Allison's Wedding Dress: And a Host of Other Exciting Stories

By Charlie E. Brough

Allison's Wedding Dress, one of the 46 short stories in this book is based on a young woman the author met and observed while living and working in Aberdeen, Washington. The fictionalized account of her life was chosen to be the cornerstone of this collection of short stories, all of which are written by the author of this book. This collection is sure to entertain readers of all ages.

Allison, raised by her great aunt and uncle, lived under extremely rigid conditions. She was forced to marry a total stranger who used her in place of frequenting the local brothel. Emotionally battered and practically brainwashed that she was going to go to hell, Allison lived a lonesome and forlorn life in her and John's tiny rundown home next to the railroad tracks. The very same house where her mother, by the same name, had died.

Many of these stories are true to life or based on real events from newspaper articles. "Mega Woman" details how winning the Mega Bucks lottery, may have changed the life of a young woman struggling to make ends meet. Other stories answer questions never before answered, like, "how did the SCUD missile come by its name?" The "Mystery Of The Mima Mounds" is my offering of science fiction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 13, 2004
• ISBN: 9780595769308

Charlie E. Brough

Charlie Brough, author of Thank God For Pigs, brings his readers a sampling of his ability as a short story writer, something for everyone in the family. He writes almost everyday and resides in Olympia, Washington. Charlie welcomes e-mails from his readers. You may contact him at: [e-mail].

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ALLISON’S WEDDING

DRESS

And a Host of Other Exciting Stories

Charlie E. Brough

iUniverse, Inc.

New York Lincoln Shanghai

Allison’s Wedding Dress

And a Host of Other Exciting Stories

All Rights Reserved © 2004 by Charlie Brough

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

iUniverse, Inc.

For information address:

iUniverse, Inc.

2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100

Lincoln, NE 68512

www.iuniverse.com

This novel is a work of fiction. Much of the book, however, is based on real life experiences or people I have known. All names, characters, places and incidence are either the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

ISBN: 0-595-32125-9

ISBN: 978-0-5957-6930-8 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Acknowledgements

Preface

DRAMA

ALLISON’S WEDDING DRESS

SMALL TOWN AFFAIR

SOMETHING ABOUT PAM

LOCKED AWAY

THOSE EYES

MEGA WOMAN

LOVE AT THIRD SIGHT

TIME WILL TELL

THE PUKA SHELL NECKLACE

CLOSE TO HOME

TIRES CAN’T TALK

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

LIFE IN A BIRD’S NEST

ONE-EYED PASSION

SECRETS

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

WHATCHAUSIN?"

BETTER THAN A HOLE IN ONE

THE CUT LUG

THE WILDERNESS BEAST

GOLFING WITH THE CAPTAIN

THE DAY I GUNNED DOWN THE OUTLAW

MOTHERS OATS AND GABANZO BEANS

SPRAY PARK

CHIWAUKUM LAKE

ENCHANTED VALLEY

A CYCLE OF LIFE

MILITARY HUMOR

HOW THE SCUD MISSILE GOT ITS NAME

‘GRAMMA’ FALLS FOR TOM RIDGE’S ALERT

THE COLONEL’S ORDERLY

SCIENCE FICTION

MYSTERY OF THE MIMA MOUNDS

GHOST AND WITCH STORIES

THE WITCH OF WATER CASTLE

OH! MY GOD!

THE GHOST OF ROBIN HOOD

COULDN’T TAKE THE HEAT

UNITED KINGDOM MEDIEVAL TIMES

LORD BROUGH

GOOD SHIP WALNUT

JUST FOR FUN

NEW TECHNOLOGY

THE CRACK OF DAWN

DOCTOR SANTA

VIAGRA

OUR BASEBALL ANNOUNCERS TRY GOLF

CHILDREN’S STORIES

RAT-DA-CAT

FREDDIE AND THREE LEGS

ERICA

GRAMMA DO I LOOK LIKE LIBBY?

CHRISTMAS STORIES

CHRISTMAS TOWN

THE DAY I WAS SANTA

THE 30 MINUTE DIET; FREE

The First Chapter of another great novel by Charlie Brough

I dedicate this book to my Wife Grace and daughters Faith Perry and Charlene Fowler.

