After Dark by Manly Wade Wellman

Author:Manly Wade Wellman [Wellman, Manly Wade]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Fiction.Horror, Regional.US, Fiction.Dark Fantasy/Supernatural, Fiction.Fantasy
ISBN: 9780425071038
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 1980-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

VIII

Mr. Ben had finished his dinner, and I reckoned he’d enjoyed it. He got up from the table and wiped his mouth on a paper napkin.

Tm a-going out,” he allowed to us. "There’s one-two things to do on this here farm, and I’ve got to tend to them.”

“Let me come with you,” said Warren, but Mr. Ben shook his head.

“No, son, just me to go. The others of youins, stay inside here and keep an eye on things.” He looked at me. "You specially, John.”

Out he tramped. He looked right big just then; he looked ready for aught that might could come up. I went to the side window and watched him a-walking back to his sheds. I said to myself, yonder goes a somebody who knows pretty much what he’ll be up to in case there’s trouble.

The trees out there looked good, no creepy look to them like the ones I’d come on to in the woods off from the house when I’d met Hazel Techeray. These trunks looked like trunks, the leaves looked like just only leaves. They didn’t bunch up into funny shapes. I had a hope that the words I’d said to Hazel Techeray had sure enough spoiled the curse she’d tried to put on there.

Warren and Callie had gone to the sink to do up the dishes. They acted happy to be a-washing and a-wiping dishes together. They laughed over something one or other of them said. I had it in mind, this bad business was maybe a-turning out good for the two of them, anyway. Callie looked at Warren like as if he'd hung up the sun to shine, and he was a-feeling good, too. He looked another sight younger than he was always a-talking about. I didn't reckon he was in much worry just then about how he was those years older than Callie.

“Hello, the house?”

It wasn't air great much of a hail, that voice, that woman's voice outside. It sounded more timid than friendly. Callie put down her dishcloth and went to look out the crack of the door.

“Dear heavens above, it's that Hazel Techeray,” she said. "Don't go out, John. I will.”

“No, here comes your daddy,” I said.

For, just as she spoke, Mr. Ben came a-walking back into the front yard. He hunched up his shoulders, but he didn't frown, he didn't smile. His face looked as calm and carved-out as the face on a statue. I came and stood beside Callie to watch, and Warren came up behind us.

Mr. Ben stopped on the path where Hazel Techeray waited. If he looked calm, she sure enough didn't. She made a sort of a gesture motion with her hands, like as if to say she wanted to be friends, and she smiled at him.

“Yessum,” said Mr. Ben, deep but not quite all mean. "What can I do for you, Hazel Techeray?”

She blinked at him, and she fiddled her hands again. "Mr. Ben,” she said, “I come by here because I thought we should ought to be good neighbors.

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