'Everyone here's pretty nice.' Ms. Martha had handed them each a bowl of rice and beans. 'They keep to themselves, don't ask no questions.'
Before she could even thank the kind lady, Ella Sue was gobbling the meal up. She and Mother had been on the road for a while, traveling due south from Chattanooga. They'd spent the greater part of the morning in Mitch's company. He and Mother had gone off alone, to make living arrangements Mother later said, and when they'd returned, she and Ella Sue could park the car with the others.
Ms. Martha was in charge of the grounds, but only because she'd been there the longest, she'd explained. At that moment, a little brown girl with pigtails had run up alongside Ella Sue and shown her a stuffed rabbit.
Ms. Martha had to be around here somewhere. It simply wasn't like her not to know what was going on, or who these people were, growling and fighting each other. And if Ms. Martha could explain all this to her, then she could tell her where Mother was.
Ella Sue startled at a blood-curdling scream up ahead near the encampment of vehicles. A wave of courage swelled in her, and she darted forward, hoping it was Mother--yet, hoping it wasn't. Mother! Mother! she called out. The female scream which provoked her daring entry toward the rear of the convenient store quickly transformed into a wet gurgle. Ella Sue stopped a distance in front of a silver sedan, Ms. Martha's car.
A woman stood at the opened driver's door and hovered near the steering wheel. Ella Sue ducked behind a patch of wild grass and watched for several minutes as the woman yanked and jarred her head. Perhaps she was looking for something, or someone. Ella Sue rose slowly from the brush, and the woman froze as if she heard her. Ella Sue dared not move, if even her standing caught the stranger's attention. However, it appeared the woman heard Ella Sue's breath--she squawked like a beast and snarled as she slipped out from the car.
Ella Sue's whole being shook, her bathrobe soaked with a fearful sweat. She could never outrun the thing she thought was a woman. She dropped to her knees and parted the grass. She spied the bloodied and torn remains wobbling toward her. There was no chance to make a run for it now.
Ella Sue, Part 4
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