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CRAWDAD SOUP

Emily was in the kitchen sweeping up a broken plate. The fourteen year old had been setting the table for the breakfast that Grandma Abby was cooking and had like usual did things a bit too fast. She was in a reasonably good mood, today was the first day of summer break, and she had made plans with the neighbors to hunt for crawdads in a little creek not far from their house. She looked back at her grandma who was cooking bacon and eggs. Pushing her stringy hair out of her face she quickly hurried along setting the table. She had just finished setting the glasses when the phone ringed. She ran to answer it her shoulder length red hair flowing behind her.
“Hello” she answered in her usually chirpy voice. “I need to talk to Shawn” a gruff voice replied rather quickly. “He’s getting ready for work” Emily said slightly irritated at how rude the guy sounded, “Can I take a message”. The gruff voice answered “no this is his boss we have a problem and need him here now.” Holding her hand in front of the mouth piece she hollered “SHAWN! PHONE!” He was upstairs; she could hear the heavy thudding of his footsteps as he came clumping down the steps.
He was dressed in his blue and white Valley Vet uniform, his brown hair was short and for a change brushed out. “who is it?” he grumbled she could see the tiredness in his dark brown eyes. “I think your boss” Emily whispered, trotting down he took the phone from her “thanks Em” he said. She loved her brother he was a pretty tall person, for only being nineteen, and was pretty muscular. She thought he was the best looking brother anyone could ask for, but he believed differently; the burn scar across the left side of his face was the reason for that. But to Emily it reminded her of a huge Eagle away to freedom. Back in the kitchen Emily heard Shawn’s voice stutter full of fear “umm …I’ll… sure I … I’ll be there …in five minutes”.
Without a word to Emily Shawn grabbed his keys and headed for the door Emily follow “Shawn what happen?” Shawn continued onward as if he didn’t hear her. Shawn what going on?” Emily said her voice reaching the same annoying pitch that their mother use to use “he didn’t say” Shawn growled clearly annoyed at Emily’s question. “Well why not? If he making you come in early he should tell you why” “Shut up!” Shawn yelled storming out the door. “I want to know what going on Shawn!” Emily hollered as she ran out the door after him.
They had just reached the car and Emily was asking more questions Shawn still not answering “Will You Shut up! I don‘t know! With the tone he use I afraid that something happen to the animals.” Shawn was no longer shouting there was a soberest in his voice Emily hadn’t heard in years for the first time that day she was scared. “Em I’m dealing with a lot right now I need to go get this sorted out I don’t know when I’ll be home just please explain to Gran what’s going on?” Shawn started his grandma’s tiny ‘84 Chevy and pulled out of the driveway. Watching him Emily yelled “Shawn! Call before you come home!” Shawn looked up, for a moment his worries faded. Waving he yelled back with a chuckle “will do little sis will do” and with that he pulled the tiny blue Cheviot out on to Levitton Drive.
Trotting back inside Emily explain what happen to Gran she just nodded and said in her load booming voice “yeah I thought that stormed seemed eerie last night things are changing now just let Shawn know he don’t need to be getting worried about losing his job”
“Gran you goof there wasn’t any storm and he hasn’t lost his job and you will talk to him tonight when he gets in”
“I suppose but an old lady like myself can’t help but worry” Gran said with strange smile. “Shaw’s a big boy he can take care of himself there’s no need to worry” Gran boomed “now you head on down to the creek and hunt for crawdad’s with the neighbors like you planed Shawn will be fine just bring some back for dinner ok?”
“I guess” Emily said headed out the door Gran look at Emily as she left “just make sure you catch some fat ones those little guys are all shell and they give the soup a bitter tint.” she called “big crawdads got it Gran see ya later!”

