down, I finished eating and washed and put away my
dishes, the pancake skillet, and silverware. By the
time everything was cleared away and cleaned. I
heard Daddy's truck pull up in front of the house. I
stepped out to greet them.
"Morning, Honey," Daddy called.
"Did you make yourself some breakfast, dear?"
Mommy asked immediately.
"Yes," I said. "Sorry I slept so late."
"That's all right. We were glad you got
whatever rest you needed, dear,"' Mommy said. She looked very pretty and fresh this morning,
and I thought Daddy was very handsome in his sports
jacket, tie, and slacks. Mommy paused to kiss me on
the forehead. Then her eyes got small and dark. "He bother you any this morning?"
"I haven't seen or heard him."
"Grandad's up in the west field, probably,"
Daddy said. "There's a wooded place there he's used
on Sunday as his private church for years
I knew the place. Because Grandad Forman put
such a holy stamp on it and because it was his private
place. I stayed away from it.
"He's been troubling," Mommy told Daddy.
"And I don't mean just the incident yesterday with
Honey and Chandler, Isaac. There's a new madness in
him. When he came at you yesterday. I thought he
would swing that machete for sure," Mommy said.
"He's mumbling to himself and talking to the shadows
more than ever. It's not good."
Daddy nodded and gazed toward the west field. "I know." he said. "He and I worked together as
usual afterward, but he would barely speak to me and