and a popular one at that. This was not going to sit well with the other locals.

Being that it was Sunday morning, most folks here go to church. The only church in the area was known as “The Old White Church”. It was what it was called, an old white church. Nearly one hundred fifty years old and sits at the base of the mountains in the valley along the Big Springs River. T-Mac walked inside, still in his waders fresh from the stream. Most people came as they were. Some dressed in Sunday best, girls in sun dresses, but mostly jeans and a button up shirt. This church was for the community, not a specific denomination or class of person. As T-Mac stepped into the cathedral type open room the smell of the old wood hit his nose. There were a couple of bear and coon hunters sitting in the back, still in hunting clothes as they either just got in or just going out to the woods. Women were bringing in covered dishes as they did every Sunday. They would put the food on a table in the back for when services were over.

Sitting along the left side was several locals with their music instruments. Banjos, a mandolin, a couple fiddles and several guitars. Leaning against the wall on it’s side was an upright bass.

The church filled quickly. Folks were gossiping about the murder. Everyone has a solution to the mystery and who it was. T-Mac just sat near the back by the bear hunters and stayed quiet. The preacher walked up to the pulpit. He was a young man with a full beard and ponytail. He looked as he would fit in well at a Grateful Dead concert rather at the front of the congregation. He preached a short sermon about loving one another and the community being one as such a terrible tragedy has occurred. Murders are not heard of in these parts. After the preacher talked about forty five minutes, the sound of a banjo twang rang out. Then a single note from a mandolin. “Ok guys, I’m about done,” the preacher said with a smile towards the group of musicians.

I n a few minutes everyone was either playing Appalachian music, eating home cooked food, dancing or sitting around in a circle telling stories. That was the way church was here and it was loved by the local folks. It was a community gathering that was not at the bar. Albeit, every gathering consisted of music and food. Even at the church a sip of corn liquor may find it’s way out of one’s pocket. T-Mac threw up his arm in a waving gesture and hooked his waders at the chest. He made his way back to the stream which was only a few hundred feet from the church.

2

A young buck whitetail deer was standing along the stream on the side of mountain just three miles from The Fiddle. In the woods behind where the buck stood was a faint glimpse of a falling down cabin through the morning mist. This property was owned by Robert Ming. He was a local construction contractor who has done very well for himself after coming to the area back when the resort was young.

He has many acres in the area and this one in particular was islanded by Kermit’s property and was once a hot spot for teens and snowboarders to party at. They would build bon fires and sleep in the old cabin.

After the cabin caught fire one night and a snowboarder got burned, Bo put a stop to the party spot. Bo and Ed knew the cabin well as when they were teens themselves, as they would camp there and go hunting from it in the autumn months.

Now today in the cabin sitting by the window looking out towards the path up was Ed. He was tattered and scratched a bit. He was shaking and looked as though he had been crying. Rocking back and forth on a milk crate Ed was mumbling to himself. He was remembering the night before. The sound of his breath as he ran through the woods in the dark. Adrenalin pumping through his veins, multi floral rose bushes tearing at his skin and tripping and falling over the rocky terrain. Ed was a larger man, like his father James and brother Bo. They all were the farm bred types. Meat and potatoes. The difference between the brothers after that was big though. Most folks thought Ed would be gay when he grew up. It seems now though he was just quite feminine. He was a Mama’s boy. Ed didn’t do much running at anytime so a sprint through the woods would have been exhausting to him.

Then Ed had a vision of Monica with blood coming from her mouth and nose as she lay on the river bank. Ed relived the argument that led to this unfortunate turn of events. Monica was calm as Ed was furious and raising his voice. Ed could not understand why Monica could not just stay on the farm and enjoy the simple life instead to go out and drink and dance. Ed also allowed his mind to wonder to visions of Monica with other men. Even though this never happened, Ed’s jealousy had gotten the best of him.

When Ed’s imagination poured out into the argument, blaming Monica of being with other men, Monica in a fit of anger and discuss yelled back at Ed, “ya Ed, I fucked em all. Every guy at the bar, even the bear hunters.”

At this point Ed remembered Monica pushing him away to go back to her Subaru and Ed slipped on the rocks and mud and fell to the ground. His anger only increased as he came back up with a baseball size river rock Ed sat on the milk crate whimpering. He knew what he had done and what may happen to him. His choices were all grim. He could turn himself in and go to prison for life, he could run and never come back, or if he was caught by Monica’s friends he would be probably killed and fed to the bears on a mountain somewhere. At this point Ed was even worried about what the bear hunters and his own friends may do to him.

At this point Ed’s truck had not been found. Bo was back at the station making calls to the family and friends trying to find Ed.. Bo knew that those who would be looking for Ed knew he was still around the area.

Ed had never really wandered far from home. He had went to the beach a couple times with friends, but never stayed away too long. He did not know anyone outside the mountains. Bo knew Ed did not have food so he would have to surface sometime. If Bo could find Ed’s truck that would be one less thing to worry about. Without a truck, Ed could not go to far. Bo knew he was holed up somewhere but just did not know where. There are so many vacation homes and rentals in this ski resort area that it would take weeks to investigate all of them. As they got close Ed could just slip to another. Everyone in the area knew the Realtors kept spare keys to the rentals somewhere at the house, like on a window ledge or under a welcome rug.

Bo hung the phone up with a sigh and mouthing the word, “FUCK!” “Nothing hugh?” Darrel asked Bo. “Not a Goddamn thing. I know he is here just where to start. Ed knows this area about as good as the rest of us. The hills, the resort Hell, even the caves. Where the fuck to start is beyond me.” Bo vented.

About that time Bo looked out the window to see a truck with about five guys in the back and three in the front. All had shotguns and rifles. Bo recognized all of them too.

They were Monica’s friends. “Looks like the posse has gathered,” Bo said to Darrel.