Emily headed out trying to grasp what had just happen. She knew Shawn was headed for another breakdown but didn’t want to accept it. They had work so hard on getting Shawn to stop having these fits and it looked like it had been working.
Walking down the hill Emily sighed the yard was needing cut, nettles had taken over Gran’s bed of bittersweet that she once love to care for. With her old age she had stop doing a lot of what she love doing even her cooking was beginning to decline in skill. The flowers reminded her of a summer morning very similar today. They had been walking home from school. Emily was only in the third grade and had talk Shawn into once again telling her the story of the night their parents died.
“Well I was trying to fall asleep, but knew something was wrong. I started to smell something horrible and had to go see what it was. I saw the front door was on fire and started screaming. I didn’t know what to do everything was getting dark and I was chocking that was when you started to cry.
I went to your room to get you. It was so dark I couldn’t see anything but the fire. And it was blinding. I was finally able to stubble to you. You were throwing a fit so much that I almost dropped you. It all just went by so fast. I remember trying to get to mom and dad’s room but it just seem so far away, the more I tried the farer it seemed to get. Finally I saw the glass door in the living room and headed for it. I remember the handle wouldn’t open. I tried to get through but it just would open. Finally I took a running start at the glass I ran as fast as I could but it was just like hitting a wall. I couldn’t get back up. I remember just lying on the living room floor to exhausted to move.
You were crying in the background somewhere. I don’t know how long I lied there on the floor it felt like hours. Then I heard a crash two be people in suits came in they broke down the front door. I remember I though they were some type of alien that had set the fire but I was to weak to move or scream or run. The last thing I remembered was one of them picking me up.”
“But they were really firemen not alien right Shawn.”
“Fire People, Emily, Fire People the one who save me was a girl.”
“hey you just said you only remember getting picked up” Emily yelled.
“Well she visited me in the hospital”
“Really?”
“Yes, she brought me seven big green balloons cause she hear I was going to spent my birthday in the hospital.”
It only took Emily about two minutes to reach the creek. With a deep breath she took in her surrounding, mostly Maples grew in these woods overshadowing a little creek that was full of bluegills and crawdad’s. Holding her red tin pail she headed down, seeing with disappointment that Daniel and Beth hadn’t showed. “Stupid Beth …always ditching me” she grumbled.
Her Gran had once told her that childhood was like making crawdad soup if you rush it too quickly there’s bound to be problems. Gran was always saying ideas like that she was on meds to help her hide from the space rats that she swears are after her. A side affect of reading Hitchhiker’s Guild to the Galaxy too much the doctor believes. Rolling her pants up pasted her knees and slipping off her shoes Emily wadded though the water. She headed to the big cold lonely rock in the middle of the stream, it was the best spot. Standing on it she began to wait after about an hour she had about twenty fat crawdads in her red pail. Figuring in her brothers apatite she waited a while longer and headed up with thirty large crawdads all clawing hopelessly to escape.
Dispute her efforts Emily hustle back home in wet sneakers. Dumping the pail into a cooking pot she quickly turn the stove on high as she hurry up stairs to change her wet sneakers. Entering a yellow door with a blazing poster of the Greek goddess of wisdom Athena. Emily walking into her room. Reaching under her bed she pulled out her bright yellow hiking boots. “ah right where I left you she sat down tugging off her sneakers in a hurry. She easily tossed her socks scoring a basket to the laundry bin. As she pulled on her boots she notice a small piece of paper on her spotless floor. She looked around the room the bed was made her bookshelves were cleaned and organized. Posters of random gods and myths decorated the plain yellow walls. Everything was as neat as Emily let it but someone had been in here picking up the small piece of paper she unfolded it.

