This Much is True - Tia Louise Page 0,23
want to sock my little brother in the nuts. If this guy tries to shove me down, I swear…
“The apostle shook it off into the fire, and the men said he was a god!” His voice goes loud on god and voices in the congregation echo with amens. “Paul said the Spirit of the Lord is upon me…” More amens. “I can touch the deadly thing and it will not hurt me!”
Brother Bob pauses in front of the stage, and two ushers enter from the side carrying a flat wooden box.
“I said the deadly thing will not hurt me!”
The congregants cheer a loud chorus of amens.
“This is about to get crazy.” Scout is way too excited as he jumps to his feet.
“Touch the deadly thing!” The lid is off the box and Bob reaches inside, swooping out a thick, beige snake with black markings.
“Oh, shit.” Hope rises beside me, slipping her small hand into mine.
Apprehension beats in my chest, and my fingers tighten over hers.
“What is that?” Scout’s eyes flare. “A copperhead?”
A tray begins circulating the crowd, and people throw money into it. I see crumpled twenties, fifties. I don’t know how these people can afford it.
“We’re leaving.” I pull Hope closer to my side. “Give me the keys.”
Scout is mesmerized, and I’m all too aware this ringleader is slowly edging closer to where we stand. It’s in that moment, Brother Bob turns his glittering black gaze on my brother.
“I see there are some of you in our midst needing deliverance… Let him come forth!” His eyes blaze as he watches Scout.
My jaw is tight. “I said let’s GO.”
“Men struggling with the sin of sodomy!” He lowers the snake into the box, leveling his gaze on my brother. “For God has said it is a sin for a man to lie with another man as with a woman…”
My grip tightens on Scout’s arm when I notice his expression has changed. His jaw is clenched, and he’s seething. “This guy recognizes me.”
Looking around, I see people looking around, searching for the offender.
“Come kneel at my feet and repent!”
“This guy’s a fake.” Scout’s voice rises, and I pull him harder.
“We’re fucking outnumbered. Let’s go!”
“He’s a liar!” Scout shouts even louder, drawing attention of the people around us.
“What’s happening?” Hope clutches my arm in both her hands.
“Stay with me.” I grab my brother’s arms and muscle him to the perimeter of the tent.
He struggles against me, but I’m using my size advantage to get us to safety. We’re outside in the darkness now, heading toward the parking lot, and I reach for Hope’s hand. She quickly slips it into mine again.
“Come on.” I hold Scout ahead of me as we walk quickly to the Impala.
He looks over his shoulder, back at the tent, his jaw still clenched. “He’s lying to those people, taking their money… We’ve got to expose him.”
“We’re not going back in there.”
“I don’t understand.” Hope’s voice is quiet at my shoulder.
I’m still holding her hand, and I reluctantly let it go to unlock the car. “Get in. I’m driving.”
“How you folks doing tonight?” The muffled voice pulls me up short, and I spin around to see three of the beefy, black-masked ushers have followed us out.
Scout answers fast, stepping forward to meet them. “Not so great, considering that Brother Bob in there is a fucking liar!”
“Start the car.” I toss the keys to Hope and step up beside my brother. “We’re not looking for any trouble. We’re just leaving.”
“Sounds like your friend is doing the devil’s work.”
“He’s my brother,” I correct the tank of a man. “He just doesn’t like snake handlers.”
I put my hand on Scout’s arm. “Let’s go.”
“I don’t like liars who preach they hate homosexuals when they’re secretly into it themselves.” Scout steps towards them, not following me to the car.
“Is that so?” The big guy’s jaw clenches, and I see a cruel gleam in his eye. “How would you know something like that, pretty boy?”
Adrenaline spikes in my veins, and I lower my hands, clenching my fists. Here we go…
“Brother Bob seemed to recognize me.” Scout flexes his elbows, bringing his fists together under his chin. His blue eyes are leveled.
The car engine roars to life behind me, and I can’t help thinking, Good girl, Hope.
I try one more time. “We’re really not looking for any trouble.”
“You’re not going to cause any either.” The other two guys step closer, and I turn, putting my back to my brother’s just in time for the first punch to