Like a Southland Mist

By Tess Walden

ﾠIn rural Alabama, the summer of 1966, nine-year old Ella Clayton, sassy, quick-witted and sharp as a tack, has stumbled across a secret while searching for an old haunted shack up in the hills behind a waterfall. She will carry that secret until the end of summer. After a tragic accident happens to twenty-year old Jack Baysenstein, she has no choice but to tell what she knows.

Ella, her brother Garris, her two friends, Joe and Deanie, will spend the rest of the summer pondering over who had beaten Jack and left him for dead. The mystery is solved when Jack is finally able to reveal to Ella who it was that tried to kill him.

When Ella tells her father what she has learned about Jack, she also reveals to her father another secret. She breaks an oath that she had made to Deanie, and tells her father what she and Deanie had witnessed that day up behind the waterfall. Her father is deeply disturbed by the news from Ella and takes matters into his own hands.

For Ella, Garris, Joe and Deanie the summer of '66 will be a time of discovery, understanding and acceptance, a summer that they will never forget.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781681397108

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Like a Southland Mist

(Summer of ‘66)

Tess Walden

Copyright © 2015 Tess Walden

Cover art by Pam Duggan

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc. 2015

ISBN 978-1-68139-709-2 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-68139-710-8 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 1

As Garris and his younger sister Ella sat on the front porch of their rural Alabama home, he wiped the sweat from his brow.

Whew! It sure is hot, and it ain’t even ten o’clock yet! Garris said.

Ella kept her rhythm while rocking in her rocking chair and replied, Mmhmm, sure is. I heard Daddy tell Momma that sometimes he felt like we lived right next door to hell.

Nah. Hell’s a long way from here, Ella. A long way away. I don’t think he was talkin’ about the devil’s hell. He was probably talkin’ about them mean-ass Carter’s that live down at the end of the road.

Ella made a snarling face as she replied, "Ohhh, yeah. Maybe that’s what he meant. Why, Joe Talton told me last week that Deanie Carter killed one of his daddy’s chickens with a slingshot!

Sure did! Killed it deader than a hammer! Then offered to give him a quarter for it! Not only is he as mean as fire, he’s stingy too. You know that chicken was worth more than any old quarter!

Yeah, I’m sure it was worth at least a dollar! Did Joe take the quarter? asked Garris.

I don’t know, he didn’t say, said Ella.

Let’s go down to the creek and catch some crawdads. You want too? asked Garris.

Momma said if we go down there, we have to have shoes on. She don’t want us gettin’ on a snake. Let me go put on my shoes, she said.

As Garris sat on the porch and waited for Ella to go and get her shoes, he could hear a tapping sound coming from around the side of the house. He got up to find out what was making the sound, and as he rounded the corner of the house, he saw Joe Talton.

Joe was carrying a metal bucket in one hand and a fishing pole in his other hand.

Garris, I came down here to find out if you wanted to go fishin’ down at the waterfall with me. I got all our fishin’ stuff in this bucket here. Get your pole and go with me.

Did Deanie Carter really kill your daddy’s chicken with a slingshot? asked Garris.

Sure god did! Popped her right smack in the head. She wobbled around for a minute and then…fell over dead!

Did he pay you anything for it? asked Garris.

He offered a quarter for it, but I didn’t take it.

Ella heard the boys talking, and she walked up to where they were standing.

Garris looked at Ella and said, Ella, I’m going fishin’ with Joe, and you can’t go. Momma don’t like you goin’ down to the waterfall, and she wouldn’t want you goin’ with us.

Why can’t I? I’m almost ten years old. I’m old enough to go to the waterfall! I don’t see why I can’t go! You’re just barely thirteen yourself, Garris. Besides, Momma ain’t here right now to go and ask, snapped Ella.

Are you goin’ with me or not? asked Joe.

Yeah, I’m goin’. Let me go and get my pole, said Garris.

