Page 91 of Broken Souls

“She can still –”

“Get rid of her Maddox. You’ll be marrying Lou Black as soon as I can arrange it with her father.”

“What the fuck –”

I shut the door on him and head towards Mother’s room, but I detour at the sound of someone singing in the kitchen. A dark country song with long drawn out words and deep vocals.

“The sun iiiiis...only rising,

The dew’s noooooot…even burned,

The colooooooors...are all enticing,

But, Mamaaaaaaaa…I’m ready to come home.

Oh, my daaaaays.

Coming hooooome.

I sit by a laaaaaake...in the mountaaaaaaains

Throwing in coiiiiiins...to cross the black,

I daaaaaance...in the aaaaaarms...of my loveeeeer

Feeling her chill across my back.”

I find Mother standing at the counter, both of her hands on it, the cane lying across the wood in front of her. Her eyes are closed as she continues to sing. Our monster sister ripples beneath her hands, the wood shifting, the knots in it racing up and down in movement to her tone. I lean against the threshold of the door, studying her, seeing if she looks too pale, if there is too little strength in her limbs, too much waver in the pitch of her voice.

“The Devil’s come a’knockiiiing

And I am opening up my dooooor

Offering her a beer

Then grabbing up my coat

And though I untiiiiie…my shoes

The laceeeeees...are still used.

Oh, my daaaaays.

Oh, my daaaaays.

Oh, Mamaaaaa,

I’m coming hooooome.”

“You’re singing that with a lot of passion,” I say as I step inside. “Thinking of seeing Hel soon?”

She looks at me as she runs her hands across the wood, a slow pat before she hobbles towards me. I look pointedly at her cane. She does not pick it up.

“Mother,” I say, my voice low.

“I’m not dying yet.”

“The cane doesn’t help if you don’t use it.”