“I see it, I will go down and see if I can smooth it some. Won’t be easy I am sure.” Darrel told Bo Darrel went out to the police truck and followed the boys to the Exxon station. There was only one gas station in the area. It served also as a convenient store, sandwich shop and local daytime hang out and meeting spot.

“Boys,” Darrel said as he walked up to the truck, “now I know what ya’all are up to. Ya’all just stand down and let us handle it. We have state police and me and Bo on it...” Darrel was then interrupted by one of the guys in the back,”Ya Darrel but you know it was Bo’s brother who did it. We all seen them last night and that Son of a bitch came back at closing time and Monica’s car was still there when we left but Ed’s truck wasn’t. Her Suby (Suburu) is still sitting there.”

“Ya’all seen Ed come back?” asked Darrel “Yep.” several chimed in. “I saw them walk out into the field together talking.” said the one guy named Thomas.

“Well I’m here to tell ya’all now, if I hear of ya’all chasin’ that boy through these hills and making it harder for us, I’m gonna lock all of ya’all up til we find him. I mean it boys. I know every one of ya’all so don’t think ya’all can get away with it. I know ya’all knew Monica and I did too, we all want this thing handled right.” Darrel said to the truck load of pissed off young men.

Just then Darrel saw Rick the bear hunter pull into the Exxon. Rick pulled up to Darrel and hung his head out the widow of his old Toyota truck with a dog box on the back with a few hounds hanging their heads out the small holes in the side of the box.

“Darrel,” Rick nodded,”We’ll find him. We know he’s holed up around here somewhere. He’s truck is over at Kermit’s old tractor barn.”

“You saw it?

“Yep, it’s there.”

“If ya’all find him, don’t go fucking him up. We don’t know it was him for sure. Let us handle it, Rick.”

Darrel said knowing it was Ed that was guilty of this crime but had to de fuse the situation with the locals.

The bear hunters were hard men. Well known in these parts. Very sensible and wouldn’t do anything too rash. Their life was eating, sleeping and hunting bears with the dogs they have trained for many hours, days and years. They would however, if they were to catch Ed, would rough Ed up a bit before turning him over to the law.

Darrel made his way back to the station to tell Bo where Ed’s truck was and that Ed was seen later last night in the field with Monica. The two of them went over to Kermit’s tractor barn to find Ed’s truck and sure enough it was there. It looked as if Ed had hid it so he could get it back at a later time. Bo had the extra key to his brother’s truck and took it to the station and locked it up in the garage.

Now that the truck had been found and secured the only way Ed could get out of the area was to hitch hike, walk or steal a vehicle. Since everyone in the area knew Ed and what was going on, hitching was out of the question. Anyone Ed would encounter would know who he was. For Ed to steal a vehicle would take either the nerve to take a running vehicle or to hot wire one which Bo knew Ed did not know how to do that. Ed was never known for his mechanical abilities. So that left walking out of the area. It would have to be by way of the woods. Ed did know the woods well so this was the most probable option.

Bo wanted to keep the truck find as quiet as possible because if the others who were looking for Ed knew that Ed had no truck, they would figure out the same escape scenario as Bo did, to walk through the woods. Then they would start stalking the woods searching for Ed. This was Bo’s plan and he wanted to be doing it alone.

Bo headed towards his family farm to start his search. He figured Ed may try to work his way home to see his mother before getting out of the area. Also knowing Ed was unarmed, he has got to be getting hungry and hunting for food would be harder without a gun. There were however plenty of plants that are edible in the hills around Linwood. Late ramps were still up and moral mushrooms could still be found. Fiddle heads and water lettuce was plentiful as well. Bo knew of a couple holes in the Big Springs River also that held trout and could be dammed up with rocks to make it easy to catch the trout.

Bo knew that Ed knew this also so Bo started his search at these areas near the family farm.

Meanwhile Darrel figured Ed was using the vacation homes around the resort to hole up. Darrel started his tedious search of so many dwellings. Monica’s friends decided that driving around the valley holding guns and drinking beer was the way to catch Ed. The locals who saw them just shook their heads knowing this could get ugly. With the loss of Monica and fueled with alcohol, the boys were on a one way train wreck for sure. But if they were to find Ed before Bo does Ed wouldn’t get the chance to be tried.

Ed was awoken by a nightmare he was having. He sat up and rubbed the sleep snot from his eyes.

That split second when he forgot what was going on and what he had done. Then he began to sob some. His memory of Monica, he really did love her. He just couldn’t take the Old Soul she had. She had been to so many other places and met so many people. Monica had done more in her short life than most do in three lifetimes. Her hunger for the exciting life and friends was more than Ed could bare. He liked the safe simple life of the farm. Ed then remembered the good times he and Monica had.

The trip on the Cass Train only a few miles from Linwood. The days of horseback riding and mudding with his brother on the four wheelers. Ed and Monica did have some great times together but everything comes to an end and Ed made that end come prematurely.

It was becoming evening and Ed was starting to realize hunger was starting to set in. He had not eaten since yesterday afternoon. With his life in a spiral he had not noticed but now it was getting to the point where he could not ignore the hunger pains. Ed carefully stepped out of the cabin and looked around to make sure there was no one around. Ed started up the steep rocky mountain side to find some ramps and whatever else he could forage. As Ed got near the top he turned to notice he could see the road from up there. He could see almost to The Fiddle, he could not make out people or what type of trucks and cars, but he could see a rather large gathering at the Exxon Station. Ed knew this was about him.

The locals and Monica’s friends were on the hunt for him and Ed began to feel even more scared. This situation was really starting to set in on Ed. He sat down on a rock and just stared at the ground. He was in deep thought of what he was going to do. His first thoughts were to get his truck, which he still thinks is hidden in Kermit’s barn, and leave the state. But Ed knew he had no where to go. He was now hungry and scared and could only think of his mother and the comfort of home. Ed decided to go get his truck and go home. At least when he is caught he will have full belly and could see his mother.

Ed started his walk back to Kermit’s barn. It was about three miles. He was going to go slow and stay in the shadows of the trees until dark and under the cover of dark sneak in and get out as quick as he could. Ed knew he could not drive up route 66 past The Fiddle or the Exxon, he would have to drive the long way around the mountains to the back way into Back Mountain Road which led to Stoney Bottom and Ed’s family farm. The leaves had just barely started to canopy the forest. Mid spring in Linwood was breath taking. Wild flowers and green blanket the forest floor and the leaves were an almost flourescent green. As the sun began to set the orange hue filtered through the trees and hatches of mayflies were flying up and down in the rays near the river. Above the river Ed was making his way through the woods. Taking a few steps and stopping to listen for anyone and to make sure he wasn’t noticed by anyone with binoculars.

By the time Ed got to the edge of Kermit’s pasture it was fully dark. Ed stopped to rest. He was really feeling the hunger now. He was feeling weak and tired. Along his hike back to the truck Ed thought out his plan to get back home. He would sneak out to 219 with his headlights off and get moving towards Marlinton. Then turn on his headlights and get over Elk Mountain to Edray where Back Mountain Road intersects with 219. Take Back Mountain Road to Stoney Bottom where Ed would stash his truck on the old Jeep trail and hike through the woods a short piece to his parents home.

He also planned his surrender and started to get in the mind frame of the punitive system. Ed was a mama’s boy, almost feminine, prison would be real hard on him. He knew this. But Ed was also accepting the fact that he now a murderer and punishment needed to be.

As Ed walked up to Kermit’s tractor barn he noticed the door was open a little bit. Ed knew he shut it tight when he stashed the truck. Knowing something was wrong now Ed crept up carefully to the barn and looked inside. No truck!! “FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!!!” Ed whispered.

Ed sat down on a bail of straw for a moment and put his head in his hands and realized he had to walk the forest to Stoney Bottom. It was a long walk. Ed started his way through Kermit’s pasture back the way he had just came. About the time he stepped into the woods he stepped between two rocks and rolled his ankle. Ed dropped in pain. This was not what he needed now. Ed quenched his fist and began to sob. “I’m going to the pay phone at Exxon and call Bo. I’m done.” Ed said to himself.

Ed slowly got up and hopped tree to tree down the side of the slope towards the Exxon Station. It was about a half mile walk from where Ed was. Ed would also have to cross the Big Springs River, right about where the killing took place. Slowly Ed hopped and stumbled his way down the hill. He could hear the river getting close. The river wasn’t up much, rather low actually for spring. The snow season ended early this year, about the middle of March which gave the snow melt off a good two months to subside.

Once Ed got to the river he sat down on a rock to rest. As he sat there a moment he looked up and his eyes strayed right to the spot where he last saw Monica. He started thinking of the moment and went into a deep thought. As Ed stared into the darkness, he was startled out of his meditation. It was the bear hunters at the Exxon. They were all pulling into the parking lot to fill their trucks and regroup for the search. It was getting late out so Ed figured they were probably about to call it a night so Ed would sit right there until the Exxon closed for the night and then slide down to the payphone and call Bo. It was Sunday and The Fiddle would close early too. Not too much happened on Sunday nights around Linwood. Ed laid back on the grassy bank and closed his eyes. It was not long before he dozed off asleep.

Bo was now at his parents house. As he walked in his mother said” Bo, you gotta fix this. Bo he’s a good boy.”

“Ma, he killed that girl, ain’t nothin I can do here but bring him in alive.”

“He’s right, May,” Bo’s father James said to Bo’s Mother, “Ed’s went and done about as bad a thing he could do. Ain’t no fixin this.”

“Should I make coffee?” May asked “Not for me,” Bo said,”I want to sleep a bit on your couch. I’m beat and if Ed try to come home I think he will stop here first.”

“It’s a shame, all this, I really liked Monica.” May commented “Ya, that’s the problem, everyone liked Monica and everyone is out to get Ed cause of it.” Bo replied back at his mother. it.” Bo replied back at his mother.

James chimed in,”Ya it’s like an old Jeff Davis Lynching party out there I’m sure.”

“Pretty much. Now I’m gonna pass out for a while. Wake me if Ed comes home.” Bo said while making his way to the couch..

Ed was awaken by a passing truck. He sat there a moment to scope out the area. It was dark except the security lights at the Exxon. Ed stood up, forgetting his ankle and fell right back to the ground. He got up again, this time grabbing a tree branch and pulled himself up. Ed began working his way down the wooden fence line which borders the field and the Exxon parking lot. Slowly Ed walked, more of a hobble, until he got to the area adjacent to the pay phone. Ed looked around to make sure no one was around and he started toward the phone. Ed fumbled around in his pocket for a quarter but only had a few nickels and dollar bills. Annoyed he knew he was going to have to call collect. He first tried Bo’s house but no answer. Then he reluctantly called his parents.

Bo jumped up at the ringing of the phone. Bo quickly ran over and answered it. “Hello,” “Bo? It’s me. Can you come get me?” Ed squeezed the words out.

“Yea Ed, where ya at?”

“Exxon, Ill wait in the back for ya.” Ed said “Stay put and in the shadows, there are a lot of folks looking for you, I don’t have to tell you that.”

Bo directed his brother They both hung up. James came out of the bedroom and just looked at Bo, and Bo gave the same look back. James knew the call was Ed. James felt relief and pain at the same time but now could tell his mother Ed was ok for now.

Ed started his hobble toward the back of the Exxon. About halfway there a lone mountain biker was coming down 66. Ed didn’t think much of it because it was tourist mountain bike season and tourists were riding all hours of the day and night. They would go out on midnight runs and then get up early to ride to the sunrise.

