(For anyone who is continuing their journey with me in reading as I post, or those starting now, I am so sorry but I have been spelling my second oldest character’s name wrong. It is Louis. Not Louise. I am so sorry. But the correction has been made from this story on.)

Chapter 1- I remember a day during the early summer of ’31 when I had gone out with my brothers and sisters to find blackberries for a cake mama wanted to make after lunch. When she makes a fresh fruit cake it is a white cake with buttercream frosting and then the fruit will be laid on top. They were my favorite of summer cakes. I think I like them the most because in order to make them, we get to use fresh fruit from the woods. We were always lucky to have black and raspberries on the land. We just had to know where to luck. Which is what happened to the four older children. The twins Rachel and Nellie stayed home since they were still too young to go out to where the good berries were.

Once at the bushes and we moved out and about, I found myself a bit off from the rest of the others when I squatted down to gather some berries towards the ground. That’s when I saw what looked like a shoe. I don’t know what made me do it but I picked up a semi long stick and poked it. It definitely was a shoe because it fell flat as if it was ready to be stepped into. Then I saw the rest of the body. Whomever it was, I think was dead for quite some time. I had to throw my hand over my mouth and jump up. I didn’t get more than 2 or 3 feet before I doubled over. I got sick. Thankfully the stream that ran through the middle of the land was nearby. I had fallen to my knees and held my stomach. This was gross. I crawled over, scooped up water in my hands and put water in my mouth to be able to rinse my mouth. Spitting the water back out, I did it over one more time before I scooped water in my mouth and then swallowed it. 

Throwing my head over my right shoulder, I was thankful the others were moving towards the house again while stopping every few feet to gather what few berries they could find. I got up from my spot and walked toward the others. Not stopping I said,

“Keep moving to the house and don’t go back there.”

“What? Where?” Louis asked.

“Never mind. Just get to the house.” I called out when I kept moving to the direction of the house. I hadn’t gotten too close to the house when I doubled over and got sick again. Daddy had just come out of the barn and seen me doubled over. Calling out my name, I didn’t look up in his direction. He called out again when he saw me grab my stomach and try not to get sick. 

“Honey! What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing.” He helped me over to the side of the barn so he could gather some water in a bucket so he could throw it onto my mess. I felt horrible. He offered me some water too so I could rinse my mouth out again. Once I was done, he didn’t even bother to put the pail of water back. Bending over me and picking me up he moved quick  to carry me inside. He sat me down at the kitchen table. Once I was sitting, he asked,

“Would you like milk or anything?”

“No thank you. I’m afraid I probably won’t keep it down.”

“What happened?” He asked as he sat down beside me. Before I could answer, Mama and Grandma walked into the house from the mud room with a basket of laundry from the line. Mama asked,

“You children are done picking berries already?”

“The others are still out there.” 

“I thought you were to make sure they got home safe?” Grandma asked. Daddy came to my rescue. I was thankful Daddy hadn’t said that I got sick.

“They are plenty old enough to be out there alone. Plus they are on this side of the markers and know they are not allowed past them.” 

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to use the bathroom.” I finally said. I stood up and went to the bathroom. When I went back to the kitchen, I moved around the kitchen. I grabbed a glass and filled it with more water. I drank it up. I noticed Daddy giving me a confused look. I knew he wanted to talk but didn’t want to cause a scene with Mama and Grandma. Daddy let me go back to the woods. As I moved slowly back out to the woods and the spot I left my basket sit, I tried not to think of what I saw under the bush as I gingerly walked over to grab my basket. The others looked up and watched me walk past them as Betty asked,

“What happened to you?”

“Nothing. I had to use the bathroom.” 

Once at the house again we made sure we placed our berries into the bowl Mama pointed out to us to use. Mama and Grandma had started the evening meal since I had been there 10 minutes earlier. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to eat anything so I asked,

“May I be excused?”

“For what?” Mama asked.

“I’m just not very hungry is all.”

“Yes you may.” Daddy said before Mama could say anything. I got up and walked up to my shared room. Since I really wasn’t feeling well, I slipped out of my coveralls and into my night gown. I went to the desk and pulled out the chair and sat down. I reached over and grabbed a book and started to read it. I spent the rest of the day in the bedroom reading or watching the others come and go outside.

When I hadn’t gone down the evening meal, Daddy came upstairs with a small plate of food for me. Daddy said one of the other children would be up later for my dirty things. On the plate was some chicken, a slice of buttered fresh bread and a glass of milk. He went back down when he knew I was going to eat. I would keep reading some while I munched on the chicken. Once I was done eating, I moved to the bed. 

