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shotgun open, ejecting the spent shell, which popped out and flew over his shoulder.
Turning toward the house, Buddy crossed to the front door in three steps, entered the house and went straight to his bedroom. Corey, Pete and Little Jim, his brothers, were huddled crying on the double bed they shared.
"Ya'll cut that out," Buddy told them. "Corey, go git me a big bag outa the kitchen."

"Buddy," little Jim sniffled. "I'm scared."
"What for," asked Corey as he headed for the kitchen.
"You know how mean daddy is when he's drunk." Little Jim said as he wiped at his nose with the back of his hand.
"Don't you worry about him no more," said Buddy in a matter of fact voice.
"Is you gonna shoot him," asked little Jim, eyes wide with fear.
Buddy knelt at the edge of the bed and pulled the covers up around little Jim, then put his arm around the frightened little boy.
"You just go back to sleep," said Buddy, glancing across the room at the shotgun.
"It would be okay if'n you shoot him," said little Jim snuggling closer. "I don't like him."
"I don't like him too," said Pete through his sniffles as he crawled close to Buddy and Jim.
Buddy tucked the blanket around them and pulled them closer to him as he encircled them in his arms.
A silent shadow slid across the room as Susie padded barefoot into the boys bedroom. Quickly she slid under the cover and hugged little Jim and Pete to her.
"Ya'll quit crying," said Susie. "It'll be all right. Buddy said so."
Corey came back into the room carrying the garbage bag Buddy had sent him after.
"Take it to daddy's room and put all his clothes in it."
In the dim light of the bedroom, Buddy could see the side of Marlene Walker's face was beginning to swell where Tom had backhanded her. She knelt beside the children's bed and gathered them in her arms.
"He's going to be awful mad if you pack his clothes up," said Marlene.
"It don't matter, he ain't coming back."
"This is his house Buddy,"
"Not no more it ain't," said Buddy getting to his feet. "He ain't coming back here until these young'uns can take care of themselves."
"You can't do that."
"Momma, if you want to go with him you go ahead," answered Buddy. "If he comes back here I'll kill him."
"You going to tell him that?"
"I'm going down to Fanny's and tell him."
"He'll hurt you Buddy."
"His days of hurting me are over."
"Bunch and Randy Tyler will be there," said Marlene wringing her hands as though they hurt. "So will Trip and Gaylor. They don't like you anyway Buddy. They ain't

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