EM I WENT OUT WITH
THE GIRLS SORRY BUT YOU’LL HAVE
TO MAKE DINNER YOURSELVES...I
DIDN’T DO IT

What’s Gran up to now Emily mumbled as she recognized the handwriting. Shoving the note in her pocket Emily headed down stairs. The water was just beginning to boil; not wanting to waste time she pull out some carrots and potatoes from the cabinet. She had chop them up and was slice ding a few onions before the water was boiling good. Using a fork she pulled the boiled crawdads out the water and laid them in a separate bowl. Dumping the cut vegetables in to the water she turn down the fire to steam them whipping around she shelled the crawdads and cut them up. She had added the meat and a few last minute seasonings to the pot before she pulled it off. She was just setting it of the table when Shawn walked in a full seven hours early.
His face was sunken with worry and he was dragging his feet slower than normal. “What happened?” Shawn sat down his face in his lap “there was a fire in the backroom, it killed twelve of our animals” Shawn grumbled “are you ok?” Emily said her light brown eyes full of concern “Yeah just peachy” Shawn voice was sounded dangerous. Looking finally at the soup he froze “I not eating Gran’s cooking” he snapped “it’s my cooking and your going to eat” Emily snapped right back. “back. He looked up Emily could see he was claming down. Sitting down she past Shawn a bowl of soup and help herself to one as well “I know what you mean Gran’s cooking been getting worse by the second that chilly she made last week probably killed the trash can” chuckling Shawn asked “How was things here today?” Emily told him quickly about how Beth had ditch her at the creek “Aw don’t worry about it she’s got an annoying older brother to take care of to” laughed Emily said “I guess so but I hate it when she does that.”
Standing up Shawn grabbed his bowl and put it in the sink so how come Gran couldn’t cook, not that I’m complaining. “She was gone when I came in from the creek she left this note in my room. Emily pulled the note out of her pocket and tossed it to Shawn he looked at it for a while then said “it’s only two I would hate to think she went out drinking this early; but I bet she did knowing her she had Ellis pick her up and went down to Jack’s”. Emily looked out the window “hey Shawn let’s go for a walk”
“a walk?”
“yes Shawn a walk a it a nice day so let’s head over Beth’s I have a weird feeling about her and on the way there you can tell about the fire”
“what makes you think I’m coming”
“fine I go myself”
Emily said as she headed out the door. Shawn headed out the door calling.
“alright I’m coming” .
“I knew you would come”
“don’t know why” Shawn grumbled
“so how bad was the Vet’s”
“Ah horrible” Shawn said his voice a bit shaky “the fire was in the back room where we keep the sickest animals. We lost eight cats three dogs and a rabbit.”
“that’s terrible”
“the worst part the three dogs were Mrs. Strikers prize toy …. Shawn had stopped he was staring mouth gaped at something in front of him turning around Emily saw the front door to Beth’s house was gone.
An awful silence fell upon the place. “Beth, Daniel” Shawn screamed running inside Emily could see the even though the house looked fine from the outside that there had been a fire here ashes and soot covered the place over half of the second floor was collapsed “why didn’t we see any smoke today?” Emily asked “ it been like this for a while Shawn said looking around I would bet it happen last night” listen you hear that …help me…the voice was so faint Emily could barely hear it “hold on!” Shawn yelled he stared throwing fallen boards till he came to a crumpled body “Daniel” Shawn cried lifting him up the body was covered in suit blood was flowing from the place Daniel ear use to be.
“Em run home call the cops tell them was happen then come back you understand Emily was staring at Daniel stuttering her mind a blank “Emily now” jerking up Emily ran home she explain to 911 what had happen and she ran back I called them they should come soon. "Thanks Em." Shawn was supporting Daniel's head holding a ripped cloth on his nose. "They took her " Daniel stuttered through a mouth full of blood. "Daniel, who took her?" "Beth, they took Beth" Daniel kept saying. The sound of the siren getting louder drowned out the rest of what Daniel was trying to say. Nurses came out of the ambulance, “step aside, step aside" they shouted as they were pushing Shawn and Emily out of the way. Police started roping off the house. "We'll need to speak to the both of you," an officer said approaching Shawn and Emily. After waiting a while Emily explained what had happened. The cop named officer Barley kept asking weird detailed questions. "So you just had a bad feeling and had to go and check on Beth?" asked officer Barley. Emily replied, "Yea, she was suppose to meet me at the creek but never showed up. I'm used to that from her but she never called me up to tell me her stupid excuse. She always has one, that’s why we came here."
"Ok" said officer Barley, "I'll need to ask Shawn some questions and you can be on your way." Emily waited by the door a few minutes while they talked to Shawn.
When they came out the officer looked very upset. "I guess you're free to go, we'll keep you posted on Daniel, call if you have any problems." Officer Barley then handed Emily a vanilla envelope, “Here this is a packet for trauma victims. It deals with a lot of things such as survivor’s guilt and mental problems that can occur after wards. If you have any problems our contact info is in there. I'll be checking in on you, remember contact the station if you need anything." Walking home Emily looked through the packet. "This isn’t right." Emily mumbled aloud “what is it?" Shawn asked "He gave me the wrong packet. This is the police report on the fire they think someone set it." Emily said as she continued reading the file. "They have an idea who it is?" Shawn asked. Shawn, they think it's you"
"What?!" Shawn yelled "Let me see that." "Wait, and let’s look at this inside." said Emily looking over his shoulder. The folder wasn't very big but it had a list of recent fires. All were pretty close to Valley Vet. They seem to make a circle around the vet shop. Scribbled at the bottom was:

