“Gammy, let’s go to the beach today! It’s nice and sunny out!” The old frail woman sat in a rocking chair on her massive wraparound porch, the breeze picking up her curls, those that had escaped her updo. 

    “Beach you say?”

    “Yeah!”

    “Ain’t no beach in Georgia Tangie girl. Where ya mind at chile?” 

    “We got plenty of em now Gammy!”

    “Plenty you say?”

    “Yes ma’am.” Those grey eyes of hers were distant, not particularly focusing on either one of them. They drifted past her and she felt a chill go through her as the woman’s eyes suddenly grew wide and watery, filled with terror. She screamed, loud enough to bring their Momma from the kitchen. 

    “What’s wrong Mama?” She asked, coming to take hold of the shaken up woman. 

    “There’s that fruit again. It never go away. Never go away.” She all be sobbed, tears starting to fall from her eyes. 

    “What fruit Gammy?” Looking up into Fronnie’s eyes, she felt tears of her own blur her vision. 

    “That strange fruit. That bitter fruit.” Is all the woman said before their mother motioned for Fronnie to help her stand her up. 

    “I think that’s enough air for now huh Mama? Why don’t we go back inside and I fix you a nice lil lunch hm?”

    “That fruit never leaves. It will always be there…” She mumbled as her Momma and  sister led her into the house. That nauseous feeling had persisted all throughout the night and even now it was there, sitting low in her stomach. Licking her lips, she soon came into the house. She had to find out what happened to great uncle Jimmy. And somethin told her she wasn’t gon like it. 

*** 

    That summer so much happened in such a short period of time. I never got a chance to process it or recover from it. Lily had been accepted into Spelman College and was set to start that up and coming fall. Couple months away. The dresses and shoes Jimmy had bought her had definitely served a purpose. But…but she still never quite understood what happened and why. And likewise. I still to this day have questions that I’ll have to take unanswered to my grave. 

*** 

    When she’d woken up that morning, she felt sick. At any moment, she felt like she would throw up. Mama had made her some herbal concoction promising that it would soothe her upset stomach but it did nothing. An hour or two later it came back with full force. 

    “Kira, why don’t we go hang out with June Bug today?” The mere mention of his name set her cheeks to cherry red and a low stirring heat that pooled up like a flood in between her legs. 

    “A-Ah…I-I don’t know…” Lily’s eyebrows shot up incredulously. 

    “YOU don’t wanna hang out with June Bug?”

    “I didn’t say that..it’s just…”

    “What the hell happened at that waterin hole? Every since y’all came back, you been Miss Rosy Cheeks every time somebody mention him. Don’t think I ain’t noticed that. You be puttin real far distance ‘tween y’all and that’s not like you. You practically stay up under the man.”

    “No I don’t Lily and you know it.”

    “Since you was a chile you have.”

    “Well I ain’t one no more!” Something seemed to click and Lily grinned slow like a cheshire. 

    “Ahhh I get it now.”

    “What’s there to git?”

    “He finally saw you as a woman didn’t he? You wasn’t lookin like a lil girl no mo and he noticed.” She was quiet, cheeks on fire. 

    “With that sheer slip you had on, it’s no wonder. He was forced to. Everythin you had was on full display.”    

    “Lily stop.”

    “I’m callin it like it is okay?”

    “Yeah well don’t.”

    “And you like him. You like him mighty bad doncha?”

    “Lily.”

    “He likes you too. Gawd that’s cute as all hell.”

    “He can’t like me and I can’t like him Lily. You know that.”

    “And why the hell not?”

    “In case you forgot…he’s Oriental. Ain’t no Oriental race mixin with no Negra. It ain’t heard of and never will be.” 

    “So you wanna race mix with him huh?” 

    “Oh for Gawd’s sake Lily I’m not talkin to you no mo.” Her sister’s laughter surrounded the shack. 

    “He ain’t just any Oriental and you know it Kira Burnett. He’s your best friend, born and raised Georgia man, your June Bug. OUR June Bug.” She still hadn’t turned around, arms crossed, tryna ignore her. 