Acknowledgements

My first book, Thank God For Pigs, was pretty much a history of the times and of the lives of our family, friends and acquaintances that I grew up with. Much of my new creation, Allison’s Wedding Dress, is a book of short stories. Many of which are from my diary of life events. I’d like to give my special thanks and acknowledgment to my wife Grace, and daughters, Faith and Charlene. They helped jog my memory of past events, times and places that helped me write many of the family oriented entrees

I give special thanks to my very close friends, Sharon Harmsen of Underwood, WA and Jenelle Hooper of Puyallup, WA for there many hours of proofing and helping me bring many of my human interest and collage of stories to life.

I give thanks to all the writers of the Roundtable Group that I am a member for their help in critiquing parts of the stories that I have read at our bimonthly gatherings.

Last and not least, I give special thanks to the good people at iUniverse for all their time and patience helping me bring these stories to print for you to enjoy.

Preface

Unlike my first novel, Thank God For Pigs, my newest creation, Allison’s Wedding Dress is a collection of stories, many of which are taken from real life experiences. Allison’s Wedding Dress is made up from how I, the author, perceived the lives of some that I met and observed while living in Grays Harbor County, Washington. There was a young woman in our bowling league that always seemed very downhearted. The only time that I remember seeing her cheerful was at the bowling banquet. I’m guessing she drank a few drinks with alcohol in them. She was married, and bowled with her husband and her aunt and uncle. I could tell the older couple were very religious because when lots of pins fell, I could audibly hear them thanking God. They were from a small shingle community several miles north of Ocean Shores, Wa. I had met enough of those hard working folks of the woods to know a little about how they lived. I just had to look inside my writer’s mind and find out what it was with Allison.

Of the other stories in this novel, such as Locked Away, A Small Town Affair, and the Puka Shell Necklace, those stories are my answer to unsolved mysteries that I have read about in the newspapers over the years.

Many of the Great Outdoors stories are derived from fond memories and borrowed experiences of earlier years of my life.

Those Eyes and The Colonel’s Orderly are stories build around some of the earlier years of my life. Kind of like I did in my book, Thank God For Pigs.

Something About Pam, is my first attempt at writing Murder stories, and Mystery Of The Mima Mounds, my offering of science fiction.

Most of the one to three page stories are things that popped into my mind during idle time or while out for my daily three-mile walks.

I have thrown in a free; all you can eat diet plan and the first chapter of my first novel, Thank God For Pigs. Available by email [e-mail] or by writing to Brough Books, P.O. Box 614 East Olympia. Wa, 98540

DRAMA

ALLISON’S WEDDING DRESS

The ride home to Twin Cedars was quiet for part of the way, until Edna said, Allison! I’m ashamed of your performance tonight; I couldn’t help but notice that you were not acting the part of a lady very well. You were hanging all over Brad. You do have a husband you know. John felt like chiming in, but thought he would take care of Allison himself when they got home. Allison was quiet until Edna asked, Well, Allison, what do you have to say about your behavior? I was worried about you when I saw that you were wearing your wedding dress to the bowling banquet.

I never get to dress up, Aunt Edna, I just wanted to look nice and have some fun.

John finally found his tongue and said, Allison, If dancing between Brad’s legs was having fun, I guess you had a whole bunch of fun.

Startled, Edna asked, John! What are you saying? Is that true, Allison?

Tears flooded Allison’s eyes before she stuttered, I…I don’t know what John’s talking about Aunt Edna? All I did was dance with Brad, I wanted to have some fun tonight.

Edna, letting out an audible sigh, said, I sure wish The Reverend Harkins had not drove his car into that tree and killed himself, Denis Hobson, the new preacher, is liked, but he’s too easy going. James Harkins would have known what to do about you, Allison.

By then, they had reached Twin Cedars, Uncle Karl, dropped the young couple off at their weather beaten cabin, said good night, and drove himself and Edna on home.

Inside their tiny home beside the railroad tracks, John, without warning, grabbed Allison by the ear and said, I thought you were spending too much time dancing with that Romeo. What all did he do and say to you out there on the dance floor? I want to know, that’s my right; you’re my wife. Or did you forget that tonight?

Feeling the pain of her husband’s powerful grip, Allison said, Please John, you’re hurting me, tonight is over, I’m sorry, let’s just forget it. I won’t dance with Brad anymore, I promise. I just wanted to have some fun that’s all.