–

That night it took me a bit longer to fall asleep than it usually does. I kept seeing the shoe. But once I had fallen asleep, I started having nightmares. The next thing I knew I was being shaken awake. Daddy and Mama were sitting beside me as Daddy bent over me. They must have been walking by when they heard me crying out in my sleep. I was sweaty. When I was awake, I gasped as I sat up in bed. How I was feeling was starting to worry the adults. Mama asked,

“What is it, child?”

“Nothing. Nightmare I guess.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked as she sat down on the other side of the bed and helped me lay down. We had to talk in whispers so we didn’t wake Nellie, Betty and Rachel.

“No thank you. I’d rather try and forget about it.” I yawned big. 

“Do you want us to sit with you until you fall asleep again?” Daddy asked.

“No. I think I’ll be okay.” After they both gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek they slipped out of the bedroom as I heard Daddy say,

“If she is still feeling ill in the morning I will get Doctor Kramer here after breakfast.” I rolled to my side and closed my eyes. The next thing I knew I heard someone calling out for us to get up for our chores. I slowly rolled out of bed as I groaned and got dressed. 

It wasn’t until after breakfast was done and cleaned up from that Daddy made me go out to the front porch with him. He made me sit down and sat beside me. 

“Okay I need you to tell me what is going on with you lately.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well I think you need to.” He said as turned to face me better.

“I think I found some bones in the woods the other day when I was out with the others gathering berries. That’s why I got sick.”

“Bones? Like animal bones?”

“Human bones. I didn’t stay around long enough to see what was left or not. It was gross. There was even a shoe. Which is what caught my attention.”

“If the sheriff can come over here will you be able to take us to where the bones are?”

“I think so.” I said as I swallowed hard and looked out to the yard. I didn’t want to talk about it because I was feeling sick again. The smell was awful. Thank goodness the weather hasn’t been too bad or it’d smell a lot more I’m sure.

Daddy stood up and walked inside for his truck key. When he came back out onto the porch, he held out his hand as asked,

“Would you like to tag along with me?”

“Sure.” I said as I stood up and walked to the truck with Daddy. Once in the truck he started it and drove off to the sheriff’s office. The drive took us around 10 minutes to get there. The drive was nice because the wind was cool and helped me calm down. I felt like I wanted to get sick again. I draped my arm on the open truck window and propped my chin on my arm. I then closed my eyes. Before I knew it, we were coming to a stop before the truck was turned off. I opened my eyes and saw we had pulled up to the sheriff office.

Chapter 2- Daddy had left me in the truck as he went inside and had come back out within a minute or so with Sheriff Ray. Sheriff Ray had me tell him everything. 

“If we go out to your land, do you think you could show me where the bones are?”

“I think so.” I made a face before they stopped asking. They could tell I was feeling uncomfortable about it. The drive back I wished I didn’t see anything at all. Or that Daddy had let it go. 

As Daddy pulled up to the side of the house and Sheriff Ray pulled up behind him, we all climbed out of the vehicles and went right off towards the woods. When I came within 10 feet or so, I pointed to the tree and bush they were under and stopped. Sheriff Ray went over and squatted in front of the bush. Standing back up, he came over to where Daddy and I stood. I asked,

“So? Who was it?” Giving Daddy a look, I had a feeling he knew but didn’t want to say just yet.

“I’m not quite sure yet. But I will be able to find that out when I can get a few other men out here to do a thorough search and do what we need to in order to figure out what we need to. Which can take awhile to do so I will need to ask that you keep your youngins from being out this way until we can deal with it all.”

“Oh for sure. They will have a few extra chores to do since it is warmer. Trust me, they will stay away.” Daddy said. 

“We can always see if we can’t go to the Beilers a bit too. I mean that’s if they can play. Or we can at least play on the opposite side of the house.” I threw in. I had a feeling that sheriff Ray was lying about not knowing who this person was.

Once back at the house as the men talked, Daddy sent me up to the house for some lemonade for Sheriff Ray and him. I knew they needed to talk in private and was hoping Daddy would have let me stay but whatever Sheriff Ray needed to say wasn’t meant for little ears. When I went in I washed my hands before grabbing the glasses and placed them on the table. Grabbing the lemonade from the icebox, I poured cold lemonade into the three glasses when grandma came in from around the corner from her room. 

“What are you doing?” She asked just as I finished pouring.

“Oh. Daddy sent me in here for some lemonade for him and the sheriff.”

“Is everything okay?” She asked as she walked over to the door and peered out through the blinds.

