Emerald Hell

Hellboy was antsy, surprised there was so much talking going on. He had a need for action, and all this standing around was getting on his nerves.

But something seemed to be getting resolved, even though he wasn't sure what or exactly how. He glanced up the track and spotted a lot of the swamp folk in the scrub and on their porches and peering from their windows, the party lights glazing their figures. They stood and waited in the palmettos and palm fronds.

Not far from him, lingering back in the emerald hell, he spotted the kid with eyes like an insect, the beautiful girl without bones in her legs, the dwarf with the big feet, and the really weird conjoined twins. Somehow, knowing they were nearby made him feel better.

Lament stood tall, a young man strong in the night, making an appeal to the mentor who'd once taught him in the humble ways of helping a neighbor. 'You recall your foul doings and they don't tug at your conscience at all. That's why your redemption lies so far from hand. You ain't even asked for forgiveness.'

'From you?'

'From God. And you don't remember a whit. I was too late to stop you from murdering your wife. But you were moving off from her and going after the baby in the crib. You don't love Sarah. You nearly murdered her when she was an infant.'

'No. No, that's not true.'

'After you nearly brained me with a hatchet, I crawled through your house. I prayed for your enlightenment. It was all I could do, bleeding near to death on your rug. But you heard me. You let her live.' Lament drew out a knotted piece of rope from his back pocket. 'This bring back any memories?'

'Yes. No. What is it?'

'You recollect what happened later that day?'

'No. Yes. I was… I was hanged.'

'You know who done it?'

'You did.'

'No, I was a dying child. No, it wasn't me.'

'Bliss Nail did it.'

'He was rushin' over to save his woman and daughter, but no, it wasn't him. He showed up a little while later, and watched you danglin' for a bit. No, wasn't him who done it.' jester's eyes widened, staring at the knot. 'No.'

'You done it yourself. You lashed the rope around the rafter and kicked off into purgatory. I crawled to you, blinded by my own blood. Bliss Nail was there, watching you swing. He held Sarah to his chest. I'm the one who cut you down. I prayed over you. Bleeding to death, I prayed over you.'

'No.'

'I ministered to you. I wanted to save you.'

'No.'

'And the healin' was strong in me. God wanted it so. Couldn't heal myself, but you… for you… I tended your body but couldn't do nothin' for your soul. Bliss Nail carried me to his car and got me to Doc Wayburn. And when he went back to that house later on… you was gone. You came back. You came back, but you learned nothing from your journey through oblivion.'

'No,' said Jester, a whine working through his awful voice.

'It's not too late. Ask forgiveness.'

'No.'

'It's my fault. I brought you back. My secret heart is that I'd never done it. That I'd left you to swing and sent you on your way. But we all got our sins. You're mine, Jester.'

They all turned then as the Ferris boys walked up to them, bracketing Sarah and the child, their knives hooking the moonlight.

Chapter 25

'Well, here she is,' said Deeter, who pressed his stubbled cheek to Sarah's, 'the little miss that caused such a stir.'

Duffy said, 'I been a jot nibbled on, but I ain't complain', preacher. Here's your girl. We done what was asked of us, my brother and me.'

Proud of themselves, the Ferris boys leered and drew back, the shotgun aimed loosely in Hellboy's direction.

Lament grinned and Sarah returned the smile. Her movements still held a defiant air, as she lifted the sleeping child and held her closer. Hellboy wondered where it came from, such faith and belief and love in the middle of a hellish day like today. But he already knew the answer. It was the only answer.

'Should you be up and about?' Hellboy asked her.

'When harvest is being brought in, there's women bear their children, then go bring in the sugar cane or tobacco. Or the peanuts. Mrs. Hoopkins wouldn't have let me lay around, I can tell you that for sure.'

Brother Jester moved to Sarah as if to embrace her, 'Daughter, I'm here.'

'Begging your pardon, preacher, but you ain't my father. The man who raised me is in the ground. The man who sowed me is Bliss Nail. I don't see what bloom you've got on me at'all.'

'Your mother-'

'The woman who raised me is in the ground. The woman who sowed me is closer to twenty years dead.'

Again that unearthly mewl entered Jester's decimated voice. 'Your mother was my wife.'

'Don't see how that makes me any of yer business, reverend,' Sarah said.

'You come two decades and thousands of miles in and out of mountains and valleys for naught, Jester,' Lament said.

'But the child-'

'Is mine,' Sarah said.'Ain't yours. Nothing here is, though you feel you got a right to whoever and whatever you wanna take. You put your black mark on many. You cursed my half-sisters, the six other daughters of Bliss Nail.'

'I did no such thing. His children suffer for his sins, not mine!'

'Who suffers for yours then?'

That seemed to stop Brother Jester for a moment, his eyes puzzled but fierce, as though he'd never stopped to ponder the question before. 'I only want my daughter and grandchild.'

'She's not your daughter' Hellboy said, gearing up and angling to move on the Ferris boys. He could probably handle a shotgun blast, but he had to protect the girl and the baby. He'd have to be fast.

'Of course she is. She was born from my wife. What else could she be. but my daughter?'

'Her father is Bliss Nail.'

'He did nothing but spend a night of lies with a woman not his. His house was too crowded with their voices, that's why he left.' As Jester spoke, he rubbed his hands together as if he wanted to clasp his palms in prayer. 'And when he returned, their laughter and voices were gone. He called the Word down on himself.'

Hellboy said, 'I've seen some guys in deep denial, but you, pal, you take the whole freakin' cake.'

'I have had wrong done to me!'

'Everyone has. What makes you so special?'

'I am a vessel for the Lord. My enemies called down the whirlwind upon themselves… my wife and Bliss Nail. He suffers through his daughters the way I suffer through mine.'

'You don't have a daughter,' Lament said.

'Mock me no more! I only wish to hold my grandchild!'

The Ferris boys tightened their ring around Sarah, their knives very close to her throat now. As Jester moved, Lament dogged his step, closing the space between them.

'You do this!' Jester screamed. 'You blind her to the truth. You're jealous and hoard your child!'