But this wasn’t a tourist. It was one of the locals kids riding home from a friends house. The kid saw Ed but didn’t act like he did. He recognized Ed too. Ed kept his pace toward the back of the Exxon and the kid kept his pace past Ed. When Ed got behind the Exxon

he was exhausted from the limp. He fell to the ground in a soft grassy spot. The ground was starting to dew up and Ed’s pants got wet. At this point he didn’t care much. He was going to be home or in jail soon, either way warm, dry and asleep with some food in his belly.

Bo had to drive from Stoney Bottom which was a good way away. The route was over 66 from Cass six miles up the mountain and back down the other side to Linwood and then three miles to the Exxon. As Bo drove he kept scanning his radio for any local chatter. All was quiet.

Ed sat there shivering. The sky started to cloud up. Ed looked up and seemed relieved it was going to be over soon. He could see his mother and call for a lawyer in the morning and get this trial started. Ed stared into the sky in deep thought when a pair of headlights came around the Exxon building. Ed got up as fast as his gimp ankle would allow him and waved his arms to Bo. But this wasn’t Bo. It was Jarred, one of Monica’s friend who’s little brother had just rode by the Exxon and seen Ed. Jarred had Riley with him and they had now seen Ed. Ed now realizing this wasn’t Bo, turned and quickly hobbled toward the river and the woods. Riley jumped out of the truck in full stride to catch Ed. Ed fell into the river as he approached it. More of a stumble than a fall, definitely not on purpose. As Riley was catching up to Ed another truck came around the Exxon building from the opposite direction. It was Bo. He saw Jarred’s truck and knew this was bad. Bo kept his speed up not slowing until he was just a foot or so from Riley. Jumping on the brakes enough for the tires to slide in the gravel. Ed was still working his way up the river trying to get to the other side to the woods. Ed thought it was another one of Monica’s friends pulling in.

Bo jumped out of the truck and tackled Riley. Riley jumped back up in a fighting stance until he saw it was Bo. “Goddammit Bo, what the Fuck?”

“Ya’all ain’t gonna vigilante this situation” Bo yelled out.

“Bo, you know he fuckin did it, just cause he’s your brother doesn’t mean it was ok to kill her.”

Riley yelled back

“ No it’s not ok, but I’m taking him in to let the courts handle it, not ya’all. I know what ya’all will do to him.”

“It’s what he deserves, fuck him,” Jarred pulled up slowly to the two arguing. He wasn’t going to fight a cop, but he wasn’t going to let his friend take a beaten either. Jarred got out of his truck and came around the other side. Bo startled and pulled his gun out of it’s holster.

“Goddammit now, I ve known the two of ya’all a long time now, but I will shoot ya’ all. I’m not letting ya take Ed or fuck me up. Get in your truck and go home.” Bo yelled.

It was starting to rain. The rain was coming down pretty good as the boys got back into the truck. Bo kept his gun out until they pulled away and out of the Exxon parking lot. Bo turned to the river and started to yell for Ed. ED was already past the white church up river and with the river roar and the rain now falling steady, Ed couldn’t hear Bo. Ed finally crossed Big Springs and was heading back into the woods. Ed kept looking behind him not knowing why they weren’t following him. Ed also kept looking toward the road for Bo not knowing Bo was already at the Exxon.

Riley and Jarred went back to Jarred’s cabin on Slaty Farms Road. They then called some more of the boys. Jarred told of finding Ed and Bo and to get the posse up and into the woods.

They could go in through Kermit’s pasture and another group through the trailer park and Ed couldn’t get past them unless he dropped over the back side where Riley could drive the truck across Buzzard’s Ridge road, which was a dirt / grass trail that was blazed many years back for the forestry dept. Jarred told them where to go and to start the hunt. He and Riley would go now and meet Adam at Kermit’s pasture.

When Jarred and Riley got to Kermit’s pasture Adam was already there. Adam was a born and raised local. His father owns a construction company that builds vacation homes around the resort and has capitalized well from the occupation. Adam grew up at the resort. He has been snowboarding since he was three. Adam has had sponsors and contracts with some big companies in the snowboard business. Adam also knew the woods and streams around

Linwood and Slatyfork well. He has spent his young life hunting and fly fishing with his father, Mike, in area.

As Jarred and Riley walked up to Adam he was tossing some corn ears into the fenced off area for the pigs. “These damn things will eat anything. I once threw a road kill opossum in there and they sucked it down too.” Adam said.

‘Dude, that’s just wrong,” laughed Riley.

“I bet they’d even eat a person if one was to fall in there.” Jarred said with a hint of deviousness.

“Oh shit, you are right. What a way to loose a person permanently.” Adam snickered.

“Does everyone have radios, Adam,” Riley asked.

“Yep, channel sixteen.”

Two of the boys jumped the fence into the cattle field side and began walking through the pasture along the fence line. When they reached the woods the three split up in a line, Adam at the bottom near the river, Jarred halfway up the mountain and Riley had taken the truck and drove up the top along the ridge on Buzzard’s ridge road.. They began moving through the woods. This was a hunting technique called driving. The deer would be spooked by the line of hunters and run away from them. At the other end of the woods would be more hunters waiting quietly for the deer to come through and shoot them. They figured Ed would react the same way. If Ed were to try to cross the top Riley could run him down quicker in the truck. Plus if they catch Ed the truck would be an easier way out of the woods.

At the other end of the drive was the Ming boys, sons of Robert Ming. They were holding fast by the cabin which Ed started in and also is owned by their father. Keeping watch on Route 66 was Eric Dearling. Eric is a real genius. He was a government employee at one time as a nuclear physics scientist. Eric made a trip to Linwood and decided his love for the place was enough to bring him back permanently. He returned and lives in a small cabin on Slaty Farms Road, away from the real world and works in the kitchen at The Fiddle for $10 an hour. This place has made many folks do the same. Pack up and leave society and live the simple life.

simple life.

