Free Cesspool by Phil M. Williams Page A

rain began in earnest. The officer jogged to his cruiser. Thunder cracked in the distance. James entered the cabin, the downpour pounding the roof. Brittany sat on the love seat, her knees pulled to her chest, her head down. She was more shell-shocked now than before she spoke to the officer.
    “Are you okay?” James asked.
    She was silent.
    “Brittany, are you all right?”
    She lifted her head. Her eyes were red and puffy. “Why’d you have to do that? I told you it wasn’t goin’ do no good.”
    “What did he say?” James grabbed a wooden chair, positioned it in front of the love seat, and sat down.
    She clenched her fists. “He told me to keep my mouth shut. What’d you think he was gonna say?”
    “I thought he would arrest Harold.”
    She laughed, a few tears spilling from her eyes. “You think he’s gonna arrest his uncle?”
    “What?”
    “Harold’s always braggin’ that I can’t never call the cops ’cause his brother’s the police chief and his nephew’s a cop too.” She shook her head. “He was right.”
    James exhaled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know they were related.”
    “I tried to tell you,” she said.
    “You’re right. I should have listened to you.” He looked her in the eyes. “You tell me what you want to do. I can take you anywhere you want to go. Do you have any family who you’d like to stay with?”
    She burst into tears. “I can’t go back there. Please don’t make me.” She threw her arms around him, pressing her braless pajama top against him. “I’ll do anything you want.”
    He pulled back, uncoupling himself from her. She put her head down and sobbed. He lifted her chin.
    “Hey,” he said, “I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to. Do you have any friends you could stay with?”
    She shook her head. “Can I stay with you? Just for a little while. I won’t be no trouble. I’ll cook and clean—”
    “Okay.”
    Her sobbing subsided.
    “Brittany, listen to me. This is important. You don’t have to do anything for me. I’m your friend, and I’ll help you out, because I want to. No strings. Do you understand?”
    She nodded her head. “Thank you.” She looked down at her soiled pajamas. “I don’t have any clothes.”
    “It’s fine. We can get you what you need.”
    “I’ll pay you back. Every penny, plus interest if you want.”
    James shook his head. “We’ll call it payment for your gardening and foraging consultations.”
    She smiled, her nose and eyes red.
    “This has to be temporary, okay?” he said. “Until you can get a job and get your own place.”
    “I ain’t never had a job.”
    James took a deep breath. “We’ll figure it out. In the meantime, I should cancel my class tonight, and run by Walmart to get you some clothes and toiletries.”
    Her eyes were wide. “Can I go with you?”
    * * *
    James slept in the bottom bunk.
    He heard “No, don’t. No, please stop.”
    His eyes popped open to a dark face in the window, the features indistinguishable. His heart pounded as he scrambled back, sitting up. He rubbed his eyes. The window was dark. I’m losing it.
    Again he heard “No, don’t. Stop.”
    He rolled out of the bunk and turned on the floor lamp. Brittany tossed and turned in the top bunk.
    “I said no,” she said. “Please don’t.”
    James edged closer. “Brittany, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”
    “Please don’t.”
    He grabbed her arm.
    She pulled away from his touch, curling in the fetal position. “No! No!”
    “Brittany, wake up!”
    Her eyes popped open. Her face was taut.
    “It’s me, James. You were having a bad dream.”
    She relaxed at the sight of him. “Oh, … I’m sorry. Did I wake you up?”
    “I think I was having a bad dream too. Do you want some tea?”
    “Okay.”
    James put water in the teakettle and turned on the electric stove top. He sat down at the kitchen table, across from Brittany. She wore brand new flannel pajamas.
    “We could prob’ly find