Tuesday Evening
August 17, 1965
- It's super hot, so as Abby makes her way home, she decides to hop in the Chickaskin River to cool off. Sounds like a good plan, right?
- After swimming a bit, Abby stands closer to shore… and thinks she sees a person hiding in the trees a little ways away. Say what?
- Abby decides she was mistaken—it must've been birds—and thinks of her dad, Strong, as she hears the call of a train. Then she gets right back to swimming.
- Finally cooled, Abby gets ready to get out of the river and carry on her way. Whom should she suddenly encounter? Why Trembling Sally, of course, come to continue her vendetta against Abby.
- Trembling Sally holds Abby's head underwater time and again as the girl struggles against her, praying to God and promising to sing again if he lets her live. As she grows weaker, Abby only becomes more certain she's about to die.
- And then she hears Sally laugh. And then she realizes she's no longer in the water and that Sally is gone. Someone has been giving her CPR—and that someone is none other than Strong.
- That's right: Abby's dad is back. He rode the train.
- Strong works in the fields all day and then chops wood for their family in the evenings and sits by the fire watching the flames.
- Abby knows he's going to rebuild his barbershop soon. She also knows, though, that he will never be the same.
- Still, Abby is filled with hope.