Sadie's Mountain Read Online Free PDF Page B

he’d move on if I gave him time. Right before he went to college, he got some huge scholarship because of his grades and an experiment that created some new type of fuel. He was in the local paper and on the news holding his medal. I wasn’t in the frame of mind to listen to him speaking on the TV back then.
    I’m not sure what college he went to but I know he must be some type of scientist now.
    My GPS just told me to merge onto the I-64 West in Quinwood, West Virginia. Someone left a CD in the car. Bruno Mars has been my background noise this whole trip. I like him. He’s singing about ‘Talking to the Moon ’ and it seems so fitting considering I was just thinking about Dillon.
    His final letter to me talked about the moon and how it could bind us no matter where we were—no matter how far apart we drifted we would both be looking up at the same moon each night. I actually think about that every time happenstance causes me to look at the moon. I’m going to have to find that letter when I get to Momma’s house. I know exactly where I hid it.
    The thing is, I knew then and I know now that I can’t talk to Dillon because he wants to know what happened to me. I have always worried about what would happen if Dillon found out. I’m sure he’d try and fight Donnie. He’d be no match for his dark-haired, tank of a brother.
    Besides, Donnie promised death if anything happened between Dillon and me. That’s the crux of our relationship. Talking to him means danger—for both of us. I did talk to Dillon again. Just once.
     I was walking into the kitchen in the morning to get some water when I heard a conversation taking place out on the porch. It was just two days after...after...I was raped. Yes, I can say the word rape. It’s taken me a long time to realize that’s what it was. I pay a fortune to Dr. Amy to deal with this mess. At least I can admit the truth to myself. It had been so confusing for so many reasons.

     “Reverend Sparks,” Dillon spoke in his coaxing voice, “We really should talk to the Sheriff so they can find the dirt bag that hurt Sadie.” There was venom in his voice when he said those last few words.
    “Absolutely not!” my daddy snapped, abruptly cutting him off.
    “But, sir...”
    “I’ll not hear of it. The sin is a heavy burden in that one. Always has been—Just too strong-willed. I just need to pray harder, lay my hands on her and pray, whip it out a’ her agin if I have to. To bear witness to Jesus Christ, who is ‘the Way, the Truth, and the Life’.”
    “She was attacked. There was blood runnin’ down her neck, sir. She was cut, bleedin’ everywhere, in shock when I found her. She didn’t ask for this.”
    “She was dressed immorally. She weren’t raised that way. And, it ain’t right ta blame a man fer havin’ needs, son. Whoever it is, I’m sure he’s repentin’ as we speak, layin’ his sins at the Cross. It’s in God’s hands now to deal with him. I have ta think of that girl’s soul, not punishin’ the man she tempted.”
    “Tempted?” he repeated as if to make that word fit in the scenario he saw. I heard Dillon’s heavy boots pace back and forth across the porch. I peeked out through the front window and he was pinching his forehead between his thumb and index finger. Daddy was sitting in his porch chair smoking his pipe.
    “Can I take her, sir?” he begged, his voice shaking with fear, or need. “I’ll take care of her. If she needs time, ya know, before she’s ready to be man and wife in the Biblical sense, I’ll wait. I’ll marry her right now. I’m almost eighteen. It won’t cause no shame on ya since we’ll be married. If she’s in the family way, no one will know the difference.”
    “A youngin’!” Daddy screamed. It was a guttural response.
    “I don’t...Well, sir, it’s possible,” Dillon stated matter of factly.
    “She’s stayin’ right here! If she’s with child then the Lord will have to deal with her, with her