Ellabelle

An excerpt from Ellabelle

"Don't you go near that washer girl again, Frank!" Miss Ida was powerful angry with him, but Frank didn't seem to be listening. He didn't even turn to look at her as he went to the truck.

"That shoeless tramp is like to give you the clap!"

Ellabelle stayed hidden in the bushes and trees as she watched the big man crank the engine across the yard. The Ford refused to turn over, altho he thrashed the hand crank something fierce.

"She don't go to church, you know," Miss Ida was saying. This vexed Ellabelle like slap on the face. She loved baby Jesus and prayed to Him every day to thank Him for the trees and the water and the sky and food and everything she could think of. She thought Miss Ida was her friend, but now Miss Ida was thrashing her name as bad as Frank thrashed the Ford's hand crank.

Suddenly, the big man stood straight up with a war whoop. "God damn it!" he swore, which turned Ellabelle's cheeks pink. He had the Ford's crank handle in his hand.

Ida came off the porch behind him. "Now you can't go," she squawked. "Now your little halfwit is gonna be all alone tonight. Maybe some other man will come by with half a dollar and a fat pecker in his pants—"

"Shutup woman!" Frank barked. And he swung around with the engine crank and caught her with it right on the temple. Miss Ida crumpled like a rag doll. "Oh shit!" Frank cried. "Oh holy hell and shit!"

Ellabelle stepped back, eyes wide, mouth agape. Frank couldn't see her in the shadow of the wood when he gave a guilty look all around. A moan came up from the ground where Miss Ida had fallen. Frank started to turn away, but then a dark look came over his face. He turned back with the iron crank in his hand, raised it high, and came down with a savage stroke on the side of her head.

The slender girl in hiding clutched her hand over her mouth to keep from shrieking in horror. Frank raised the crank and clubbed his wife again and again, with the same heavy grunt as when he had loomed over Ellabelle and filled her small body with his manhood.