March, 10th the 5th fire in two weeks
was set possible Valley Vet worker.
March 30th odd behavior seen from Shawn Gates. March 31st the 7th fire set.

Scribble below that were the words

Shawn Gates - prime suspect.

The following two pages were pictures of Shawn and random facts about each of the fires. "This is too weird." Emily said flipping through the pages. “Aren’t they supposed to interview you before they make you a prime suspect?” Emily asked still flipping through the pages in the packet” “you would think” Shawn grumbled “what was wrong with me on the 30th?” he asked reading over Emily’s shoulder. “I think that was when you lost Patches” she said handing him the packet “wow has it really been that long? Poor cat feels like she was just here yesterday”
“I can’t believe they think you did it this is injustice stereotyping the only reason they think it’s you is because you so big and mean looking” Emily yelled outraged “and by the looks of it I’m the only suspect do you know how many people work at Valley Vet? And how do they know it someone from Valley Vet there plenty of stores in that area” “we need to put on our own police investigation it can’t be too hard we have the police report” “I don’t think that a good idea Em” Shawn said a little worried “are you really just going leave this up to some stereotyping cops, Shawn they’ll pin this whole thing on you” Emily cried “you know you’re right that interview didn’t go to well and a little investigation never hurt anyone” Shawn said with a grin.
“Shawn the problem I see is if someone from Valley Vet is the culprit what going to happen with the case now that Valley Vet closed?” “I’ve been thinking about that the tree that fell was perfectly healthy it odd that it just fell right in the middle of the store” “you think it was done on propose” “I don’t know but let start our little investigation there.”
A good ten minutes later Shawn and Emily were getting of the little blue cheviot and walking to the corner of May Sapp and Rout 32 where Valley vet stood just like Beth's house the outside looked just fine it was only when they crossed the crime scene tape they could see the damage. The front of the store was fine but the back was fallen in everything turn to ash. Looking down Shawn gasped. “I know who did it” he said wide eye.
Taking a picture of a small red flower on the ash he smile “this is from R. A. Floral it the flower store right across the street the owner Rick Anderson is really rude he came in last week with some hairy plant claiming it was part animal and need a vet.”
“Weird, what happen?”
“Nothing much Ann had to page me up to deal with him he just stared at me a while then grabbed his plant and left pretty quickly”
“Must have been scared of you how big is he?”
“Not very I would have to say 5’8 at the most”
“Huh, let’s go pay him a visit” Emily said picking up the flower.
The store was pretty old looking but the inside was covered with rows of bright flowers so much so that finding the front desk was a bit challenging the ringing a small bell at the front desk brought a skinny man in bright red hair up from the back room “this is Rick” he grunted “owner of R. K. Floral how may I help you.”
“I just wanted to know if you happened to see the accident last night”
“you mean the one over at the vet’s next door, no I was at home I closed early on Fridays”
“Really because that fire looks set and this was found in the ash” Shawn said holding up the little red flower.
“Well anyone of my customers could of left that there”
“Really” Emily piped up “we see about that”
“stubborn just like your mother”
“what you say about my mom” Emily took a wide swing at Rick knocking down a glass vase “Em” Shawn yelled pulling her back “cool it”
“get out! And if you come back I’m calling the police!” Quickly Emily and Shawn rushed out the door.
“Well that went great” Emily grumbled “you need to control your temper Em”
“I know but why did that guy start talking mom you think he knows her?”
“Most likely, but I don’t remember him, then again I don’t remember much before the fire” the sun had already started setting. “Wow it got late quick let’s head home for the night. Emily climbs into bed with a churning in her stomach. Gran still hadn’t come home but that was usually for her and Emily wasn’t too worried. It felt like she only shut her eyes for a moment when she heard Shawn yell “Em get up now!” the fear in his voice woke her right up despite the fact that it was five in the morning “what wrong Shawn?”
“It’s Gran she in ICU.”
“What!” Emily yelled “she got hit by a car when she was coming home” Shawn said Emily jumped up and headed for the closet throwing her clothes aside she got dressed in such a hurry that she put her shirt on backwards rushing down stair she fix her shirt “Is she at Gibson’s Care Center?” “Yeh the nurse told me room 63 on the second floor” by the time they got to the Hospital a little bald Chinese doctor took them back to a small close room “We did what we could for her she wasn’t found right away and had too much internal bleeding. she going to be in ICU for a while, to be honest her odds aren't good” crying Emily looked at Shawn he had his head in his lap sobbing quietly. “She not awake at the moment much when we brought her in she gave us this to give to Shawn” the doctor held out a small crumpled paper

