Ghost of Butternut Fields by Nel Larowehn

Author:Nel Larowehn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: YOUNG ADULT FICTION / General
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Published: 2024-12-02T00:00:00+00:00

Winter

Season: Winter Color: White Time of Day: Night

Plant Medicine: Sweet Grass Stage of Life: Elder

Place: Mind Animal: Deer

Keewatinong: Spirit Keeper of the North

Cecil Rusk December 22, 1934

Radio. Mama Quinnie brought a radio. A Christmas present. For Iris. For us. We listen to the radio. I touch the place where the sound comes out. Vibration. A low voice on the radio says today is Winter Solstice. Dark. Longer night. South? Path of sun is far south? Then, music comes on the radio. Vibration.

“Sol-stis?” I ask. “South? Sun?” Try to make sense of it.

“Quiet, Cecil,” Lawton orders. “I’m tryin’ to listen to the news. And stop touchin’ the radio, yer gettin’ finger grease all over it!”

“Stop gripin’, Lawton!” Tyler’s voice is too loud. “It’s jus’ a Christmas carol playin’, now.”

“I’m changing the station, we’ve heard this dumb tune already.” Lawton pushes me aside and touches the radio dials, even though he told me not to touch the radio. Static. Rasping. Siren sounds. I wail.

“Leave it!” Tyler knocks Lawton’s hand away. Lawton, angry. Tyler, angry.

Lawton yells close to Tyler’s face. “You boss me around again, and I’m gonna…”

“Gonna what?” Tyler raises his fist at Lawton. Tess cries out.

“Stop fighting!” Mama says, even louder than Tyler, Lawton, or static. Mama turns off the radio. “My word, if Iris was here right now, you’d both be kicked out of the house into the cold! Out there, go ahead—quarrel and shove ‘til the two of you turn icy blue!” Mama, angry.

I cover my ears and close my eyes.

Mama Quinnie arrived here in Butternut, last night. We put up a Christmas tree that Tyler and Lawton cut down. We made decorations and put them on the tree. Mama might leave Christmas Day. Afternoon. Unless it snows very hard. Then, too dangerous to drive. Dangerous. I want to drive a car. Will I ever be able to drive a car? Muffled angry voices shout around me. I wail.

Someone grabs my hands and takes them from my ears. “Open your eyes, Cecil.” Mama Quinnie. Mama’s voice not loud—not angry, anymore. “There is a lovely new children’s radio show called, ‘The Land of Let’s Pretend.’ I thought you’d all enjoy it—such magical and fun stories.”

I open my eyes.

“Oh, goody, can we hear it right now?” Tess throws her teddy bear up toward the ceiling, then catches it when it comes back down. “Please, right beside the pretty Christmas tree?”

“A children’s show?” Lawton grumps. “I’m not gonna listen to some kid show.”

“It’s not time for ‘Let’s Pretend’ to air, just yet. And, Lawton, give the show a chance—the cast of actors are so wonderful—their voices are funny, frightening, romantic, fantastical—oh, you’ve got to hear it! That’s one reason why I brought a radio for you all! By the way, this radio is also from Grandma Gail.”

“Why didn’t Iris have a radio before?” Tyler asks.

“Iris doesn’t quite trust…uh, more modern things,” Mama answers. “Grandpa Willard left enough money behind that she could certainly buy a refrigerator, yet she’d rather stick with an icebox.

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