Chapter Fifteen

Thirteen Shards

 

The following is an excerpt from Chapter Fifteen of Mama Root: The Old Woman of Loop Road

 

 

~~~     She moved back a dozen or so feet to survey her work, then walked back to the mirror, shifted the frame imperceptibly to the right then moved back once again to check the alignment.  In point of fact, the mirror was aligned flawlessly on the first attempt, but this is not in keeping with the female psyche.  The hanging of anything framed on a wall requires an absolute minimum of one adjustment; most often, three or four realignments will be the case, regardless of how perfectly level the initial installation was.

          “There you go, Mama.  You need anything else while I’m here?  If not, I’m gonna’ pick up the few things I need and…”

Her sentence was completed by a cacophony of crashing glass.  A brad used to tether one end of the hanging wire had pulled free of the wood frame, allowing gravity to become master of its fate.  The mirror within shattered and burst from its confines, scattering on the floor like silver islands on a ligneous sea.

          Emma’s fingertips flew to her mouth and she gasped in horror.  “Oh, Mama, I am so, so sorry.  I could swear that wire was…”

          She was cut off in mid-sentence by the old woman’s frantic shouting.  “Quickly child, how many pieces did the mirror bust inta’?”

          Emma was more surprised by the look on Mama Root’s face than the rather strange question.  The old woman had to have seen things much more disconcerting than broken glass in her long life.  Emma just stared, too confused to speak.

          Mama repeated the entreatment.  “Please child, quickly, we hafta’ know how many pieces the mirror is busted inta’!  Make sure an’ count ‘em all!”

          Compliant but still confused Emma picked up the shards and placed them on the backing of the now horizontal frame, counting as she went.  “Let’s see… here’s two, three… ooh, wait, here’s a bunch more”, she said, adding several more pieces to the pile.  “Seven, eight… and nine… ten…”.

          She scrutinized the surrounding area, checking inside nearby boxes and crates.  “Oops, here’s another… eleven.”  She stood to get a different perspective of the scene, walking around the area until she was satisfied there were no more shards to be found.                     “That’s it, Mama – eleven.”

          “You’re sure child?  You’re for certain?”

          “Yes, ma’am – I looked all over.  That’s all there is.  I know you walk barefoot in the store, that’s why I made real sure there’s no more glass.”

          “No, no, it ain’t that” explained the old woman, looking nervously about the floor.  It’s just I don’t want ya’ ta’ be cursed.” ~~~