Fun, you call dancing with you leg crammed into Brad’s groin fun? Boy I bet it was, especially for him. Now get that damn wedding dress off and get to bed.

Not having time to pour a pan of water and clean herself up, Allison undressed and started to put on her nightgown.

John, expressing his anger, kicked a chair over and said, Leave the damn gown off too, I think I’ll have a little of you myself, if you have any left to give. In bed John reached down to direct his manhood into Allison and felt the wetness of her thighs. "Damn slut, you already cum for Christ sakes. Spewing out language unfit for a logging camp, John jumped out of bed, threw the bedding on the floor. Then grabbing Allison by the arm, he jerked her out of bed and onto her feet. Without giving it a second thought he smashed her in the face with his fist. The blow was such that she was knocked flat on her back on the knotty and badly worn wood floor of their cabin.

With blood squirting from a cut on her face, Allison attempted to get herself up, but John, forgetting he was not wearing shoes, kicked her in the ribs, nearly breaking his toes. Holding his foot in pain, he yelled, Allison, if I ever catch you scewin’ around on me again I’ll kill you, you won’t have to talk to no preacher. I’ll do all the preachin’ you need. Do you hear me? Now get up off the floor and wash away your filthy sins.

Unable to sleep, Allison spent the whole night in terrible pain. Conversely, John had little trouble drifting off the sleep and was soon snoring loudly. After lying awake for hours, Allison eased herself out of bed to use the night pot. While up, she reached into her purse and took out the coin that Brad had given her at the banquet. Her nose and mouth had quit bleeding, but she would have a horrible bruise on her face and she could tell that two of her teeth were loose. Clutching the coin in her hand Allison returned to bed and did not return it to her purse until the next morning.

It was a seldom Sunday that John and Allison missed going to church. John didn’t want Allison’s aunt and uncle to see her all beat up so he said, Allison, I’m going down to the Kimmil’s to ask them for some eggs, you stay home and get my breakfast. I’ll tell them we’re not going to be in attendance today, that you’re not feeling well.

All day, that Sunday, Allison was in terrible pain. As she feared, the fist to her face had left two teeth ready to fall out. Her face was so badly swollen she could only see out of one eye, and could hardly open her mouth.

John sulked all day, he wished he had not hit Allison so hard, or said the things he had said. What was done, was done though, so they would just have to live with it. Maybe Allison will behave better from now on. He mused.

By Monday morning some of the swelling had left Allison’s face but her teeth were still a real bad problem, the pain was nearly unbearable, but as usual, she cooked John’s breakfast and fixed him his lunch.

John, having had time to think things over knew he should swallow his pride and tell Allison how sorry he was for hurting her. He was as angry with himself, as he was with Allison. Hungry, but unable to eat, John picked at his breakfast while trying to find words to soothe things over, but couldn’t come up with them. Finally pushing his breakfast aside, John, arose from the table, grabbed his things and without words, slammed the door on his way out.

The bowling banquet was a done thing. Allison would never forget the thrill of that Saturday night or the beating and insults she had received from John after they had returned home. Deep down inside she knew she would forgive him if he would just ask. That was the one good thing she did get out of going to church after Reverend Harkins had been killed in an auto accident. The new minister,

Dennis Hobson, had preached on forgiveness rather than an eye for an eye. * * * *

Allison and Michael Kaufman, a young married couple, were both descen-dents of German families who had immigrated to America in the early eighteen hundreds. Many generations later, Michael had followed in the footsteps of his ancestry and worked as a sawyer in the old growth forests of southwest Washington.

Allison Kaufman was eight months pregnant when she received the sad news of her husband’s death. That was during the summer of 1954. Michael was crushed to death when a giant old growth tree twisted on the stump and fell in the wrong direction.

Two weeks later, following the death of her husband, and more than a week before Allison was due to have her baby, she lost her water and went into instant labor. Home alone, she had no telephone and no other way to notify anyone. After a torturous four hours of labor, she gave birth to a plump baby girl. Allison was strong, but even so, birthing the baby was too much for her and while she cuddled her baby she bled to death.

