Moon Over Manifest

“You never lifted a hand to help my mother.” Jinx’s face flushed with anger. “You just used me and waited for her to die. I’m not going with you, Finn. These folks are my family now.”

Finn’s smile vanished and his face contorted into an angry scowl. “These people don’t even know you. Have you told them that you’re nothing but a jinx? That bad luck follows you everywhere and people all around you end up in bad straits or dying? First your daddy, then your mama, then Junior. I’m surprised no one around here has been touched by your curse, but then, it’s only a matter of time, ain’t that right, Jinx?”

Jinx winced as Finn’s words hit their mark.

“That’s right,” Finn continued. “I’m the only one’s free of your hoodoo curse and you’re trying to shed me like a snakeskin. Well, let me tell you, boy, blood is thicker than water, and I’m the only blood you got.”

Jinx shook his head. He wanted Finn to shut up. “My mother was out of her mind with sickness. She’d never have left me with you. All you wanted was a hired hand. Every con needs a mole, isn’t that right? Well, I’m done. You’re on your own.”

Jinx and Finn were standing in the clearing surrounded by a circle of trees and bushes, cutting them off from the town, from Shady’s place, from help. There was a rustle of leaves and a loud snap in the distance, but no one came. It must have been a coon or a badger getting caught in a hunter’s trap. Every creature had a basic instinct for survival, but for that poor critter, there was no getting away.

Jinx’s own survival instincts were charged. He knew he wasn’t going back with Finn. “I’ll tell them. I’ll turn myself in and tell them it was an accident. And I’ll tell them you were there.”

Finn nodded. For a second Jinx thought he might actually leave. Then, in one swift movement, Finn grabbed Jinx, twisted him around, and shoved the gun into his back. “Well, now, that’d be a lie. Because it wasn’t no accident.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I killed him on purpose. I just put the knife in your hand so you’d wake up with it. You should have known you didn’t do it, boy. You don’t have the guts.”

Jinx felt a flood of relief, which was quickly followed by anger. “Let me go.”

“I can’t. Junior threatened me and he had it coming. And now you threatened me. This’ll make things real simple. I’ll tell the sheriff it was you that killed Junior, and when I said I was going to turn you in, there was a fight and”—Finn cocked the gun—“well, you can see how things will turn out from there. Move into those trees.”

Jinx struggled to get away, but Finn held firm. Darkness surrounded them as they entered the thick grove of trees encircling the clearing. Jinx walked forward a few paces, then stopped, not able to see where he was going. Then he sensed a movement just in front of them. He could tell by the way Finn’s body tensed behind his that he had heard something.

They both backed up a step, then another, as a dark figure moved toward them. There was a faint rattling sound. The figure moved in an eerie, flowing way as it drove them back toward the clearing.

Jinx felt Finn’s grip loosen, then heard a loud snap. He was free. He could get away. But before he could turn around, the gun went off. Jinx felt pain cut through him for only an instant, then he fell and the world went dark.

The following afternoon was warm and aglow with the oranges, reds, and yellows of fall leaves. Most of the Manifest townspeople could be found strolling the grounds of the homecoming celebration, enjoying these days of Indian summer. But everyone knew that an Indian summer could only last so long. A lot of things could only last so long. That afternoon also found three men who stood around an open grave. The same open grave Jinx and Shady had used the day before for their prank on Sheriff Dean. Shady, Donal MacGregor, and Hadley Gillen lowered the casket six feet down.

Sheriff Dean and Sheriff Nagelman approached the grave site just as Shady was finishing his few words of eulogy. “And, Lord, we ask your blessing on this soul, who was with us such a short time. May he rest in peace.”

Then Donal lifted a shovel to begin replacing the earth into the grave.

Miss Sadie’s Divining Parlor

AUGUST 23, 1936

“What?” I cried. “That can’t be right. You’ve got the story wrong.” Hot tears filled my eyes and my words sputtered out all angry and sad, like water sizzling on a hot tin pan. “Jinx didn’t die. He grew up and lived a life.” And had a daughter. Me. I didn’t say the last part out loud but that was the thread I’d been weaving throughout the summer. I’d come to know Jinx in a way I didn’t even know my own father, who was so far away. It had been such a consolation to me to get wrapped up in Jinx’s story. To grow to love him and care about him. To wish and hope that maybe he’d grown up and become my daddy. That he was loyal and faithful and true. And he’d never leave his daughter behind.