July Snow

July Snow

By

Linda Williams Moore

SMASHWORDS EDITION

*****

PUBLISHED BY:

Linda Williams Moore on Smashwords

July Snow

Copyright © 2017 by Linda Williams Moore

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Adult Reading Material

*****

Smashwords Edition, License Notes.

If you enjoyed this book, please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

Dedicated to

To Jessica and Nan, my sister Nancy, my friends Ramona and Melody, and always for Douglas.

In memory of Munch.

Thanks to Doug Moore for the cover graphics.

Prologue – Sixty Years Ago

Ain’t the moon pretty tonight? the tiny blond girl said as she snuggled closer to the young man driving the shiny black ’56 Ford. The flood of moonlight spilling in through the wide windshield turned the smattering of freckles on her nose into gold dust.

The dark-haired boy glanced at his passenger and smiled. I can see you like it was broad daylight.

Rose Curry wet her lips and slowly unfastened the top button on her cotton blouse. Can you now? she purred, tingling with the surge of new feelings. A slender finger lightly tapped the zipper on his pants.

Lucas Pritchard jump like a scalded cat and jerked on the steering wheel. Good lord, gal. You gonna make me run off the road. He took a deep breath. I told you I found a good place. Ain’t too far now.

Somewhere private? Her blue eyes glittered as she remembered the two times she and Lucas had made fumbling love in the back seat of the car. Tonight would make the third time if they could find a location off the usual routes of young people looking for the friendly dark.

Real private, Lucas replied, shifting to a lower gear in the sandy ruts. Do you have to be home by 10:00 again tonight?

Nope, Rose giggled. I told Mama I was helping take inventory at the drugstore and probably would be pretty late. She sobered. I hate lying to Mama, but she treats me like a little child since Daddy died. I’m eighteen now and all grown up.

Grown up enough to marry me and be an Army wife? Lucas squeezed her knee. I asked you three times now.

Her breath caught in her throat. Yes, I’m ready to go with you. You know I’ve never loved anybody but you my whole life. She turned to look at him. But you’re the baby of your family. Will your folks let you join the Army?

Can’t stop me. I’m old enough to join on my own.

I don’t like the idea of you going way over there to fight. A frown creased her forehead. What if something—

Nothing’s gonna happen to me, Lucas broke in. I’ll do my hitch and come home to my little wife—and I’ll work in a factory or something. Lord knows I’m sick to death of working on the farm.

I could get a job, too, and we—

You’re gonna be home taking care of our babies. Lucas squinted at the growing shadows. Getting dark awful quick. Oh, here’s the road. He turned into a narrow road little more than a space between the tall pines that leaned over like old men.

I don’t remember this road, Rose murmured, trying to see out into the thick woods.

Guess we musta missed it before. There’s a little clearing up here a piece. He laughed sheepishly. I checked it out yesterday. You know, just looking around and—

The car pulled into a small open spot. When the engine and the lights died, the woods seemed to come alive with night noise.

Rose reached over and made sure her door was locked. Sort of a spooky place.

Not really, Lucas replied, tugging his shirt out of his pants and turning toward Rose. Get over here, darling, and kiss me like I like it.

She scooted across the wide seat and settled into his arms, her lips upturned and open to his searching kisses. Arching her back, she nudged the buttons of her blouse open and offered him the firm plumpness of her young breasts. He moaned and pulled her close into the vee of his long legs.

The car shook and the couple broke apart. What in the hell? Lucas stammered, his tongue still thick with passion. The car rocked again, its springs creaking in protest.

Look at the trees. Rose stared out the window. They’re just whipping back and forth.

We better get out of here. Lucas had to cajole the engine into turning over. Looks like a bad storm coming up.

Can’t be. See, the moon is still shining and— She leaned closer to the windshield. Lucas, it’s snowing.

Snowing? Can’t be. It’s July, for Christ’s sake! He wrestled the car around in the tight space and looked for the narrow track.

