The Boaz Scorekeeper, written in 2017, is my second novel. I'll post it, a chapter a day, over the next few weeks.

All Saturday afternoon I alternated between trips to the bathroom gaging and vomiting and trying to call Wendi.  I just couldn’t get her off my mind, nor could I get rid of the evil sickness that had settled in my gut.  I knew without any doubt that Wendi was the girl I wanted to marry someday.  I realized that many, maybe most, intelligent people would say that it was rather naive of me to think or say such a thing.  To these I would say, I have seen how she looked at me, talked with me, felt the sweet vibrations from the tone of her voice, sensed the honest touches from her fingers, and tasted the sincerity from her lips, even if the kiss was two seconds long as she was leaving.  That’s how I knew.  But that’s just half the story.  I needed to know if she still liked me enough to go on that date we talked about.  I needed to tell her how sorry I was about last night and how I tried to help her.  I so wanted to tell her that if she gave me a chance I would never fail her again.  At 10:30 p.m. I made my final call to Wendi.  Again, all I got was her answering machine.

My stomach felt settled enough Sunday morning to eat some oatmeal and toast.  But I didn’t feel well enough to go to church—at least this is what I told my mother.  On the way back to my bedroom I went by the den to try Wendi even though it was only 7:00 a.m.  A woman answered my call with a gruff hello.  I asked if I could speak with Wendi and she said, “Who is this?  Where is Wendi?  Do you have my daughter?”  I was shocked, almost speechless, and more afraid than I had ever been.  I finally said I didn’t know where Wendi was.  She asked me again who I was and how I knew Wendi.  I told her my name and that I had met her at Boaz Dairy Queen a few weeks ago.  Before she could say another thing, I realized how easy it was to lie.  The woman asked me for my phone number and told me that Wendi and her sister Cindi were missing, that they had gone to Boaz Friday night to hang out but had never made it home.  We talked a while longer with her getting more angry and sad every second.  After we hung up, I walked to my bedroom and fell into bed.  This was the first and only time I have ever experienced what I believe was a panic attack.

After an hour of cold sweats and hot flashes, twisting and turning in bed, and sitting on the floor against my desk breathing deeply, I got dressed and told Mom I had decided to go to church. 

I waited in the church parking lot for over an hour.  Fred and John arrived in separate cars about the same time and parked fifty feet or so away from me.  I got out of my car, slammed the door, and shouted towards them: “what did the five of you do with Wendi and Cindi?” 

They walked over to me and John said, “what the hell are you talking about?”

“I spoke with Wendi’s Mother this morning and she said that neither Wendi or Cindi ever came home Friday night.  What happened to them?  What have ya’ll done?”

“Hold on Tanner. You’re way out of line here.  Randall, James, and John dropped them off at the Dairy Queen early yesterday morning.  You already know that.” Fred said.

“I don’t know that.  All I know is the three of them left with Wendi and Cindi around 5:00 a.m. Saturday morning after all five of you took turns raping them.  I do know that.  And, I know that you all had a powerful motive to get rid of them.”

“Tanner, settle down.  Go home and keep your mouth shut.  You better start thinking a little more clearly.  If your mouth starts spewing anything about this you are cooking your own goose.  Don’t forget you were at Club Eden with the rest of us, and you had sex with Wendi before any of the rest of us.  If you don’t want prison, or punishment for breaking your oath you best keep your mouth shut.  Now, get the hell out of my face.”  John said.

I drove back home knowing what John said was untrue.  Wendi and I did not have sex.  Even though I knew exactly what happened at Club Eden I knew I was poorly equipped to defend myself against lies that would spring forth from the Flaming Five and their powerful families.  My family was an outsider, not connected socially or economically with the entrenched families of my so-called friends.

I hardly left my bedroom until Tuesday morning.  At breakfast, my Mother asked me why I was so depressed.  I told her that since High School was over I felt like I was out on the ocean on a piece of driftwood, being tossed about, without any direction or hope of ever reaching shore.  She said that was not true.  She reminded me that I was headed to Snead State Junior College in the Fall.  She encouraged me to get out and find a summer job.  After I finished breakfast I helped her clear off the table.  She said, “read the paper and you will realize how fortunate you are.”  I picked up the Sand Mountain Reporter and read the front-page headline: “Car of Missing Girls Found.” 

I read the article and learned that a county deputy had found a blue Plymouth Valiant registered to a Bill Murray of Douglas.  He had identified the car as his and the one his two daughters were driving Friday night when they left home and headed to Boaz to hang out with some friends.  The car was found abandoned in the woods off Little Cove Road south of Boaz.  There was no sign of the missing girls.

