Hobnail By Crystal Arbogast

Fannie Poteet sat cross-legged on her Uncle John's front porch; her favorite rag doll clutched under one arm !he late afternoon sun shone through the leaves of the giant oa" tree# casting its flic"ering light on the cabin !his golden motion of light entranced the child and she sat $ith her face turned up$ard# as if hypnoti%ed !he steady hum of conversation flo$ed from inside of the cabin &'llen# ('m sure happy that you came to church $ith us today )hy don't you spend the night* (t's getting a$fully late and it $ill be dar" before you ma"e it home & &('ll be fine +ally#& replied Fannie's mother &Anyho$# you "no$ ho$ ,ige is about his supper ( left plenty for him and the boys on the bac" of the stove# but he'll $ant Fannie and me home Besides# he'll $ant to hear if +am Bos$orth's $ife managed to drag him into church & !he laughter that follo$ed her mother's statement bro"e the child's musings and she stood up# pulled her dress over the protruding petticoat# and stepped inside &-et your sha$l Fannie )hen the sun goes do$n# it'll get chilly & As the little girl $ent to the chair by the fireplace to retrieve her $rap# her uncle came in from the bac" $ith a lantern &.ou'll need this 'llen !he $ic" is ne$ and ('ve filled it up for you & &( appreciate it Johnny#& 'llen said &('ll have ,ige bring it bac" $hen he goes to to$n ne/t $ee" &

'llen "issed her younger brother good-bye and hugged +ally gently Patting her sister-in-la$ on her s$ollen belly# she said#& ('ll be bac" at the end of the month 0on't be lifting anything heavy (f that 1ueasy feeling "eeps bothering you# bre$ some of that mint tea ( left in the "itchen ,ord "no$s ('ve never seen a baby "eep its mammy so sic" as much as this one has (t's a boy for sure & Upon hearing this# Fannie fro$ned +he $as the youngest in her family# and the only girl After living $ith four brothers# she had prayed fervently to -od every night for 2im to let her aunt have a girl !he only other comfort she had $as the pretty rag doll that her mother had made for her !uc"ing the doll under her left arm and gathering the sha$l $ith the same hand# she stood $aiting patiently Aunt +ally "issed her lightly on the chee" and s1uee%ed Fannie gently &(f ( have a girl# ( hope that she $ill be as s$eet as you#& her aunt $hispered Uncle John patted her on the head and said# &Bye Pun"in )hen that old momma cat has her "ittens# ('ll give you the pic" of the litter & !his brought a smile to Fannie's face and s$ept a$ay the dar"ening thoughts of boys 'llen secured her o$n sha$l about her shoulders and tossing one side around and over again# pic"ed up the lantern# $hich had already been lit !a"ing Fannie's right hand# the pair proceeded on the three-mile tre" bac" home 2eavy rains during the last $ee" had left the dirt road virtually impassable for anyone on foot 'llen and her daughter $ould return home the $ay they had come# by follo$ing the railroad trac" !he trac" $as about one half mile above the road (t $ound and $ound around the mountains and through the valleys carrying the coal and lumber# $hich had been harvested 2

from the land 3nce on the trac"# they proceeded in the direction of their o$n home 'llen began to tell Fannie about the trains and all of the distant places they $ent to !he little girl loved hearing her mother's stories of all the big cities far a$ay +he had been to to$n only a fe$ times and had never traveled outside of )ise County Fannie remembered her papa tal"ing about his brother Jac" Uncle Jac" had left the county# as $ell as the state of 4irginia 2e $as in a fara$ay place called Cuba# fighting for a man called 5oosevelt +he $ondered $hat "ind of place Cuba $as# and if it $as anything li"e home !he sun's last rays $ere sin"ing behind the tree-studded mountains +hado$s rose ominously from the dense $oods on both sides of the trac" 5ustling sounds from the brush caused Fannie to 6ump# but her mother's soothing voice calmed her fears &(t's all right Child; 6ust fo/es and possums & A hoot o$l's mournful cry floated out of the encroaching dar"ness and Fannie tightened her grip on her mother's hand Finally# night enveloped the landscape# and all that could be seen $as the $arm glo$ of the lantern and the shado$ of the figures behind it (t $as a moonless night# and the faint glo$ of a fe$ stars faded in bet$een the moving clouds Fannie tripped over the chun"s of gravel scattered bet$een the ties and 'llen reali%ed that her daughter $as tired &)e'll rest a$hile child 7y guess is that $e have less than a mile to go & 'llen set the lantern do$n and the $eary travelers attempted to get comfortable sitting on the rail &7ammy# it's so scary in the dar" )ill -od $atch over us and protect us*& 3