    “His own kind ain’t want him. Have you forgotten that? His own people abandoned him and gave him to the Negros. Can you imagine that? Not being wanted by your own people? Havin to be taken in as an orphan to a strange people that’s not like you? But boy did we love him. Boy did we raise him up mighty fine and good. Boy ain’t he growed up to be a fine Oriental Negro man?” She was quiet, her sister’s words striking deep within her. 

    “We as a people got a good heart. We take anybody in that ain’t wanted. Cause we know what that’s like. We know what it’s like to be thrown out like trash and told we ain’t shit. Joon grew up in the best place possible. Here with the Negros. Yeah we got it hard and this life ain’t shit but at least we got love. At least we got each other. As far as I’m concerned, Joon more Negro than some Negros. He ain’t Oriental to me. He just June Bug.”

    “But that’s the thing. He might act like us but he ain’t one of us.”

    “When’d you start soundin like them damn white devils Kira?” The harshness of Lily’s voice made her twist around, a shocked expression on her face. 

    “What?”

    “June Bug will ALWAYS be one of us. No matter what his skin look like or what his eyes look like. He kin to me and he kin to you. Don’t you dare forget that.” Leaving her stunned, Lily stormed out of the house, heading for the road. 

    “I’m gon to the post office. I be back hear?”

    “Y-yeah.”

    “I see you later sistah.”

    “O-Okay Lil.” 

***

    “Can you imagine how Joon felt Tani girl?” She balled up her lips and the thought of it made her want to cry. 

    “I imagine it felt horrible. Like you never really fit or never really belong.”

    “When I think about his parents, I wonder what they were thinking. When their newborn son came and they saw that he had lips bigger than what was perceived as normal. Or perhaps his eyes were a bit smaller than they expected. Maybe he was born out of rape. We’ll never know his story.” Kotani gave a thoughtful pause. 

    “Told by the whites that he was more human than the blacks but not nearly enough musta been hard. And being told by the blacks that he was privileged, thought he was too good and was tryna be white musta been hard too. In either place, he probably didn’t feel like he belonged anywhere. All throughout his life, he probably still felt like that orphan. The one nobody wanted.”

    “Gammy wanted him.” Saffron smiled warmly and picked up the journal, looking lovingly at the pages. 

    “Yeah. She did. Out of everybody… she wanted him.” 

    “It’s your turn to read Fronnie.” Licking her lips, she gave a brief nod. 

*** 

    He’d been tossing and turning at night. Somethin wasn’t right but he couldn’t figure out just what it was. 

    “Joon?” Glancing down at his lovely little Kira girl, he straightened up and gave a warm smile. 

    “Yeah pretty gal?”

    “What you thinkin bout? You not normally this quiet.” They walked up the side of the dirt road, destination no where in particular. It didn’t matter where they went. As long as they were together. He knew the danger of negro women being alone any time of the day and was not about to have somethin happen to her. No, he’d stick with her for as long as he needed to to be sure she was okay. 

    “It’s nothin. Just that I’m starvin.”

    “Oh yeah?” He grinned, poking her forehead in a teasing manner. 

    “That’s what I said ain’t it?”

    “Listen you ain’t gotta get smart.”

    “What you gonna do about it?” He teased further, lifting his eyebrow. 

    “Boy gon somewhere now.” She said, pushing him away but he caught the slight smirk that danced up on her lips. 

    “You ain’t answer my question lil girl.” He said, playfully reaching for her.     

    “Nothin. Somebody else gon get you together.”

    “Oh, so you backin out huh? ‘Fraidy cat.” He lifted her up in his arms and twirled her around, bringing loud eruptive laughter from her. 

    “JOON PUT ME DOWN…MY GAWD.”

    “Say please and I might.” He whispered into her ear. She gripped his forearms a tad bit tighter. 

    “Please?”

    “Please what?”

    “Please put me down.” Satisfied, her feet slowly touched the ground again but that didn’t mean he had to let go of her just yet. The moment between them was shattered as a loud shrill whistle cut through the air, forcing them apart. 

