Read Online A Rhinestone Button by Gail Anderson-Dargatz - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Gail Anderson-Dargatz
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walking off. “Crop circle. Wild.”
Job and Ben watched Carlson circle over their heads and tip his wings before flying off. They walked the cow trail back home, both of them with their hands shoved in their jeans’ front pockets. Job saw his own curls in the back of the boys head. Cut short though.
“If there
were
aliens,” said Ben, “and they weren’t like Dad said, devils, then God would have made them too, right?”
“I suppose. If there were aliens. God even made Satan.”
“But we look like God. The Bible says we were made in God’s image. Right?”
“Right.”
“So, what does the aliens’ god look like?”
“It’s like your dad says. There are no aliens. There’s only one God.”
“But if there
were
aliens, would God look like
them
, with a big grey head and stuff?”
“Your dad wouldn’t like you talking about this.”
“Dad doesn’t like me talking about anything.”
A tree had fallen over the path, but the cows simply stepped over it rather than deviate from the route. Ben and Job stepped over it too. Here and there the cows’ hooves had gouged deep, muddy holes in the trail. When a track grew too deep to traverse, the cows just walked a few steps over, matching the curves and undulations of the first. Creatures of habit.
Job followed his nephew up the stairs and into the house, took off his boots and sat at the same seat he occupied as a child, with his back to the window. Jacob at the head in Abe’s old seat, Ben in Jacob’s.
Lilith, hair flying like a banshee’s, shrieked into the kitchen brandishing a broom, chasing Job’s cat. Grace skidded across the linoleum, scrambled to safety under Job’s chair, behind his feet, and sat on the register. “What she do now?” asked Job.
“Just found it sleeping on my bed. I’m allergic, you know.”
Job leaned down to give the cat a scratch, but she jumped from his hand, jittery from the chase. Grace was the only cat on the farm Job had allowed in the house. She lived there still, as she had claimed it and refused to sleep in the cabin. When he had slept in the house, Job often woke in the night to find her lying on his chest, staring down at him, her eyes shining. A comfort, that something in this world found him fascinating. But frightening too, eyes glittering in dark. He had petted her, sparks showeringfrom her coat in the dry night air, until she fell asleep purring, sucking her tail.
Lilith set cups and spoons, a bag of Dad’s Oatmeal Cookies on the table and fell into her seat opposite Job. Two years before, she’d been overcome by a bout of palsy and hadn’t regained full function of the right side of her face. It gave her a sour look, as if she had just smelled something foul. The expression never left her face, even when she smiled, giving whatever she said a cynical edge. “So, we’ve got a crop circle out there, do we?” she said.
“You should’ve heard Carlson go on about it,” said Jacob. “He thinks we’ve got UFOs landing in the field. Or aliens trying to communicate. I tried to tell him it was Satan’s work, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“But God made the aliens too, didn’t he?” said Ben. “I mean, if there were aliens? Job said they’d be God’s creation too.”
Jacob slapped the table, making Lilith and Grace jump. “What have I told you about talking like that?”
He finished off his cup and set it down. Lilith jumped up to grab the pot and poured him another. “Ben, you got anything to tell me?” said Jacob.
It was what Abe had always asked before he gave his boys the strap. A fly landed on Job’s plate and tasted the cookie crumbs with its feet. Job overturned his empty water glass on it and watched it buzz in panic.
“About what?” said Ben.
“Anything at all.”
Ben reached for another almond square. Job admired the boy’s ability to look nonchalant. “No,” he said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“All right. Go to your room and get ready for a
Job and Ben watched Carlson circle over their heads and tip his wings before flying off. They walked the cow trail back home, both of them with their hands shoved in their jeans’ front pockets. Job saw his own curls in the back of the boys head. Cut short though.
“If there
were
aliens,” said Ben, “and they weren’t like Dad said, devils, then God would have made them too, right?”
“I suppose. If there were aliens. God even made Satan.”
“But we look like God. The Bible says we were made in God’s image. Right?”
“Right.”
“So, what does the aliens’ god look like?”
“It’s like your dad says. There are no aliens. There’s only one God.”
“But if there
were
aliens, would God look like
them
, with a big grey head and stuff?”
“Your dad wouldn’t like you talking about this.”
“Dad doesn’t like me talking about anything.”
A tree had fallen over the path, but the cows simply stepped over it rather than deviate from the route. Ben and Job stepped over it too. Here and there the cows’ hooves had gouged deep, muddy holes in the trail. When a track grew too deep to traverse, the cows just walked a few steps over, matching the curves and undulations of the first. Creatures of habit.
Job followed his nephew up the stairs and into the house, took off his boots and sat at the same seat he occupied as a child, with his back to the window. Jacob at the head in Abe’s old seat, Ben in Jacob’s.
Lilith, hair flying like a banshee’s, shrieked into the kitchen brandishing a broom, chasing Job’s cat. Grace skidded across the linoleum, scrambled to safety under Job’s chair, behind his feet, and sat on the register. “What she do now?” asked Job.
“Just found it sleeping on my bed. I’m allergic, you know.”
Job leaned down to give the cat a scratch, but she jumped from his hand, jittery from the chase. Grace was the only cat on the farm Job had allowed in the house. She lived there still, as she had claimed it and refused to sleep in the cabin. When he had slept in the house, Job often woke in the night to find her lying on his chest, staring down at him, her eyes shining. A comfort, that something in this world found him fascinating. But frightening too, eyes glittering in dark. He had petted her, sparks showeringfrom her coat in the dry night air, until she fell asleep purring, sucking her tail.
Lilith set cups and spoons, a bag of Dad’s Oatmeal Cookies on the table and fell into her seat opposite Job. Two years before, she’d been overcome by a bout of palsy and hadn’t regained full function of the right side of her face. It gave her a sour look, as if she had just smelled something foul. The expression never left her face, even when she smiled, giving whatever she said a cynical edge. “So, we’ve got a crop circle out there, do we?” she said.
“You should’ve heard Carlson go on about it,” said Jacob. “He thinks we’ve got UFOs landing in the field. Or aliens trying to communicate. I tried to tell him it was Satan’s work, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“But God made the aliens too, didn’t he?” said Ben. “I mean, if there were aliens? Job said they’d be God’s creation too.”
Jacob slapped the table, making Lilith and Grace jump. “What have I told you about talking like that?”
He finished off his cup and set it down. Lilith jumped up to grab the pot and poured him another. “Ben, you got anything to tell me?” said Jacob.
It was what Abe had always asked before he gave his boys the strap. A fly landed on Job’s plate and tasted the cookie crumbs with its feet. Job overturned his empty water glass on it and watched it buzz in panic.
“About what?” said Ben.
“Anything at all.”
Ben reached for another almond square. Job admired the boy’s ability to look nonchalant. “No,” he said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“All right. Go to your room and get ready for a
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