My hand is all wet and sticky. I must have fallen in the mud. Ha-ha! That’s funny. Went to a shoot-out and fell in a mud hole. Wallowing around like an old pig. Ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha!

I looked down at my side.

Yep, all dark and gooey. Ha-ha! I should be more careful about where I step.

I looked up again and out past the burning cabin, into the darkness beyond.

Hey, there’s Miss Rosalie out there in the creek. The boys must have gotten her away after all. That’s good, ’cause it looks like the dock’s burned up, too.

She really looks pretty out there in the firelight; so clean and white and glistening. But who’s that out there on the decks? Oh yeah—Parker and Danny Ray.

What are y’all waving at? What’s that you’re calling? I can’t hear you.

It’s all right, boys. It’s okay. My car is burned up along with the cabin. But Travis is dead, and last time I saw Leon, he was on fire. The other one got away, but I don’t think he’ll be back. He ran off like a scalded dog. Ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha!

What am I doing sitting here on the ground? I don’t remember sitting down. But it does feel good to sit and rest. I’m so tired—yeah, I’m really tired.

Hey, look! Here come Parker and Danny Ray. Oh, that’s so funny! Do y’all know you’re in your underwear? Ha-ha! Oh yeah, that’s right, me, too. We’re all out here in our skivvies. I hope nobody else sees us like this! They’ll wonder what we’ve been doing. Ha-ha!

Parker, you have such skinny legs—and both of you are so very white—you look like mullet bellies. Ha-ha-ha.

Danny Ray, it’s hard to catch my breath, and my side hurts. I think I’ll just lie down awhile. Yeah, I’ll just lie down on my other side. Oh, that feels good. It’s so hot here by the fire and the cool sand feels really good against my face.

Man, am I sleepy. I think I’ll just close my eyes for a minute.

No, no, don’t bother me, Danny Ray. Parker, you leave me alone, too. I don’t want to get up. Just let me rest here for a little bit—for just a minute. I won’t be here long, and then I’ll . . .

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 21