Rebel Soul (15 page)

At next break they were down to three players. Tom Adams walked up to Emily as she was coming out of the bathroom. “You take second Emily you will get your money but you take first and you don't get a cent. You should know that kid.”

"Hu really Tom, that’s the way these games are run."

"Just remember what I said, you’re a traitor to your own family." He snarled his nose at her and walked away.

She walked over to Billy and put her arms around him, then looked over toward the Adams boys. “Tell everyone to get their guns ready, I'm going to win this thing."

"Ok baby," he smiled at her as she set down at the table.

Left at the table with her was another one of the Turners and the youngest Adams brother Jason, they soon had the Turner boy out, and then Jason Adams looked at Emily "you want to split?"

"Why would I want to split with you Jason, I raise." he folded his hand, next hand Emily says "I raise" he folded again. Next hand he raised and Emily reraised, he went all in. Emily called and turned over pocket tens. He turned over ace jack, Emily hit the third ten on the flop giving her a set and another on the river for quads. ”Yes” Emily shouted.

Jason jumped up, Emily saw the distorted anger on his face. "You little bitch you don't even know how to play." Billy grabbed him by the neck and threw him up against the wall, as all the guns came out. "Emily" Billy told her "Come and get this fuckers gun out of his pocket."

"Oh boy I get to play with a gun today. My daddy told me not to play with gun unless I planned on killing someone." Emily said as she walked over and felt in his pocket, “Oh that’s too little to be a gun, pee wee" she said with a smile. Then reached in the other pocket, and felt the gun around her fingers, cold and hard. Billy laughed but kept his hands around Jason's neck. Emily pulled the gun out of his pocket and put the gun hard to Jason's head. It was touching and she saw him tremble and close his eyes.

“I could blow your brains out, but I won't" she said as she let the gun slid down the side of his face. “Right now.” She added and smiled. A look of relief showed on his face.

Billy's brothers had their guns pointed at Jason while Emily’s brothers had their guns pointed at the man with the money, Tom Adams. Emily stepped closer to him, swaying a little as she walked. She stopped only a couple of feet from his and pointed the gun straight at his head, "Give me my money Tom Adams." She shouted sternly.

"You ant going to shot me Emily." He said his hands out. Emily steadied her aim.

"I hear she don't miss Tom." Ed said to him, continuing to point his gun at Jason. Emily seen Tom flinch at Ed’s words.

"You got that right." Josh said. “She shot Billy over there." Emily felt a quiver of smile on her lips, but continued to hold her gun steady at his head.

"And she loves him.” John piped in, "Hell you owe her money what do you think she will do to you?" Tom looked alarmed.

"Enough of this.” Emily shot the light above Tom's head, "I think I'll shoot you anyway I'm getting bored." She grinned at him, evilly she hoped.

"Fucker," she said with steady aim. "Give me my envelope." He tossed the envelope to her, she picked it up and counted the money. “Now give me his envelope," She pointed at Jason Adams. He tossed the second place envelope to her, as they all stared backing out. Emily continued to hold the gun steady as she backed out the door, then ran hard to the car.

She stuck her head out of the car window as they drove out of the drive way "Fucking Pussy's" she yelled and taking the second place envelope and dumping the money out the window laughing as, it floated through the air.

"Yeah baby, I think they both peed their self’s ha ha" Billy yelled kissing her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Sat 30th June

 
Emily spent all day Saturday sleeping, waking up around three in the afternoon, a little hung over, the night before still vivid in her mind. She laughed despite the pounding headache, aching for relief. She crawled out of bed and walked to the kitchen and took a couple of pain relievers then text Billy. You up yet.

Just got up. You want to meet me at the cave he text back.

I’ll be there soon. She walked back up to her room and brushed her teeth. The house was totally quiet, she figured her Mom and Dad had went somewhere and her brothers were probably still sleeping, which was just fine with her making it easier to get out of the house without being questioned. She walked down the creek bed deciding to avoid the cemetery, just in case one of her brothers happen to be there.

