Jesse and Mr. Sanders lay out their guns. Mr. Sanders has got a brand-new shotgun in its box. Daddy let me shoot his shotgun once. It was like a mule kicking me in the chest. Him and Uncle Offutt laughed when I cried. More meanness.

Jesse loads the shotgun. I pick up a shell and sniff. Smells like fireworks. Put it down, Jesse says. I don’t want to speak to him but I want to know. I ask what’s happening and he says him and Mr. Sanders are fixing to do away with the Fiends. I go to shaking. I don’t want no more trouble nobody shooting me nobody stabbing me. I say, You’re gonna get me killed. No, I won’t, Jesse says, I’ll see you’re safe.

I don’t trust him. I quit the beans and get back into bed. Jesse asks do I want to watch television. I don’t answer but he puts it on anyway. A soldier band is playing and there’s fireworks in Washington DC. Washington DC’s where the president lives in his white house.

Daddy took us to see President Teddy Roosevelt in Wheeling. He come in on the train rode in a parade and give a speech. There was so many people I couldn’t see nothing but a man yelling on a balcony. Daddy bought me a candy apple. On the way home we laid over for the night outside Littleton in the barn of Daddy’s friend Breezy. Breezy had a dog named Red that’d sing when he played the fiddle. The president now is a man named Ford same as the car.

I don’t care about the fireworks on television. I’m feeling sick to my stomach and the Little Devil won’t quit griping. Get up, Jesse says, we’re leaving. I don’t want to. Get up, Jesse says again and his voice means business. I go to pull on my shoes and there’s blood all over them. My fingers get sticky tying the laces. Stop putting on a show, Jesse says when he sees me crying.

Me and him and Mr. Sanders walk out and climb in the camper. Mr. Sanders opens the box back there and I go to shaking again when I see Monsieur Beaumont lying in it wrapped round with chains.

Jesse puts his pistol to Monsieur Beaumont’s head. We’re going after the Fiends, he says, I don’t want to hear nothing from you but directions. Monsieur Beaumont with a rag in his mouth can’t do nothing but nod. Jesse and Mr. Sanders lift him out of the box. He stinks like he shit hisself and his fancy suit is black with blood.