Beginnings - Whiskey Smooth

A moonless night sky rose above the tall spruce and cypress trees along the wooded path on which Daryl and Coot McGinnis dragged the body. They spoke in low voices, grumbling about not being able to see.

“I swear, why couldn’t we bring flash lights? Coot hissed. “ I durn near kilt myself, walkin into that tree back there!”

“I told you five times!” Daryl retorted. “Ol man Hutchins would have shot us already as sure as lookin at us if he knew that we was on his property.”

“He shoots first and never does ask yer name.” Coot agreed.

“He’s got dem eyes like a hawk. He’d see our lights and figure fer sure that he was bein attacked. He’s probly sittin in the dark on his porch right now, with that rifle across his knees. Crazy ol man! Been nuts ever since his boys was kilt holdin up that bank over in Casaw County.”

“So, shut up already or he’ll kill us both!” Daryl spit through clenched teeth.

“Jeeez, I was just askin.”

“Well, shut up, I’m tryin ta think. Anyway, the gully should be comin up and we can throw ol Henry in and get outa here.”

“Daryl, ya really think that they aint gonna find the body here?” Coot whined.

“No one’s goin to be back in here except Hutchins wont probly wander back this far until spring. Aint no one goin to find him atoll. Well excepten maybe the wolves!” Daryl chuckled.

Coot and Daryl at an opening in the trees, where the ground fell away on one side into a deep gully choked with trees and accumulated dry brush. The gully measured approximately fifty yards across and ran for about a quarter of a mile along the path that they were on.

Daryl dropped the right leg of the man that they were dragging and walked around him, reaching for the arms that had been trailing behind the dead man. Together, Daryl and Coot lifted the body and began swinging it back and forth out over the edge to build momentum. At the height of the third swing, they let go with a grunt and listened. The body disappeared into space before landing and tumbling down the slope accompanied by the sounds of thrashing brush and the snapping of tree limbs.

“Now lets git outa here Daryl, I’m freezing!” Coot complained.

“Yea, let git.” Daryl agreed with a satisfied nod.

They quickly shuffled back up the trail, towards their truck and past the cabin-style home of Grit Hutchins. They stumbled along the trail in the darkness, being unfamiliar with the area at night. When they reached the trees surrounding Hutchin’s place they left the trail behind and took a wide slow birth, wandering through the woods, feeling their way from tree to tree.

“That is my foot, hey get off my foot!” Daryl hissed, pushing Coot backwards into a stunted pine. Coot stumbled back and slid to the ground.

“Hey….I just couldn’t see ya…. Hey man.. help me up. I think…oh..man..I sat in something!”

“Get up and quit whining. Let’s get out of these hear woods, quick!” Daryl commanded under his breath, looking back over his shoulder.