Karl Kimmil, Allison’s uncle, had been stopping in on the way home from the shingle and shake mill every evening to check on her and to make sure she was all right. Her uncle and aunt lived on the other end of Twin Cedars, less than a mile away. Karl knocked on the door and when he received no response he let himself in. No one in Twin Cedars ever locked their doors. There was no need for that. Everyone worked in the woods or at a mill of some sort, and had no time for thievery.

Karl, not finding Allison in the kitchen, went to the bedroom where he found her ashen white body, the bloody afterbirth and the blood soaked bed. Cradled in Allison’s right arm was the unwashed baby. The shock was almost too much for Karl; he loved his niece very much and fell to his knees at the edge of the bed to pray. It was then; that he heard a slight gurgling noise from the baby girl cradled on Allison’s arm. Standing and bending over he started to lift the baby and realized its umbilical cord had not been cut and tied. Working as fast as humanly possible, under the circumstances, Karl tied and cut the cord. Then, seeing as how there was nothing else he could do for Allison, he pulled the covers over her, bundled the baby, and carried her out to his 1952 Ford sedan. He then drove to Doctor Muller’s home that also doubled as his office.

After delivering the baby girl to the doctor, Karl, then, drove on home to tell his wife Edna and on to Shipwreck Cove to contact the Sheriff. Almost no one in Twin Cedars had anything as modern as a telephone.

Shipwreck Cove was aptly named because of its history. In the sailing days, many ships looking for a place to anchor had run hard onto a hidden reef. Sheriff Clint Harlan had just returned to his office. He had been investigating a car that had been found upside down in the murky rust colored swamp water that lay parallel to State Road 109. After listening to Karl’s sad story, he placed a call to Aberdeen, the next town of size, and asked for assistance and for them to send out the coroner. He had also called the Union ‘76’ service station at Copalis Beach, to send a wrecker truck to retrieve the car from the swamp. Until then, it was impossible to ascertain if the car still contained a body.

To Karl he said, Things have been really quiet here since the day Michael got killed, now, two events in one day. You know Karl, your niece would probably be alive if she’d, had a telephone. That was made in reference to the fact that many folks of the backwoods either refused or could not afford to have a telephone installed in their homes. One reason was that, Reverend James Harkins, the local preacher, preached that the telephone would become an idol.

Edna, after pouring her heart out to God, walked over to Dr Muller’s home and waited while he attended to Allison’s baby. After awhile the doctor had stabilized things and decided to take the newborn baby into the hospital in Aberdeen.

Two weeks later the baby, by then with a name, was officially given over to her great aunt and uncle, Edna and Karl Kimmil to raise. Not having any other family to confer with, they thought it only fitting to name the baby after her mother and father, both dead. So her name was Allison Michelle Kimmel.

Karl and Edna were God-fearing Christians and went to the Church of Isaiah, at Shipwreck Cove. Reverend James Harkins was southern raised. His father, also a preacher, had swept the south with his fire and brimstone sermons. Everyone was a sinner and must repent every Sunday.

We are all sinners in the eyes of God. he preached. From the book of Isaiah he read; If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land. If you refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword. He spoke of those who worshiped silver and gold, and those that made idols of things made by their own hands. God has provided us with prophets to tell us the way. They have told us of the whoremongers and the harlots. They are among us, it is up to you and me to rid the land of this evil. From scriptures in the Old Testament, he concluded; The death of Michael and Allison Kaufman was an act of God. It is not for us to question God. For some reason God wanted Allison Michelle to be raised by Karl and Edna Kimmel. It is now up to you folks to make sure this baby girl grows up as a God-fearing Christian woman. He has designated you for the job.

The whole congregation of sixteen people said Amen in unison.

Allison never knew of her real parents and thought of Edna and Karl as her mother and father. It was not until she was in grade school that she learned her mother had died the day she was born.

Allison was going to look just like her mother everyone said. That was a real compliment because her mother, Allison, was a very attractive woman. Her German background had given her a beautiful complexion to go along with a pretty face and a perfectly proportioned body. Both Karl and Edna were in their forties and neither of them could ever claim any special good looks.

Hard work and no play added to the ages of all those folks who made there living from the woods. Allison was brought up believing God was the almighty and if she sinned God would punish her. At age six Allison had started to school and she heard others talk about watching television and some had even gone to the movies. She felt it important to learn why it was different for her and those kids at school. She said, Aunt Edna, why is our God so mean? The kids at—?

