Days of Love and Blood

us survivors to stay on her farm. That speaks volumes abo ut a man - with the kind of person he raised. Thank you, Mr. Fielding, for allowing us to stay on your farm. Thank you for giving us your protection and shelter. Thank you for the kindness you instilled in your daughter.” He picked up a handful of dirt and tossed it down into the hollowed-out ground. After stepping back, a few other people repeated the custom.
    “I love you, Daddy,” Ivy blurted. “I’m sorry for letting you live those last few weeks in such a horrible way. But I just couldn’t bear to say goodbye. I don’t even know how to say it now that you’re gone. I don’t think I can yet. I love you so much. ” Her arm shook uncontrollably as she reached for a handful of earth. She paused before the pit and in a fit of tears let her arm hang slack, releasing the pile of dirt by her feet. I put my arm over her shoulders and turned her around. We walked back together, arm in arm. Behind us, I could hear the first shovel full of dirt cascading over the pile of sheets and flesh.

    I lay down wi th Ivy until she fell asleep before creeping softly downstairs where Marianna and Jayde were busy in the kitchen making dinner.
    “That was real nice,” Marianna said while opening several cans of stewed tomatoes. “What you said back there.”
    “Thanks. I wasn’t really prepared. I just said what came to mind.”
    “It was perfect,” said Jayde. “I heard Cooper’s wrath reared its ugly head with you. He isn’t the nice-guy-redneck after all, is he?”
    I was about to ask what she meant but the look on her face told me she had an agenda. I ignored her comment by changing the subject.
    “Do you guys need some help?”
    For the next hour, I helped prepare a meager dinner for twenty or so people. I kneaded the dough a couple dozen times and Jayde baked chunks of it into round medallions. Two huge stew pots were filled, one with canned beans and the other with tomatoes.
    I was bringing the warm food outside to the tables when I heard Tasha call out.
    “Car! Car!” She was at the end of the driveway, waving her hands. All voices were quieted and everyone became motionless as if they were turned to stone. I could hear the crunching of dirt underneath tires as an unseen car rolled slowly toward the driveway. Tasha waved her arms and the sound of the car’s audible movement ceased.
    “Get the sign, Tasha!” Solomon yelled.
    “Tasha ran over to the maple tree and picked up a large white sign leaning against it. She held it high above her head in the direction of the vehicle which we couldn’t even see yet. Tasha was the only one who had a visual.
    “What does it say?” I asked to anyone who was listening.
    “Does it matter?” Cooper answered. I whirled around to find him leaning against the house with a cigarette dangling from his lips - back from the graveyard shift. He lit his cigarette and blew a line of smoke in my direction. “Homicidals don’t hold no signs.”
    I left the porch without a response and put the two pots on the picnic table. The unse en car rumbled back to life. Tasha put the sign down and waved the car in. A giant, black Hummer appeared from behind the row of trees. Not a scratch on it. A recently polished gleam sparkled around its side doors. The window rolled down and Tasha stuck her head inside at which point several people in the group made their way over.
    “What’s going on?” Ivy asked from behind me. “I heard someone yell.”
    “It was Tasha. Look - someone’s here.” I turned around and took her hand. “How are you doing?”
    “Fine. I’ll be okay.”
    The car door opened and I whipped around to get a peak. Two men emerged from the monstrous vehicle.
    “C’mon. This is still your place. Let’s go meet whoever it is.”
    Solomon and Brigham were already by Tasha’s side, assessing the new strangers with their up and down glances.
    “I’ d like you to meet Ivy Fielding,” Solomon said as we approached. “This is her place.” Without hesitation Ivy politely offered her hand.
    “Hi. I’m Ben and this is Leo.” He was tall and slim with a recent shave. His clothes looked brand n ew. He wore a pressed button-up shirt tucked neatly into his khakis. His dark hair was combed behind his ears as if he had been expecting to meet people that very evening. Leo was in stark contrast wearing a flannel shirt with cut-off sleeves and a baseball cap that read BEER AND BOOBS. Prickly stubble covered his