“Yeah. Daddy just needed to ask him something.” I said as I put the lemonade away. I didn’t want to say something to Grandma that Daddy didn’t want me to. I figured if something would be said to the others than he would at the next meal. Grandma turned to face me when I grabbed the glass and ducked my head. She waited for me to slowly walk over to her before opening the door. I had used a cutting board and walked outside with 3 glasses out on it to make it easier to transport them. Grandma looked at the men before shutting the door.

When I walked out to the men, they were talking about the weather. I allowed for each man to reach out and grab a glass. Daddy let Sheriff Ray grab one before he did. Daddy then reached out and grabbed both glasses and held them so I was able to hold the cutting board in one hand and the glass in the other.

“Thank you sweety.” Sheriff Ray took a long gulp. “Oh that is nice and cold. And very delicious. Did you make this lemonade Emily Rose?”

“I did. But William and Louis squeezed the lemons though.” 

“I bet you could in a year or so yet. Get out there and get some good strong muscles. Let me see them?” He asked as I dropped the cutting board and then held up my arm, bent at the elbow and flexed my arm muscles. He reached over and gave my arm a gentle squeeze. “Maybe not quite that long. I give it 3 months.” He said as he chuckled. Daddy did too. We talked a few more minutes before Sheriff Ray got into this car and left. Daddy and I waved as he drove off. I asked,

“Grandma is suspicious.”

“Suspicious? What do you mean?”

“Yeah she came in as I poured the drinks. When she asked where you were and I told her, she peeked out the curtain on the door.”

“What did you tell her?”

“Just that you needed to ask Sheriff Ray something. I didn’t say anything else. She will probably ask you about it. I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want to get in trouble.” Daddy had put his arm around my shoulder as we slowly walked up to the porch and paused. 

“Don’t worry. I will say something at lunch time.”

“Okay.”

“Why don’t you go find your siblings? If you can, make sure everyone stays out of the woods today? ”

“I’ll try. But what do I do if they don’t listen? And I take it we won’t be able to go that way for a while?”

“If they go out to the woods after you say something to them, then find me. I;ll take care of them. You just tell them that I said to stay out, and that you don’t know why.” With that, I walked off the porch to find the others. I wanted something to do that helped keep my head busy.

–

Around the table for the afternoon meal, Daddy waited to say anything when we all had our food on our plates. When we did he said,

“Okay children listen up.” He got quiet as he waited for us to become quiet for him to go on. “For a week or two I do not want any of you out in the west side of the woods. I am going out and marking some trees in the area you are not to be in.”

“How come?” Betty asked. Since the other children were out with us picking berries they were confused. She asked me, “did you go past a marker and turn yourself in Em?”

“What?1 No! Even if I did, why would I tattle on myself when you would say something? So shut up Betty.” I snapped at her when I looked over to her. The adults were shocked. Before Mama and Grandma could say something Daddy stopped them.

“Let me deal with this.” He said as he held up a hand. “First off young lady, you don’t talk to your sister or anyone like that. And second, no one went over the markers. So stop it as well Betty or you will be grounded for even longer for starting a fight with Emily. And don’t give me that look, you are grounded tonight and tomorrow that fight.” We both shook our heads. Betty huffed before she looked back at her plate. She didn’t want to finish her food but did anyway because she didn’t want to get in trouble for that as well.

“I’m just defending myself for not doing anything bad!” I wanted to yell at Daddy but I said carefully as my lip quivered. Daddy changed the subject as he said,

“There is something I am having Sheriff Ray look at and he asked me to keep you all away from that area of the woods. Is that understood?”

“Yes sir.” We all said in unison.

“Each of you is responsible to keep an eye on the sibling right under you to make sure they don’t go over that way. And if I find out they did, oh Lord, you won’t be able to sit for a week.” Daddy said.

“Yes sir.” We all said together again. Daddy when he used the switch on us, I know my bottom always hurt for at least two days afterwards so I knew I wanted to listen. We also knew not to question too much and if he wanted to talk more about it then he could. Even though I ate enough I couldn’t wait for dinner. Mama had a turkey waiting for the evening meal. And when she had a turkey or chicken, she made her cornbread. It was the best bread too because she sweetened it with honey. And lots of butter. Mama was the best cook while Grandma was more of the baker. Although I’m not saying either wouldn’t do the other just as well. 

Grandma had made me come off to the side with her before she said,

“Do you think your folks would let you and Rachel walk to the store alone for a sack of flour?”

“What do you need that for?” I asked in shock. As far as I was concerned, we didn’t have money so when she came to me to go buy something, I was surprised.

“I wanted to make a cake and we don’t have enough flour for one. I have enough money stashed away for a sack. I’ve learned early in life to always stash money for that rainy day.” I was more intrigued about her life when she was younger than ever. She hardly ever talks about her life before she married Grandpa. Us children were told from a young age not to ask questions about something, if it is something that doesn’t get talked about more.