I had just brought the newspaper back to my room when Mother came in looking like she had seen a ghost.  “The sheriff is here asking to speak with you.”  I had no time to think or breathe for that matter.  I walked out the side porch to see two of the biggest cops I had ever seen.

“You Micaden Tanner?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know Wendi and Cindi Murray of Douglas?”

“Yes.”

“How do you know them?”

“I met them a few weeks ago at the Dairy Queen in Boaz?”

“When is the last time you saw them?”

“That Saturday night, at the Dairy Queen.”

“And you’re sure you haven’t seen them since?”

“I’m sure.”

“Nellie Murray told us you called for Wendi last Sunday morning.”

“I did.  I wanted to ask her out on a date.  She gave me her phone number at the Dairy Queen.”

“Do you know that Wendi and Cindi are missing?”

“I just read about it in the Sand Mountain Reporter just before you got here.”

“Mr. Tanner, you better not be lying to us.  We will find out if you are.”

After they left I almost collapsed into the swing.  I hated myself.  For some surprising and strange reason, I thought about the Apostle Peter and how he had lied about knowing Jesus after he was arrested.  I leaned back and looked at the porch ceiling knowing that my brand of Christianity was virtually worthless when my own skin was over the fire.

For the rest of the summer, between daily trips to Boaz and Albertville looking for a summer job, and reading the Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday editions of the Sand Mountain Reporter, I stayed in my bedroom trying to figure out what would happen to me when the cops found Wendi and Cindi.  Deep in my heart I knew that they were dead and that was all because of what the Flaming Five had done.  Every day I contemplated running away but something kept me home and believing that surely truth and justice were still alive.  

The Boaz Scorekeeper, written in 2017, is my second novel. I'll post it, a chapter a day, over the next few weeks.

Nearly every month since late Fall of our Junior year, the Flaming Five and I had camped at Club Eden.  The Five had brought countless girls to the Club, at least half of which I didn’t know.  Others, I did know, including every varsity cheerleader except Mandy Clements and Tracie Simmons.

I became a full member during the summer of 1971.  There had been two requirements, both required me to swear on the Bible.  I’m not sure what caused me the most trouble and hesitation, the swearing or the fear of the promised punishment if I broke my oath.  Every one of the Flaming Five had promised me that my life would be over within a few days of breaking the trust.  They didn’t say they would kill me but I took it as much.  The swearing was almost an identical issue.  I had been taught in church that I should never swear, but I also knew that a witness in a court case had to swear on the Bible to tell the truth.  After countless hours contemplating what I should do, and dealing with the pressure to belong to Club Eden and likewise to be friends with the most popular guys in school, I finally took the oath on a hot July 4th morning.  I swore that I would never disclose the location or what went on at Club Eden.

Not that I was ashamed of what I did.  At no time did I ever take advantage of a girl.  I never forced a girl to have sex with me.  In fact, I never had sex with a girl at the Club or anywhere else, including our High School graduation party that began during the late hours of May 25, 1972.

That night we strayed a little from our routine.  As usual, John, Fred, and I arrived first with the beer, food, and gear and started setting up to cook burgers or steaks.  Then, Wade showed up in his blue Blazer along with four Boaz High cheerleaders.  Behind Wade was Randall and James in his van.  A nearly new GMC Vandura that his father had customized for him. I think it was James who had the ‘Honey Wagon’ sign painted on both sides.  Two girls I didn’t know got out of the back of the van when Randall opened the door.  They all walked over and Wade introduced them as Cindi and Wendi.  We all pitched in and grilled a cooler full of rib-eye steaks to celebrate the occasion.  After we finished supper we all sat around the fire drinking beer and listening to music. 

Around 11:00 p.m. I got up and walked down to the creek and followed a path up stream to our make-shift outhouse to relieve myself.  When I came out Wendi was sitting on a rock by the creek with her feet in the water.  She saw me and called for me to come sit with her.  I did and we talked for at least an hour.  As we walked back to the fire pit she reached out and held my hand.  I had never had a date in my whole life.  My spine started to tingle.  I thought about trying to kiss her but I didn’t.

By the time we returned to the fire-pit the tent had no vacancies. Back and forth visits went on for the next five or six hours.  Cindi and the four Boaz Cheerleaders were a perfect match for the Flaming Five even though I suspect there was a lot of swapping going on.  Neither Wade, James, Randall, Fred, or John approached Wendi.  She sat beside me at the fire pit the rest of the night.  We roasted marsh mellows and talked about our likes and dislikes. 

