This is a historical fiction novel. I do not intend to insult or offend anyone. I have a story to tell and that is all I am doing. The events in the following chapters have been created from my imagination. I have used histoical events to tell the story and have included prominent historical personalities. I have used places that are real and fictional to tell this story. If something is ofenceive I make no apoplogies, and I make no excuses. This is fiction, and my story to tell, thus I will tell it to the best of my ability and the only way I know how.
Chapter 2
That day you left after Birmingham, I was so afraid for you, I was so scared, but you feared nothing. You knew what you had to do, and you demanded it done. I watched your car vanish into the night. The fear in my heart told me to follow you, I know no why but I had to keep you safe. I also knew that I could bring worse down on your head. I still regret that I didn’t follow you, I think if only, but what would have happened had I been there with you? Would you have died, would I have died, would we both have lived? I cannot know, nor will I ever know…
Kate drives out of town; she turns on the radio, the newest hit by Paul and Paula. Singing along she drives out of town to her parent’s house just off route 9. Expecting the car behind her to continue she turns on to her road as ‘Don’t Worry’ by Marty Robbins starts to play on the radio. Kate listens as the lyrics play on, ‘Don’t worry ’bout me, it’s all over now, Though I may be blue, I’ll manage somehow, Love can’t be explained, can’t be controlled, One day it’s warm, next day it’s cold.’ The music plays on. Kate goes to turn onto the road that leads past the Sanderson Plantation when her car is slammed into from the back passenger side. The Oldsmobile spins, Kate hits her head on the wheel as the car plunges into the ditch and collides with a grove of trees. Kate dazed by the cars sudden movements opens her eyes to see three people around her car. One person wrenches her car door open and drags her from the wreck. Another stands before her in a white hooded robe. Impossible, she thinks. Knowing how the world was very cruel and how people were and are ignorant, Kate tries to look up. She meets his eyes and her heart stops. She knows those eyes. A new kind of fear takes over her. Not those eyes, the third hooded man speaks, “You will stop.” He says grabbing her hair and pulling her head back to a near impossible angle. “You will stop, or you will die.” He says, “Do you understand?”
Kate was silent, the voice going into her, the knowledge of the voice sinking in. She would not give into intimidation; she would say nothing, in hopes that Mrs. Sanderson heard her wreck the car. She met the eyes of the one speaking. “Do you understand?” He hollers at her throwing her into her car. The first man pulls something from his cloak. Kate covered her head as he waves to someone on the road.
“You cannot stop change.” She says over the sound of tires on the gravel, “They will never stop!” she hollers as the second man grabs her and hoists her to her feet, “Kill me! Even then you will not stop the change, you will only help it.” She says as the third man takes a gun and shoots the car tires then turns it on her. “You will end it.”
“I will not.” Kate says in defiance of the vicious men that were now dragging her to their truck. “They will not stop!” she hollers as the men throw her against the truck. One brings the gun down on her head. She sinks to her knees.
“This is not a warning, this is a demand,” one of them says from behind her, “You will comply, and you will obey.” One of the men says as he pulls her behind the truck, the other two following. We will make you understand,” he says and throws her against the truck again she gasps as her arm twists, “It is our will that you comply, we will not take no for an answer.” He says and they turn her around and force her to the ground. “It is the will of god that you comply with our demands. It is the will of the people that you stop intermixing with them. This is your only chance.” He says and pulls at her cloths. Kate looks at the man who’s eyes she knows, they glair at her with hate. She struggles against them. One lets go of her leg, she brings it up and connects her knee with him between his legs. He releases her and falls back. Kate takes her fist and punches the second man; she is free. Scrambling to her feet, she tries to gather traction on the gravel; she falls and skitters across the dirt. Up on her feet again she takes off into the woods to vanish into the shadows behind the Sanderson’s Big House. Kate can still hear the radio in her car playing ‘Don’t Worry’. She runs. She runs until she cannot run any longer. Then she walks. It is a long four miles to Clanton, but Kate walks everyone of them holding her arm to herself. She makes her way through the shadowy streets and up to the Banks residence. She knocks on the door. Her head is throbbing, blood is running in her hair, and she can hardly stay awake. But she couldn’t go to the hospital. She couldn’t go anywhere she knew who they were, and that scared her.
Kate can hear Mike at the door with his shotgun, “Who’s there?” he asks and she hears the gun being loaded.
“Kate,” she says as loud as her hoarse voice can manage. “Mike, please let my in.” she adds leaning against the door frame. Mike opens the door, shot gun in hand.