Bo had parked his truck and walked into the woods about what would be the middle of the posse drive. He didn’t know the drive was even taking place. Bo was yelling for Ed and flashing his flashlight around in hopes Ed would see him. There was still about five hours of darkness left. .Bo figured Ed would keep moving under the cover of the dark to get as close to home as he could. Bo decided to walk back out of the woods and take a drive to check on the boys he encountered earlier. He worked his way down the mountain and back to his truck. As Bo was driving down 66 he saw Eric standing by his truck with a radio and a rifle. Bo pulled up to Eric,” what’s all this Eric?”

“You know Bo, it’s not hard to figure out so I’m not going to bullshit ya.” Eric replied “Who all is up there?” Bo asked Eric “The whole clan is here, They are driving Kermit’s woods to Ming’s. If Ed is in there they will kick him up.” Eric said with confidence.

Bo just drove away without saying anything else. Bo started to ponder all this. He had a group of pissed off locals in the woods at night running a drive with guns and he was sure a bit of corn liquor too. Bo knew all the boys involved and also knew that they weren’t that familiar with the woods as he and Ed were with the exception of Adam. These boys were mostly transplant locals who came to snowboard and ended up staying. They spend more time in the bar and on the ski slopes than in the woods. Adam was the only born and raised local but he was pretty much the same as rest. Adam would rather be snowboarding or flyfishing than stomping through the woods.

Just then Bo had a thought that hit him like a rock. There was a cave near the top of the mountain that not many knew about. It went in the side of the mountain about three hundred yards and the narrowed to a crawl space. Once past the narrowing then it snaked a short way to an opening on the other side of the mountain. The opening looked more like a groundhog

hole from years of leaf coverage. Bo knew Ed knew of the cave too. Bo just hoped the boys running the drive didn’t know of it. The thing Bo didn’t know was if Ed knew he was being chased yet.

Bo put his truck into four wheel drive and started up Buzzard’s Ridge Road. About a mile and a half up Bo came across Riley in his truck. Bo pulled up to Riley. Bo’s drivers side window to Riley’s passenger side window. “If ya’all catch him before I do and you fuck him up, I will prosecute everyone of you. You know Huttonsville prison is ran by my uncle too. I will make your lives hell til ya’all die in there”.

Bo drove away not waiting for a response.

Bo drove across Buzzards ridge for a short while then parked his truck and got out. He listened to the woods. Bo was a good outdoors man. He could pick sounds out and where they are in relation to the mountain. Bo had many nights of coonhunting with his grandfather and cousins Dallas and Travis under his belt. The mountains can move sounds around with the wind and echos off the rocks. Bo could make out where the boys who were driving the woods were. They were being noisy on purpose to keep Ed moving. Bo could make out a few deer that were being rustled up by the drive too. Bo walked back to his truck and got on his radio and called Darrel. He had Darrel take his truck to the other end of the drive and keep an eye on the boys who were on stand. If Ed came through Darrel could possibly cut him off and keep the boys from shooting Ed. Darrel loaded up his shotgun as well as his .45 Colt. Put his old bluetick hound in the back of the truck and headed towards the end of the drive where the boys were sitting fast.

Ed was moving up the mountain. Slowly trudging along with his ankle really hurting now. He stopped to listen a bit. As he sat there quietly he could start making out the sounds of the boys driving the woods getting closer. Ed knew he couldn’t out run them so he needed to come up with a plan. These boys were probably half drunk on corn liquor so Ed figured he may be able to sit like a rabbit until they go past and then sneak back the other way, back towards Kermit’s pasture. Ed sat down, more a nesting in the leaves. He brushed away a small clearing so if he moved he wouldn’t make any extra noise. Ed sat motionless for nearly twenty minutes until he could hear Jarred coming through the woods as noisy as one could be. The way Ed figured, Jarred was coming pretty much in line with him. Ed couldn’t move now, he would be heard and even maybe seen in the darkness. Ed just sat still until Jarred got right up beside him about fifteen feet away. Jarred stopped and yelled down to Adam something about getting the munchies and wishing he had a pepperoni roll with him.

Ed sat quietly figuring Jarred would continue his drive and walk right past him. Just then Jarred lit a cigarette. The illumination lit up Jarred’s face. It also lit up enough surroundings to illuminate Ed’s glasses. Jarred got a glimpse of Ed at that moment and yelled out,”I GOT HIM UP HERE, HERE HE IS!!”

Ed stayed still just a bit longer knowing he couldn’t run but also knowing if Jarred got close enough Ed was much bigger and could maybe overpower Jarred. Jarred threw up his gun in the general area of Ed and pulled the trigger. Nothing, the gun’s safety was still on. Ed felt this was his chance, only fifteen feet away Ed took two painful leaps at Jarred knocking them both to the ground where Ed began punching at Jarred’s face. Jarred started yelling for help and tried to fight back. Jarred’s gun had dislodged from his hands and fell some ten feet away. Ed continued to plummle Jarred. Ed then rolled off Jarred toward the gun and rolled across the ground to it.

Ed picked up the rifle, Ed still sitting on the ground lifted the rifle towards Jarred and said in a sobering voice,”Never liked you Jarred, I will be happy to kill again.”

Jarred sat in shock. He had never seen this side of Ed. “Ok Ed, it’s cool. I’m not going to try anything Just go, like you said, you already killed once so why get in deeper.”Jarred was pleading for his own life in a calm way.

‘Give me your radio and light,”Ed held out his hand towards Jarred.

Jarred pulled the radio from his flannel shirt pocket and the light from his hat and tossed them at Ed. ‘Who all is out here?” Ed asked in that same dark voice “Just me and Riley. He’s below by the river,” Jarred lying and hoping to get Ed to cross over the top to where Riley really was. If he could get Ed to cross in the open of the old road Riley should be able to get a shot.

‘Fuckin liar. I think I am going to shoot you.” Ed bluffed as he raised the rifle again towards Jarred.

“Come on, Dude, really? You are going to shoot me for telling the truth?” Jarred pleaded through the lie.

