Cemetery Silk Read Free

selected the coffin, and planned the splendid feast I had just enjoyed. I had to thank them for that, but I was somewhat surprised at their involvement in William’s affairs. They were, after all, only neighbors, whereas William was survived by two cousins besides Joe Tom, and then there was Mother. She and William had always been close and after Abigail died Mother was his only emotional support. It was unfortunate that she had been visiting a college friend in California when William was taken ill. He had been forced to depend on someone else.
    I peered through the rickety fence that separated William’s backyard from that of his neighbors. Dibber’s lot was overgrown with weeds and strewn with broken pieces of old toys and empty tin cans. A dilapidated doghouse and a couple of badly chewed plastic water bowls seemed to have no present owner. Just in case, I moved cautiously as I squeezed through a space between rotten boards. I don’t know why I was playing the sneak. I guess I was curious because of the contrast between the Dibber’s neatly manicured front yard and the disarray of the back.
    I stepped gingerly over the debris and around several piles of dried animal feces. Before I went any farther, I decided to make sure there was not some ravaging beast sleeping in what was left of the doghouse. I bent down and looked inside the dark interior. The putrid odor of decaying flesh almost knocked me down. As I staggered back, I grabbed onto what was left of the roof to keep from falling. A shingle crumbled away in my hand and the rest of the rotten structure fell off in a cloud of dust to expose the sad and sorry sight inside. The carcass of a medium-sized dog lay decaying under a thick blanket of swarming flies. They buzzed angrily at being disturbed. Before they settled back down I saw a piece of rope tied around the sunken neck and deeply embedded in the reddish fur. The other end of the short tether was nailed to the floor. The dog could not have been able to move more than a few inches. When the flies shifted again I could see deep scratches and dried bloodstains on the wood where it had pawed frantically in a desperate effort to escape. It was obvious that the poor creature had been left to die of starvation and thirst.
    An intense wave of anger at the person who had committed such an act of cruelty propelled me toward the house. Faded curtains were drawn tightly across the windows at the back of the house but I thought I saw movement behind one. I was climbing the steps to look in the back door when Mother saw me.
    â€œPaisley! What on earth are you doing? Come back here this instant!”
    She was still shaking her head when I slid back through the fence to join her.
    â€œYou’ve changed so much, Paisley. I hardly know you.”
    â€œYou’ve changed too, Mother.”
    I bent down to brush the beggar lice off my pants and compose myself. She had been through enough today. The fate of the dog next door would have to be my sad little secret at least for now. I straightened up and smiled at her.
    â€œYou need a little goosing up, Mother. What have you been doing for fun lately?”
    â€œCertainly not peeking into other people’s houses.”
    â€œAll us Yankees are no-good peekers,” I teased.
    She suddenly looked pained.
    â€œI’m sorry, Mother. I really am trying to be considerate.”
    I pulled her over to a small wooden bench. The paint on it was peeling, and it had definitely seen better days. I hoped it would hold us both. Mother was right as usual, I thought woefully. I had stuffed myself. I felt ten pounds heavier and more than a little nauseated. The sight of the rotting carcass had done nothing for my digestion.
    She pulled a dainty lace handkerchief out of her sleeve and dabbed at her eyes.
    â€œIt’s just that you said something that Abigail used to say. You must have heard her many times when you were little. Every night she would pull the