Magic Valley Murders

Instead of a worker, Mark was surprised to find David coming toward him with an animal like angry grimace and a large knife in his hand in a stabbing grip. David raised the knife above his head and rushed forward growling like a dog. Mark stepped forward, grabbed David's forearm with both hands and slammed it against the trailer side as their bodies slammed into each other. The knife flew out spinning end over end in the air. By chance it stuck in the ground about two yards away the Eagle's head pointed up at the sky. They each staggered back a step. David with two fingers pointing forward attempted to stab Mark's eyes. Mark ducked his head forward as he punched David in the ribs. The two fingers grazed Mark's cheeks, the fingernails drawing blood. They both staggered back again a couple of steps. David reached for his pistol seeing this Mark turned and ran. Right-handed David made the mistake of shooting left-handed for Mark's head instead of his body. Mark felt the wind from a bullet whizzing by his ear just before he ducked around the corner of the front of the trailer. He stepped up on the trailer tongue and climbed up over the top throwing himself down on the cotton. He had earlier thrown the cotton scales up on top of the trailer and Mark's left wrist hit it painfully. He rolled over on his back and examined his wrist. Luckily it was bruised but not broken. With Mark on top of the trailer and David below beside it, now a siege began. Pistol pointed forward and finger on the trigger, David walked around the trailer looking in all directions as he went, searching for Mark. He realized then that Mark must be on top of the cotton in the trailer. He was standing at the side of the trailer that faced the cotton field. He decided he would climb up the trailer side and shoot Mark. The cotton was very warm from the sun shining on it during the day, and Mark was sweating. He did not dare to sit up or stand up fearing making himself into a visible target. The cotton scale was a balance about a yard long and made of carbon steel. He gripped it near the narrow end and lifted it up, a few inches above the cotton. He swung it side to side feeling its weight. It was heavy but he could handle it like a club. He had a weapon! He twisted around trying to look in all directions. He had no way to tell from which direction David would come at him. Mark heard a creaking sound on one trailer side. He looked in that direction and saw David's head and shoulders rise above the top wood board. As David gripped the top board with his left hand and raised his pistol with his right, Mark swung the scale overhead bringing it down. It struck David on the right shoulder and bounced sideways knocking the gun out of David's hand. The gun flew up in the air and away from the trailer. David fell backwards and landed hard flat on his back on the footsteps packed ground below, his head between the cotton plants on the ends of two rows. Mark peeked over the edge and saw David get up and look for his pistol. He lay back and thought. David would find the pistol and attack again from a different direction. He might get a shot off and that would be deadly. Mark began digging a long foxhole in the cotton. He made it 12 inches deep, 2½ to 3 feet wide and 6 feet long. He lay in it but kept his grip on the cotton scale. He resumed looking around expecting David to appear again.