    “Well well well. Look what we have here. A little love tryst goin on.” A white man suddenly approached them, apparently having been tailing them the entire time. How the hell could he not have noticed? 

    “We don’t mean no trouble.” She spoke, eyes instantly on the ground. The feisty tone of before was gone and she was quiet again, meek and incredibly jumpy. Ready to get away. Ready to run. Grabbing his hand, she tried to walk up but the man ran up in front of her, stopping her. 

    “Where the hell you think you goin nigger bitch?” He could feel his nostrils flare and his chest grow tight. 

    “You don’t have to talk to her like that. We know ya mama raised you betta.” The hate filled gaze slid from her to him. 

    “Yeah let’s get to you now.” Squaring him up, he pushed him back… almost forcing Kira to fall with him. 

    “You definitely ain’t a nigger. But you real friendly with them. Hang out with them. It’s like you one of em.” He pulled himself up off of the ground, dust sprinkled in his hair. 

    “So my question to you is what the hell are you?” She watched him stiffen and instantly went to reach for his arm. 

    “June Bug c’mon.” But he didn’t come on. Instead, he took in the white man who had challenged him, nostrils flared and eyes narrowed. 

    “You don’t know shit about me but I can tell you just what you are. A evil white son of a bitch.” He shot back real nice and easy, ignoring the sharp yank of his hand. He’d dropped the vernacular used with Kira and opted for a more proper… formal and intelligent approach. He wanted this fucker to know he was smarter than he appeared. No matter who he hung out with. 

    “So you a uppity mothafucka huh? Being around these damn niggers ain’t doin you no good. If anything, it’ll get you into a lot of big trouble.” 

    “Your English is God awful. I can’t take you fucking serious.” 

    “Joon….stop it. C’mon now I said.” Her tone was a bit more forceful this time but all he had in his sight was the grinning smirking pale faced sonabitch who had eyes of the devil.

    “You might wanna listen to the darkie bitch and go on your way before you end up in trouble.” 

    “Your crinkled up saggy titty’d mama fucked one. And I bet you a million she liked it.” His Southern drawl always grew thick as honey when he was pissed and it was like molasses right about now. The white man grew redder than a hot coal fire and spit at him but before he could charge at him, she squeezed herself in between the both of them, hands on his chest. 

    “Chanjoon!” She never used his full name but damn it he wasn’t listenin. His eyes snapped down to hers. 

    “Let’s. Go.” She said, starting to push him back. He let her but his eyes drifted back up to the man who now openly oogled her, eyes lingering on her backside. 

    “This somethin I ain’t never seen. An Oriental looking son of a bitch fucking niggers.” His throat was tight and he didn’t speak, just stared at him, gaze growing in intensity. Fists wanting to punch that lust right out of him.

    “You’re lucky you got to her first. With an ass like that, I’d definitely have fucked her good and hard once or twice.” Licking his lips, his gaze drifted back up her body. 

    “Might’ve even shot my seed in her. I hear nigger women got the tightest little pussies. Heard the dark ones have holes that are cherry red and dripping with juice.” 

    “Fuck you you pig faced cocksucker!” She gripped his shirt now, trying to keep him from attacking him. 

    “Just take me home. Please. Take me home.” She all but pleaded against his chest, soft enough for him to hear. 

    “Take your pretty little negra home boy before somethin mean happen to her. Have half a mind to take her right about now.” He let her pull him further and further away from the man, eyes never once leaving his, his taunting smirk making his blood boil. When the trees blocked him from their view, they began to run. 

    Sweat sticking to them like flies to molasses, they ran until their feet begged for wait, until they saw her parents house in sight. He panted, lifting fingers to push back damp black hair from his face. 

    “Kira-” She shut him up with a hard slap across the cheek. 

    “You tryna get us killed?!” She hollered at him, eyes filling up with hot angry tears. Jaw tight, his eyes found hers from underneath the spray of hair that misted across his face from the hit. 

