Sunshine Valley

Instead of answering the daily prompt with personal stuff; I’m gonna work the prompt into my story. Hope you enjoy.

Sadness

     -5 below was a new experience for Evie. Had coming home been a mistake? The suv Dillon was driving was good and warm when they climbed inside. 

     “How many vehicles do you have in reserve?”

     “Just 2. If the frame isn’t bent, I’d like to have the other one fixed. I’m not a big fan of all the electronics in vehicles now. There are some things we have to have. But if we can circumvent hackers, why not.” 

     Evie smiled to herself. ‘College words indeed.’ Then she asked, “when did,” she thought. “When we were little Scooter Culley was homeless. Dad would talk about how he lived in a cave in Misty Holler. Don’t know ‘bout you but I wasn’t allowed near that place. Now that I’m an adult, I’m pretty sure Scooter had a mental illness.”

     “For the most part, Scooter was harmless. And yes he did. But what to call it. Before he died, he started wearin’ aluminum foil on his head and trash bags for shirts. He set the hills on fire a couple times. A social worker found him a little house on the edge of town. That’s how he died. He got cold one night; fire marshal said a fire in a tub in the livin’ room was the source.”

     “I take it you got to know him?”

     “I guess the best way there was?”

     They slid to a stop at the bridge heading out of town. A thin trail of smoke was shooting up from one of the rain drains. Dillon pointed the suv toward the lake. For a split second Evie thought they were going in the water. 

     She grabbed ahold of the ‘oh, shit handle’ above the door. “If we go in the lake, this is gonna make for a memorable road trip.”  

     Dillon laughed, “i really wouldn’t count this as a road trip.”

     “We are in a vehicle. On a road.” They didn’t go in the lake. Dillon hit a service road that ran parallel, leading under the bridge. 

     “Not dead yet,” he playfully winked. 

     Someone had a fire in a barrel. “Hello,” Evie called. “Are you okay? We have blankets.”

     A skinny man stepped from behind a bridge support. He was scared of the law. Dillon held up his hands as he spoke, “I’m not here to arrest you. If you want to go, we,” he pointed at Evie. “We are here to take you to a shelter until the weather breaks.”

     Evie waved. 

     “All of us?” A timid voice asked from behind the man. A woman appeared from the shadows with a bundle in her arms. 

     “All of you.” Dillon answered. 

     At the church, they were intimidated by the bright lights. The bitter cold drove them inside. Pastor Sam had the basement toasty warm. Della had soup and sandwiches ready.

     While they were getting this family settled, Bradley came in with a woman. She huddled in the farthest corner of the basement, her back to everyone.

     Evie got a bowl of soup taking it to the new comer. Dillon was ready to jump as Evie raised her hands. He was ready to run to her. Everyone’s heart stopped. A collective sigh was released when Evie started using sign language. A little dog popped its head out from under the woman’s many layers. 

     Rebecca frowned, “someone should take that dog away from her. If you are so poor you can’t feed yourself, how can you take care of a dog.”

     Sarah had opened her mouth to speak not knowing that Widow Blake was about to. “Child,” she voiced. “What about the couple with the baby? You seem more upset over a dog.”

     Sarah added, “people need companionship. Not only is that dog her friend. But a source of warmth, joy, and love. We need more than just food to keep us alive.”

     Pastor Sam said with a meek voice, “I’m allergic to dogs.”

     Dillon walked over to Evie, explaining the situation. This lady agreed to go to the sheriff’s office and spend the night in an unlocked cell as long as she could keep her dog. 

     “When did you learn sign language?” Dillon asked as they helped this lady get settled again.”

     “My roommate in college. She could read lips. But I wanted to learn how to communicate with her better. She taught me sign language and I taught her Appalachian.”

     “Thank you.”

     “Anytime lawman.” She smiled.

     Evie officially met Tiny. Who was anything but tiny. Where Dillon was a mountain of a man, she was his female counterpart. As well as the night dispatch officer. Best of all, she wasn’t allergic to dogs. 

Sunshine Valley