I Abigail Rebecca Gates being of sound mind herby leave all of my belongs including my house at 4685 Levittion Drive to my two grandchildren Shawn and Emily Gates and wish them the best of luck in this jumbled journey of crawdad soup we also call life

“Hopefully we'll get to pitch this” Shawn mumbled shoving the paper into his pocket.
The days that followed were a blur to Emily and Shawn. It was only a few days later when they saw a very skinny man back a ways watching them as they headed to the hospital. “Shawn that’s Rick what’s he doing here?” “who cares I just want to go see Gran” “Mr. Gates” turning around Emily and Shawn saw Officer Barley “Shawn Edward Gates you have a court hearing for the murder Daniel…”
“No!” Emily yelled “that not right!”
“Em just chill everything’s going be alright it just a court hearing and they must not have anything on me or I would be in jail right now wouldn't I Officer Barley.” The look on Officer Barley's face answered yes "when is the hearing"
"Tomorrow at Five" Officer Barley handed Shawn a packet of papers and left. "If they don't have anything on you” Emily asked worriedly "why would they be charging you with this?"
"It’s nothing to worry about" Shawn lied. Emily couldn't sleep all that night. She woke up to thud on her window looking out she saw a little sparrow lying outside her window. "Shawn" yelled staring to tear up praying he would answer "What's wrong Em" he asked walking in the room. Crying Emily hugged. "What’s wrong Em" looking over he saw the dead bird hugging her back he wiped the tears from her eyes he knew what had happen "you thought the bird was me didn't you"
"It’s silly I know" Emily said crying "but I always think of you as a bird".
Running his hand across his scar he said “I think we should bury him don't you?" they wrapped the bird in tissue paper and Shawn dug a small hole. Gently they place the dirt around the lifeless body. "Should we say a few words?" Emily asked in a whisper Shawn put his arm around her and said "Birds are a symbol of hope and freedom to lose one is to make the word quieter without his song to liven up day. The word will miss you young bird."
On the way to the court house Emily saw Rick grinning "Shawn" she said thinking fast "I’ll be right back I going to head home to get something. "Looking across the street Shawn saw Rick "don't do anything stupid" he said looking down at her. Emily walked to a small phone booth where Rick was standing there was no sign of him. Then it came to her why didn't i do that before opening the phone book she turned to Anderson, Rick 676-8764 River Run 9425.
He has to have something here she thought walking up the drive way to Rick’s house. Sliding open the side window she slipped in his house plants were everywhere and all the walls were green and yellows this “guy is a freak” she sighed looking around walking to what she guessed was his bedroom she was stunned to see pictures of her mom hung about on the walls along with tons of writing the writing was horrible and she couldn’t read it all but a part she could make out read