    “It’s so easy for you to forget your place ain’t it? You could pass tomorrow and wouldn’t nobody well know.”

    “I couldn’t pass at all and you know it Kira.”

    “IT DON’T MATTER. I’m nothin like you and you ain’t nothin like me. Simple as that.” 

    “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” 

    “You heard me. You at any moment can decide to challenge them white people and still have your life. You don’t have to worry about being afraid to go to sleep for fear that somebody gon take you in the middle of the night. You don’t have to worry about always havin to have a man with you for fear that if you look at one even one time you’ll be taken like a savage and left for dead or worse be dead. You can sleep nice and sound knowing that when you wake up, you got your color.” He shoved his hair out of his eyes, taking her in entirely now. 

    “So now it’s my fault? Now you’re blaming me right?”

    “Joon-”

    “It’s not my fault and I won’t let you do that to me Kira. I’m not to blame.”

    “You act like you ain’t never been raised in the south… Georgia for that matter! You should know better! Should know not to do that! You tryna get me lynched is what you tryna do. Get me raped and hung from a tree like an animal. Ain’t you never learned? When you around whites, you shut up, don’t look them in the eye and stay out the way. When’d you forget?” She wrapped arms around herself. 

    “If you wanna be a Negro so bad you better start actin like a sensible one!” She’d never seen him so angry but he literally trembled with it, every muscle tight with tension. He glared at her for the longest time before he barked out in a chilling tone, 

    “I ain’t tryna be nobody but myself and the minute you get that through your hard head the better you’ll be. I can’t fucking fix you Kira. I won’t try to. You have to learn to do shit for yourself and figure out who the fuck you wanna be. I can’t do that shit for you. Kill tha fuckin attitude and figure out what you fucking want!”

    “Don’t you dare curse at me Jung Chanjoon!” She screamed, pushing his chest. His nostrils flared but he brought eyes to hers.

    “I ain’t tried to do nothin but protect you Kira. I’m bein punished for doin what’s only natural to me.” He tried gentler. Turning on her heel, she began to walk away from him. 

    “We’re not finished here. Don’t walk away from me.” He said, grabbing her arm. 

    “No, we are finished! It’s my house I can do what I please. Let me go.”

    “No.”

    “Don’t make me slap you again Joon. I swear ta Gawd.”

    “Do it then.”

    “What?” He brought her closer, expression within his eyes intense and dark.

    “You heard me.”

    “You’ve lost your eva lovin mind.”

    “Maybe I have.” Before she could talk back, he kissed her, knocking the breath out of her. In broad daylight, they risked so much but he’d stopped caring about that. He no longer gave a shit. She could call him a bastard, a fool, a crazy cotton eyed son of a bitch and he’d still risk everything for it…for this…. for them. He loosened his grip on her arm a little bit and instead wrapped arms around her, making sure she didn’t escape him. She’d have to really fight him to get loose this time. Pulling herself away from his lips, a blush spread like wildfire through her cheeks. 

    “What…what are you…doin?” She asked, voice breathy, tone confused. 

    “Somethin I shoulda done when I came home and saw you again. Somethin I shoulda did at the lake. Hell, somethin I shoulda did a long time ago before now.” He said quietly, forehead pressed against hers.  

    “J-Joon…I-”

    “Your Momma and Daddy should be comin back from the crop any minute now.” He let her go completely and she hadn’t moved or taken her eyes off him yet, a dreamy dazed look still melted into her features. He swallowed thickly, pinching the skin of his palm to keep from kissing her again. Doing more than he should. Those grey eyes of hers could tempt a man to go straight to hell. 

    “Pray Jimmy comes back soon. He needs to know what happened.”

    “W-wait…Joon…”

    “See you later Kira girl.” 

*** 

    The girls were mind blown, caught up in the emotion of it all. Tani rejoiced at their first kiss while Fronnie analyzed the depth of their conversation. 

    “That was intense wasn’t it?”

    “Yeah. He made a lotta valid points.”

    “Yeah. But their kiss was so passionate I could practically see it…” Fronnie smirked. 

