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Chapter 4 Anya l The days were getting longer, but the sun was still quickly approaching the horizon as Eli and Jim headed for the Harris’s house. Eli felt as though he was going to an execution - his own. As they approached town, the air was full of circling seagulls hoping to get a free meal where the fishermen were cleaning their ships from the day’s work. The evening air was filled with the cries of the birds fighting over every piece they could find, and the squawk of those left out of the fray. The sounds of the last of the freight loading onto the cargo ships were slowing as many of the men headed to the pool hall for the evening. A few late ships that had struggled to find a good day’s catch were straggling into port, blasting their horns - bragging their arrival. As Eli and Jim entered town, with Eli dressed in his churchgoing clothes, people stared and pointed. Eli had hoped time would have worn off some of the ripeness of the news, but if it had, he couldn’t tell. Jim walked briskly beside him, cane in hand, dressed in his Levi jeans and a flannel shirt. Jim didn’t get much more dressed up than that for any occasion. Sometimes his old wooden cane was the dressiest part of his outfit. Jim had found a beautiful piece of wood with many decorative branches and a curve that was natural for a cane. He had trimmed off the branches and whittled faces into it, much like a portable totem pole. He didn’t use his cane much for walking. He 37