By leaving me you made the worst
sin of all god is not happy with you but
I still can save you … all shall be cleaned in fire
I just regret Emily will not know
her true father

“This explains a lot” she whisper staring next to a little TV and VCR was a large Bible picking it up she heard a rattle opening the book she saw the book had a cut out area holding a VCR tape labeled Judgment for the Gates “ This is it!” she cried
“I have to know what’s on it though putting in the VCR she hit play.
“This is Rick Anderson Everything you see on this tape is my doing the Gates have sinned too far to be redeemed I as god right hand have the duty to clean with fire the sins of the Gates.”
A much younger Rick walked in front of the camera to a place that Emily only remembered seeing in pictures this was her home as a little kid in horror she watch Rick throw a light cocktail at the house within minutes the house was on fire she and heard screamed then saw the house blow up.
The picture changed it showed another fire then another in all Emily counted fifteen including the one at Valley Vet then it came to Beth’s house again. Emily watched in horror as Rick burnt yet another house the tape flickered to a close hitting stop she mumbled “I got you sucker” “I don’t think you do” Rick said from the door way.
Jumping up Emily froze looking for a way out. “sit” he said pointing to a chair “don’t worry I won’t hurt you unless you make me” tying her to the chair he when on “it unfortunate that you found out this way this is all your mom’s fault you know she left me a little before you were born claimed that what she had with me was a mistake and she had a husband” “so you burn our house down!” Emily yelled her heart boiling with rage. Shoving a sock in Emily’s mouth Rick just smiled “nice and tight” he chuckled wrapping the rope tight around Emily “I’m going to go and watch your brother get his judgment after all this is god’s will and we can’t have you getting in the way of that” laughing he heading out the door you spitting out the rag Emily yelled “come back here you coward ugh I am such an idiot.”
Wiggling her hand she watch the clock creep from one to four it was about 415 when her right hand scraped out of the rope twisting around she free herself stumbling up she grabbed the tape from the VCR and ran out the door it running through the street she headed to the court house the more she ran the farer it got after what felt like forever she busted into the court room “wait” she yelled in a panted voice “wait Shawn didn’t do it and I got proof” holding up the tape Emily looked from the judge to Shawn “What is the meaning of this" the judge yelled “Richard Anderson is the real killer and this tape I found at his house is proof”
“Well let’s see it” the judge boomed handing the tape over to the bailiff she saw Rick start to sweat in back row and kempt eyeing the door.
The court house erupted with shouts of anger. To Emily everything was one big happy blur the bailiff arrested Rick and the judge cleared Shawn of all charges. Walking out the door with Shawn and Emily walked out into a beautiful summer sky. "I wouldn't be here without you" Shawn said looking at Emily. His voice was clear there was a ring to it that Emily never heard before looking at him Emily knew she would never again have to help Shawn though another breakdown. "I know" she stopped "I wouldn't be here without you" Shawn grinned "I know." And with that the brother and sister walked down the road a flock of birds scattering behind them as they headed home for a big pot of Crawdad Soup Shawn planned on making.