Before Allison had a chance to finish, she felt the slap across her mouth. Allison! Don’t let me ever hear you questioning God again. He gave his only son, so that you can have everlasting life in heaven. I don’t want you talking about God to those heathen kids at school do you understand me? They’ll all burn in hell and you along with them if you don’t mind your ways.

That added to the burning desire to know the truth about God, but Allison knew better than to ever bring it up again. She thought, Someday I’ll be a grownup and I can find out for myself.

Allison had suffered her way through those adolescent years, fearing God and her Aunt and Uncle. What was hell like? All her friends were going to be there. All she could be certain about Heaven was that it was up there. But why would anyone want to go if it were no fun? Here she was starting high school and she had never done anything fun except when they went to the nearby Ocean Beach to dig razor clams for food.

With her adolescent days behind her, Allison was now a freshman at Clear Water High School, some forty miles or so north of the Salmon River Indian Reservation. It was a full hours bus ride from Twin Cedars. Allison was very popular with the other students and teachers, but that is where it ended, She was directed to concentrate on her studies and only her studies. She was not to participate in any, in school or after school activities. Even if those things were not taboo she had no other way to get home except for the school bus.

Four years later, at her High School graduation, Allison was the top honor student in her class, with a perfect 4.0-grade average. The principal, Mr. Charlie Laughlin, had spoke at length on how well Allison would do in college, the smartest student to ever pass through Clear Water High. Edna and Karl were at Allison’s Graduation, but the words of the principal fell on deaf ears.

College was not in Allison’s future however. Allison’s aunt and uncle had other plans for her. Even though they were her great aunt and uncle, it was easier to refer to them as Aunt Edna, and Uncle Karl. They were nearly sixty years of age by then, and her Aunt and Uncle decided it was time for Allison to find a suitable man and get married.

At dinner one evening following high school graduation, Karl said, Allison, it’s time for you to have a husband. I’ve found just the right man for you. His name is John Ingram. He is twenty years of age and raised by God fearing parents in Aberdeen. He works with me in the mill.

All through high school, Allison’s best friend was Tom Kirk. He had carried her books, and they had held hands and ate lunch together. They had agreed that they would someday get married. She didn’t have his address and even if she had, her letters would have to be scrutinized before being mailed. Meekly, Allison looked at her Uncle and said, Um, Uncle Karl—I promised Tom Kirk, who lives up the Clear Water, that I would marry him when I got older.

Edna glared at Allison and said, Young lady, that will be enough of your impudence. We’ll have no more of your sass, now listen to what your uncle has to say.

Karl finished chewing and swallowing a chunk of venison, belched and then went on, As I was saying when interrupted, I’ve picked out a husband for you Allison, and you’ll be married this coming Sunday. Do you have anything else you want to say?

It sounded more like a death sentence to Allison, than a wedding. Tears coursed down her cheeks, but she knew better than to mention her betrothed again. No Uncle Karl, thank you.

At that, Karl retired to his worn and tattered easy chair, picked up his Bible and opened it to where he had it bookmarked.

Edna had saved the dresses of Allison’s mother and after dinner; she picked out what she told Allison was the wedding dress her mom had worn when she had married Michael, Allison’s father. It had been stored in mothballs for nearly seventeen years and it was as good as new. Made of a creamy white satin, the bodice of the dress was overlaid with lace and with three-quarter length lace sleeves. It was considered short for a wedding dress, but it was during hard times that Allison’s real mother and father were married, and it was all they could afford. The hat, a hand-me-down from Allison’s grandmother was of fine Italian straw, and had a silk hat band with a bow on the right side. The hat closely matched the wedding dress. Allison’s mom of the same name must have been the same size as Allison for the dress was a perfect fit, almost sinful as Edna had put it. Allison Kaufman’s gold wedding band had also been saved for this day.

And so it was, Allison, not yet seventeen, was married to John Ingram, to be his lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor, cherish and obey him, for as long as she shall live. There was no honeymoon, that was considered frivolous and besides the shake and shingle mills were reluctant to even give Sundays off.