    “I’m… sure.”

    “That white man said some awful things about Gammy.”

    “Yeah things you don’t ever need to tell Momma you know about okay? I swear I ain’t gettin in trouble because you decided to be curious.”

    “Oh come on, Momma ain’t gon find out if you don’t tell her. I ain’t.”

    “Hm.”

    “I can’t believe white people were like this back then. They were… were…”

    “Evil? Full of hatred? Sadistic monsters?” Fronnie supplied, scowl on her face. 

    “Ion know… maybe. But harborin hate for em ain’t no better. Momma ain’t raise us to hate them. No matter what they did to Gammy.” Fronnie pursed her lips. 

    “Yeah yeah.”

    “Give it here. My turn to read.” 

*** 

    “You did what?” 

    “Lily I ain’t repeatin myself.”

    “Nawl I need you to. Just one more time.” Sighing, she licked her bottom lip. 

    “We kissed each other.” Lily all but screeched to high heaven, coming to shake her. 

    “THANK GAWD. FINALLY. It took a white man almost killin y’all to bring it outta y’all. DAMN.”

    “Listen, if you gon make fun, I ain’t tellin you anythin else.”

    “Aw come on Kira don’t be like that. I gotta know all this stuff fore I head to college now.”

    “Hmph.”

    “I told you he likes you and you like him didn’t I?” 

    “Yeah yeah yeah.”

    “Y’all was meant to be together.”

    “In what world?” She asked harshly, killing Lily’s romantic mood. For once, Lily was quiet… almost somber. 

    “Kira…sometimes…sometimes you gotta fight for what you want in life baby sistah.” 

    “Fight?”

    “Yes. Fight. Sometimes to the death.”

    “You sayin I should fight to be with Joon? Am I hearin you right?” 

    “If you love him and it’s real…which I know it is…then yes. That’s exactly what I’m sayin.” 

    “What if I don’t wanna fight? What if I wanna stay in my place and try to live a life as uncomplicated as possible? Our lives are already messed up Lily. I don’t know if I wanna complicate it even more by…by liking…lovin him.” 

    “Well then you need to let him go and give him up to a woman who will.” She left it at that and after patting her shoulder, got up to go put on her shoes. 

    “I’m goin to look for James. It’s been two weeks now and he still ain’t come home.” Reeling from her words, she forced herself to get up and get some shoes on too. She was quiet and contemplative as they headed out, hand in hand, a knife tucked against each of their bosoms. It wasn’t dark yet but it was getting ready to be and they both were not gonna chance it. Tonight, Mama and Papa were pulling overtime on the field of another property so they’d be gone. It was up to them to find him. 

*** 

    As they stepped into the forest, they heard branches crackle and turned to find Joon and their brother’s friends all comin up behind them. 

    “Where y’all come from?”

    “We wanted to look for Jimmy. It ain’t like him to be gone this long.” The one called Frog said, eying the woods wearily. 

    “We knew y’all would come lookin for him so we figured we’d give y’all a helpin hand case anythin get rough.” Joon spoke, eyes looking dead at her. She swallowed, heart starting to beat wildly in her cbest like a bird in a birdcage. She hadn’t seen him since it…happened. 

    “Joon you know us too well don’t you?” Lily said with a smile.

    “Been around y’all long enough.”  

    “Okay then I say we head west since we east. Look around for a lil bit and them head home before the sun sets. Sound like a deal?”

    “Sure does.”

    “Okay let’s go.” She tried to be the first one to scamper away but his hand pulled her back. 

    “I’m gettin tired of you runnin away from me lil girl.” He said, more serious than not but a small smirk starting to appear anyway. 

    “I…I ain’t runnin.”

    “You say that every time but them legs of yours try to get ta movin.” She couldn’t help it, the laugh that came from her. Despite the fluttering heart…and nerves…he still had a way of makin her feel…nice and comfortable. She sighed, looking around some before he pulled her to a stop. 

    “A man and woman who are mature talk about things Kira.” 

