The Redemption of Ruby Shane..(part 8)

I swung the bat and it made a sickening crunch as it connected with Daddy's skull. He slumped to the floor on his knees and then fell over on his back. A pool of maroon blood immediately poured from the back of his head making a strange halo around him.

I hadn't meant to kill him. But I knew I had. I had just wanted him to stop beating Momma. I just wanted to knock him out.

I feel to my knees and my hands shook so bad that I dropped the bat and started sobbing.

Momma scrambled to Daddy's side. She had blood streaming from her broken nose, and had an old dishtowel pressed to it to help stop the blood flow but it wasn't helping much.

He had found the material in the attic and accused her of wasting the money she made. He began by slapping her and it progressed into punching. I had come home in the midst of seeing him beating her.

She put her finger under his nose to see if he was still breathing. She then felt for a pulse in his neck after she couldn't find a even a whisper of a breath.

"Oh God Ruby he is dead!" Momma stifled a scream and instead whispered it in fearful dread.

"What are we going to do Momma? They will arrest me." I still couldn't get off my knees, and I couldn't quit shaking.


Daddy had a look on his face I had never seen before. A look of peace. And it made me cry even harder.

"Ruby I will tell them it was self defense they won't take you if they know it was self defense." Momma believed what she said, she really did, but I knew better. I knew they might take me.

written by Nita Barrow- Zimmerman

to be continued August 13th...