Bubba sat at the foot of the stairs in the hall bawling his eyes out and burying his face into one of Tilly's dresses, his screaming sobs only interrupted by his need to draw a quivering breath. His broad shoulders wracked with each whine. I've heard a lot of crying over the years, but his were more agonizing than any of the cries I've heard come from the trespassers we've butchered and cooked up.

"Momma, what're we gonna do? She's gonna rat us out to the coppers!" Nubbins asked.

I ran my hands through my hair and massaged my temples. Pacing across the floor, I tried to drown out the noise and come up with a plan. I have to protect my babies any way I can. Even if it means we have to leave our home and find a new place to set up shop.

"Momma!" Nubbins started harassing again " If they find us they're gonna throw us in jail. They'll- they'll put Bubba in a straight-jacket and lock him away in a padded room. Momma, we'll never survive!"

"Would you shut up and let me think!" I snapped. "You're not going to jail, neither of you are. I swear it! " The sound of crunching gravel and the soft rumble of an engine filled my ears. It's a car; someone's here. Aww crap!

"It's the coppers! She snitched! " Nubbins hollered, rushing around the house in a hurry shoving anything and everything into his backpack and pants pockets. "Bubba, go get the saw!" He gripped the front of his brother's shirt which only made Bubba panic and when he panics, we all panic. I still have a hole in my ceiling to remind me of that....you know, I don't think Nubbins ever recovered from it.

I darted towards the window and drew the curtain slightly aside while sticking to the shadows in case Nubbins was right and it was the police. A familiar beat up truck rolled up the drive and parked in front of the house.

"I'm not going down without a fight!" Nubbins yelled pulling out his pocket knife and clutching it with two hands like his life depended on it.

"Calm down, boy! It's just Drayton!"

"Oh, that's just great..." He muttered beneath his breath, dropping his backpack to the floor and putting his knife back in his pocket.

I strode out onto the porch and leaned against the railing trying to act as inconspicuous as possible. The engine shut off and the car door flew open. Out stormed my eldest son, Drayton, his face flushed either with anger or heat.

"You knot haired idiot!" He pointed a finger at Nubbins who was standing beside me with his arms crossed over his chest "What in the sam hell y'all been up to around here?!"

"Whatcha mean? We've been doing what we're normally doing!" I spoke before Nubbins could answer as I know whatever he'll say will start an argument between the two "Not that you'd know what that is anyway. You're always too busy to come around and see yer old momma."

" Everything as normal, huh? Then how come I got four stiffs in the back of the truck tellin' me about some maniac with a chainsaw tryin' to kill 'em! "

"Shut up, ya cook!" Nubbins yelled before I could get a word out. "You don't do none of the work around here. You don't know how hard it is to catch every single one of 'em all the time cause you're just a-a lazy old cook."

"Why you little-" Drayton growled, balling his hands into fists.

I jumped in the way of the two before he could lay a finger on him. Nubbins is all bark and no bite when It comes to his brothers, but Drayton, on the other hand, is all bark and all bite. "WOULD YOU BOTH SHUT UP!" I hollered unable to listen to their bickering any longer.

"Momma, do you even realize what could've happened to us if they'd..." His voice trailed off as he furrowed his brow and stared at something behind me. "What's wrong with, the boy?" He asked.

I glanced over my shoulder at Bubba who was banging his head against the doorframe and sniveling back his tears. If Drayton finds out about the whole wedding, I'm screwed. I know he'd never have gone for that idea. That's why I didn't bother fetching him for the ceremony. "Oh, don't mind him. He's just a little upset, that's all. You know, about those kids gettin' away."

"Oh, is that all?" he asked raising an eyebrow and glancing at me sideways. "Well, maybe I've got somethin' that'll cheer the boy up. Ya hear that, Jr? I've gotta gift for you in the truck."

Bubba eyed him curiously through his glossy irises, the child in him intrigued by the idea of a gift, but he hung his head, shaking it side to side and making an "Uh-uh" sound. He made some weird movement with his hands that I couldn't decipher. Must be one of those sign things Tilly taught him.

"Bubba get yer fat butt over here and quit bein' rude! Didn't Momma ever teach you yer manners?!"

Bubba huffed and drug his feet towards the car, still clutching Tilly's dress and using it to wipe the snot and tears from his face like a tissue. I watched Drayton eye the article of clothing suspiciously. How the heck am I going to explain this to him. Bubba looked into the truck bed at the mess of tangled up dead bodies and gave his brother a look like " Really? How is this a gift? It just makes more work for me to drag them into the barn and butcher."

"No, no, no, you birdbrain! It's in the front seat!" he exclaimed.

He sighed again, walking over that way and opening the door. In an instant, his face lite up like a lightbulb. A squeal flew from his mouth, the sour expression washed from his face and was replaced with one of pure joy.

"What is it, Dray?" I asked, stretching up on my toes and trying my best to see whatever was exciting him from my position on the porch.

"Why don't you tell me?" he retorted.

Bubba was laughing and smiling as he took whatever it was into his arms and bumped the car door closed with his hip. He walked around the side of the car into my view, the breath caught in my lungs when I saw the limp body of his new bride cradled in his arms, a gag in her mouth and her hands and feet bound. I'm gonna assume Drayton's onto us.

"Is she dead?" I asked him in a whisper, afraid of Bubba overhearing because I knew it would only break his heart again if she was.

" She wasn't when I put 'er in there. Not my fault if she is now."

"What're y'all whisperin' about?" Nubbins butted in, pressing his way between us and wrapping his arms around our shoulders. His eyes fell on Bubba's approaching form and the woman in his arms. His face fell gaunt. "No..." he muttered in shock as Bubba neared. "No God, please no! I thought I was rid of her! Why God!" He started flailing his arms and stomping his feet.

Bubba either ignored his brother's fit or was too enthralled with showering Tilly's face and neck with kisses to notice. He giddily bounced up the porch with a slight spring in his step as laughed and doted over her. The crimson blood on her face smeared across his mask as he pressed his cheek to hers. She looked like she'd been dunked in a literal blood bath. The family heirloom dress that I lent her was now a shade of scarlet red. That's gonna take a lot of elbow grease to get clean.

I stopped him before he could cross the threshold inside and reached out to touch her. He growled and jerked away, clutching her body tighter to his chest. I held my palms out and gave him a reassuring smile before reaching out again and this time he didn't stop me. My fingers brushed the side of her cheek, her lolling head fell to the side. I pressed my fingers against her neck in search of a pulse.

"Please, God! If you let her be dead I'll swear I'll be good. No more cussin' or fightin' with ol' Dray or Bubba. I promise. Cross my heart hope to die." Nubbins held his breath, squeezed his eyes closed, and crossed his fingers in anticipation of my verdict.

...There it is! A faint rhythm pulsated against my fingertips. It's not strong, but it's there. I breathed a shaky sigh of relief. "She's unconscious but she's alive. Now, you better take her in the house and get her patched up if you wanna keep her that way."

A wide toothy grin spread across Bubba's glowing face as he nodded his head excitedly and carried her inside. Nubbins groaned and slid down on his bottom, holding his face in his palms.

Drayton turned to face me, an annoyed expression played across his face. "Care to explain what that was all about and why that girl has the Sawyer brand on her chest?" He questioned, his tone hostile.

"Now now, now, before you go and get all worked up how 'bout we get inside and cool off a bit. I've some nice cold sweet-tea waitin' on us and while we have a bit of lunch, I'll tell you 'bout everythin'. "