Is He Dead? Page 7

  “Well, let’s go to the bank and borrow the money. That’s what we will do. Let’s form a partnership and haul our own damn logs.”

  “Yes sir. We’ve both been in the business for more than 10 years. We know the business backwards and forwards,” Gene boasted to the loan officer.

  “Well, I can’t give you an answer right now, boys. I have to take it to the board of directors for their decision. You know, it might take until the end of the week. I’ll call ya when they’ve made a decision.”

  “Damn, I want that loan,” Tom said. “Shit, we got it,” Gene said, his confidence growing.

  “I think we’ve got it, too, let’s go celebrate,” Tom said jubilantly.

  “Bring us a beer, Millie,” Tom yelled down to the end of the bar. The barmaid Millie looked up and saw it was Tom Jenkins making this order.

  “Shit,” she muttered to herself, “every time this guy comes in we have trouble.”

  “Tom, you’re going to behave in here tonight, ain’t ya?” she demanded.

  “Of course I am Millie. I always behave,” he assured her.

  “Rack‘em,” Tom said to Gene, “you know I'm going to kick your ass in a game of eight ball.”

  Tom and Gene were playing their eighth game and Tom was on his tenth beer.

  “Hey buddy, how about you two give it up for some other people to play?” asked a bar patron.

  “Go to hell, asshole, I’ll give it up when we’re damn well ready,” Tom bellowed.

  “Kiss my ass man,” replied the patron.

  “Screw you!” Tom said as he pushed the patron’s chest. The bar patron bounced up and swung his right hand striking Tom in the jaw. Tom fell backwards on to the pool table and stood back up. His opponent picked up a pool stick and broke it in half. Tom put his right hand in his pocket and drew out a Barlow pocket knife. He opened the knife with a flick of his wrist. He had just recently sharpened the blade with an oiled-down Whetstone. It was razor sharp. The man put down the pool stick and said, “Hey, I don’t want no trouble, man.” He put his hands up and walked away.

  “All right then!” Tom said as he placed the opened knife back into his pants pocket. The patron stuck out his right hand to shake hands with Tom.

  “My name is Gordon,” he said. Tom grabbed his hand and pulled him in a violent tug right up close to his chest as he withdrew the knife from his pocket. Tom placed the blade of the knife against Gordon’s neck.

  “Hey man, don’t do it, man, please man. I‘m sorry, man, please, please!” he begged. Tom ran the blade down Gordon’s throat as blood began to trickle from his neck.

  “You ever hit me again, partner I’ll cut your fucking throat, you got that?”

  “Yeah, buddy, I got that,” Gordon replied.

  “Now get the hell out of my bar,” Tom said. Gordon walked directly out of the bar.

  “That bastard, I ain’t finished with him, no sir, payback is hell,” Gordon vowed to a friend.

  Tom and Gene finished their last game and ordered one more beer for the road.

  Twenty-Five

  “Honey I’m home,” called Tom, as he entered the trailer at 3:00 a.m.

  No response.

  ”Where the hell are you?” Tom checked the bedrooms but no one was around.

  “Where are you?” he screamed again. “Damn it.” Tom picked up the phone and called Melissa’s mother, Ruth.

  “Hello,” came the sleepy voice at the other end of the phone. It was Ted, Melissa’s younger brother. “Missy over there?” Tom asked.

  “Tom, they’re all sleeping,” he said. Ted hung up and Tom simply exploded. He ripped the phone out of the wall and ran out the door slamming it behind him.

  He drove up to Ruth’s house and honked the car horn. It was 4:00 a.m. Tom got out of the car, slamming the door shut, and took a baseball bat from the trunk of his car.

  “Ted Roberts, how dare you hang up on me, you stupid little bastard?” By now the entire neighborhood was awake.

  Ted’s new Pontiac Grand Prix was parked in Ruth’s driveway. “This is a mighty nice car you got here, Ted!” yelled Tom. He raised the bat high into the air and swung it right into the center of Ted’s windshield.

  “Now what? Wanna hang up on me again, motherfucker?” He swung the bat again, this time at the driver’s window, shattering the glass.

  “Melissa! Melissa! MELISSA!” His voice got louder each time he repeated her name, until he finally received a response.