Joe and Ella stood staring at each other, and finally Ella spoke up and said, And I’m goin’ too!

Joe, having a stern look on his face, said to Ella, If you goin’, you better not make any racket while we’re tryin’ to fish!

Ella put her hands on her hips and stuck out her tongue at Joe, then said, Why, you ain’t gonna catch no fish anyways, racket or not!

Garris came walking up with his fishing pole and stood between Joe and Ella.

Let’s go, said Garris.

The three set out walking down the main road and then on to a narrow dirt road that lead to the waterfall.

I sure wish it wasn’t so dang far to have to walk to the falls, said Joe.

"Mrs. Marshall told us about a big waterfall, a big waterfall that’s somewhere up in New York, called Niagara Falls. She even told us that some fool tried to go over it in a barrel! It’s a wonder they didn’t suffocate, being pinned up all closed up inside a barrel!" said Ella.

I reckon we don’t have anything like that here in Alabama. If we do, I’d sure like to go and see it, replied Joe.

Well, Niagara Falls is real, but now, I ain’t for sure if the story’s true about somebody gettin’ all setup inside a barrel part of it. Mrs. Marshall is old anyway.

She’s retiring next year, so she says. She says that every year, said Garris while shaking his head.

Nah, she told us all that 1967 was going to be the year that she retires. I bet she would have a hissy fit hearin’ us choppin’ up her English language, Joe said.

Garris speaking in a high-pitched voice trying to imitate the teacher, said,

There is a G in chopping and don’t forget to close your O.

All three giggled at Garris’s remark.

As the three of them began to walk down the last hill on the dirt road just before entering the woods that would lead to the waterfall, they could hear the sounds of dogs barking. All three turned toward the Carter’s house to see if the Carter’s old hound dog was going to try to make a charge at them.

Would you just look at that? Just look there, y’all. It’s hotter than two hells, and them crazy Carter’s have got smoke comin’ from the fireplace! scoffed Ella.

Yeah, they sure do. I know one thing, if that dang dog comes flyin’ out here on top of us, I’m going to knock the living meanness out of him with this here metal bucket! I mean, I’m going to lay that ole’ red, lopped-eared, stinkin’ hound out right here on the road! said Joe.

I ain’t so much worried about that mean-ass dog. I hate havin’ to pass by old Miss Voodoo Totty’s house! She always wants me to come in and talk to her. Her house smells like a cross between old women’s perfume and onion breath. It stinks in there, said Garris.

The three of them picked up the pace in walking all the while keeping an eye out for the Carter’s hound dog. As they were nearing the entrance into the woods, they heard a rustling sound in the bushes.

That better not be that danged old dog! said Joe.

All of a sudden, a figure popped out from behind the bushes!

"Raaarrrr! Raaarrrrr! The figure was getting closer to the three children and all three stopped dead in their tracks.

The figure was wearing a brown tote sack and had a drawing on the front that resembled the face of some kind of monster. It was dragging one foot behind the other with its arms up in the air, fingers curled, and all the while making growling, grunting sounds.

Deanie Carter! You get out from under that potato sack! You ain’t scarin’ nobody. Why, I’d recognize those big old boots anywhere. You come out from under there! Ella yelled.

Deanie lowered his voice as low as he could to try to give the impression that a true demon was underneath the sack.

Thisss isss nnott Deannie Carrter, and all y’all better run. Runnn…as fasst…as you cannn!

"Come on! Leave that fool standin’ right where he is! Ain’t it hot enough out here? Ain’t you hot? Take off that getup that you’ve got on, Deanie!" demanded Garris.

Deanie gave in and started pulling off the tote sack. His hair was damp from his sweat, and it was sticking straight up.

Push your hair down. You look like you’ve been electrocuted! snapped Ella.

Y’all headed down to the falls? asked Deanie.

Now where else would we be goin’? You see us carryin’ our poles and this here metal bucket, you silly goose! said Ella.