It was hotter than usual and she took her flip flops off wading through the water. She saw Billy waiting on her by the cave, he had brought a blanket and was sitting on it. It’s has to be a sin to be that handsome she thought, smiling and looking at him from a distance. He saw her, the expression on his face sent thrills of heat through her body. He stood walking toward almost running, then grabbed her spinning in the air, as he kissed her. Then set her down, gently, she was dizzy but didn’t know if it come from the spinning or the high of seeing him.

“You was so awesome last night baby.” He shouted excitedly.

“I can’t believe, I did that Billy and really did they both pee their pants. Oh my God, I humiliated them.” This worried her a little.

“Yes Baby they both peed their pants. It was unreal.” He laughed, “Ed told he saw it too, both of them had wet pants.” Billy laughed again and hugged her.

“Oh Jesus Billy, now we not only have mine and your family after us we probably have the Turners and the Adams after us to.” Billy led her to the blanket and they set down.

“Naw Baby, I thing they are too big a pussy’s to come after you.” He held her.

“I don’t know about that Billy” she worried

“I think we are alright Baby, our brothers have left us alone so far. Things are calm.” At the moment she thought.

“Haven’t you ever heard of the calm before the storm?” She knew in her heart it wasn’t over, and thought he knew it to.

He pulled her into his arms holding her tight. ”It will be alright Baby” He kisses her as he laid her back on the blanket, and their body’s melted together.

They spend a quiet day together, just talking, about various things they had done, together, things they wanted to do and above all making love. A smooth quite day without any interruptions. But in the back of Emily’s mind, she kept hearing her own words. A calm before the storm. A calm before the storm Emily, be careful her soul whispered.

They both soon grew tired as the sun begin to set, beyond the trees around them. Emily felt Billy arms around her his naked body holding her close to him as if she might slip through his fingers and closed her eyes, filling safe in his arms.

* * *

“What time is it” Emily rolled over hugging Billy, very aware of his nakedness.

“Hum” he said as he rolled to face her “I don’t care at this minute,” and he kissed her.

They made out for a while when it dawned on her “Shouldn’t it be dark by now.”

“I don’t know, you would think so, maybe we didn’t sleep long.” He nuzzled at her ear causing Emily to giggle. She felt warm in his arms.

“Oh Billy look where the suns at. Did we sleep all night? No way, I’m going to be in trouble.”

“Does it matter? I thought you was already in trouble.” He laughed

“Yes That I am.” She kissed him, “I have to at least make an appearance this morning.” She laughed.

“Ok” He kissed her again, “Let’s ride to church together.” Then he helped her up and they walked towards Emily’s house and he kissed her bye.

She went straight to her room showered and dressed.

“You coming Emily” she heard her Mom. What should I say Emily ask herself.

“Yes, but Billy’s picking me up see you there.” Emily braced herself, it was quite, as she waited on the voice to shout back at her.

“Your breakfast is in the microwave.” Her Mom shouted back.

They set together in church that morning, ignored by their families. Several members of the congregation spoke with them, but they were otherwise ignored. This suited them both just fine.

After church they went out to find Billy's car vandalized with several scratches down the side, they figured it was the Turners or the Adams Boys. Billy was outraged, and Emily could feel the tension coming hot off his body. Ed joined them and they drove to a friend of Billy’s that had a body shop in his garage. They spend most of the day there, then headed for the river for a while.

“I’ve got to make a run to Georgia tomorrow, I want you to go. We can take the scenic route, down the edge of Tennessee, there and back.” They laid on a blanket, on the river bank by the falls. Billy pushed her hair behind her ear, placing a daisy in it while he talked. She smiled at him.

“I’d love to go Billy, but how long will it take us.” She was quite enjoying the way he was playing with her hair.

“As long as we want it to take, how about we stop and spend the night in the Smokey’s?” His eyes lit up at the idea.

“Now that sounds like fun Billy, but what are we going to do with Ed,” she laughed, looking over at him as he was skipping some rocks on the river.

“Hey Ed are you going on the run with me tomorrow” Billy shouted over at him.

Emily watched as Ed slowly walked over their way, shaking his head as he laughed, then looked at them all serious. Emily almost laughed at the expression on his face, but held back, stifling it. “You guys have to promise me no running from the law this time. Let’s try to act civil on this trip ok, you promise.”