  “What, honey?” Melissa swung open the front door with both kids in her arms. “I am coming, baby. I was just visiting Mamma and all of us fell asleep.” Her voice was quivering with fear.

  It was a quiet trip home. No one said a word. Robert and Amanda fell asleep in the back seat and Tom left them there when they got home.

  Melissa was scared to death of Tom after he had been drinking, but in some twisted way, she enjoyed the violent sex with him. She enjoyed being dominated and ordered around by him, even if what she was doing was wrong and she knew it was taboo.

  That night Tom woke up in the middle of the night. He was sexually aroused, perhaps from a dream. He quietly slipped out of bed and walked into the living room. He was planning to watch a pornographic movie and masturbate. However, when he got into the living room, Robert was sitting on the sofa watching an “I Love Lucy” re-run.

  “What are you doing up this late?”

  Robert was startled and looked wide-eyed at Tom standing boldly in the living room with no clothes on.

  “Nothing, I couldn’t sleep,” Robert replied. Tom walked over to his video storage box and removed an X-rated movie. Robert sat there in his pajamas watching “I Love Lucy” trying to ignore Tom. Tom bent down in front of the television and inserted the videotape into the VCR.

  “Robert, put it on channel 3,” he ordered.

  “Yes sir.”

  The TV screen switched to a man and woman noisily enjoying oral sex.

  “Oh boy!” said Tom. He sat on the sofa next to Robert and started masturbating. “Here Robert, you do it for me.”

  Robert did what he was told. Robert was also getting aroused watching the video. Tom noticed Robert’s erection and ordered him to remove his pants. Time stood still for Robert as he was forced to have sex with his step father.

  Twenty-Six

  “Come on over Amanda,” Anne said. “Let’s do something fun.” Anne and Amanda were best friends. They both lived in the same trailer park. Anne and her mother lived in a trailer across the street and down to the right from Amanda’s trailer. They were like sisters and were always together. If they weren’t in Amanda’s house, they were in Anne’s house.

  “You know, your mom and dad are like my second parents,” Anne said to Amanda.

  “You’re my best friend Anne. We are best friends and we will always be together,” Anne vowed.

  “Did I tell you what mom got me yesterday?” Anne asked. “She bought me an Easy Bake oven, but the light bulb that cooks the cake is blown out. As soon as we get another bulb, you and me can cook ourselves a cake,” Anne said excitedly.

  “Amanda, come on home!” Melissa called from the front door of their trailer. “Tom and me are going to a fish fry tonight and we’re taking Anne’s Momma with us. So Anne is going to stay here with you and Robert tonight. You bess behave now, you hear me?”

  “We will Mom, don’t worry,” Amanda said.

  The fish fry ended around 11:30 p.m. Tom and Melissa drove home with Anne’s Mom in the back seat. Both Melissa and Tom were pretty intoxicated.

  “Why don’t you let Anne spend the night, Mona?” They’re probably asleep already, don’t you think?” said Melissa. They all agreed it would be best not to disturb them. So Tom and Melissa dropped Mona off at her trailer and parked next to their own.

  Amanda, Robert and Anne were fast asleep in Amanda and Robert’s bedroom. Tom and Melissa’s loud conversation in the other bedroom awakened them.

  Melissa came to their room. “We brought home s
ome fried catfish,” Melissa said. “Y’all get up and eat some.”

  Amanda, Robert and Anne all got up and sat down in front of the television watching a western movie, contentedly eating catfish and hush puppies and sipping on ice tea.

  Tom and Melissa excused themselves from the living room and went back into their bedroom.

  Amanda and Robert walked into Tom and Melissa’s bedroom. Anne stood up and followed them in. When she opened the door, she saw Tom lying on his back on the bed with his feet on the floor and Melissa performing oral sex on him. Anne went white and felt weak with shock. Amanda and Robert were acting as if nothing was happening. Anne shrieked, and ran back into Amanda’s room.

  Anne lay motionless on Amanda’s bed, unsure what to make of what she had just seen. Then, the door opened and Melissa, in her nightgown, stood in the doorway.

  “What are you doing?” Anne asked.

  “Nothing, honey,” Melissa whispered. Moments later Tom entered the room, wearing only his underwear. Anne sat up in bed and made an attempt to leave, but Melissa wouldn’t let her out of the door.

  “Go lay back down honey,” Melissa said, as she pushed Anne back on to the bed. Melissa put her weight on Anne and held her down while Tom pulled up her nightgown and removed her panties.

  “Stop it!” Anne screamed. .

  She was just too tiny and vulnerable and he was big and strong. Tom slipped into the twin bed and manipulated his way inside of her. Anne did not even let loose a whimper. Tom had his way with her then Melissa released her.

  “If you say a word about this to anyone, young lady, I will kill you, do you understand me?” Tom whispered menacingly.

  “Yes sir!” Anne could barely speak – she was in shock and emotionally drained.

  Anne jumped up from the bed and ran into the bathroom. She was hurting mentally and physically, and she was so embarrassed. She was just 12 years old. Tom followed her into the bathroom.

  “It wasn’t so bad was it, honey?”

  “I have to go home Mr. Jenkins!” Anne could barely speak through the tears just flowing she was confused and scared.

  “Nope, I think you better hang around for a while. Your mom won’t understand you coming home in the middle of the night,” said Tom. “Come on with me.” He grabbed her hand and led her into his and Melissa’s bedroom. Anne was totally mortified as she looked in. Melissa was having oral sex with Robert. “He is only 8 or 9 years old,” she thought.

  Tom made her stand up against the wall and watch. She watched in horror as Tom had sex with Amanda and Melissa performed oral sex, first on Robert, and then Amanda.

  “My God!” She thought. “What is happening here? Why are they doing that?” Anne slid down the wall and sat on the floor in the corner of the room, turning her head away to hide the shame. But she wasn’t able to block out the noise of the incestuous orgy. Anne left the house at 6:00 a.m., explaining to her mother that she had had a bad dream and wanted to come home early.

  In the weeks to follow, Anne asked Amanda why this had happened. Amanda replied that it happens all the time.

  “But you can’t tell anyone about it, you can’t tell anyone ever, please. It’s our secret, okay? He would kill me and Robert if I ever said anything to anybody. Promise me you won’t say anything.”

  “I have to tell someone, I just have to Amanda,” Anne said in anguish.

  One afternoon several weeks later, Anne heard someone calling her from outside.

  “Get out here, Anne! Get out here right now!” It was Elizabeth Roberts, Melissa's little sister. “I’m going to kick your ass all over this yard. You have a big mouth bitch and I am going to shut it for you.” Anne walked outside. “What are you talking about?” She said.

  Elizabeth jumped on her and started swinging her fist, striking Anne on her chest, her back and her face. Anne grabbed at Elizabeth’s hair and pulled as hard as she could.

  “You better keep your mouth shut, bitch!” Elizabeth screamed. “You were told not to tell anyone!”

  “Tell what?” Anne asked desperately as Elizabeth straddled her, holding down her arms and shoulders.

  “Amanda told you not to tell anyone so you better not, do you understand?”

  As she struck Anne in the face with a closed fist, Anne’s mother ran outside and broke up the fight. “Get off her, you filthy pig,” Anne’s mother screeched.

  Twenty-Seven

  The next morning, the phone in Tom’s trailer rang.

  “Hello,” said Tom as he picked up the phone. “That’s great Mr. Klein. You just made my day!” Tom cried jubilantly. “$20,000 will get us a used truck, some new chain saws, and a wrench,” Tom thought.

  “Yes sir, sure we can. We’ll both be down there in thirty minutes,” Tom exclaimed, acting like an excited schoolboy.

  “We got it, damn it! We got it, Gene,” Tom said over the phone.

  “Meet me at the bank in 30 minutes, partner,” Tom said.

  “I’m on the way,” Gene cheerfully replied.

  “Sign here, here and here,” the loan officer said as he pointed to the X’s marked on the loan agreement. Both Tom and Gene signed and the loan officer extended his hand.

  “Congratulations, gentlemen and good luck,” he said as he shook both their hands and handed Tom a check for $20,000.

  “Okay, so we agree that Melissa will be our bookkeeper, right?” Tom said eagerly to Gene as they left the bank.

