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Show page 176 struggled s i l e n t l y , managed to f r e e himself from Annie's maniacal grasp. He ran after his accomplice, gasping for breath, dizzy with fear. Annie sank down, used and spent, horrified at sight of the broken melon. She gathered up the pieces and held them to her, began rocking back and forth, letting the red juice of the melon flow onto her t h i g h s . She crooned hoarsely but tenderly, her alcohol-blunted vocal cords strained and breaking with sorrow, "Going to t e l l Aunt Sally, going to t e l l Aunt Sally, going to t e l l Aunt Sally, the old gray goose i s dead. . . . " Hawkin's f i r s t stone out of the darkness hit Annie's breast xvith a sickening thud. "My l i t t l e Billy, he pulls so hard. I t hurts, Will. I t 's hurting now. He's got to nurse. My boy, my great big chubby healthy boy." The rocks continued, salvo after salvo, as fast as cruel young arms could h u r l them. " I t ' s h a i l i n g , Will; big hailstones f a l l i n g . I ' l l take Billy in out of the h a i l . Shouldn't I , Will?" Annie t r i e d to r i s e . Sliding back to her t h i n , bony haunches, s t i l l clutching pieces of the bleeding melon, she raised innocent eyes t o a l i m i t l e s s sky, u n t i l a large stone pounded her flesh-less temple, releasing her, freeing her from a l l the indifferences of our town. |
