Chapter Two

Three Bad Men

 

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

 

 

 

~~~   They studied the room, marveling at the miscellany about them.  Cans of motor oil sat next to cans of sweet corn.  Wooden bins made from discarded citrus crates lined with galvanized wire mesh offered nails, and orange blossom perfume and jawbreakers.  A work of original Highwaymen art hung on one wall above a stack of spring traps and a mouse-eaten cardboard box of lye soap.  Yellowed photographs and dozens of locks of hair were pinned to the wall behind the sales counter.

        Before either of them could postulate any theories concerning the locks of hair, Mama emerged from the back room.  She was pushing a decrepit wicker tea cart that bore her cane, a plain crockery pitcher and two Mason jars filled with a frothy liquid the color of water in a slow-moving river.

        “Why’s the lemonade…” Matt began

        “Shhhh!”

        “Yeah but, Jesus, it’s brown.  The lemonade is brown.”

        “Shut up!  She probably broke her back making that stuff.  You’ll drink it and like it, or I swear to God I’ll make your life a living hell.” she threatened through clenched teeth.~~~