Red Rain

28

“We have work to do, Sammy.” Daniel pressed his forehead against the window glass as the school bus bounced along Noyac Road, the tall trees along the side making the shadows dance in his eyes.

Samuel shifted the blue canvas backpack in his lap. He knew how impatient Daniel could be. He hoped maybe he would take his time, get to know the terrain, enjoy their new family, their new home at least a few weeks before setting things in motion.

“You gave that lug Derek a good lesson, Daniel.”

Daniel tapped Samuel’s knee with his fist. “Derek is dead in the pasture. The flies are already circling him.”

Samuel laughed. But he could see the growing intensity on his twin’s face.

“Work to do, Sammy.”

“What’s your hurry, Daniel? Haven’t we got it made here?”

“We’ve waited a long time,” Daniel murmured, gazing at a deer chewing tall weeds by the roadside. “A long time, boyo.”

“But look at us now. We’re in Heaven.”

Daniel turned away from the window. He shook his head. “Sammy, it may be heaven but there’s a devil on our cloud.”

Samuel felt a chill, muscles tightening at the back of his neck. “Who is the devil?” He knew the answer.

“The new pa.”

“Maybe he didn’t mean those things we heard him say.”

Daniel narrowed his eyes at Samuel. “He meant them. He said he didn’t want us to come. He didn’t want Mum to bring us here. And he didn’t want us to live in the little house in the backyard. Why? Because he didn’t know if he could trust us.”

That made Samuel giggle. “He can’t trust us, boyo.”

Daniel didn’t smile. His normally pale cheeks had turned rosy pink. “Pa doesn’t like us, Sammy. He doesn’t want us here. And he shouted at Mum. You saw him shout at Mum because she wants to make us happy and give us everything we want.”

“But, Daniel-”

“He doesn’t want us to be happy. Pa doesn’t want to give us the things we want. You heard him. You heard every word. We have work to do. We have plans, boyo. We cannot let the new pa stand in our way.”

Samuel felt the chill again. “What are you thinking, Daniel? Why are you saying all this? We can’t kill the new pa. We can’t. It would make Mum so sad.”

“He’s a devil, Sammy. A devil in our heaven.”

Samuel grabbed his brother’s wrist. “Don’t think it. We can’t do that to Mum.”

“You’re right. You’re the sensible guy, Sammy. As sensible as potatoes in chowder. We don’t want to kill Pa. We just have to keep him busy.”

Samuel shook his head. The backpack suddenly felt heavy in his lap. He let it slide to the bus floor. “Keep him busy?”

Daniel nodded. He had that thoughtful look in his eyes that Samuel knew well.

“How do we keep him busy? What do you mean?”

A thin smile played over Daniel’s lips. “I have some ideas. We can keep him real busy, Sammy. Maybe with the coppers.”