The Darkest Child

by Delores Phillips

Martha Jean shook her head, but I could tell by the movement of her elbows that she had loosened her grip on Judy. I could not see her fingers from my place on the step, but she was responding to Velman. I knew that. “Give her to me, ”Velman signed.“I want to hold her. I need to hold her. If you let her go, I will take you away from here. I promise. Trust me.” How he intended to keep that promise was beyond me, and Martha Jean must have wondered, too. The minutes passed like hours with everybody waiting to see what would happen, if Martha Jean would pull away from Velman, if Dr. Mathis would have to give her a shot, if Mama would come down from the porch. None of those things happened. Martha Jean must have wanted to trust Velman because slowly she leaned forward and kissed her baby, then she gave Judy over to Velman.An overwhelming sadness consumed me as Velman gave Judy a final kiss and offered her small, still body to Dr. Mathis, and Dr. Mathis, after an expeditious examination, nodded to the sheriff that Judy was indeed dead. For the first time since her fall, I had a clear view of my baby sister. She looked as if someone had put her to sleep dirty, bloody, and raggedy, with particles of glass clinging to her hair.And I guess somebody had. My mother, sitting on a chair where the women had placed her, screamed when Dr. Mathis drove away with Judy’s body, and Reverend Nelson mounted the steps to console her. He knelt beside her chair and held her hand as he spoke.“It’s a...

Im SICK to my stomach..... this hit me like a ton of bricks. I feel like i known the baby myself. Heartwrenching. I hope God avenges and justice is brought