Oh Lord, Oh Lord, what have I done?
I've fallen in love with a man on the run...
Oh Lord, Oh Lord, I'm begging you please-
Don't take that sinner from me.
- The Devil's Backbone

"Cap Hatfield..." I muttered as I saw him standing by the courthouse, watching as he tried leaning his left arm on his holstered gun with his rifle over his shoulder being held by his right hand. His dad grabbed the rifle and shook his head, laughing at his son./em emI watched his father, Devil Anderson Hatfield, put the rifle in their wagon and help his son up into the cart. "C'mon, son..." He said quietly, Cap sent a side-ways glance around the gravel roads and glanced towards me. He did it again as his father began to get the horses leading the wagon to move to a different spot on the road. I was about to smile when my mother, Mary Mitchell, grabbed my arm and tugged my back into the store I had wandered out of.

I'd like to say that I have a few siblings. My father is John Robert Mitchell, my mother is Mary Alice Mitchell. My eldest brother is Joseph James Mitchell, I call him J.J. My second eldest brother is Thomas Buchanan Mitchell. Many call him Tom or Bucky, mainly Bucky. Then comes his twin, Roy Charles Mitchell, my third eldest brother. Then comes my sister Alice Ruth Mitchell, named after our mother who is named after our grandmother. Then comes me, Anna Rose Mitchell, then my younger sister; Florence Marie Mitchell. Finally my two youngest twin brothers, Samuel James and David Charles Mitchell. We call them Sam and David. In case you lost track, that's J.J, Bucky, Roy, Alice, Anna (me), Florence then Sam and David.

That's a total of eight children all together. We're a very close family, and we have been living in Pike County, Kentucky for most of our lives. We use to live in Mingo County, West Virginia... But my father began to work for people here. I watched Sam and David walk around, their nine year old selves energetic as my mother tried to herd them. My father was pointing to two barrels and was leaning on the counter, obviously making a deal. I went to the small jars of candy that my sister was looking at. "I'm going to ask if I can get some gum!" Alice told me, giggling as she ran to our mother. I watched our mother shoo her away as Alice clung to her skirt.

Florence was looking at the books, running her fingers along the leather spines she smiled to herself. J.J was busy talking to a girl about his age, she was smiling and laughing at whatever he was saying. She ran her fingers down his arm and I rolled my eyes, picking up my skirt carefully as I saw Bucky and Roy messing with the small wooden horses like they normally did. They didn't bother with the attention of girls even though they were of the age of beginning to look for a wife. J.J always had the attention, he was like Johnse Hatfield with woman. Johnse and Him are good friends.

"Mama?" I asked as I stood beside her, she glanced down at me as she placed a small bag of flour and some spices inside her basket she carries. "Anna, I'm busy."

"I know, mama." I replied before speaking again. "May I go outside? That's why I was out earlier, the air is slightly stuffy." She sighed before nodding. "Take Bucky and Roy with you."

"Yes, mama." I said, nodding as I went to Bucky and Roy. "We're goin' outside..." I told them. They both groaned and walked with me. "I reckon the air out here is better..." Roy muttered, Bucky shrugging as he said that.

"'Ey, 'ey, Anna, do ya reckon that Ellie May would take a walk 'round the river with me?" Bucky asked me suddenly, walking towards me as the three of us walked around the buildings. Bucky and Roy had their hands in their pockets as I had mine folded in front of my skirt. "I s'ppose..." I spoke softly, glancing up towards him. "Why do ya ask?"

"Pa says I need to start lookin' for a wife... Might as well marry 'er." Bucky replied, spitting onto the ground beside him. I laughed lightly, shaking my head. "You aren't even close to Ellie May." I told him, staring up at him. He was only fifteen and already six foot. "No, but you is..."

"Are..." I muttered. "I am close to her, you say you are." I corrected him, even though he wasn't listening. "Huh?" He asked, distracted by something Roy was doing before glancing back down to me.

"Children!" We heard our mother call, waving us over. We ran, obviously not hearing the wagon coming towards us. Roy and Bucky darted across the road to our parents, faster than I was. I tripped over my dress as the rumbling from the wagon got louder. I was suddenly tackled backwards and fell onto the ground with an "oof" as the wagon blew past. "Watch it!" The driver screamed at me. I grumbled as I sat up, Cap Hatfield sitting next to me. "Oh, uh..." I began as he stood, helping me up.

"Might wanna run a lil' faster..." He laughed, as I stood up, his warm hand holding mine. He let go as I reluctantly dropped my hand. "Thanks." I replied, dusting off my skirt. He glanced to his father and sighed, walking with me across the small stretch of road. I boosted myself into our wagon as Cap watched me. "I'm-" Before he could introduce himself, his father beckoned him over.

"I gotta go." He told me, walking backwards to his wagon. "G'bye." He waved, turning around to run and jump into his family's wagon. "Yah!" My father shouted, the horses galloping off as the wagon shook from side to side. I watched his wagon go to, over into West Virginia as we made our way into the deep country of Kentucky.