Ed pulled himself up to his feet with a tree branch hanging low. He started to hobble towards the top. Ed turned back at Jarred, “Go down the mountain, NOW!” Jarred got up and nearly at a run he headed down the mountain. Jarred didn’t stop until he was getting close to where Adam should be. When Jarred stopped he shouted in a low voice to Adam. Jarred wanted Adam to know it was him coming through the woods and not Ed. Jarred started walking slower now still towards the bottom of the mountain then stopped at a big oak tree to rest.

3

Adam was traversing the slope just below Jarred when Adam heard the cracking of the bark on the tree Jarred was leaning against. Adam slowly crept up the hill about five steps and could make out the silhouette of Jarred through the trees as the moon started to rise over the mountains through the rain clouds. The sky was lit just a hint to start highlighting the objects in the forest.

Adam froze when he seen the silhouette and raised his rifle thinking it was Ed. Adam slowly took another step toward the dark figure and said, ”Ed, get on the ground.”

Jarred heard Adam and instead of dropping to the ground he took a step toward Adam and started to say ,”Dude, it’s me.”

Adam saw the shadow move towards him and Adam squeezed off a shot from his rifle. The bullet hit Jarred directly in the middle of his chest. Jarred dropped and was dead before he hit the ground. Adam slowly walked up to the body. He poked the body with the barrel of the gun to see if it was a kill shot. Adam turned his headlight on and nearly fell to his knees when he saw it was Jarred. Jarred’s eyes were still open and his mouth was froze in mid sentence as he was when the bullet struck him in the heart. Adam noticed Jarred had no gun or headlight. Adam started to grab sticks and pine branches and covered the body. He then started to hike up the hillside.

When the shot rang out everyone in the woods stopped immediately. “Oh shit!”Bo whispered.

Bo then heard a radio in the woods, “who shot?” came across the radio.

Bo stood quietly to hear where the radio was coming from. “It was behind me, Must have been Jarred,” Adams voice came back on the radio.

‘Jarred.....Jarred.....” Riley said into the radio. No answer.

“Did you get him?”.............No answer.

“Jarred, you better not have shot yourself, you stoner.” Riley said jokingly into the radio.

Bo kept his radio turned down. He wanted to hear where the radios were at in the woods. Bo also didn’t want the boys to know where he was at all times. Bo got into his truck but didn’t start the engine. He let the gravity pull his truck in neutral down to the next uprising in the ridge toward the area the cave was. Ed heard Bo’s truck rustling in the leaves and twigs but figured it was one of the other boys. He also heard the radio exchange. Ed was puzzled at the gun shot.

He had Jarred’s gun so who was shooting and at what so far down the mountain. If Ed only knew that was Bo coasting across the ridge he could flag Bo down and it would all be over.

Instead he kneeled down to ground and sat still not to be discovered. Bo rolled by only several yards from Ed. Ed was thinking to get behind the truck and go back towards Kermit’s pasture then he saw the dome light of another truck coming up the ridge. It was Riley. He had lagged behind Bo and was now moving slowly to keep Bo close by.

Ed stayed put until Riley stopped about a hundred feet from Ed. The radio lit up again, “Jarred......”

Ed hurried and turned his radio that he got from Jarred down. Ed could hear Riley’s voice coming from the truck and across the radio. Ed knew now where at least one of the boys were.

Ed decided then to turn back the way he was going originally towards Ming’s cabin and home.

Ed now had Jarred’s radio which he could monitor where the boys were and if Bo was out there maybe Ed could find him too. Ed kept the radio turned down low and hobbled through the woods.

Adam was halfway up the mountain walking towards Ming’s cabin. Adam was traversing while still heading up the slope. Adam looked at his watch. It was almost four thirty. It would be day light in a couple hours. If Ed was in the woods still he would be seen easier by day. Adam, being a born and raised local, remembered the cave that went through the mountain. Adam decided to go to the cave and hunker down til daylight. Adam had been drinking corn liquor before the hunt started and he was now feeling the fatigue set in. Adam made his way to the cave and when he got there he went inside about twenty feet and sat down, pulled his flannel shirt over

his nose and tried to doze off.

By now the boys at Ming’s cabin end of the drive had begun to nod off too. Eric was sitting in the bed of his truck nodding in and out. The other boys were in the woods and were curled up to trees and rocks. The night was at the point of a chill. In the mountains it gets cold at night even in the summer. Day temperatures hardly never go higher than seventy five. A few eighties in July, but that is it. Wet chilly mornings and much rain in these parts keeps the hills green all summer. This was good for the plants but not for several half drunk young men sitting on stumps and rocks in the forest. It had gotten down right uncomfortable for them. Day light couldn’t come soon enough. Darrel had pulled into a well road with the squad truck running and the heat on. The rain had stopped but there was a chill in the mountain air. A heavy mist was rising from the hillside as the sun started to allow a blue hue to begin in the sky. Darrel looked out towards Eric’s truck and could start to make out silhouette in the daybreak. Eric was curled up in the bed of his truck against the cab. His nose pressed down in his flannel shirt to keep warm.

A voice came across the radio. It was one of the boys on stand, “I’m bout done with this, I’m heading back to the truck.”

Several voices followed, “Yea me too.”

Before long the whole group had started to come in to Eric’s truck. Darrel sat and watched as the boys made their way out of the woods. As they gathered, there was some small chatter on the radio but none from Adam, Jarred or Riley. They seem to be holding fast.

Adam was still sitting in the cave trying to warm himself. Between the chattering of his teeth Adam thought he heard leaves rustle.

“Shit!” Adam said to himself, “probably a damn bear and I’m cornered if it is.”

“Shit!” Adam said to himself, “probably a damn bear and I’m cornered if it is.”

Adam sat as quiet as he could. His gun pointing up towards the cave opening. The rustling getting closer, then right outside the cave. Just then he could make out the figure of a man. It wasn’t full daylight yet so Adam was trying to focus sleepy eyes. Adam then could see a gun in the arms of the figure. Adam thought it must be Riley.

