The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

Chapter 7

On such a hot, hazy and humid summer day sat a two story farmhouse all alone in a quiet valley that overlooked two hundred acres of nothing but wheat. As much wheat as the human eye could take in all at once.The picturesque sight lay beyond the outskirts of Cypress; no more than an hour and some ten minutes outside of the town.

For Charles, however, driving from Cypress to the farm felt like cruising from one end of the earth to the other.The man pulled his car into a long, dust layered driveway before coming to a complete stop in front of a white mailbox that bore the name Holcomb on the side. He looked straight ahead at the brown and white house where a mix breed collie, pit-bull came running and barking at him.

Charles only put the car in park and cut off the ignition before climbing out and proceeding towards the house.

"Can I help you, sir?" A man's deep voice called out from the front screen door of the house.

With a genial smile upon his face, Charles approached the porch, only to have the man on the other end of the screen door come out in a burst of laughter the second he could see him better.

"Well I'll be, look who it is!" The middle-aged, medium built, grey bearded white man shouted in a slight southern twinge in his undershirt and blue overalls.

The two men hugged the life out of each other before the white man stood back and continued to beam, "It sure has been a long time!"

Smiling right back, Charles replied, "Yes, sir, it sure has."

"What brings you all the way out here, of all places?"

"Well—

"Who are you talking to, Elmer?" A middle-aged white woman questioned as she came out the same screen door.

"Look who it is, Ida." Elmer pointed to Charles.

Ida stood for a brief second before she clutched her chest and smiled, "My Lord, Charles...is that you?"

Still holding on to his million dollar smile, Charles gladly responded, "I'm afraid it is."

The two embraced before Ida stood back. She then skittishly glanced over at Elmer before her smile turned into a subtle grimace.

"We're so sorry we didn't get a chance to come to the funeral, Charles." She held Charles' hands in her own.

Blushing, Charles said, "Now you two cut that out. I didn't come all the way out here for that."

"Well, can I get you something to drink or eat?"

Exhaling, Charles said, "On this hot day, I sure could go for a sip of some of that lemonade of yours. If you still make it, that is."

Playfully slapping Charles across his right arm, Ida answered, "Of course I still make it. You two boys go on and play while I take care of that."

Both men watched as Ida went back into the house before Elmer studied Charles from head to toe as though he were just fascinated with the man.

"I see old Luke still likes to play." Charles patted the bouncing dog on the head.

"Yep, we're gonna have to put him out to stud before fall gets here, though." Elmer said as he began walking back into the house, making sure Charles was right behind him. "C'mon in, Chuck."

The two men went through the spacious, sun drenched living room that was littered with nothing but pictures of family members from one corner to the other. Charles tried his almighty best not to allow any of the frames to catch his eye.

Once they cleared the living room, Elmer opened a screen door that led to a back porch where two rocking chairs were placed right beside the screened in window that overlooked the yard. Charles sat down beside Elmer and immediately began rocking back and forth like a little boy.

"I sure do miss a rocking chair." He grinned from ear to ear.

"Yep," Elmer sighed, "Ida gets on me for falling asleep out here on this porch."

A deep silence captured the men at that moment before Elmer put his rough hands together and murmured with a blushing face, "Me and Ida are truly sorry for not coming to the funeral, Chuck."

Charles just waved the man's apology away as to say it wasn't even necessary before he began rocking faster in his chair.

"The snow just kept us hunkered down here like a bunch of old hermits."

Leaning forward, Charles smiled, "You stop that right now. You have nothing to be sorry for."

Elmer only humbly pressed his lips together before asking, "So...how have things been for you?"

Charles sat back in his chair and clutched the arms as if he were holding on for dear life. "I'm doin' the best I can." He beamed.

Elmer sat and stared on at the man with a glimmer of kindness on his face and said, "I'm glad to hear that, my friend."

Charles sighed, "it's been an

interrupt." A young, blonde girl came into the porch with a platter of lemonade

Elmer sat up and proudly announced, "This is our

down onto the small table between the men and smiled, "Grandma said to bring you guys

here is Lindsey?" Charles' eyes lit up. "Good

toe as her grandfather took the pitcher of lemonade and

here is Pastor Charles Mercer." He handed Charles

stared back at Elmer with a quiet and

Both men caught themselves for a second or two before Charles looked back up at Lindsey. "So tell me, young lady, do

sir, but I get teased at school

used to watch her and the 'Six Million Dollar Man' all the time together. Tell your grandmother how much we appreciate

Lindsey gladly responded as she

everything is

does put a lot of sugar in this here lemonade." He looked at the

on at Charles. "You didn't answer my question,

Charles placed the glass down onto the table before glancing up at

"Oh really," Elmer looked

"Yep, he wanted to know if I wanted to sue the

"What did

Shrugging his shoulders, Charles responded, "Sue the police department

"Sue them for that officer killing

Charles gulped, "Elmer, no amount of money in this world is gonna...is gonna bring that boy back

sat and glared on and on at Charles. "Perhaps

"I left my

lasted for nearly an entire minute before Elmer stroked his beard and said, "Something told me you

Charles only grinned at the man before dolefully saying, "I left three

just what on earth made you do

of his head, Charles said, "I can't quite explain why. I guess I don't see myself fit to lead

"That couldn't be further from the truth."

Sitting up in his seat, Charles said, "I sold my house. I can't even bring myself to drive by there no more. All I do is drive

"How are the baby and

as for Lynn herself, I haven't seen her since May. She tries and tries to say that she's not, but the girl is strung out. You know I've seen that all too many times in my

there anything you can do to reach out to her?"

for the better that I stay away from her and the baby. I ain't no good

in the world makes you say that,

at Elmer and just stared hard and long at the man. "I have reason to believe that I'm going through what Carl went through way back in

do recall that

only nodded his head in a nonchalant fashion before closing his eyes and clutching his hands

before Charles and placed his hand on the

the man. For a brief moment all he could see was Elmer's beard, nothing

was drooling down Charles' head was more of a relief than a burden. It let him

With Elmer right beside him, Charles, with his hands

so upset at this heat." He mumbled lightheartedly. "I reckon that's

you leave a place like this, it always pulls you right

could see what looked to be a tall pole in front of a fence. His mind was racing so much that he had to take

"I went over to that house." Charles

"I see."

first time I'd been

"And just how did that end

face to the dry ground beneath

walking until they came to the tall, wooden pole and the decrepit fence that the pole was leaning against. Charles and Elmer themselves leaned against the crippled barrier as the sound of cicadas shrieked from every

could. "I need to ask you a very important question, and

"Have you ever known me

himself. "You can laugh at me all you want, but...do you really believe in

amused, Elmer looked right back at

talked about it all the time, but I need to know if you believe it or

"How can you, of all people, not believe in it?"

Charles glanced around the area before looking back at Elmer again. "I never said that I didn't, but I saw my boy that night before he was taken away, and something wasn't

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