  “Well, okay,” Gene responded with some hesitation, “but let’s first agree on our salaries and how we split the income.”

  “$300 each per week, the rest goes into the bank and pays the loan, how’s that?” Tom replied.

  “Sounds fair to me,” Gene said.

  “Yes sir! I think this truck will do just fine,” Tom said as he slammed the door on a 1963 Mac tractor. “We need a log trailer though, and a winch.”

  It was almost noon on a mid-summer’s day, and both Tom and Gene were deep in the woods cutting timber. The sun was beating down on them.

  “Watch out for copperheads,” Gene warned as he pulled some brush away from a pine tree trunk.

  “Shit!” Tom screamed, as a copperhead launched a lightning fast strike at his work boots. He swung at the snake with the bow of his chain saw and flipped the snake up into the air.

  “Damn it Tom, you trying to kill me?” Gene yelled. The snake slithered off silently under a pile of tree branches.

  “I think this tree is too big, Tom,” Gene said as they surveyed a huge natural pine. It must have been three and half feet in diameter and sitting right on the edge of a 30 or 40 foot drop off.

  “I want this tree,” Tom replied determinedly. “That’s big money. Go get the truck and let’s tie a cable around it right here,” he said, pointing to a spot on the tree about eight feet over his head.

  “Maybe we can keep it from going over that cliff,” Tom said. Gene backed the truck up and began releasing cable from the winch. “How’s that?” Gene yelled. “That enough?”

  “Just a little more cable,” Tom replied. Sweat was rolling off his forehead.

  “Okay, draw up some tension,” Tom yelled, as he started up his chain saw. “All right, get ready,” his voice rising in volume as his tension rose.

  He pressed the twirling chain against the base of the tree. It was tearing out pieces of pine, spitting it out in all directions. The sawdust covered Tom’s head and blanketed his shirt. The sound of the saw was deafening. Tom had to switch to the other side of the tree.

  “Tom! Don’t get between the truck and tree,” Gene yelled. But it was too late. At that moment the trunk and tree separated with a thunderous crack. The cable snapped and almost slid off at the base of the tree, jerking it towards the truck. Tom was pinned between the rear wheels and the jagged cut. The chain saw fell to the ground running at top speed. It continued to dance and bounce on the ground and it was only inches from Tom’s right side, kicking up dirt and rocks all over his back. Gene jumped down from the truck and reached fo
r the handle of the saw. It kicked back as the chain dug into the ground. Gene fell backwards and the chain saw dropped over the cliff, stopping only upon impact.

  “You okay Tom? Tom you okay? Answer me!” Gene thought the worst. Tom was pinned tight against the wheel. A knot on the tree was pushing against his chest.

  “I can’t breathe,” Tom mumbled. The top of the tree was hanging over the cliff with the base pinned underneath the back-end of the truck. There was so much weight on the truck that the back tires were suspended in the air and not touching the ground.

  “I don’t know what to do Tom,” Gene cried out in despair.

  “I can’t move the truck. The wheels ain’t touching the ground, Tom.”

  Gene surveyed the scene and quickly summed up the situation. “If I release the cable, that tree is going to crush you to death.”

  At that moment, a breeze kicked up and the tree began to sway in the wind. Tom was in intense pain. The tree knot had ruptured his chest. It looked like a rib was being pushed into his heart.

  “I’m dying,” Tom said in a weak, hoarse voice. He lost consciousness and his head fell toward the ground.

  “Oh shit,” Gene screamed, “Help, Help!” His screams were drowned by the noise of the wind blowing through the trees.

  Gene ran to his pickup truck. His lights were on.

  “Oh no” he thought to himself. “The battery is going to be dead.”

  Holding his breath and saying a silent prayer, he inserted the key and turned it. To his huge relief, the engine turned over and cranked.

  “Thank you God,” he prayed out loud.

  Gene pulled up to the gas station. His truck was overheating and the brakes were smoking. He ran inside, breathing hard and gasping for air.

  “Call the Sheriff,” he said, “It’s Tom, he’s pinned under the truck.

  He needs help fast.” Gene struggled to get the words out in between his gasps for air.

  “Where?” Paul asked.

  “Go to the power line and make a right. We’re about three miles down at the cliff,” he screamed.