ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (9)

   That man that told me about using his phone didn't tell me this. Leave it to a man. "The fence is in front of the house."
   "Yeah, in front of a steep hill."
    Oh well, and a thought came into her mind about when she was in the hospital which she didn't want to remember but she just happened to remember this one nurse. Whenever Edie needed something, like a bed pan, really needed, the nurse would say, "Oh, stop bitching, Edie. There's worst off people in here than you." So with that thought, Edie said, "Susan, looks like we have another hill to slide down. Joy, joy." Her favorite last words. Susan just made a face. They both made faces at one another and laughed. What were they going to do? If they only knew then that they would be climbing and sliding down hills and laughing and crying sometimes for many years to come.

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (8)

   :Just this hill and then everything will be easy after that," Edie told Susan. She didn't know what was in front of her. It was best she didn't.
    They pushed the chair up two feet and it slid back and sideways a foot. If it wasn't for the mud it wouldn't be so bad but it was hard on the two of them, one woman in a wheelchair and a child. They were wet from perspiration by the time they reached the top of the hill. Edie yelled out, "There's the fence. Now I was told there is a house a few feet behind it." They looked around but they didn't see a house. 
   Susan yelled, "Mommy, there's a house down that hill." She pointed in the direction where the house was. 
   Edie yelled to Susan, "Come get me, I can't move in the mud." When Edie got to the edge of the driveway to the house, she gulped. Oh my God, look at what we have to go down, she thought. I thought the school hill was bad. I can't show Susan that I'm afraid.

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (7)

    Susan pulled a sandwich out of the cloth bag that was wrapped in wax paper that was wax paper at one time. Now it was a ball of wax. Susan removed the hard homemade bread somewhat shaped sandwich. She started to eat it and Edie asked her what was in it. Susan replied what it was every day. Pork and lard. Edie said let me see it. Susan showed her. There it was. Pork, not cooked all the way and a big spoon full of lard on each side of the bread. "Do you like this?"
   "Well, no, I scrape off the lard," Susan replied. 
   "Who makes your lunch?"
   "Kathrine does." Well, Kathrine was simpleminded. 
   "I don't want you to eat pork unless it is well done. It's not safe. You hear me?"
   "Oh, mommy," Susan half crying. 
   "God, will I be glad when we get away from this place," Edie said as she turned her chair around like she was going to climb that hill by herself. All she accomplished was spinning her wheels and making a mess out of the sides of her wheelchair with mud. 

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAINS (6)

    Edie also didn't like the idea that Susan had to use the girl's privy behind the school house. The boys had one, too. How unsanitary. The teacher made them all go out for recess and lunch because they needed the fresh air, but it was too cold to be out-of-doors so they would hang out at the privy.
    Edie pushed the wheels on her chair so hard she skidded in the mud and lost control and almost flipped the chair over. She was so mad to hear what her daughter had to go through at that miserable school. She felt sorry for the children who had to live that way. Susan wasn't going to. No more!
    Edie stopped for a minute. "I was told that passed the school and up a hill would be a fence on the right. Turn there." 
    "Oh we have to go up this hill," Susan moaned. "Oh Mommy."
    "I'm sorry sweetheart."
    "Not much longer now."
    "May I have a sandwich first?"
    "Yes, you may!"

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAIN (5)

    They had to go down a steep hill. Edie held back on the wheels and Susan held back on the back of the chair. Susan leaned to the side behind her mother hoping no one would see her. Edie was not happy about Susan going to this country school. The school house was still the one room building that it's been for a hundred years. The population hadn't grown in years. As soon as the children were of age, they moved to the cities where there was work. Well, at least most of them. Edie didn't like the idea that Susan was the only third grader that year, so the teacher kept forgetting her. For each class, the teacher would take to front of the room. First, would be the first graders with reading (there were four students in that class) then the second graders (five in that class) and so on until ninth grade (which had  two girls and they had to carry the drinking water for the class and get the fire wood for the big wood stove that stood in the middle of the classroom). 

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAIN (4)

   They rested for a few minutes. Edie took a drink of water from the canning jar. One thing she could say good about the mountains was the water. Yes, it was good and cold. Susan sat on the ground up against a tree. It felt good to sit. Pushing that chair in the mud was hard for an eight-year-old and they had about three miles more to go on a hilly road. Well, rest time was over. Edie wanted to get off the road before her brother came in for lunch. When Susan got up she was covered with mud. Edie was upset with her but she was only eight but what was she going to do? Maybe the mud will brush off when it dried. There was some water in the jar that Susan could wash her face and hands with. That was the end of the water. They started again and saw the school and Susan became nervous.

ESCAPE FROM THE MOUNTAIN (3)

   After heating the water on the wood stove, Susan took it to her mother so she could wash up. Katherine carried in a cup of coffee to Edie. Which Edie was most grateful.
   Katherine made some sandwiches and a jar of water and packed them in a cloth bag. No time for breakfast. It was just lumpy, cold oatmeal anyway. Katherine was a terrible cook. Susan grabbed one of the sandwiches going out the door.
    Katherine helped Edie down the steps with her in the wheel chair. She hated to see Edie leave, she was the only company she had. But she knew how afraid she was of Bill and if she could leave she would, too. Well, she couldn't because of the children. The two women hugged and cried and said their goodbyes, knowing that they probably would never see one another again. Even though they weren't best friends, they were still sisters-in-law.
    Susan started down the muddy road. Susan pushing the back of the wheel chair and Edie pushing the wheels on the other side. They came to the spot where Susan hid the bag with the clothes. Of course, it was soak and wet being through the storm. Edie put it on the steps of the chair, after ringing the water out of the clothes.