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HOWARD
- The University Press of Kentucky
- Chapter
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HOWARD: I could see the maps on the ceiling start to curl. But then something blew up like God Almighty and I was running and it was Lawanda, Lawanda burning, which couldn't be, and I jerked off my coat and she was already on the ground, rolling. I threw it over her, her hair. I beat on her, lay on her, smothered the fire out. Then I had to drag her away from the flame that was coming. Her face was black, her eyes still as the moon. I carried her down the hill, Nancy Catherine screaming all the way. She took us to the hospital. Lawanda's so big, it was hard to put her in the car. I couldn't get in the backseat with her. Nancy Catherine said she was breathing okay, to stop moaning, and I said would she take me to jail after the hospital. She said I was burned, too, we all were, and I started this crazy crying. "Listen for your daughter!" she said. "Shut up and listen!" 171 ...