The little house beside the tracks where Allison was born was vacant and badly run down. It had been empty for nearly a whole year. Karl heard it was for rent and told John to check it out.

The bank at Copalis Crossing, just down the road from Twin Cedars, had given some thought about letting the house go back to the sod. It was prior to the wedding that John Ingram stopped in at the bank to inquire. That little house by the tracks, the old Kaufman place, I understand it’s for rent?

Yes, Mr. Ingram, it’s for rent all right. It’s a mess though, tell you what, you fix the place up and you can have it for twenty-five dollars a month. I’ll give it to you free for the first month so you can buy things you need for the job. How does that sound?

Sounds good to me, Sir, there’s nothing else affordable here in Twin Cedars. I’m getting married soon, and that old single wide I’ve been living in doesn’t have enough room for the two of us.

As John was leaving the bank, the manager said, OH! Mr. Ingram, you realize the place has an outdoor privy don’t you?

John had really not known that, but answered, Ah, oh ya, sure, but we’ll manage.

Allison dreaded to see her wedding day come to an end. John was not her choice for a husband. But to go against the marriage was not an option. She knew her place and that was to honor and obey.

Bedtime would come early because the shingle cutters had to be on the job at daybreak every day except Sunday. They had no TV, and even if they had, the Reverend Harkin’s would have condemned it anyway. Television was an evil way of bringing the movie business right into the homes. God would see to it that no good could come to anyone who would lower them selves to watching movies. The movie industry he said, was a thing of the devil and that it was a den of iniquity. All those on the screen were products of the devil himself.

The wedding took place immediately following the Sunday church services at the Church of Isaiah in Shipwreck Cove. That being the only day off from work, John was rested enough at bedtime to take his bride before he went to sleep. Without warning, he rolled over on her body and without time for her to warm to his wants, he was in her. Never having had intercourse before, Allison was not prepared for the emotional and terrifying pain of his entrance into her womb. It wasn’t his intention to hurt Allison; he just needed what was his to take. Many times, when in Aberdeen, he had stopped in at the Ritz Hotel where he had relieved his sexual desires. He had paid his three dollars for the goods and left the whore behind. Thanks to God and the Kimmil’s, he wouldn’t have that need anymore.

The next morning Allison poured a pan of warm water and bathed the blood from her body. It made her sick and she threw up. Knowing nothing else to do, she asked God to help her through the transition and to make her a good wife. What else was there to do? She thought about talking to Edna about the situation but she knew she would be chastised for going behind her husband’s back. Allison cried a lot that day, she thought about Tom Kirk and knew that somehow she needed to write and tell him what had taken place. But how? She didn’t even know his address.

As time passed, Allison found that she could partially prepare herself for being molested once or twice a week. When she was in high school she had seen books in the library that discussed sexual intercourse. Knowing all to well, not to check the book out and bring it home, she had read parts of it on occasions when she had study period. She had learned that there were ways for both men and women to satisfy their own sexual desires by self-manipulation. Until then she had never tried it, but the book had shown and discussed ways to come to a climax. She had never, so far in life, known just what that meant, but she decided to do the things the book said and see what happened.

Because of her bringing up, Allison felt guilty for even thinking of such things. She was afraid that if she ever succeeded in climaxing; what ever that was, God would bring his wrath upon her. One day while doing the things she remembered from what she had read, she felt a new and exiting feeling growing in her loins. She could feel the electricity of it all. Reaching down with her hand she so slightly touched herself there. It felt so good, she continued to move her hand and finally to feel inside. Suddenly a delightful shock wave consumed her whole body, it had to be the devil, but she didn’t want it to end. It almost drove her crazy, Oh my God! She thought. What have I done? I’ll go to hell for sure.

After that occasion, sensing when John was planning to have her, she would touch herself ahead of time, hoping he would not notice and prepare herself for his onslaught. That really helped because it opened her to him. Even then the sudden ramming of his hard penis deep into her was very painful and instantly shut down any hope of pleasure. Allison wanted to tell John that he was hurting her, but she was afraid of the consequences. What if he told Karl about how brash his wife was and Karl told Edna? She would go to the preacher; Harkins and he would use her for an example. An example of how the devil could enter into one’s body and damn them to hell. He would make her confess all her sins in front the whole congregation. She had seen him do it before, to other members of the church.