Wendi was from Douglas.  She and Cindi were twin sisters and both cheerleaders for the Douglas Eagles.  She didn’t say exactly how the two of them wound up meeting James, Randall, and Wade at the Dairy Queen.  She said she got spooked and almost backed out when James told them they had to wear a black hood during their ride to the Club.  She said she was glad she didn’t back out, but only because she had met me. 

Wendi and I truly connected during the few hours we had together.  Her and Cindi’s father was a preacher but Cindi hadn’t fully bought into his Christian faith.  I shared with Wendi about my church life and when I was saved, but I also shared with her my underlying doubts.  I explained to her that every time I really got to thinking about how unbelievable a lot of the Bible stories really were, my doubts grew.  I told her that I had never expressed my doubts to anyone except my Grandfather but all he would say is, “Micaden, you can’t think, you have to believe.” 

I told Wendi the only thing I had ever heard my Dad say about his beliefs happened last December at the family’s big Christmas dinner.  My Dad and his cousin had gotten into an argument over the Adam and Eve story from Genesis and Dad said, “you are wrong Cleland; the theory of evolution destroys Adam and Eve and the whole of Christianity.”  My Grandmother gave my Dad a stern but quieting look and quickly changed the subject.  Wendi said that my father was “simply wrong.” 

It was weird that Wendi and I never fooled around even though there was temptation all around, especially from all the sounds coming from the big tent.  Even more weird was that we continued to talk about the Bible. We talked openly for several hours about Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, the parting of the Red Sea, a talking donkey, and on and on.  We also talked about how we liked each other and wanted to continue our conversation.  Wendi wasn’t as shy as me.  She asked me to take her to see The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly with Clint Eastwood that was playing at the Martin Theater in Albertville.  I easily agreed and we exchanged phone numbers.  At the time, I didn’t know what true love was but looking back I’m sure the first time I held Wendi’s hand something mysteriously special took place.  But, unfortunately, the unknown would remain.

Around 2:00 a.m. the cheerleaders said they had to go. Reluctantly, Randall, John, and James left in his van.  Against routine, Wade stayed with Fred and me as John seemed eager to leave.  About 45 minutes later James’ van reappeared.  I was surprised that Wendi and Cindi were still with them.  Randall looked at me and said, “they wanted to come back with us and stay the night.”

We all sat down again around the fire pit with Wendi sitting between Wade and me.  In just a few minutes John got up and grabbed Cindi’s hand and led her to the tent.  Fred tried the same thing with Wendi but she refused to go.  He got mad and tried forcing her to stand up.  I got up and told Fred to leave her alone.  Before I knew it, I was on the ground from a left fist Randall had thrown my way.  I managed to stand, but Fred was already half way to the tent tugging Wendi along behind him.  I tried to go after her but Randall, all six feet eight inches of him, along with James and John, stopped me.  I shouted, “are ya’ll crazy?  Wendi said she didn’t want to go.  Sex against her will is rape you idiots.”  Randall looked down at me with a smirk on his face, “Get over it.  Why do you think these two girls wanted to come back here?  Wendi complained that all you wanted to do all night was talk.  She’s ready to party.”

I was powerless to help Wendi.  I heard her screaming “no, no, no,” from inside the tent.  In a few minutes James left the fire pit and went to the tent and John came out.  I heard more screaming, from Wendi I think.  For the next hour or more the Flaming Five took turns with Wendi and Cindi.  When three of them were not busy in the tent they were guarding me.

Not long before the first signs of daylight Wade and Fred made me walk with them to the outhouse.  At first, I didn’t have a clue why they were doing this but I did imagine that they were probably going to kill me.  When we returned to the fire pit no one was there and the tent stood silent.  Randall, John, and James, once again, had left in his van with Cindi and Wendi.

The three of us sat by the fire.  I told them they knew what they had done was wrong, and that they were in big trouble with the law.  They each assured me that they had everything under control if I kept my mouth shut.  I told them I would not lie for them.  They reminded me that I had taken an oath to never disclose what went on at Club Eden.  I told them I never would have made the oath if I had any inkling that the five of them were rapists.

When Randall, James, and John returned, Wade asked if everything went okay.  John responded, “Wendi and Cindi are safe at home.”  I told them that I needed to go home myself.  They refused saying that we all needed to get some sleep.  Randall and James made me bed down in the cabin while the other three slept in sleeping bags out by the fire.  I later realized that I was made to stay inside where I could be better guarded.

Around 11:00 a.m. Wade and Fred cooked us a quick breakfast while the other three were packing.  By 12:00 noon we were finished.  I rode away from Camp Eden with John and Fred.  It was over twenty years before I returned.