Read Online Broken Branch by John Mantooth - Free Book Online

know God the most that seem like they really know him the least.”
    Trudy told herself she’d try to remember that if she ever got out of this place, but then a cloud passed over the moon and the woods went unnaturally dark. A chill rolled fast across her skin and she felt a deep fear that such a day might not ever come.

25
    â€œI better leave you here,” he said when they reached the edge of the clearing. “Besides, I’m going to get back to the swamp.”
    Morning was almost upon the forest. A dim light had already started blanketing the upper reaches of the trees, and she knew from rising early many times over the last few years that full light would come quickly from this point on, and with it, Broken Branch would wake up. Still, she had to ask G.L. a question.
    â€œHow do you get to the swamp?”
    G.L. grinned. “I reckon that’s the sort of thing you’ve got to find out on your own.” As he had done when they first met, he tipped an imaginary hat at her and disappeared into the woods.
    Trudy didn’t waste another second. As the darkness lifted, she took one look at the clearing and saw no activity. She sprinted toward her front porch for the suitcase and her two children.

26
    She lied to Rodney and Mary. It seemed like the best bet to get them out quickly.
    â€œOtto wants everybody to meet at the road,” she said. “For a special announcement.”
    She figured Rodney would be unlikely to question this as he had already developed his father’s penchant for unquestioning loyalty to Otto.
    â€œWhy?” Mary said. “I’m sleepy.”
    â€œHe wants all the children to remain silent,” she said. “You’ll know why when we get there.”
    Rodney seemed to accept this and even took to reminding his little sister to be quiet by holding a single finger up to his lips and fixing her with an angry glare.
    Somehow, they made it to the front porch without waking up James. She could still hear his snores rattling the house when she let the door close silently behind her.
    She picked up the suitcase and saw Rodney’s expression change immediately.
    â€œIt’s the offering,” she said. She didn’t know why. It just came to her. It worked, she realized, because
offering
was a sufficiently spiritual word for Rodney to feel like questioning her any more might be blasphemous. She hated playing on his weaknesses this way, but she saw no other choice. A young man’s dead body was hanging from a willow tree.
    They started across the clearing, and Trudy was beginning to think they might make the trees after all. Morning was here, but none of the roosters had called yet, and the clearing still seemed to be asleep. “Hurry,” she whispered. “We’re late.” Rodney picked up his pace, but Mary was dragging behind.
    They reached the edge of the woods. If they could just get inside the cover of the trees, it didn’t matter when the rooster crowed, they’d have a chance to make it to the road. But Mary was taking her time, zigzagging sleepily.
    â€œMary,” she hissed. “Hurry!”
    But the girl either didn’t hear or was too sleepy to respond. Trudy was on her way back for her, meaning to pick her up and carry her if necessary, when the first rooster crowed.
    She grabbed Mary’s wrist and yanked her hard. The girl began to cry.
    She pulled her toward the trees. They had almost rejoined Rodney when she heard a door slam shut. She didn’t have to look to know it would be Otto. He rose early as a point of pride. He’d long explained that the shepherd should always rise before his flock.
    Trudy pulled Mary into the woods and clamped a hand over her mouth. She spun around and saw Otto standing near his porch steps, stretching.
    They had made it. From here, all they had to do was get to the road. At the road, they could either catch a ride or go on across toward the cotton fields. Either