A houseboat. Finegan Fine

Finegan pulls out a gold watch on a gold chain, dangling it in the air

in front of the hag, but she objects.

Food! I want food. Else some’it useful, like a

gun. Ammo. What cha got?

Finegan stuffs the gold watch back into his pocket and while pulling

his hand out of his pocket flips it back to grab his pistol, which he

has tucked into the waistband of his pants at the back. Pointing the

gun at the hag’s head, Finegan says,

I do just happen to have a gun.

The hag bolts for the door of her shack, but Finegan grabs her by the

scuff of the neck. With the pistol at the back of her neck, she has no

choice and throws her scrawny hands up in the air. Finegan says,

We’re going to let those kids out.

Finegan gives her a shove in the direction of the shack door, all the

while holding firmly to the scuff of her neck.

______________________________

The hag is on her stomach on the ground, her hands and feet tied

together behind her. The girl is looping and tying and jerking on the

piece of rope. Finegan has been holding the pistol on the woman. He

puts his gun away and tests the knots briefly, giving them a tug.

Suddenly, the girl is talkative.

She put a rag over my mouth. It smelled.

29

The girl points with a finger in the direction of the hills up above

the river, swinging her arm back and forth indicating she is not sure

where her capture took place.

I got tired and sat down for a spell.

The girl looks sad, glancing to the side at the cluster of younger

children, now out of the cage but still huddling together.

She likes the little ones. They’re easier, I

guess.

Finegan goes into the shack and comes out with a bottle marked

Chloroform and a dirty rag. The hag is furious.

Hey! You steal my kids but don’t steal my

stuff! I gotta live.

Finegan wets the rag with the Chloroform and slaps it over the hag’s

face, holding it there. Still trying to assess the situation, Finegan

asks,

Has anyone come by?

The girl says,

Not since I’ve been here. She said if someone

didn’t come by soon, she’d have to eat one of

us.

Finegan has been looking around, and has noted a rowboat pulled up onto

shore. The boat looks sound. Finegan has formulated his plan.

Common kids, lunch time. Ever had a ripe peach?

______________________________

The rowboat is being pulling up alongside the houseboat, filled with

the rescued kids. Finegan is rowing the heavily loaded boat carefully.

Joey is reaching out to catch the rope attached to the front of the

boat, securing it to the houseboat. Then he moves along the rowboat,

pulling it close along the side of the houseboat, and holds the rear so

the rowboat is now flush alongside the houseboat. Finegan lifts the

kids out one by one, setting them on the deck.

Dole out some of them ripe peaches and set to

frying the fish from this morning. It looks

like they haven’t had a decent meal in a week.

Putting his hands back on the oars, Finegan says,

I’ve got something to tend to.

Joey nods, and goes to untie the front of the rowboat, tossing the rope

into the boat. Finegan pushes the rowboat away from the houseboat with

one of the oars and turns the boat to head back to the shack.

When Finegan returns the rowboat is filled with loot he has taken from

the hag’s shack. There is a crossbow, a hunting knife, a rifle with

30

ammo, several pots and pans, and wool blankets. He pulls up to the same

spot along the side of the houseboat. The kids are all seated in

various places around the front of the houseboat, where Joey has been

frying fish and baking potatoes. They all have a plate of sorts in

their hands, and are eating ravenously. The girl is helping dish food

out and is passing a cup of water along from one to the other. Joey

secures the boat as before, tying it at the front and then holding the

back. Finegan heaves the loot onto the deck.

One last thing.

Joey nods and again unties him. Finegan again moves back again toward

the shack.

______________________________

The houseboat is now in open water in the center of the river. They are

returning downstream, back to the group of survivors at the bonfire.

The kids are clustered together on the deck at the front, some nodding

off, some sleeping, some looking forward at the river as though in a

hypnotic state. Trailing behind Finegan is the rowboat with the hag on

her knees in the bottom. She is complaining loudly.

You let me loose! That’s my stuff, damit.

Finegan has a smile on his face, ignoring her.

______________________________