Mama met Munch at the back door. She looked better. He knew why. THAT MAN had called. She asked, “Did you have a nice walk?”

“I did until Bruno knocked me down, rolled me in cow Fido and slobbered all over me.”

Mama shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh. "I told Jessie not to let that dog run loose."

Munch took off the horrid CPO jacket and hung it up on the coat rack. He said, “I’m going to my room.”

“Um, we need to talk about something first.”

Oh God, he hoped it was not about THAT MAN.

Mama turned him toward her and looked him directly in the eyes. She said, “It seems there is a slumber party going on next door. I don’t want you bothering those girls or going over there again. Do you understand me?”

Sarcastically he said, “I speak English don’t I?”

Mama continued, “It is their night, okay. So leave them be.”

He gave a half hearted nod and went to his room. Like he would go over there. Grandma Toady was a fortress he did not want to contend with. He went to his window and looked out at the trailers. All the lights were on in Grandma Toady’s trailer. Though it was cold outside he raised his window just a tad and listened. He could faintly hear music, but he couldn’t make out what it was. How he wished he was over there. How he wondered what they were doing. For a long time he stood staring at the trailer. Nothing materialized from it, so he finally decided the best thing to do was go to bed. Morning would come faster if he fell asleep. If. His brain was on overdrive. He crawled under his covers, closed his eyes and thought about Thahn Ho. In such a short time he had some very solid memories of her. The warmth of sleep began to wrap around him. He was going under.

A voice whispered, “Munch, Munch wake up.”

For half a second Munch thought the girls had come to him. He opened his eyes and squinted out the window. The silhouette of Max was in the window. Great, did the goober want his ugly jacket back? Munch rolled out of bed and went to the window.

In a excited whisper Max said, “There’s women on this farm. Did you know?”

“Yup.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why would I?”

“Women Munch, women! Don’t you like women?”

Okay this old jab. “Shut up. What do you want?”

“I saw Lolly and her friends go to the barn. Do you want to come with?”

Did he? Of course he did. This was one temptation he could not resist. “Of course.” He put on his steeled toed work boots and an old sweat shirt that belonged to his daddy. When he pushed the window all the way open it only made the smallest squeak. Quickly, he slid through the window and hit the ground running. Max was way faster than him and he was already half way to the barn. The wind was sharp as he ran. His lungs burned from exertion. It had been a really long time since he had run anywhere. Outside of the barn he saw Max waiting for him. When he reached him, Max’s one comment was, “You sure are slow.”

“Shh.” Now that he was here, now that he was outside the barn, he didn’t know what to do next. Of course he shouldn’t have worried a second about that because Max had a plan. “We’ll go through the hayloft door.”

“How are we supposed to get through that?”

Max went to the side of the barn and pulled out the ricketiest ladder Munch had ever seen. "With this."

He whispered, “That thing will break and we will get caught.”

Max hissed back, “God Munch stop acting like a girl.”

How many f—in’ times had someone told him that. Aggravated, he followed Munch to the back of the barn. The hayloft door was closed. Quietly, Max placed the ladder against the side of the barn. He climbed up and tried to pry open the door.

A voice from behind Munch asked, “What do you two idiots think you’re doing?”

It was Lolly. He turned around. “Uhm, uhm…”

From the ladder Max said brightly, “We just thought we’d see if we could join the party.”

Furious Lolly asked, “By sneaking into the barn and spying on us? What the hell?”

Munch was feeling pretty stupid right now. If Thahn Ho suddenly appeared what would she think?

Max climbed down and pleaded, “Come on Lolly, you know I’m grounded and I can’t do a damn thing.”

“And whose fault is that?” It was too dark to see her eyes roll, but Munch knew they were rolling.

“Please we will be good.”

“If you get caught out here, I’m gonna be in trouble too.”

Max said, “Come on Lolly, you don’t have to be a goody goody ALL the time.”

She let out a sigh and said, “If the girls say its okay its okay. But, if they agree you have to promise me that you will leave when I say leave.”

Solemnly Max said, “I promise.”

Lolly lead them into the barn. The girls all had flash lights and were sitting up in the hay loft. They looked down on them. Munch looked up and saw Thahn Ho. Her hand was over her mouth and she was giggling.