“Yo!” Adam yelled out.

The figure stopped cold. Then Adam could see it wasn’t Riley but Ed. “Ed, Goddammit, don’t you fuckin move. I mean it Ed, I mean it!” Adam spit out with a shaky voice.

“Adam, That you? Don’t you go shooting at me.” Ed said back into the cave.

“Yea, it’s me. Drop your gun, Ed. I won’t shoot ya if you drop the gun.”

“Ok, I’m putting it down,” Ed said as he sat the gun down on the ground. “What ya gonna do now, turn me in, shoot me, what?”

“Not sure Ed, What the fuck you go killin Monica for you dumb ass?”

“I didn’t mean to, she just pushed me too far and I snapped, just snapped. I was planning on getting back to a phone and calling Bo and turning myself in. I realize now I’m not gonna be able to fix this so I’m just gonna go with it.” Ed said

“This sucks, Ed. I grew up with you. We went to school, rode the same bus, church and even worked together at the resort. Dammit, Ed, now ya go and do something as stupid as this. I don’t want to see ya rot in prison or even worse. What the fuck Dude, What would you do here. Would you let me go if I was in your shoes? I can’t take ya back cause everyone would turn on me for helping ya. I don’t want to shoot you, I couldn’t live with that.” Adam vented to Ed.

“Adam, you know where this old cave goes. We used to play in it when we were kids. You could let me go through and I will traverse the mountain til I get to Slatyfork and I know a vacation home with a phone. I will call Bo and turn myself in. I promise”Ed said slightly pleading.

“Actually Ed, Bo is at Kermits barn right now. You could drop down from the backside where the cave exits and go through the hog pasture and find your brother at the barn. I see you are limping fairly bad, that would be closer and I wouldn’t be the one turning you in.” Adam replied back knowing Bo was on Buzzard’s Ridge.

Adam walked over and picked up the gun Ed was carrying and had thrown down. Adam walked over to Ed and handed Ed the gun that Adam had been carrying. “Here take a gun but don’t go shootin anyone else. Now git the fuck out of here before I change my mind.”

Ed didn’t hesitate. He started hobbling through the cave until he got to the hole at the end.

The hole was about the size of a groundhog hole. “Shit, this hole was much bigger to a ten year old.” Ed said to himself with a smirk.

Ed began digging the hole bigger with a rock and his hands. The ground was soft from Years of leaves composting and the wet climate of the mountains. In no time at all Ed was squeezing through the hole and stumbling down the mountain towards Kermit’s Barn. Ed used the gun as a crutch and leaned on trees as he worked his way down the rocky slope. The sky was starting to darken again. Looked liked rain would start again soon.

Adam waited about thirty minutes after Ed had left and started through the cave to the exit which Ed had gone through. Adam was much smaller than Ed so he had no problem getting through the small hole. Adam began down the mountain in the same footsteps as Ed. He stayed back from Ed though. Adam just went a few steps at a time and would stop. Not getting to close that Ed could hear him or see him. The leaves on the trees were thick by now so it would be hard to see much past a few yards.

The sky began to rumble some with the threat of the upcoming rain. A loud crack of thunder and the lightning streaked the sky in front of Ed and Adam. Bo was still on the ridge and decided to get into his truck and follow the ridge out to the end and meet up with Darrel. Bo knew if the boys didn’t get Ed yet they would be calling it quits. A night of drinking and walking through the woods was enough to make anyone to call it quits. Bo pulled out onto the paved road which Buzzard’s ridge road dropped out onto. He took a left turn and drove towards Darrel. On the way he saw a couple boys coming out of the woods. Bo stopped, “You boys huntin something?” Bo said with a sarcastic grin. “ Ya, that’s what we’re doin.” said one of the boys.

“Well nothing is in season so get in and I’ll take ya back to your truck.

The boys didn’t hesitate. They jumped in the bed of Bo’s truck with thoughts of being in their own warm truck soon. Bo stopped at Darrel’s truck and the boys got out, “Go home boys, leave this up to the law before one of ya’all get hurt. I don’t need any of ya’all getting into trouble because Riley has ya’all worked up. Now go home”.

“Yes sir,” the boys said in unison “Darrel, you might as well go home and sleep a spell. I’m gonna go to the station and catch a nap and see if anyone calls” Bo said.

“Sounds good to me, Call me if you need me.” Darrel said as he put hid truck into gear.

Adam was taking his time getting down the mountain. By now the rain was falling hard again.

Thunder was cracking about every thirty seconds. Ed was in a more of a hurry to get down the mountain. He had enough of the weather and his ankle. Ed stopped only to rest his pain, but only for seconds at a time. When Ed reached the fence of the hog pasture he then stopped and took a lengthy rest. He knew he was close to getting with Bo and this nightmare would be over.

Ed also knew a new nightmare would begin then. Ed threw the gun over the fence and then threw his good leg over the top plank of the fence. He kind of just rolled over the fence with his ankle now very swelled and as sore as it could be. Ed picked up the gun again, not as a

weapon but as a crutch, and started towards the barn where he thought his brother was.

A couple hogs started to make their way towards Ed and Ed swooshed them away. The hogs wouldn’t bother you as long as you were upright and offensive towards them. As Ed was about halfway across the hog pasture he felt a sting in his back below the shoulder blade. Then seconds after he heard a crack of what he thought was thunder. Ed fell to his knees. He didn’t know why, he just couldn’t stand. Behind Ed along the tree line was the shape of a man. It was Adam. Adam had waited until the thunder cracked and pulled the trigger again and put the next bullet in the middle of Ed’s back. This bullet hitting Ed’s heart and killing him instantly.

Adam picked up the spent shell casings, turned and walked away back up the mountain the way he had came. As Ed laid there the hogs began to gather around him.