    “What’s there to talk about?”

    “There’s a lot to talk about and you know it.” Biting her bottom lip, she looked away from him, focusing on a leaf or two. 

    “Then enlighten me.” 

    “Your feelins for me.”

    “Oh?”

    “My feelins for you.” Her cheeks grew red but still she didn’t look at him. 

    “The kiss that happened ‘tween us.”

    “About that-”

    “We need to talk about my thinkin about it over and over again. Wantin to do it again. Do more than kiss you.” 

    “Joon,”

    “No, it has to be said. It has to be discussed.”

    “Or what? Say we don’t discuss it. Then what?” His eyes were different… the way he looked at her was different. In the moment, the sunlight streamin through the trees and hittin them, they reflected the feeling in her stomach, the warmth that seemed to melt like candle wax right in the juncture between her thighs. It was all there and it was all real. 

    “Then I won’t be held accountable for takin you the way I want to. Don’t wanna hear a word about it.” The breath came up from her throat and it squeaked, taking her by surprise. her womanhood throbbed and she wasn’t aware that she was panting. 

    “Joon…we…we gotta think about this…think about…what…what could happen.”

    “A lot of wonderful things will happen Kira. Believe me.” 

    “Kira! Joon! Where y’all at?” She couldn’t bring herself to pull herself away from him, his body heat enticing, engulfing…threatening to overwhelm her. 

    “Comin! Comin…” 

    “We need to talk.” It wasn’t a request. It was a demand, spoken softly but firmly. He was serious. He wasn’t playin, she could see that. 

    “O-Okay. We…we can t-talk. Later though…” 

    “Right now, we need to find your brother. Later it is.”

    “Y-yeah.” Fingers still tightly gripped together, they headed in the direction of Lily’s voice and the search resumed. 

*** 

    He’d let her roam away from him, breaths deep and calm. He’d gotten his thoughts off of his chest and he wasn’t going to dare lie or hide them. Kira would know just what he felt, when he felt it and how. He’d always been a honest man and that wasn’t gonna change any time soon. Glancing up, into the trees, he bit his lower lip. He knew she was scared. Scared of the what ifs. The what mays. And perhaps he was foolish for not caring. He’d loved her for a long damn time and he was not going to live with the regret of not telling her or showing her. The time to be a pussy was out. She didn’t need a weak man. She needed a strong level headed one, one who would put her in her place when she got out of it. Someone who would love her unconditionally and faithfully. All of which he was more than willing to do. He’d be whatever she needed him to be. 

    Growing up, she needed a best friend. She needed a protector. She needed a brother. But now… now she needed something else. She needed a lover. A provider. A confidant. A soulmate. And gawddamn it he was gonna be all of it and more. Licking his lips, he froze in his tracks as suddenly a shrill scream rippled through the woods. Kira. 

    “Kira!” He ran in the direction of her voice and voice Lily and her on their knees, eyes lifted up, eyes filled with horror. 

    “Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior!” Lily moaned, rocking back and forth. Lifting eyes, he felt the breath leave him. A pair of tawny feet dangled above them, dried blood having trickled all the way down to his ankles. Further up the decaying body, the word N-I-G-G-E-R had been carved into his stomach and his gentalia had been brutally hacked off, uneven pieces of flesh and a gaping hole left. 

    “Jimmy….Oh Jimmy…” The sisters held each other as they took in the peeled and flayed flesh that had been sliced off, leaving the muscle and sinew behind. Lily broke away and started to retch, the smell hitting her. Frog and Dipp joined her, the contents of their stomachs soon meeting the cool soil. Scat just stared, eyes unmoving and unblinking. His mouth was wide open and they were growing watery. 

    The savagery of it wasn’t complete without the eyes, those beautiful celadon eyes that once had twinkled with laughter, with mischief, with life and with love when he thought of his sisters and his family. They’d been plucked out and taken with whoever had done this. His ears had both been cut off and his lips had been removed and nose smashed in. If the bloodlust wasn’t enough, they’d cut and peeled his scalp off, taking the head of luscious curls away…possibly as a trophy. Flies had already made their nest inside of his sockets and they swarmed around him, the buzzing deafening. That did it for him and he couldn’t help the vomit that came up and spilled over. 

