Echoes of Shadows - Excerpt 1

three children eating ice cream in a back yard

One afternoon, Johanna and the boys were sent to the backyard, sliding door snapped soundly shut and locked behind them, which is when Terry first thought of catching bees in the Mason jars.  He was just starting up his antics again when a familiar neighborhood noise caught their attention.

“Hey, it’s the truck that plays music!” Johanna cried one afternoon as the tinkling weaved up their street. 

Terry looked at her with scorn on his face.  “It’s the ice cream truck,” he said snottily. 

“Oh yeah? Go get some ice cream then!” she dared him.  He clambered over the fence but came back empty-handed, just like she knew he would. 

“They want money.”  The three shuffled their feet then, Johanna, Levi and Terry.  It was such a hot day out.  Ice cream sounded dang nice. “I’ll get us ice cream! I know how to get in!” Terry finally declared and clambered back over the fence before Johanna could react.

At least 30 minutes must have gone by while she and Levi sweated out both the sundry summer day and the stress of whatever Terry was up to.  The not knowing drove them nuts. 

Finally he came crawling back over the fence, shirt off and tucked into the elastic waist of his shorts, three popsicles in hand.  Fire Rockets.  They had never had such a thing, and let me tell you, the having was sweet.

Later that night, the three of them were lined up like the popsicle sticks and wrappers they’d buried underground in the yard to hide.  But it was their hide in danger now.  Dan had out his belt, because Someone stole money from Brenda’s wallet and no one would ‘fess up. 

That night he whipped the boys 8 times each on their bare behinds while Johanna was forced to watch, for her “part in things.”  Then they were sent to bed without supper. 

Johanna was appalled.  Her mother never whipped her, and she had never stood in such a line-up before.  She nearly wet her own pants, and here she was at 7-years old.  Levi was only 3, a baby. 

Levi and Johanna cuddled in bed while she whispered Dr. Suess to him by heart in the night.