Woodstock thunder second draft

It was a scorching hot summer morning of 1922 .The sun rose high over the Woodstock farm ,triumphantly chasing the moon back to it's shadowy retreat.

Artemis Riel Woodstock woke suddenly at 7AM to the sound of crows having a buffet out of this springs harvest.


It became clear to him that his paper mache scarecrow wasn't getting the job done.Art had recently requested of his father that he be allowed to construct a new scarecrow for the farm .The last one had mysteriously caught fire and almost set fire to a third of the farms crops. Art's father suspected the Wilkinson brothers, who were always trying to sabotage his plans.Art saw this as a great opportunity to earn some extra cash from his father.


''What in God's name is going on out there''Art's father yelled as he pulled open the window to his bedroom.


By this time Art was already in the fields fending off the shadowy black vermin with a broomstick.


''Uuh ,nothing Dad, just feeding the chickens.Feeding the chickens? he thought, what a ridiculous excuse for an excuse.I might as well have said the chickens were being abducted by aliens.His father's continued shouting brought Art back to earth.


''Well,try to keep it down. Your mother's trying to sleep.I'll be down in a minute'',his father said from within his room.


Robert Riel Woodstock was a moderately tall man whose' neighbors called him Woodstock willow.His gnarled, bony and vein filled hands and arms, along with his shaggy faded hair gave one the impression of a weeping willow tree.He was also of Native American and Scottish decent.
While his wife was African American.


''Egg soup again Lillian?''Robert said jokingly to his swan like daughter, as he walked past the kitchen.


''Well maybe if Mom was ever awake this early, she could tell me how she makes her omelets''Lillian said, as she wrestled with the fried eggs.


I'd be exhausted to if i had to deal with you meddlesome kids all day long''.Her father said laughing as he stepped over his youngest child Lucy who was playing with Lego's in the middle of the hallway floor.


Lillian threw a damp rag at her Father's already damp looking willow head, as he hurried though the door.


Robert found his two sons talking in the field.


''You call that a scarecrow?Art's stocky older brother Benjamin said ,setting a stack of hay down that he brought back from the stables.Lucy has dolls that look scarier than that ''He continued as there father approached.

''We'll worry about the scare crow later'' there father said standing by the barn with his arms folded.Today is a very important day for all of us.''Today is the day that we drive three score of cattle to greydey farm.Now I want You both to be on Your best behavior, because your sister is coming with us.The two of you are enough trouble as it is''.

''Aw Pop,you know Lilly couldn't drive cattle to save her life''.Ben said as he sat on the stack of hay.


''I heard that'' Lillian yelled from the living room window.


''Yeah,well their's a lot more were that came from, so consider yourself lucky.Benjamin said his arms out wide as he walked towards the house.


Just then they heard a loud crash coming from within the house.Soon after Lillian cam running through the front door with a piping hot spatuler in hand.


''Oh hell naw'' Ben said flying past his brother in the opposite direction.


''Ouch''Robert said, feeling the hot sting of the spatuler as he restrained his oldest child.

Through the camotion Art directed everyones attention to a blood red pickup truck pulling into there driveway.

''What do the wilkenson brothers want now'' Robert sighed shaking his head.

''Good mornin'' george wilkenson said.

''A fine day for driving cattle''Burt Wilkenson said

TO BE CONTINUED