This Dark Earth by Jacobs John Hornor

Author:Jacobs, John Hornor [Jacobs, John Hornor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 2012-07-02T16:00:00+00:00

They buried the captain in the median of 540 the next morning. A chaplain as well as an officer, Wallis said some words and commended young Gus on his vigilance. Then Wallis recited a short verse from memory. The men remained subdued, casting furtive glances at the doctor, her companion, and the strange boy.

On Jasper’s insistence, they placed Tessa’s body in the grave with Mozark.

“She was a good girl. A real good girl. She should sleep with the captain. For company,” Jasper said. “They can keep each other company.”

Keb groaned and began shoveling dirt onto the dead. Jasper joined him, tears streaming down his face.

“What you crying for, you stupid motherfucker?”

“I’m sad, Keb.”

“Sad?” Keb jabbed his shovel into the mound of dirt and leaned against it. “That skeeze killed the captain. Why you blubbering for her?”

“I’m sorry she died. She was a good girl.”

“Goddamn, you as dumb as they come. She was a ho.”

“Don’t talk like that about her.” Jasper’s face turned red. “She did what she needed to do to survive, man. That’s all. Same as you. Same as me.”

Keb sniffed, shook his head, and began to shovel dirt into the grave.

The doctor and her burly companion stood by the grave long after the men had returned to the Bradleys and begun to strike camp. The sun rose over the tree line, casting long shadows behind them on the dewy ground, and for the moment, the only dead within sight were those at their feet.

Slowly, Lucy’s hand reached out and took Knock-Out’s. They didn’t look at each other, but their bodies grew closer until they were leaning against each other.

The boy stood a little ways apart from them, staring into the distance.

“What’re you looking at, kiddo?”

Gus turned and smiled at his mother. His eyes flicked over her, over Knock-Out, taking in their clasped hands.

He turned back to where he’d been looking and pointed.

“See that bridge?”

In the distance was an overpass long devoid of traffic. Weeds grew high in the cracks of the asphalt, and at the interstate’s edge, saplings rose and stirred in the slight morning breeze.

“Yes. Sure. I see it.”

Knock-Out said, “What about it?”

“We need to talk to the lieutenant. I’ve got an idea.”

Gus turned and walked back up the interstate toward the camp.

Lucy and Knock-Out put their heads together and then turned to follow the boy.

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