Killing Cynthia Ann

7 House of No Escape

• House of No Escape "I'll swear," Isaac muttered on the porch stoop. "I'll sweat" They no longer let She-Mourns out of sight of some family member except when they locked her in at night. The words registered in She-Mourns' mind, her brain understanding the English words without noting them or the meaning. "Something different has got to be done," Isaac added. "Well, we just have to talk with her," countered Bess. Isaac went into the house and came back, carrying a tray with coffee and cups. Listlessly, She-Mourns accepted the cup of coffee Isaac offered and poured in two spoons full of sugar. "We recognize that you are unhappy here with us, Cynthia Ann. That makes us very sorry." He paused, looking out across the meadow. The buds on the trees were still dormant. "We don't understand why you would want to go back to those-to that-" He was at a loss for words, but She-Mourns understood his intention. "Son mi familia," she said simply. "Mi esposo y mis hijos." Then she repeated it in English: "my husband and my sons." "Yeah," he said, hesitating. "Well-" he searched for the right words-"we want to make a deal with you. You've exhausted us 76 with all your sadness. We're all tired; we're at our wit's end. We've talked this over, and we're ready to make a bargain.~ She-Mourns did not understand the word. "Bargain. Dea\. It's sOrt of like a treaty You work harder at trying to fit in, you try to learn English ag