They were planning or returning later that day but there was an unexpected "change in plans". Mama was starting to worry when Papa, Stacey and Mr. Morrison didn't show up when they said they would. I was unable to sleep and so were my brothers. We were all to excited waiting for them to arrive.
A long time had passed, and it was when Mama was starting to lose hope when we heard Mr. Morrison's voice traveling through the distance, calling to Stacey. It was raining hard and Papa was being carried by Mr. Morrison.. As soon as we saw him, I knew something was wrong.
Papa was shot. As Papa got to bed and changed his clothes, Stacey said that as they were coming back from Vicksburg, when the back wheels from the wagon came off. Then Papa and Mr. Morrison thought someone messed with them wheels, 'cause both hopped off the wagon at the same time. Stacey told them he'd seen two boys near the wagon earlier when they were in Vicksburg. Papa and Mr. Morrison were afraid someone was coming after them so they didn't have enough time. They had to put those wheels on fast. Papa was certain that people were after them.
After we found the bolts and the wheels, Papa told Stacey to hold Jack's reins real tight, to keep him still while Papa put the wheels and bolts back on. Still, Jack was real agitated and skittish because of the storm.. Mr. Morrison had the wagon lifted to help Papa.. and that's when he got shot.
I couldn't imagine why anyone would shoot Papa like that, in the middle of the night. Stacey said that he then saw a truck coming towards us, however none of us saw it or heard it 'cause of the rain and 'cause they didn't have their lights on. They only noticed it when it stopped. There were three men in the truck, and as Papa saw 'em, he reached for his shotgun. That's when they shot him, and Papa fell with his left leg under the wagon. Stacey stopped talking for a moment and looked ashamed of himself. He continued, saying that Jack got afraid with the thunder and reared up, and Stacey couldn't hold him. The wagon hit Papa's leg.
I felt sorry for Stacey, especially with that look of guilt in his eyes. I wouldn't have known what to do either if it had happened to me... Stacey went on after a while, saying that he tried to reach Papa but he told Stacey to duck under the gully and them men went after Mr. Morrison, after shooting Papa. Stacey stated that it wasn't clear for him to see what had happened exactly but he did see that Mr. Morrison got one of the men and lifted him, like he was nothing but a bag of chicken feathers, and threw him in the floor so hard it could've broke his back. The other men got the shotgun they had and Mr. Morrison decided not to hit them. He might have thought it was too risky.. Instead, he ducked under the truck in the darkness and them men went after him. Stacey said he saw nothin' more after that.
Them men then went on and took the man Mr. Morrison threw down and took him to the truck. Bones cracked, men cried, and all dissolves into the whispering night.
Papa is sleeping now, in his bed and does not look like he will wake up the next morning.. He has a bandage wrapped around his head, his face seemed exhausted, even though no expression was shown. My brothers, Mama, Big Ma, Mr. Morrison and I... we all just hope Papa gets better soon. Not only to work and sustain us but also for his own sake. I have a feeling that it's all gonna be alright soon, I really hope it does.
Source: "Blog." Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.
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