The 5000 Fingers of Bob, pt V

Ed seemed to flounder a moment, considering. "I-I don't know," he stammered, "how 'bout we vote on it? That's fair." He turned to Howie and me. "Right fellas, that'd be fair, wouldn't it?"

We nodded and agreed, not really understanding what he was suggesting, but trying to keep Jack's mind off pummeling one of us.

"Tommy, I'm goin' out to see Rae soon!" I heard Net call out. Rae Parks was ill and lived on the other side of the farm and Nettle would cut through to go see about her.

Nettle's voice brought Jack back to himself and his angry expression melded with confusion. "That's a dear sweet woman you got, Tom," he blurted. "What do you mean, vote?"

"On whatever we do about Bob, we vote," Ed said.

Glenn shakily got to his feet, huffing like he was out of breath and he nodded too. "I don't wanna kill him, though," he said. "Just rough him up a little, break a leg, maybe. Scare some sense into him." Apparently, Jack's fist had knocked all the fire right out of him.

Jack put up his hand. "I vote we kill 'im. Who else?" Howie looked around at us and slowly put his hand up.

"These things only get worse," he said, apologetically. "I got my reasons too."

"Well I vote we don't," Ed said, raising his hand. "Somethin' evil may a' gotten into that boy, but it ain't his fault. It's that house, if it's anything." Glenn raised his hand and I thought of Nettle standing in the doorway, even though she'd already left, watching the five of us standing out in her lawn, four of us raising our hands for no good reason.

"Well ain't you gon' vote, Tom?" Glenn said, a trickle of blood coming down from his eyebrow. I hadn't seen Jack hit him there. Jack, Ed and Howie looked to me as if to say, 'well?' and I thought about it for a moment.

"Put your fool hands down before Nettle sees us," I said, pulling their arms down and heading back to the porch.

They all followed me and sat down on the porch as I went in and got a couple cases of beer. When I came out they had already been carrying on the conversation in whispers. I jumped in and said, "I agree with Howie it's probably just gonna get worse, but what can I say? In the war all I was was a hatchet job. I never killed nobody. I just can't commit to it, but I don't think it's gonna go away on its own."

"That'd be what we call a stalemate," Ed chimed happily, grabbing a bottle with his good arm. The case went around as we all sat in silence. Everyone was at least on their second before anyone spoke again.

"I have an idea, then," Howie said, his speech already grown slow and thick. "What would make you think we don't have a choice?" he asked, turning to Ed. We pretty much never asked Glenn his own opinion because he never had one until Ed did.

Ed considered a moment, his tongue playing over his lips as he did. "If he killed somebody. Or was about to, I s'pose. But why not just call the sheriff?"

"Oh, puh-lease," Jack hissed in disgust. "He's a retard- what's the law gonna do? They'll just put him in one of those nut houses for a few years and let him go. Besides, who's got proof of anything? Y'all know he's dangerous. This whole town does, but nobody wants to do nothin'. Everyone just turns the other cheek.

"I'll tell you what we should do," he continued, leaning forward in his chair. "If we're not killin' him, fine. But Ed, you said it yourself that house is evil and the least we can do is finish it off. I say we grab a couple cans of kerosene and do what should've been done a long time ago."