uick, Radnor!" Garson whispered as he grabbed Radnor by the hand. "We have to hide!" 

     "Is it Father?" Radnor worried as they ran through the garden. 

     "He's in one of his moods again," Garson replied in a heavy breath. 

     They had run all the way from the house as quickly as they could to reach a pile of debris at the back of the yard. They heard Molly scream as something crashed inside the house. 

     "Mother!" worried Radnor. "We have to help her!" 

     "This is all we can do," Garson told him. "She told us before, remember? If we're there, he'll be angrier and hurt her more and us. If we're out of there, she won't have to worry about protecting us." 

     "But Garson, he's only angry with you right now," Radnor reasoned. "He's angry because Father O'Brien hasn't pulled that devil from your eye. No matter how many times he comes to pray and throw holy water on you, it's still there. Father becomes angrier and angrier every time Father O'Brien leaves. 

     Maybe if you go back inside, Mother can get out. You can save her." 

     Garson stared at his brother in disbelief and heartbreak. 

     "Do you know what you're saying, brother?" he asked in a painfilled voice. "He wants to kill me. That's why he's angry. Father O'Brien said if he hurts me, he'll be excommunicated and he'll go to hell. If I go back in there, he won't care about all that. He'll kill me." 

     "If you don't, he'll kill Mother," Radnor cried. "I don't want him killing either of you, but we have to do something." 

     They stopped and stared at the house as everything grew silent. 

     "Garson," Radnor whispered. "Is she dead?" 

     "Shhh..." Garson silenced him as he tried to hear what was happening. 

     They heard male voices and then saw Charles and their neighbor leaving together. They huddled closer to the ground into the shadows and watched their father shove the other man away. 

     The sound of the door opening again drew their attention, and they looked to see Aida standing outside looking around. 

     "Come inside, lads," she called out. "He won't be returnin' tonight." 

     Garson and Radnor quickly stood and ran into the house. Before Garson could get too far in, Aida stopped him. 

     "This is yer doin'," she told him angrily. 

     He tried to pull away, but she gripped his arm tightly. 

     "Fer ten years, yer mother has suffered that man's hatred of you, and fer what?" she sneered. "Yer nothin' but a little coward hidin' in the woodpile while his poor mother gets beat for his sins." 

     "That's enough, Aida!" Molly called out from the kitchen. 

     They turned and saw her struggle to stand from the floor. Garson shoved Aida away and ran with Radnor to help her. 

     "Don't you ever say such things to my son again, do you hear me?" Molly demanded through clenched teeth. 

     The two boys helped her sit at the table, and Garson hurried to get her water and a cloth to wash the blood from her face. 

     "Molly, this only happens when you and that priest defend that boy to him," Aida argued. "How much longer will this go on until he kills ye?" 

     "Aida, you know he was always like this," Molly told her. She took the wet cloth from Garson and winced as she touched it to her split lip. "How you can stand there and blame Garson for any of it is absurd and cruel. 

     All of you knew Charles hurt me when he was having one of his spells. Neither of these boys were born yet. You never intervened back then. Do you do it now because you think Charles is right about Garson? Do you only care now because you think the devil is at work?" 

     Aida swallowed a few times and watched Radnor and Garson lift the cupboard and clean up the broken dishes. She glared at Garson and shook her head. 

     "It isn't normal, Molly, and ye know it," she argued. "The whole town knows it, just like we all know that priest is lyin’ about this exorcism scheme. He's helpin’ ye keep that boy alive. A priest that doesn't believe in demonic possession has no right at the pulpit, and once the bishop hears about this, the Church will send another. Don't think ye'll save this demon boy when a true man of God comes." 

     Molly stood and walked slowly but deliberately toward Aida, causing the woman to take several steps back.  

     "If you ever threaten my son again, either of them, I'll show you worse than Charles has ever done to me," she warned. 

     Her voice was deep and shook with an obvious attempt at remaining calm. It wasn't the quiet tone of pleading but a calm before the storm that would befall anyone who hurt her boys. 

     "Get out of my home and don't you dare ever come here again," Molly told her. 

     Aida's breathing was fast and she stared at Molly with wide, frightened eyes. Never having seen that side of the woman she had called friend for years, she only nodded before running out. 

     Molly went to her sons and held them close. 

     "Mother, I'm sorry," cried Garson as he held her. "It's all my fault, and I didn't even help you." 

     "The only blame lies with that wicked man," she told him. "He was no better before either of you were born, so don't listen to those hateful words. Protecting me isn't your responsibility, Gar, do you understand?" 

     He looked up as she lifted his chin and shook his head. "No, Mother, protecting you should be my responsibility as your son and as a man. Even if Father was terrible before I was born, what he did today was because of me. I won't be a coward again, Mother. I swear it." 

     "Neither will I, Mother," Radnor said with his head resting against her side. 

     Molly sighed and shook her head as she held them. "You boys shouldn't have to be so strong and brave. I wish I could take you away from here. Someday ... someday, I will." 

     "Where would we go?" wondered Radnor. 

     She led them to the table so she could sit. She was in pain from being thrown around and kicked, but she wouldn't let them know. 

     "We can get a cottage in a forest somewhere and make a life of our own," Radnor continued. 

     "The Black Forest," Garson said as he sat down with them. "No one ever wants to go in there. Father and the Church will never find us." 

     "No one wants to go in there because it's haunted and has demons and ghosts," Radnor argued. 

     "It's okay," Garson said with a mischievous grin creeping across his lips. "I'll show them my evil eye and they'll make me their king! Mother will be their queen and you can be a king, too. We'll rule the whole Black Forest." 

     Molly laughed softly as she listened to them make plans. They hadn't wondered what would happen when their father returned. Aida's husband talked him into leaving with him for an early morning hunt, and they would need all night to prepare. She never knew what mood he would return in, and after what happened that night, she was certain it wouldn't be good.