PEACE LIKE A LAKE continued: PART TWO
By Ronnie June's account: Dad had not said a word. not made a sound. he had just gone after her. eyes all hard and cold: beating her up. trying to kill her: that's how it had felt to her: like he was trying - really hard - to kill her.
finally she had wrenched the oar out of his hands. she had beat at him right back. they had both been bloody messes. then the boat tipped over from all their exertions. everything fell out. the boat was upside down. they both got out. started to try to kill each other some more. pushing each other's heads under the water. never saying a word. never shouting out for help. just two animals intent on killing.
She was younger. so she won. she drowned him. she dragged him and herself to the shore. left him lying there. went back out and retrieved stuff floating around. not thinking. just pulling stuff in. then... still not thinking. just doing. she buried him deep in the sand. maybe four feet under. shovelling with the oar. she buried all the fishing gear and everything in the boat with him. covered it all over carefully. left the boat upside down. walked away....
She walked all the way to the farm community where the Country Fair was. she went straight to the minister of the small church in town. she asked for sanctuary. he gave her sanctuary for some reason all his own. he was old. is dead now. so couldn't confirm that part... her face was so misshaped from the blows. no one actually recognized her when the pictures came out in the papers. besides: those pictures were of a young woman... Ronnie June's hair had gone all white as snow. her nose was crooked. and she put on weight fast as the minister's 'new housekeeper'.
A widower in town with a couple of kids took a shine to the nice middle-aged housekeeper at the minister's home. she was so quiet and sweet and kind: he married her. she was a good wife and a great step-mom for the kids. she never talked about her past... and he was not the kind of man to ask or to care....
the only person she ever told the story to was the minister. and he was bound by sanctuary traditions: he believed her besides. she never showed a moment's anger or any violence or even close: she was just so sad... so he believed her. gave her another chance to be a human: which she took. and never looked back.
she herself came to the lake and showed the police where Dad was buried. nothing but bones now. of course. and all the stuff from the boat rotting away. she wasn't upset to see the lake... but she didn't watch the digging-up. the forensics guys confirmed what part of her story they could. the investigators were stumped: there was lots of press and discussion and legal matters: Rae Anne was pushing for conviction... her kids didn't care - nor her ex-husband of course... nor their Mom - who didn't seem to register what was going on at all.... Ronnie June's husband had always known her as Elizabeth: he went into such shock that he could relate at all. he just waited for life to get back to normal... which it did. no surprise, when you think of it....
self defense and mental shock: that's what it all came down to... he was gone: so the story stuck with no rebuttal at all... the dead sometimes speak through evidence and all. but not Dad. not a word. just like he had died. trying to kill his own daughter. without a word. if that's what happened....
Ronnie June lived out her life as Elizabeth. she had no troubles in her town or with her husband. she never said a cross word or did one weird thing - not ever... her step-kids actually were devoted to her. she had never let them down.... Rae Anne died a drunk well before old age could claim her. no one but her kids came to her funeral.... Mom died alone. didn't even know she was alone.... One hundred people came to Elizabeth's funeral: she was well-known in her little town. well-liked.
the lake built up the legend: somehow it drew people to it again. they dredged it once more to open it up for stock fishing. there was some commotion over whether any other clues to The Death would be found. none were... People started fishing again. old cabins around the lake were bought for a song. fixed-up real nice. everyone told the story to people who were new to the lake: real spooky. that's what newcomers would say. then they'd go out and fish the well-stocked waters.... real peaceful now: that's what they would add... every one grew to love the lake again. like all living things, the lake came alive again... because of being loved....
the lake has a name now: Peaceful Lake is it's name. a little town is building up not far from it. due to good farming soil in the area. everybody always comments on it: how peaceful a lake it is. how the fishing is so good. has a strange story about it: upsetting... happened long ago. long ago....
everyone who was involved in the story is dead tho... may they all rest in peace...
Peace like a Lake....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment