down to repair whatever he could.
Grandad Forman rose slowl
y. He looked from
Daddy to Mommy to me and shook his head, backing
away. He pointed at me.
"It's in the blood." he said. "My sins are carried
in the blood."
"Na!" Mommy shouted back at him. "'Your sins
were born and will die with you, not with us. Go
make your own peace and leave us be." she ordered. He turned and stumbled away, clutching his
chest with one hand. his Bible with the other. After a
few steps, he paused to look back at us. He was
mumbling to himself and looked insane, his hair
flying up every which way.
"Go into the house. Dad." Daddy shouted at
him.
Grandad shook his head and then walked faster,
almost running toward the west field as if he had to
flee. We saw him stumble and fall and then get up and
hung along, gazing back at us until he was nearly
gone from sight.
"I'd better go after him," Daddy said. "Leave him. Isaac. We've got to get Simon to
bed," Mommy said, stepping toward him. She put her
hand on Uncle Simon's shoulder. "Go back to bed.
Simon. You need rest before you get very, very sick.
Isaac and Honey will repair what can be repaired for
you."
"She's right. Simon," Daddy said. "Go on back
to bed."
Simon stared at his mutilated garden, two large