You Found Me by Joel Cobbs

“W e ' ll h a v e t o se ll i t , ” h e s a id.
    “I k n o w. It 's th e on ly th i n g we c a n d o , r e a l l y. ” “Y e a h . ” S i l en c e . “W h at e l s e ?”
    “ He r cl othe s a n d s u c h ?”
    “Y e a h , we can d on a t e the m t o th e s to r e . ” “ To dd a n d S t e ven 's s to r e ?”
    “ Th e o n e , th e on l y . ”  To d d S ten s o n a n d S te v e n G i l e s r an a gen e r al s to r e in R o s ett a F al l s. To dd h ad w o n th e s to re at an a u c t i o n a n d h ir e d S te v e n a f e w m onth s la te r . I t h ad n o n a m e , j u st a l o ca t i o n a n d a r ep u t a t i o n a ll o f N o r t h A l a b a ma k n e w. The ir ho u r s w e r e m e m o ri z e d b y a ll o f R o s e t t a F a lls a n d m o st o f L e wis Cou n ty .
    We s o ld th e v an a n d d on a t e d he r c l othe s t o th e st o r e . We h ardly go t a n y m on e y f o r t h e v a n , ho w m u ch I ' v e nev e r kno w n , b u t obv i ou sly no t e n ou g h t o do a nyth i n g w i th . To dd g a v e u s a $ 1 0 0 c r e dit f o r th e nex t t ime we c ame i n . Ho n e s t l y , I did n 't th i n k w e 'd ev e r g o b ac k .
    W o r d g o t b ack a r ou n d t o D ad th at th e te e n a ge r w h o ca u s e d th e a c c id en t w a s p r ob a b ly go i n g t o d i e . H e 'd g ott e n th e e m a il a n d be c ame a b l o ck o f ice a f t e r th a t . H e t o ld me h e w as n 't go i n g t o s u e th e boy , h i s p a r e n t s, o r a nyo n e e ls e . Th i s w as j u st t o o m u c h , h e s a id.
    Th e b o y w as in p ai n , a n d so w as he . I nev e r f oun d ou t w h at h a ppe n e d t o h im.
    We did n 't g e t r id o f e v e r y th i n g th at be l on g e d t o h e r . We ke p t th e p i c t u r e s o f h e r a n d a l l o f he r m o v i e s. We ke p t a f e w o f th e diff e r e n t th i ng s s he 'd c r o ss- st i t c he d a n d c r o c hete d. Ev e n wi t h a l l o f th at th e r e a n d go n e , i t w as a l l we c ou ld do j u st t o g o ho me a n d s e e ev e r y t h i n g s h e u s e d t o be .
    I pu ll e d in th e Ch i l i's p a r k i n g l o t a n d wa ve d at my f r i en ds. The y i n s i s t e d we g o ou t t o l u n ch w he n th e f un e ra l w a s o u tt a th e wa y . The y pu s he d a n d pu s he d unt il I fi n a lly g a v e in a n d a g r e e d t o m ee t w i t h the m. I d on 't r e a l ly li k e Ch i l i's, bu t s i n ce I w a s n 't hung ry it did n 't r e a l ly ma tte r. I w as w e a r i n g l on g s l e e ve s eve n t h oug h th e te m pe r a t u r e w a s a r oun d 90 o r so ( eve n w he n th e te mp i s “ on ly at 9 0”, it a l w a y s f ee ls cl o s e r t o 1 2 5. T h e hu midi t y i n th e sou t h h a s a l w a y s bee n un b e a r a b l e . W h a t ' s w o r s e... i t 's on ly A p ri l).
    M y b i r th day is a f e w da y s a w a y . I 'm no t l ook i n g f o r wa r d t o it at a ll. I j u st w ish no n e o f th i s h ad ev e r h a ppene d. Th at Mo m w a s at ho m e , d e m a n di n g I b e the re at a d e c en t h o u r ton i g ht . T o w h i ch I w ou ld m o st li ke ly r ep ly “ f i ne ” a n d sho w u p a r oun d t wo th e nex t m o r n i ng . Th at w as a d e c en t ho u r i n my op i n i on . Mo re d e c en t t h a n , s a y , f ou r ?
    I did n 't w a n t my f r i en ds t o s e e th e c ut s. I g a v e u p sho w e r s. The y w e r e n 't e n oug h . The y w e r en ' t e n oug h . I n e e d e d s o m e th i n g m o r e . I 'd st a r t e d c utt i ng . I 'm s u r e O' N a s s i s not ic e d, b u t h e did n 't s ay a n y th i ng .  H e w a s p r ob a b ly bu il d i n g a mmo f o r nex t t i m e .  If th e r e w as a ne x t t im e .
    T h e c u t s w e r e n 't th at b i g , m a yb e t wo i n c he s at th e m o st a n d l e ss th an a c ent im et e r in d e pth . J u st en o ug h t o hu r t bu t no t b l ee d to o m u c h . I did n 't w a nn a d i e . Or ma yb e I did. No . N o I did n 't w a n t t o di e . I d i d n 't w a n t t o d i e . I j u st nee d e d s o m eth i n