It is snow, she insisted. It’s falling heavier now. Her face grew pale in the eerie moonlight peppered with falling flakes. Remember the old stories about devil’s snow and how it blows out of hell when the gates open.

Don’t talk crazy. That’s just a superstition. Lucas searched the trees for an opening. Where’s the road?

No, it’s not crazy. Rose looked out at the snow clinging to the trees and grass. I’m afraid, Lucas. She nervously rebuttoned her blouse.

There’s the road. There was relief in his voice. We’ll be back on the main road in just a minute or two.

The snow was thick now, swirling and spiraling like a living thing. The swishing wipers could not keep it from banking on the windshield and all but blocking Lucas’s vision.

We should be back on Harmony Church Road by now, Lucas muttered. We must have taken the wrong turn.

We didn’t make any turns.

Well, where are we then?

We’re in the devil’s snow, that’s where—and don’t yell at me. Rose’s voice became shrill in her panic.

Looks like a house up ahead. Lucas shook his head. Can’t be. There was nothing on this road but that clearing.

It doesn’t look like anyone lives there. Rose felt tears trickle down her face as she looked at the ramshackle house. I want to go home.

Well so do I, he shot back, but the road ends right here. He squinted through the windshield.

In the small clearing in front of them sat a dilapidated old house. The paint was gray and peeling, and the roof was ragged and blown away in spots. Some windows were jagged and broken and some were webbed over like blind eyes.

Didn’t see this house when I drove out this road a few days ago, said Lucas, a frown on his face.

He pulled the car up into steep, slippery driveway and parked.

I’ll go see if anyone lives here. You stay in the car.

No, I’m going with you, Rose said. I’m not staying out here by myself.

They stepped out into the snow and mounted the shifting steps, crossing the rotting porch.

Hello, Lucas called. Anyone in there?

No response.

Rose pushed on the door and was surprised to have it slowly swing open. She stepped inside and was struck by a foul odor so strong it made her eyes water.

Be careful, Lucas warned, following close behind her.

They were surprised to see two small boys about six or seven, dressed in dirty striped tee shirts and raggedy-kneed jeans, pushing little toy cars back and forth on a three-legged coffee table in front of a sagging sofa, the only furniture in the room. Their skin was ashen and dry, their lips cracked, their long hair badly needing a haircut.

What are your names, she hesitantly asked the little boys.

They look up and smile sweetly but said nothing.

Why are you two here alone? She tried again.

We’re not alone, one of them said finally. You and him are here now. He held out a red model car. Wanna play cars with us?

Lucas felt as if something were watching them. Let’s get out of here, he said. This place is weird.

I want to look around for a minute, Rose said.

She walked back through a dining room and saw several broken chairs and a table split down the middle. When she entered the filthy kitchen, she came across a rusty sink filled with broken bowls. A meat grinder sat on the counter, maggots in the piece of meat hanging out. There was no food in the cabinets and nothing but leaves and sticks in the refrigerator.

Across the hall were two small bedrooms, one with twin beds and several broken toys, a clown and a rocking horse. The other had a double bed and a non-working bathroom. A sense of abandonment filled the neglected rooms.

As she wandered back into living room, she noticed that every room—including the bathroom—had a door that led to the yard. That’s really strange, she mused.

Why does each room have a door to the outside? she asked the boys.

So folks can get out before they come, one of them answered.

Who are they?

The boys looked at her as if she were stupid. The demons, they said matter-of-factly.

Demons! Good lord, that does it, Lucas exclaimed. Come on. We’re getting out of here now.

Rose and Lucas scrambled out the front door and slid down the steps. Piling into the car, Lucas fumbled for his keys, but his pockets were empty. Then he looked up. The boys were standing on the porch holding up the shiny car keys. They smiled and stepped back into the house.

Damn it, he yelled. I’ve gotta get my keys from those little thieves.

Well, I’m coming, too, Rose insisted.

How did this snow get so deep so fast? he asked. We can barely walk in it.

When they pushed back into