Ever since the depression hit, things have been very tight for any family. We were just one of few families who still could afford their land and home since it hit. We also were blessed that Grandma and Grandpa were willing to move in with us that first year. Their little bit of income helped with bills and getting what little food we could afford from the general store. Even if it was just flour.

“A sack of flour?” 

“Do you think you can carry that? It’s 10 pounds. That is why I am sending Rachel. She can carry it after a bit?” Grandma asked. 

“I can carry it home.” I admitted proudly. I wanted to prove to her that I could carry it home.

“Okay well I am still sending Rachal to go with.” After Grandma said that she made me follow her. We walked off to find Mama and Daddy. 

–

I was thankful for the distraction as Rachal and I walked to the store. I know we usually weren’t allowed to walk that young to the store but I think since I had Rachel with me I would be fine. And I was. When I walked into the general store with Rachal behind me, Mr. Neal looked up from his paper and smiled.

“Hiya girls. What can I do for you today?”

“Grandma would like a sack of flour please.” I said as I reached out and handed him the coins I held in my now sweaty hand. “Sorry.” 

Mr. Neal counted the coins and handed me back a nickel. He then opened the register and placed the coins into the right pockets before closing it again with a bang. Walking over to the counter he grabs a bag and hands it to me.

“Here you go Emily. Or do you want a box?”

“This will be fine like this. Save your boxes for someone who needs it.”

“Yes ma’am.” Mr. Neal said with a smile. Rachal and I both smiled back as we waved bye. We slipped out of the front door and off the porch. On the walk back, I wanted to ask if I could help with the cake. I know I don’t ask to help cook or bake as much as Betty. I rather be outside doing the work outdoors. If it was cold enough I didn’t mind the work though in the kitchen.

We had several weekends during the winter that we baked and cooked over the stove and fireplace. Which helped keep the house nice and warm. The grandparents had a smaller fireplace in their room as well in which they rarely use because . Daddy sometimes found different trees he used that helped the house smell amazing. Then again, I’ve always thought houses that had fireplaces and or wood stoves always smelled amazing.

Chapter 3 – That evening I asked Grandma,

“When are you going to make that cake?” I asked carefully.

“Would you like to help me?” Grandma asked as she started to laugh.

“Yes please.”

“Okay. You do not have to be scared to ask to do something with me like baking.”

“I know. I was hoping that we could make it alone. Without the other children.” Grandma put the sock she was mending down on the table. Grandma and I had gotten up from our spots on the sofa and walked into the kitchen. She grabbed her apron from the back of Grandpa’s seat. 

As she put it on and tied in the back, I watched her work. I wish I had money to get her a new apron. Or to make her one. Her dresses and apron were pretty tread bare like most peoples. My coveralls had patches on both knees and backside. I hardly wear dresses which were more tread bare and thin than my coveralls or the men’s and boys’. Mama and Grandma were always busy with mending clothing for the family. And don’t get me started on our shoes. Yuck. I even hated slippers during the winter. 

Grandma and I laughed as we worked in the kitchen. We were left alone and afterwards when I looked back on the evening, I wondered if someone said something to the other children to leave us alone. That hour we worked and laughed was one of the best times I had with Grandma. 

Once the cake was put in the pan, Grandma placed it into the oven. I wasn’t allowed to work the stove or oven yet. I don’t think I would want to. I would burn myself. As I watched Grandma place the cake into the oven, I got into thinking. I wondered when the sheriff would start the investigation. Oh! When I looked out of the window I saw several cars outside in the grass and driveway. I wondered when they showed up. Grandma and I had been so busy and having fun that I never knew when they pulled up

“Grandma look.” Once she closed the oven door she walked over and behind me at the window.

“Oh wow would you look at that.” There had been 3 other cars from the sheriff’s office outside and in the driveway. There wasn’t much room left if someone would show up unexpectedly. Then again, that hardly happened anymore since the depression. 

–

As the days dragged on, we made sure we stayed out of the woods. When we went to the Beiler’s for a while, I would feel weird until we made it out of them again and walked along the road. After a week they had a name for the man who passed away. His name was Tom Jones. He must have gotten into some kind of trouble and went on the run. When he knew he would be caught and taken to a high end prison he thought the only way out of it was to either have someone help him or he acted alone to end things. Whichever way, it was sad in general and I was so thankful that I never came across bones in the woods again. Well, that wasn’t animal bones because with the amount of woods in the area there would be tons of them. The adults had kept their eyes on me for some time afterwards as well because they knew I was still creeped out by the whole thing.