Episode 16: Between the Unburied and Miss Belle

## Content Warnings

"Rain sounds, references to supernatural prophecy by a child, bullying, references to death by firing squad."

## Blurb

She recognized the naked fear and rawness in their respective gazes. Something had happened to these boys. She could see their hearts and minds were pink and pricking red at the edges where their innocence had been torn away with such force they'd not even had a chance to bleed yet.

## Plot Synopsis

Annabelle Calloway has been the teacher at Baker’s Gap’s school for three years. At twenty years old, Miss Belle is from out of town. She’s spent years traveling through Appalachia and learning. Unmarried and never courted, she also helps local farmers with livestock birthing. Overall a natural teacher, her 35 children love her.

One Sunday evening, a sudden storm sweeps over Baker’s Gap as Miss Belle goes into town to prepare the schoolhouse for the week. When she arrives, the door is ajar, and hears a child crying inside.

In the schoolhouse are Archie Stallard, Curtis Kilgore, Shane Shepherd, Dallas Shepherd, and Floyd Absher, with Sam the dog. Archie apologizes for breaking in, saying they were seeking shelter from the storm. The boys are clearly upset, Shane sobbing hysterically. Miss Belle asks them what’s wrong, and Archie tries to tell her what happened. She recognizes their fear and knows something terrible has happened. She determines to call their parents and let them know they’re safe. Floyd begs her not to, feeling responsible for what happened.

Miss Belle asks where Cowboy Absher is, and hears him say, “I’m right here.”

The boys go home, Cowboy and Floyd walking together. Floyd asks Cowboy if he’s ok, and Cowboy insists emphatically that he’s fine, and not dead. He asks Floyd not to tell their parents what happened, and he agrees. Cowboy tells him that he is not like Floyd, or any of the others, and decides they will tell their parents he fell, but is fine.

Cowboy eats little dinner. He doesn’t sleep that night, fixated on the idea of death and decay, something he can’t fully escape. He should’ve died on Death Island, but for some reason, he hadn’t. He looks into his father’s heart and knows when he’ll die.

Belle barely sleeps, herself. She reflects on how the boys reacted to Cowboy’s presence and decides to keep a close eye on the boys at school.

Joshua Cook, a troublemaker with one year left of school, returns to class. He’d never met Cowboy, but enjoys teasing him about his small size and how he was found by the Abshers. He makes remarks about Cowboy’s first family, and it causes the boy to vaguely recall what happened to them.

Floyd confronts Joshua, saying his father is dead, too. Joshua insists his father was a war hero, but Cowboy concentrates on him, and knows the truth. He tells Joshua that his father deserted in France, and was killed by a firing squad.

Belle overhears, and she notices that shadows surround Cowboy. She shoos Josh away, leaving the rest of the students behind. Taking a deep breath, she calls Cowboy over and goes into the schoolhouse with him. She asks him several questions to try and ascertain what is happening with him. She tells him to hold still and takes his hand, reaching out to feel what hangs over him.

She sees Cowboy as he is, as Caleb, surrounded by death, sees the death of his family, and sees the Dead Queen. She sees the Queen kiss him on the cheek, and sees him dying and resurrecting again and again. Cowboy says he “can’t see” Miss Belle like he sees the others, asking her what she is.

Belle tells Floyd she’s going to take Cowboy to the local Granny to check out the knot on the back of his head. Cowboy insists he’s fine, but Floyd tells him they all saw what happened and that he needs to go with Belle. Cowboy looks at Floyd, and sees his brother’s entire life stretched out ahead of him. They say “I love you” to one another, while Belle picks up the phone and calls Melvin Blevins for a ride.

He takes them to the Walker House, where Belle’s aunts Marcie and Ellie Walker live. They address her as “Sarah” as she asks for their help.

## Relevant Characters

* Floyd Absher
* Curtis Kilgore
* Dallas Shepherd
* Shane Shepherd
* Archie Stallard
* Cowboy Absher
* Annabelle Calloway