I’m goin’ with you. Y’all wait right here while I go and get my cane pole, said Deanie.

I ain’t waitin’. We’ve been stalled here long enough. You’ll have to catch up to us. We’re goin’ on, said Joe.

Deanie started running back to his house to grab his cane pole while the three stood there looking at each other without saying a word. Finally, Joe said, Oh well, at least if we run up on a snake, Deanie will be there to pick it up and choke it!

They began to walk on without waiting on Deanie to get back. It wasn’t long before Deanie caught up to the three of them. Running alongside Deanie was his hound dog named Bossy.

As Deanie tried to catch up to the three, Bossy ran ahead of him and was barking up a storm. Bossy made his way up to Joe and kept barking with every breath. Bossy nudged the back of Joe’s overalls and tried to grab hold of one of the back pockets with his teeth.

Deanie! You better get up here and get this dang dog. I’m about to coldcock him right smack in the head if you don’t! shouted Joe.

Ahhh, he ain’t gonna hurt you! Bossy, get back here! yelled Deanie.

Deanie had finally caught up to the three, and he tried to keep Bossy alongside him to make sure that he kept him away from Joe.

He’s a good dog, Joe. Really, he is. I don’t know why he don’t like you. You must have done somethin’ to him, said Deanie.

I ain’t never done nothin’ to that dang dog! At least not yet anyways! snarled Joe.

All four had made it to the fork in the road and had stopped for a moment to rest. Joe looked over at Deanie and noticed that Deanie’s fishing pole didn’t have any line on it.

Where’s your line? asked Joe

Deanie looked at his fishing pole and in a disappointing tone, said, Ohhh, heck. Sure don’t have any on here. I picked up the wrong pole. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t even notice.

The look on Joe’s face was nothing less than that of pure aggravation.

Maybe if you hadn’t got so darn hot playin’ monster with that tote sack over your head, maybe you could have been thinkin’ a little better! Ella huffed.

Ahhh, it’s all right. He can use some of mine. I’ve got plenty of line in this bucket. Got some hooks too. Come on. Let’s get on down there and start fishin’, Joe said.

As they walked the path that would soon get them to the falls, they could hear the sound of the running water from the waterfall. They all made it to the top of the hill and started making their way down a large embankment to the creek bank. Bossy ran on ahead of them, and he eased his way down the embankment to the water to get himself a drink.

The three boys each found their own fishing spot, and Ella walked on over to the waterfall. Behind the waterfall was a small cave like opening, caused from the water that had eroded the rocks over the years and she liked to look inside of it.

Watch for snakes, Ella! Garris shouted.

Ella went on over to her favorite rock that was right next to the waterfall and sat down.

The mist from the falls felt good on her hot face. Bossy moved on over to where Ella was sitting and found him a place to lay but then decided that Ella had the cool spot, so he came and laid down right next to her and rested his head on her leg.

Ella rubbed Bossy’s head as she leaned her head back to feel the mist from the water and said, This sure feels good, don’t it, Bossy? It just feels, feels so…cool. Bossy, ain’t nothin’ feels better than this southland mist on a hot summers day!

Wonder why no one has ever built any houses back here. I would love to live back here in these woods. Build a house right over there, right on top of that hillside. I’d be down here fishin’ every day, Joe said.

Ella had been lying on her back, and when she heard Joe’s comment, she rose up and said, I don’t know why you would. Hadn’t been a one of y’all to get a bite yet! Joe, you sure couldn’t count on fishin’ to keep you alive!

While Joe busy trying to recast his pole and while shaking his head, he looked over at Ella and said, There are other things in these woods besides fish that could keep me alive! I could hunt down here: plenty of rabbits, squirrels, and deer around here. Everybody knows that.

Ella laid back down on her rock and whispered to Bossy, I bet he ain’t never fired a gun, let alone got one! Ella snickered.

There was a sudden rustling in the water, and Joe and Garris watched as Deanie was trying