Max stood as tall as he could stand and said, “Good evening ladies.”

Lolly asked, “Is it okay if they stay a bit? If you don’t want them here I’ll send them on their way.”

Lisa said, “Let’s take a vote. All in favor of say Aye, all opposed say Nay.”

To the boys delight, the girls said, “AYE!”

Lolly climbed up first, followed by Max and then Munch. There was a spot beside Thahn Ho and he sat down beside her. She gave him the most incredible smile. If he got grounded that smile alone made it totally worth it.

Max sat between Lisa and Grace’s younger sister, Tina. He said to Tina. “I’ve seen you at school.”

In a haughty voice Tina said, “Yeah, and you haven't said a damn word to me.”

This comment took Max completely off his game. He looked confused. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

She cut her eyes at him and said, “Yeah, I bet. Come Monday little old Tina Thibodaux will be invisible again.”

Max dropped his eyes and mumbled, “I am really sorry.”

“We’ll see. I dare you to talk to me and walk me to one of my classes.”

A dare. Max could not resist a dare. “Okay, you’re on.” The sparkle returned to his eyes. Tina was surprised, but she was still wary. Max might bail on her come Monday. Munch knew he wouldn’t but Tina didn’t.

Max asked, “What are you ladies up to?”

Lisa said, “Grace was just about to tell us a ghost story.”

Munch was not overly fond of ghost stories. Max of course loved them. He plopped down beside Munch.

All the girls, except Grace, turned off their flash lights. Grace did that corny thing of holding the flash light under her chin. She leaned forward. Her eyes reflected the light. Shadows altered her face and somehow she looked like a crone. Munch was instantly freaked out. Her voice was low and sinister as she began, “My granny said it happened by the waters of Bayou Lafourche in Louisiana back in day of Jim Crow.

A whisky drunk soldier spied a lovely young lady walking along the bayou come twilight. Her skin was beautiful brown, her figure full and people called her Lacey. At the sight of her lust rushed through the soldiers whisky soaked body and mind. He would have her!” Grace’s voice cut off with a hiss. Slowly she took in the eyes of everyone around her. She spun the flash light causing the shadows all around them to jump. A stray wind slammed against the barn, whistling it’s fury. Grace let out a low moan deep in her throat and said, “Lacey asked, ‘So, you have come to take me?’ The Soldier with his addled mind shouted, “I have!” Ever so meekly, Lacey whispered, ‘So be it.’ Her eyes became as silver as the moon and her hair the white of spider webs. She raised her hands to the moon and began to twirl. As her body swirled wisps of vapor spun out of her. The wisps took the shape of snakes. Long white snakes! Water Moccasins! They hissed and slithered around the man and then, they struck! Their long white fangs dripped dark poison as they latched onto his throat. Ten snakes sucking, poisoning, stinging this drunk soldier. The soldier let out terrible scream. My granny told me that if I listened on a moon lit night, I would heard his scream. On that fated night however, when whisky and lust stole his soul, no one heard a sound, but my granny’s granny.”

Munch could feel the hair on his arms standing on end.

Again Grace swept her gaze across the faces of those gathered. “My Granny’s granny was not the sort of woman who wasted her time saving fools from their own mischief. After awhile the screams stopped. My granny’s granny took her best coon hound and made for the bayou. There on the shore Lacey spun. A ghost she had become, at least that is what my granny’s granny thought. Slowly, Lacey came to a halt. Her eyes faded from silver to brown and he hair became as black as the night. The snakes rose up and slithered heaven ward.” Lacey smiled at my granny’s granny as she made her way back home. As for the soldier there was nothing left of him but a heap of bloody clothes. From the water leapt a fiery creature, some say it was Satan others say it were a demon. My granny’s granny claimed she saw the creature pull the rags unto itself as it bore away the soldier’s soul to the fiery flames of HELL!”

Munch swallowed hard. He did not like this story. Grace said something else, but he didn’t hear it because, the clammy hand of Thahn Ho slipped into his hand. She looked up at him, and then buried her face against his sleeve. Gently, he squeezed her hand.