THE WAIL
Raynelle snatched up a towel and throwed it over Blissie’s arm and the burning Lula. “Hold still, Blissie,” she pleaded.
Blissie whimpered as Raynelle patted and patted that towel until the fire was out.
“Let go the doll, Blissie!” Raynelle hollered.
It’d been merely seconds, but it seemed like hours, watching Raynelle smother the flames on Blissie’s sleeve. Daddy tried to reach Blissie, but Raynelle ordered me to hold him back.
“Set down, Daddy. Ain’t you caused enough harm already?” I pushed him onto a chair and he landed with a thump. He didn’t push back. Jist set there with a stunned look on his face. He shook his head. “I didn’t mean … I didn’t want … I jist thunk she was too tied to that doll. It’s my fault. It’s all my fault.” He got up out the chair and dropped to his knees. “Blissie!”
I stepped in front of him, kept him from seeing Raynelle move back the towel from Blissie’s arm. The sleeve was burnt black. Or was that Blissie’s skin?
“Fetch the doctor, Adabel,” Raynelle said. “Now!”
I opened the door, and it was Daddy who throwed a coat to me. I’d forgot one. It was his own coat. Daddy’s. It smelled like moonshine and coal dust, but it kept out the wind that was whipping up considerable. I pulled the collar up over my ears, but that didn’t shut out Daddy’s wail.
The deep wail went on and on, ringing in my ears, echoing between the hills. “Bliiiissssieeeee!”