Lord of the Harvest

“When was the last time you saw her?”

“I don’t know. We came in over three hours ago...”

Sarah’s voice trailed off as she tried to remember if Stormy had ever come in the house from the mudroom since hanging out the laundry. The shadows were getting longer by the minute, and the wind continued to pick up even as any warmth this day in early June might have had was long gone, giving way to a cool evening.

“Oh, Cade, she’s got on shorts and a t-shirt,” Sarah said loudly. “The temperature is really dropping, and there’s a wind storm coming up.”

Already the two found it hard to hear each other with the wind singing in the corn. Always before they had both loved to hear the song, and it had become a game in the last few weeks to put words with the music to make Stormy laugh. Tonight the wind had become the enemy. Both parents wondered if the music had drawn the little girl into the grain in the first place.

Cade’s mind was racing out of control in search of the best options to find Stormy quickly before dark.

“Call Mom ‘n Dad, Sarah. Have ‘em start from their house. Then call the Harrisons’ place, and even Bill Landers. He’s not our favorite person but we need him, Honey. Have him come up the road real slow from his house, and if she’s still on it or in the side ditches, he’ll have t’ see her...oh, and have him stop and check the tail-water pits at the turn. There’s no standin’ water now, but the bottoms are low enough that he’ll miss her from the truck unless he takes a look.”

Cade could sense that Sarah had not moved and as he turned to see why he found her on her knees praying, right in the front yard. There was no hysteria on her face though he could not hear her prayer. In fact, in the last few minutes Sarah had become much more composed than he, and once again he saw her strength.

“Sarah, come on,” he said in a whisper. “You can pray, just pray walkin’, okay?” She stood and without a word or a look headed quickly into the house.

The call to Cade’s parents was going to be hard. Neither Sarah nor Cade had blamed the other partner for allowing this to happen. Neither had been all that interested in watching over Stormy as there had been much more important matters to think about. Now, feeling the rush of emotion in telling the child’s grandparents that Stormy was lost, Sarah could not even recall what she had been thinking about. This was reality, and Stormy was all that mattered. Any guilt or blame would just have to wait.

“Maggie, we need you...now! Stormy has wandered off, and the only place left she could be is in the corn...no we’re not sure which direction or...even for how long. It’s a long story, Mom, okay?” Sarah felt tears, “maybe later. Is Virgil there? We need you to come toward us...right through the fields, Mom...yes, call them. Oh, and Maggie, would you call the pastor, too? Come!”

“Hello, is this Billy or Bobby? Is your mom or dad there? Let me talk to her, please. This is Sarah Hanson.” There were a few seconds of silence. “Jodi…” Sarah’s throat caught. “Jodi, Stormy’s lost. We think she’s in the corn. Yes, please, and can you bring both your boys? Thanks. Okay. You can have them start there, but would you come here and...”

Jodi didn’t need any more explanation.

“I’m on the way, Sarah. Hang on!”

“Hello, Mr. Landers?”

Sarah remembered how much she detested this man. He had eyed her, pawed her, and yet she had never had the courage to tell Cade the whole story for fear of what her husband might have done. Now she needed Landers, and the past just didn’t seem all that important.

“This is Sarah Hanson, Mr. Landers, Cade’s wife. We need your help.” She could hear the TV in the background and knew he was there, but he said nothing. “Please, Mr. Landers, our little girl, Stormy, has wandered off and…”

“What do ya want me t’ do?” Bill Landers butted in.

“Well, Cade thinks if she has stayed on or near the road she will be coming right at your farm and…”

Click.

The phone went dead and at first Sarah didn’t even know what had happened, then she remembered she had not told Landers to check the tail-water pits. She dialed again, but this time there was no answer. Had he already left, or was he just not going to help? Could he just sit there and let this happen?

Sarah ran to the porch, and Cade was already in the corn several hundred yards out in Stormy’s Field. It was a smaller sized crop circle, but growing well and shoulder high. She yelled to him, but with the wind and the noise from the corn, Cade did not even acknowledge her. He was screaming as well – Sarah could tell by the way he had his hands cupped around his mouth – but even though he was mostly facing her, she could not hear Cade’s voice at all. That meant, oh, Dear God, Stormy could not hear him either at this distance.

Unless they were right on top of her, the searchers would never hear the child’s cries.