&.es# Fannie 5emember $hat that ne$ young preacher said in church today !he -ood ,ord is al$ays $ith you# and $hen you need 2is strength# call out 2is name Better still# do $hat ( do & &)hat's that mammy*& &)ell#& 'llen said# stro"ing her daughter's hair#& ( sing one of my favorite hymns & )hile contemplating her mother's advice# Fannie $as distracted by a sound !he sound came from the direction they had traveled from# and the girl's eyes peered into the in" li"e dar"ness (t $as very faint# but unli"e the other noises she had gro$n used to along the $ay !he slo$ methodic sound $as someone $al"ing# and coming in their direction &7ammy# do you hear that*& &2ear $hat child*& Fannie moved closer to her mother and said# &(t's somebody else coming8& 'llen gave her daughter a comforting hug and replied#& .ou're 6ust imagining things Fannie )e've rested enough ,et's get on home .our papa $ill be $orried & 'llen pic"ed up the lantern# too" Fannie's hand# and the t$o resumed their 6ourney After a $hile# the sound that had unnerved the little girl began again !his time the steps $ere more distinct# and definitely closer !he distant ringing of heavy boots echoed in the dar" &7ammy# ( hear it again8& &2ush child & 'llen s$ung the lantern around &+ee# there's nothing there &

Fannie secured the grip on her mother's hand and clutched her rag doll tightly !he hoot o$l continued its call in the distance# and the night bree%e rustled the leaves in the trees &!he air sure smells li"e rain#& said 'llen &!he $ind is pic"ing up a mite too )e'll be home soon# little girl .onder is the last bend & Fannie found comfort in her mother's voice# but in the dar"ness behind them# the steps rang louder (t $as the sound of boots# heavy hobnail boots &7ammy# it's getting closer8& 'llen s$ung the lantern around again and said# &Child# there's nothing out there !ell you $hat; let's sing &Precious ,ord& Fannie 6oined in $ith her mother# but her voice 1uivered $ith fear as the heavy steps came closer and closer +he couldn't understand $hy her mother seemed oblivious to the sound 'llen's singing gre$ louder# and up ahead the $arm glo$ of light from their o$n home glimmered do$n the side and through the trees A dog bar"ing in the distance brought the singing to an abrupt end &+ee child# $e're almost home !in"er $ill be running up to meet us Big old !in"er 2e's chased mountain lions before 2e'll see us safely home & &,et's hurry then 7ammy Can't you hear* (t's closer and ('m scared ,et's run8& &All right child# but see# ('m telling you there's nothing there & 'llen made another s$eep around $ith the lantern and as they proceeded she cried out# &2ere !in"er8 Come on boy8& !he dog raced up the path leading to the trac" and the t$o nearly collided $ith him as they stepped do$n on the familiar trail to home &'llen# is that you*& 5

Fannie's heart filled $ith 6oy as her father's voice rang out of the dar"ness &.es ,ige ('m sorry $e're so late ('m afraid ( $al"ed a bit fast for this child +he's $orn out & 'li6ah pic"ed up his daughter and carried her the rest of the $ay home 3nce inside of the cabin# 'llen helped Fannie undress and gently tuc"ed her in bed !he comforting sounds of her parents' voices drifted from the "itchen 'ven the snores of her brothers in the bac" made her smile and be than"ful that she and her mother $ere safe and sound Before closing her eyes# her mother's voice rang in her ears &,ige# ( heard the steps ( didn't $ant to frighten the child ( "ept singing and s$inging the lantern around and telling her there $as nothing to be afraid of But ,ige# 6ust before $e got off the trac"s# ( turned the lantern around one last time !hat's $hen ( sa$ $hat $as follo$ing us ( sa$ the figure of a man A man $ithout a head8&