Hortons Bend

up the steps and looked at the archaeologist. “Paul …can we go inside? I want you to look at something.” He opened the door and allowed her to walk inside. Jeanie walked towards the dining room table and Paul quickly cut on an overhead light. The old woman carefully opened up the bundle but slowed to look over at Paul before revealing its contents. Mrs. King looked over at Paul in a most serious fashion. “What I’m about to show you is something that I’ve had for five years now. I want you to assure me that you won’t mention this to anyone. Ever. Will you do that for me Paul?” He nodded and wondered what he had just promised. She opened the last sleeve to reveal a small copper plate measuring approximately 12” x 12”. Brody didn’t gasp but had to take a double at what he was looking at.
    The copper plate was repousse with ornamental designs including what appeared to be a pig and a Catholic friar. The images were not disturbing but they concerned him. It was the interaction between the two that seemed unnatural. Was this real? The symbolism was like nothing he had ever seen before. This couldn’t be a fake. Many of the symbols were becoming familiar to him now. They were representative of prehistoric iconography but still there existed a clash of sorts. The friar and the mammal were post European contact ideas which indicated European contact with native groups. But yet there was something else that didn’t quite fit. The religious motifs were consistent with those recognized in the southeastern U.S. but the other symbols were not supposed to be associated with these types of imagery. At least the previous regional studies never indicated a presence of such opposing and conflicting patterns. Nonetheless the copper plate had the right patina. The green tarnish looked correct. Brody realized Jeanie was staring at him. He looked at her “Jeanie where did you get this?” She spoke carefully. “Paul this came from Horton’s Bend. My boy J.W. was clutching it when he came home.” Brody noticed she was struggling with her composure. She continued “I’ve never shown it to anyone. I lost both of my children that night and this….this artifact has something to do with it.” Paul glanced back at the plate and then turned his attention back to Mrs. King. “Paul…I have struggled with life the past five years and last night I had a dream. Something told me what I must do but I can’t do it. Not myself. I….I need help. I want you to take this back to Horton’s Bend.” Brody started to interrupt but the old woman held up her hand to finish. “Paul….I can’t take it there. I’m too old. Will you do this for me? It belongs back in the Horton ground and I need closure for my boys”.
    Paul Brody was not stunned. He was numb. If anything he could be described as mortified. Brody felt the old woman’s anguish and wanted to help her but in the back of his mind a single word rang out: betrayal. No more than just minutes before Jeanie had arrived he had promised himself to wash his hands of this mess. It was a betrayal of everything all over again. To put his wife and his job i n jeopardy again was clearly an act of insanity but yet he looked into the clear blue eyes of Jeanie and something changed him. Instantly he fought back the desire to help the woman. Brody stepped away from her in an attempt to defy the feelings he was having. He couldn’t face her and looked off into the distance. Jeanie stood silent and still. Her mind was serene. She could do no more if this man was unwilling to help her. While betrayal filled Brody’s mind, Jeanie’s thoughts were placid. Her faith had led her to this point and she was not a woman to forsake the assurance that she had in the Lord. Jeanie looked into the sunshine and breathed in and out. Over and over she repeated silently to herself “Thy will be done”. The sunshine created a white blinding light not unknown to those who have been through a near death experience. Jeanie’s second epiphany of the day was as blissful as the first.
    While standing in his own house, Brody’s state of mind became a growing storm with torrents of thoughts that frightened him to the core. “There is no way I’m going back on the Horton property” he thought over and over. Furious he looked over in Jeanie’s direction but she seemed to be in some type of hypnotic trance. Brody started to walk to her. The storm was turning into a violent squall and he so