“Oh, wait. Of course he’s real. In fact, I’ve met him in person. I found him aimlessly roaming the lobby of Niblo’s Garden during a revival production of
Seven Sisters
. I guess he was awaiting the last curtain call before taking the demon sisters back home to hell.”
The loud Annie, the abrasive, boisterous Annie, was back, and Bertha didn’t like it. She turned away and covered her ears. “Stop it. Don’t make jokes. It’s not funny.”
She waited until Annie hushed laughing before raising her head to look. Annie sat and quietly stared at her, a puzzled look on her face. “It’s absurd, Bertha. There’s no such thing.”
“Yes, there is. And it’s serious business. Such matters aren’t to be dallied with outside God’s protection. Scripture says it like this. . .” She leaned closer and lowered her voice the way Rhodie had earlier. ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.’ ”
Annie shuddered. “It says that?” She looked over Bertha’s shoulder and then behind her. “That gives me gooseflesh.”
Bertha felt guilty about scaring her. “Don’t worry, Annie. There’s a terrible end in store for him and all the workers of iniquity.”
Annie stared back at Bertha with blank, hollow eyes. “Let’s not talk about it anymore, please.”
“Sure, if that’s what you want. You brought it up, remember?”
“And I regret it.” She glanced around anxiously. “Bertha, how long have we been here?”
“I can’t say. Why?”
“I don’t know. It suddenly seems as if a long time has passed.”
Bertha gazed through the trees at the sun. “Oh my, it sure does.”
“How much time, do you think?”
“An hour, at least.”
Annie gathered her skirts about her and stood up. “Oh, Bertha. I think it’s been more than an hour. Much more.” She walked to the edge of the thicket and peered down the trail. “Where’s Mose? He said he’d send Rhodie. We need to get back to town. Abe’s sure to be awake by now, and he’ll be wondering where I am.” She clutched the sides of her head and moaned. “Why did I come out here? Whatever was I thinking?”
Bertha got the impression it wasn’t the first time Annie had asked herself that question, or the first time her reckless nature had caused her grief. The way her face paled and panic crowded her eyes, she also gathered Annie feared Abraham Roth more than any threat of the devil.
“Bertha, I’m going. I can’t wait for Mose.”
Bertha stood and brushed off her backside. “It’s too far. Let’s wait a bit longer.”
“No, I can’t.” She paced from the woods to the edge of the bluff. “You don’t understand.”
As if on cue, the sun dropped behind a cloud and the wind stilled. The trees and shrubs surrounding them seemed to lean close with Bertha to hear Annie’s explanation, but the only sound was the whisper of the water below. The once-cheery spot had become the gloomy site of Mose’s murderous story.
Annie swept past her and started up the trail. “That’s it. I’m going right now.”
Bertha hurriedly fastened her shoes and snatched up the shawl. “Wait, I’ll go with you.”
They struggled through the brush, this time with Annie in the lead. Bertha dodged swinging limbs and hurdled stickers in Annie’s wake. They came onto a group of vultures huddled over a hapless meal. As the two approached, the birds abandoned their feast and took flight with a flutter of wings that startled Bertha but didn’t even slow Annie’s gait. She stumbled just ahead, muttering frantic words to herself, which Bertha heard in bits and pieces.
Bertha wished they could go back under the tree and recapture the merry mood. She knew she should ask what had Annie so upset, but she feared the answer, because somehow she already knew. So she plodded along behind her and said nothing.
When they broke into the clearing, Mose’s rig lumbered toward them in the
Seven Sisters
. I guess he was awaiting the last curtain call before taking the demon sisters back home to hell.”
The loud Annie, the abrasive, boisterous Annie, was back, and Bertha didn’t like it. She turned away and covered her ears. “Stop it. Don’t make jokes. It’s not funny.”
She waited until Annie hushed laughing before raising her head to look. Annie sat and quietly stared at her, a puzzled look on her face. “It’s absurd, Bertha. There’s no such thing.”
“Yes, there is. And it’s serious business. Such matters aren’t to be dallied with outside God’s protection. Scripture says it like this. . .” She leaned closer and lowered her voice the way Rhodie had earlier. ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.’ ”
Annie shuddered. “It says that?” She looked over Bertha’s shoulder and then behind her. “That gives me gooseflesh.”
Bertha felt guilty about scaring her. “Don’t worry, Annie. There’s a terrible end in store for him and all the workers of iniquity.”
Annie stared back at Bertha with blank, hollow eyes. “Let’s not talk about it anymore, please.”
“Sure, if that’s what you want. You brought it up, remember?”
“And I regret it.” She glanced around anxiously. “Bertha, how long have we been here?”
“I can’t say. Why?”
“I don’t know. It suddenly seems as if a long time has passed.”
Bertha gazed through the trees at the sun. “Oh my, it sure does.”
“How much time, do you think?”
“An hour, at least.”
Annie gathered her skirts about her and stood up. “Oh, Bertha. I think it’s been more than an hour. Much more.” She walked to the edge of the thicket and peered down the trail. “Where’s Mose? He said he’d send Rhodie. We need to get back to town. Abe’s sure to be awake by now, and he’ll be wondering where I am.” She clutched the sides of her head and moaned. “Why did I come out here? Whatever was I thinking?”
Bertha got the impression it wasn’t the first time Annie had asked herself that question, or the first time her reckless nature had caused her grief. The way her face paled and panic crowded her eyes, she also gathered Annie feared Abraham Roth more than any threat of the devil.
“Bertha, I’m going. I can’t wait for Mose.”
Bertha stood and brushed off her backside. “It’s too far. Let’s wait a bit longer.”
“No, I can’t.” She paced from the woods to the edge of the bluff. “You don’t understand.”
As if on cue, the sun dropped behind a cloud and the wind stilled. The trees and shrubs surrounding them seemed to lean close with Bertha to hear Annie’s explanation, but the only sound was the whisper of the water below. The once-cheery spot had become the gloomy site of Mose’s murderous story.
Annie swept past her and started up the trail. “That’s it. I’m going right now.”
Bertha hurriedly fastened her shoes and snatched up the shawl. “Wait, I’ll go with you.”
They struggled through the brush, this time with Annie in the lead. Bertha dodged swinging limbs and hurdled stickers in Annie’s wake. They came onto a group of vultures huddled over a hapless meal. As the two approached, the birds abandoned their feast and took flight with a flutter of wings that startled Bertha but didn’t even slow Annie’s gait. She stumbled just ahead, muttering frantic words to herself, which Bertha heard in bits and pieces.
Bertha wished they could go back under the tree and recapture the merry mood. She knew she should ask what had Annie so upset, but she feared the answer, because somehow she already knew. So she plodded along behind her and said nothing.
When they broke into the clearing, Mose’s rig lumbered toward them in the
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