    It was his first witness of a lynching and he hoped to God that it would be his last. Tears fell from his eyes silently and he clutched the dirt before lifting, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. Kira. He had to make get to Kira. Somehow, he managed to move, his legs determined to get to her. 

    “Kira…” She hadn’t moved. She had remained crouched on the ground, directly below his feet, rocking herself and moaning lowly…grief oozing from her. 

    “Kira…l-look at me sweetheart.” She wasn’t hearing him… how could she when the buzz of the flies swarmed above her? He knelt behind her and wrapped arms around her. She jumped in his arms and the terror that stared back at him when she turned to look at him sent chills up and down his spine. Wide and full of fear, full of grief, disbelief and anger, she cried silently, tears spilling down dark brown cheeks. Cheeks that looked a little ashen now. 

    “Jimmy….Jimmy is…he’s…dead?” Almost as if she couldn’t believe it. He pulled her tightly against him, pressing his face against her curls. 

    “I’m…I’m so sorry sweetheart…” His voice seemed to cause the trance to break and she began to scream, crying loudly into his chest. Her fingers gripped his shirt until they pulled at it and her screams turned into anguished wails of deep sorrow. 

    “Jimmyyyy……J-J-Jimmy….” He squeezed his eyes shut and even though it hurt for him to speak, he did. He did to keep her with him. 

    “I’m so sorry baby…I’m sorry….” Lily had stopped throwing up and she lifted up from the moist soil, eyes leaking tears. 

    “Lil…come here…come here honey.” He called, welcoming the press of her body against his. She too began to sob openly, freely against his shoulder and he held on tight to the girls with all his might. 

    “Joon…We…we should c-cut him down or somethin…” Dipp said, coming behind him, hands shaky. 

    “Yeah…that’s…that’s a good idea.” 

    “Here…” Lily reached into the collar of her dress and pulled out a knife wrapped in a towel, handing it to him. She didn’t ask Kira for hers, instead, opened her dress enough to remove it. Buttoning her back up, she handed them both to him. 

    “Dipp. Scat. Frog.” He said, sniffling as he stood. 

    “We’re gonna get you down my friend. Get you d-down and g-give you a burial you deserve.” Frog said in between tears. It took all three of them to finally get the rope to sever and they all moved out of the way as Jimmy’s body came crashing down to the ground. The smell overwhelmed them now with him being on ground level and it was too much for them to take. 

    “We gotta come back.”

    “Fuck yeah let’s get the girls and get outta here.” Kira still hadn’t moved and that was okay with him. 

    “Come on sweet girl. Let’s get you home. Let’s get you safe and sound.” He said, lifting her up into his arms. She let him, arm tiredly coming around his neck. 

    “Joon…”

    “Shh…” She pressed her face into his neck and he lifted her up a little more, securing a good solid grip on her. 

    “Lily Bean…” He turned to see Scat carrying her limp body. 

    “She…she fuckin passed out…” 

    “Don’t drop her. Hold on to her good.”

    “Yeah.” They had Dipp place markers so they could come find him tomorrow. Hopefully by then, they’d have him buried. He didn’t want his Ma and Pa to see him like this. It would be cruel to subject them to the sight of their only son’s savage inhumane lynching. For now, he needed to get his girls home…before it grew dark. 

*** 

    Her voice trembled on the last word of the entry and for the longest moment, neither one of them could speak, tears running down their cheeks. They cried until they ran out of tears and she let Fronnie hug her tightly. 

    “P-P-Poor Gammy…” She sobbed, lifting to wipe her eyes. 

    “I…I think…I need a minute Kotani. I…this is too much to handle right now…” She watched as her sister stood up and left her alone in the attic, clutching the journal. Glancing down at it, she made out the tiniest manuscript at the very bottom of the page. 

Rest in POWER James Burnett Jr.