Jayrod could hear the bell his teacher, Mrs. Snitch,
wielded with great enthusiasm off in the distance. He was stuck to the earth
unable to make a decision. In front of him was a deep gully full of honeysuckle
and briars. On the other side stood the class bullies led by Horace Plunk and
his cronies, Bobby Greenhall and Tony Farse.
The vine swung near Jayrod’s head as Horace taunted
him with insults. The other two took turns clucking like chickens and calling
him scared. In the distance, the bell rang again like Mrs. Snitch was trying to
shake off a bee that had landed on her thick wrist.
It was now or never as Jayrod grabbed the vine,
closed his eyes, and let it drive him to the other side. Just as he left the
earth, it occurred to him that once he got to the other side, Horace was just
going to push him back instead of allowing him to make a safe landing.
No need to worry. Jayrod did not have the momentum
to make it. He could feel the rough vine slowing and he opened his eyes in
panic. He had a quarter to go when the vine began to tilt back and head in the
opposite direction.
“Like a pendulum he swung, back and forth, to and
fro, until his hands slipped and he spiraled downward. Briars ripped the flesh
of his bare legs and arms as he plummeted ten feet to the bottom of the ravine.”
“‘Jayrod broke the vine!’ Horace laughed. ‘Big fat
Jayrod!’”
“The Night Train” by Carl Purdon is the story of Jayrod
Nash, a nine-year-old growing up in a small town in Mississippi with a mousy
mother and an alcoholic father. The title refers to his possible salvation, a train
that can take him to a better place, a better life, and safety.
Purdon lives in Pontotoc, Mississippi, with his wife
and two of their four children. In February of 2012, he released this debut
novel, “The Night Train.” His fourth novel, “Red Eyes,” a sequel to “The Night
Train,” is scheduled for release on March 23, 2015. His writing style has been described
as a mixture of Mark Twain and Merle Haggard.
Carl Purdon is one of the many authors and
publishers appearing at the second annual Author Rodeo Roundup on March 28 from
2:00 – 4:00p.m. at the RC Pugh library in Senatobia.
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