Hortons Bend

and walked towards Horton. “Jeanie I want you to know that your journey is also at an end but it is also at a new beginning. If you will look in this direction I think you will see what I mean.” Horton gestured behind her where she saw two of the spirit warriors carrying torches walking in her direction. As they neared and the light became available, she realized that someone was walking behind them. The torch light gave the old woman a view to a face that dropped her to her knees. Glowing light revealed a tall, bearded man who left the company of the ghostly figures and walked towards her. “Oh my dear Jesus! Ronnie! Is it really you?” she cried out. Her son Ronnie held out his arms to embrace his mother. Ronnie’s beard and hair were a tangled grey mess but he was a welcome sight to his mother. Jeanie could not believe her eyes and looked to Horton in pure astonishment. Horton stood quietly and beamed before supplying any answers to this mystifying situation. “Jeanie your son has been living here with us since the night he disappeared. He is perfectly fine but will seem a little distant for a while before he acclimates back to his surroundings. He has seen many things during his stay and he may not discuss all that he has seen. It will be his choice. I want you to know that Ronnie chose to stay here among us. He has been both a student and a teacher….and a blessing I must add. But now we must part ways. Ronnie has a new role here in Horton’s Bend and he will explain all of it to you in due time.” Jeanie’s sobs began to subside as she held onto her son but still her voice cracked as she whispered “Thank you.”
    Horton gestured again to gather Brody with the King family . The three began to walk away from the ethereal gathering towards the pickup truck. Only Brody glanced back to look at the group. The trio had walked a mere twenty feet when Horton’s voice boomed out. “Mrs. King! You have another surprise in store. Go home and begin your new journey” was his final advice to the grateful old woman. Their pace picked up to find the way out of the Horton pasture but they could hear the old farmer speaking to his spirits as they neared the roadway. No one spoke in the cab of the truck on the way to the King residence. Brody felt he needed to drive them home but still managed to steal a glance to his right before delivering them home. The glow of the radio allowed him to see Mrs. King with her head on her son’s shoulders. Brody couldn’t remember feeling more self satisfied than at that very moment.
    Brody turned into the King driveway and stopped the truck by his Toyota. Ronnie opened the door and waited on his mother to get out of the cab. Jeanie didn’t say anything but hugged Brody’s neck with tears in her eyes. Ronnie looked at Brody with his piercing eyes and said nothing. As Jeanie stepped away from Brody she froze for just a brief moment. Brody looked back towards the porch of her house and then began to smile. The interior lights of the house were aglow. Light shone through the windows and the open door washing the front yard with illumination. Standing in the threshold of the house was Jeanie’s youngest son J.W. who cried out “Mama!” Jeanie King grabbed Ronnie’s hand and led them to the porch. Brody quietly got into his vehicle and started it up. His last view of the King family that night was watching them all embrace and slowly walk into the living room of the house.
    As Brody near his house he noticed that the veranda lights were softly emitting and defining the large oaks in the front yard. He walked into his house where he found Lacy who came to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Honey I was worried about you. Are you ok?” she asked. Brody held Lacy tight and whispered “I’m just glad to be home baby. Just glad to be home.”
    Chapter 22
    Due to the sudden departure of Barbara Peabody, the board of the Northwest Georgia History Museum unanimously voted Paul Brody to the position of Executive Director. He was allowed to continue his historic investigations as long as it did not interfere with the day to day operations of the museum. Brody ’s work began to center on Civil War ruins in the area which became wildly popular when he located a rich site which revealed a Union encampment near the Oostanaula River. The dearth of artifacts recovered from the site surprised even well known scholars of The War Between the States. Brody’s exhibits caused quite