No one heard the gun shots. The thunder was crashing around and the rain was falling so hard you wouldn’t hear a shot if it was a few yards away let alone over the mountain. Adam worked his way back to the cave, He dropped the shell casings as he walked and stepped them into the soft dirt and kicked old leaves over them. He got to the cave and crawled through and back down the mountain towards Jarred’s body. When Adam got to Jarred’s body he pulled out his radio and pushed the talk button,”Is Bo on here?” Adam asked into the radio.

After a few seconds Bo’s voice came back across the radio,”I am, what’s up?”

“I think ya ought to come behind the Exxon and straight up the woods about a hundred yards. Somethin’ here you need to see.” Adam said.

“I’m halfway up The Mountain, is it real important, Adam?” Bo asked not knowing the situation.

“Oh yea, real important. When you get in the woods start whooping and I will guide ya in.”

Bo turned his truck around and started back down The Mountain. When he got to the Exxon Darrel was already there.

“I heard the radio and was passing here going home so I thought I’d better stop.” Darrel spoke at Bo out the truck door window.

“Well let’s go see what Adam is all up in arms about.” Bo said as he exited the truck.

Bo and Darrel walked across the stream and into the woods. After they walked about fifty yards Bo let out a “Whoop!!” Adam whooped back at Bo and the two men walked in the direction of Adam’s voice. When they got to Adam they could both see Jarred on the ground under some branched. Jarred had a blood stain on his chest and and back. The bullet went straight through him.

“What the fuck?” Bo said under his voice.

“Adam, did you touch him?” Darrel asked “Just to shake him and to roll him half over to see why he wouldn’t get up. I thought he was sleeping, ya know, like he got cold and said fuck it and curled up to sleep til daylight.”

“Well the bullet came out his back so we should find it in a tree close by.” Bo said

The three started looking at the trees until Darrel found the tree with the bullet in. Darrel took out his Buck knife and started to dig the lead out of the tree. Bo went back to the body and started to look at the evidence to figure out what happened.”Looks like Jarred met up with Ed and Ed overpowered him and got Jarred’s gun,” Adam interrupted Bo’s concentration.

“Could be, could well be, go home and get some sleep. We will call you to give a statement later. Go home, get it?” said Bo in a stern voice “Yes I got it, I will. I’m done with all this shit. It is getting too crazy now,” Adam replied Adam walked away feeling the truth about Jarred would never be known.

As the coroner, state police and Bo and Darrel were coming out of the woods with Jarred’s body in a body bag, Bo got a call on the radio from Rachael at the station on dispatch.

“Bo, you need to go to Kermit’s barn right away. Kermit will meet ya there.”

“Now fuckin what?” Bo grumbled not sleeping in a long while and getting more irritable.

Bo got into his truck, told Darrel to just go home and rest and Bo drove over to Kermit’s barn.

Kermit was there waiting at the fence for Bo. When Bo got out Kermit just gestured with his head to follow him at Bo. Kermit was an old Vietnam Vet and kept to himself. He didn’t like to many folks. Bo followed Kermit to the hog pasture and could start to make out some clothes strewn about. It wasn’t until Bo got up close to realize it was a body, well, what was left of a body scattered about the pasture. The hogs had eaten nearly all the muscle and bones and left the clothes and gun.

Bo recognized the clothes. He knew it was Ed. Bo stayed professional but really wanted to break down. He rubbed his face with his hands, now with some facial scrub starting. Kermit turned and walked back towards the barn, “If ya need me just yell,” Kermit said with his back towards Bo and walking away.

Bo just raised his arm as a gesture of “ok, thanks,”and walked over to pick up the gun laying on the ground. Bo then went over to the flannel shirt laying near the gun and with his toe of his boot pushed it at the pocket to see the radio Ed had taken from Jarred. Bo thought to himself, if Ed had the gun and the radio, he must have killed Jarred too. They must have met in the woods and Ed was a bigger guy and strong as a horse. He could have over powered Jarred easily. Bo walked back to his truck and picked up the radio mic and called into dispatch and the state police. It looked as if this whole episode was now over. Three dead young folks and a community to mourn.

When the state police arrived, Bo told them of what was in the pasture. Bo had had enough.

He told the state police he was going home. Bo couldn’t bare no more. His soul had been crushed in just twenty four hour span. Now he had to go home and face his mother with the news. Bo got into his truck and started down 219 towards the 66 intersection.

He looked over at the Big Springs River. Bo then just pulled over and turned his truck off. He got out and walked over to the guard rail and stood there and just looked at the river. A lone fly fisherman was in the middle in waders, the birds were singing and the river was still flowing, as if nothing had happened. The cycle continues no matter how hard life is. Time goes on. Bo was never too philosophical but at this moment in time of his life he stopped to reflect.

Bo got into his truck and started back down 219. When he got to the corner of 219 and 66 where The Fiddle was located he noticed all the boys had gathered there. Bo pulled in and walked inside. The sound of bluegrass was playing at low volume and sitting at the bar was all the boys who participated in the drive. Adam was sitting at the end. They were all eating breakfast and not talking, just chewing. Bo walked over to the bar and asked Emily for a cup of coffee.

“Well, boys, it ‘s over. Ed is dead and it is over.” Bo said looking down at his cup.

“We heard on the scanner, sorry fer your Ma.” Eric said “Ya, Ma.” Bo started, “Sorry for the whole community.”

Bo took another sip of coffee, turned and walked out.

As Bo walked out Kermit pulled in and was getting out of his truck as Bo pulled away. They nodded at each other and Kermit walked into The Fiddle. Emily looked up at Kermit with a surprised look She had never seen Kermit go into any bar as long as she had been alive.

Kermit walked over to the bar beside Adam and asked Emily for a coffee. As she turned to get a cup Kermit looked at Adam and said in a mono-toned voice, “Kill anything while on yer hunt?”

Then Kermit threw a dollar on the bar and turned and walked out.

Adam continued eating his breakfast in silence.