“We promise,” Emily and Billy both answered at the same time laughing.

“Oh by, the way Billy, Dads dog came home last night, looked like he had been in a cat fight.” Ed told him.

“Really, think he’s going to be a daddy soon?” Billy laughed, “He’s probably, been laid up with some female dog.”

Emily didn’t know whether to be relieved by this news or mad. On one hand, she was happy, Josh hadn’t killed the dog, but on the other, her brother, Joe was dead, because of this stupid dog, or was it because of me, the though always lingered in her mind.

Deciding to leave before day light, Billy drove Emily home so he could go ahead and load the shine in the truck.

   
She made it home in time for supper, which started out pleasant to her surprise. Just a matter of time, her mind continued to repeat, over and over like a mockingbird, had made its nest in her head.

"Emily,” Shit she thought and jumped at the unexpected sound of her Dads voice, speaking her name. “I heard you shot up Mr. Adams barn the other night" Jack looked at her knowingly.

Here it goes, she thought "It was just an overhead light, it was either that or shoot his boy's head off his shoulders Dad" she answered like it was an everyday event and took a bite of green beans. She could feel his stare, but didn’t know if it was an angry stare or not.

"And why would you have to shoot George Adams boy's head off his shoulders Emily" Jack looked sternly at her gaining eye contact.

    Dam she thought, I have to tell him about this, no way out of it. "Well Dad I won the poker tournament and they wasn't going to give me my winnings." She thought she saw a slight grin on his face but he wiped it away quickly.

"Now let me get this straight, I'm having a hard time believing, what I have heard, actually happened there that night” he looked around the table, in each of their eyes. Emily watched as Josh flinched, and Amy gave Ricky a questioning look, like what haven’t you told me Ricky. Dan just looked at his plate, still eating. Pussy’s she thought about them.

"What did you hear Dad, maybe I can clear it up for you.” Emily continued eating.

"That my boys had guns pointing at one of the Adams boys, while Billy Johnson had the other held against the wall with his hands around his neck and his brothers were holding guns on that boy, and then you,” He pointed his fingers at Emily. “Demanded first and second place winnings and then tossed it out the window as you drove off down the road in the car with Billy shouting obscenities, into the wind."

"Yeah, yeah that’s pretty much true," they all said about the same time.

"Except I only threw out the second place winnings, not mine.” Emily answered still eating, and glazed at her Dad, to see how he was taking this turn of events. He took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair and scratched his head.

"Emily, you can't continue seeing that Johnson boy. For one his brother just shot and killed your brother in cold blood. Two” Jack showed his fingers as he talked. “Our families have been fighting for years. And three you two don't belong together, one of you will get killed, most likely him. I won't allow you to see him any longer, Emily." She knew this was coming.

"Dads right Emily, break it off, before one of us kills him. The other night we all had the same agenda, and we sided together, but Emily this feud ant over.” Josh shock his head. “I doubt that it will ever be.”

"Dad, dear brothers” Emily stood and said calmly, for she was done with fighting, right now "I'm going to continue seeing Billy, and if Billy dies I swear I do to. You will never understand the connection I have with him.” She started to walk away, when her Dad spoke again and she stopped.

"No Emily I don’t.” Jack said, "But I do understand, your relationship with him won't last long." This unnerved her, sending chills through her veins, and she could see the glances from her brothers, telling her to be careful.

Emily left the room and walked upstairs. Yes she knew, that conversation was coming. She didn't care, she knew, they were playing with death, that’s why they had been so risky of late and didn't care, But she swore her love for Billy, would never end. They may be young and wreak less, playing on the edge of death, but nothing else mattered as long as they were together. They both knew they could not live without the other, she would offer him her soul in the face of death
.

Once in her room she pulled up Facebook and messaged with Billy a while, telling him about the conversation with her Dad, her brothers and how excited she was about the trip to Georgia. She told him she loved him. Then packed her backpack for the next day. Then went to bed, Billy on her mind and pull the blue stuffed dog into her arms. She held it tight closing her eyes and drifted off to sleep.