“They were here weren’t they?” Kate asks as Mike helps her enter the house. “They drove me off…he’s one of them…” Kate says as Mike closes the door behind her. “They came here didn’t they.” She says in a faint voice that hints at defeat.
“Bethany,” Mike says, “Bethany, won’t you come in here.”
“Why so you can tell me those white pigs have come back to shoot at my house again.” She asks in a bout of anger as she enters the living room from the bedroom. “Oh Kate!” she says and rushes to her side. “What happened?”
“Kate don’t you worry about anything, we will take care of you.” Mike says as he leads her to the sofa. The Banks live in a wealthy part of town, yet it is still a racially segregated community, but that doesn’t stop the hate, Mike looks at Kate, tries to meet her eyes. “Kate, look at me,” Mike says and she does, “Can you tell me where your car is?”
“Off 122nd street, in a grove of trees, near the Sanderson place,” Kate says, “…he’s one of them.” She whispers as she stars into oblivion.
“What did they want?” Bethany asks.
“To make me scared, to get me to comply; they wanted me to stop associating with you.” She adds as Bethany cleans the scrapes with iodine, then looks at Kate’s bleeding head. “They demanded I stop protesting and stop causing problems or they would kill me…they…” speech was gone, the horror of who was behind those masks.
“Don’t you worry about any of that right now Katie dear, you just sit here and I’ll get you all fixed up.” Bethany says and embraces Kate in a hug. She looks at her husband with concern. “Kate, dear why didn’t you go home?” Bethany finally asks.
“He’s one of them,” Kate says, “He’s the one…the one who…he’s…”
“Who’s he?” Mike finally asks trying to get her to calm down while he looks at her wrist. Mike is a doctor that runs the Negro Citizens of Alabama Hospital. He and four other doctors ran the hospital. “Kate, look at me, keep your eyes open Kate. Now tell me if this hurts.” He says and checks her wrist for a break.
“No,” she says, “my father.” Kate finally says.
“What about him dear.” Bethany asks.
“It was my father…he…it…” she shakes her head in disbelief then regrets it for the pain that ran through her head.
“Kate, you need to talk to me. Tell me what you remember,” Mike says as he looks at Kate’s head to see that she would need a few stitches were her head had hit something. He didn’t know what.
“Is Ryan okay? Joe?” Kate asks taking his hand in hers.
Ryan and Joe enter from the back of the house, “They aren’t coming back tonight,” Joe says as he sees the scene before him, Ryan starts to move. “No Ryan, let them take care of her.” Ryan stops trying to walk forward and stands there. “Kate, are you okay?” He asks Kate trying hard to hide the panic in his voice. “Mamma, do we know what happed to her?”
“Clansmen,” Mike says as he puts pressure on her head wound. “That’s what I’ve gathered; it sounds like her father was one of them; seems to me that they tried to scare her into submission.” He adds then leads Kate to the master bedroom; he puts her to bed, and returns to the living room.
“So father, why her?” Ryan asks.
“I think it was her father trying to beat her into submission, steer her strait. Make her obey his will. She thinks he was one of the hooded men.” Mike says and goes to the kitchen to wash his hands. “I need to get my bag. I will need to take her to the hospital. She needs to be treated. I don’t think she has a concussion, but I need to stitch her head wound closed. She took quite a beating, but she’s still alive and I want to keep her that way.”
“Pa, you can’t be thinking about taking her to the hospital tonight. That just isn’t safe.” Joe says.
“I’m afraid I have to son. We can’t take her to a white hospital, her being with us, they will likely not admit her, and so she goes to ours.”
“But…” Ryan starts.
“Don’t but me, you need a hospital too. That may be a flesh wound but it still needs to be treated.” Mike says as he dries his hands. “Kate is fighting with us, and the white people of this community see her that way.” Mike says and threw his towel in the sink with disgust and anger. “The Klan are few, but many.” Mike adds walking to the front door. “Call Direce, tell her what has happened. Tell her to be vigilant. We are not safe, but we must stand up for ourselves.”
Moments later Kate appears by the door. “They followed me from your house. I didn’t think anything of it until I was heading past Sanderson’s place. They followed me nearly home. They knew I was working with you. They knew I was helping fight segregation. I can’t go back home, he’s one of them.” She says walking over to Ryan. He takes her into his arms.
“I’m sorry you had to endure that Kate.” Ryan says.
“I never understood them. I never thought…I didn’t want to…” Kate says, “I never thought they could be…I can’t say it.”
“Family,” Joe says as Kate let’s her tears fall on Ryan’s shoulder. “Come on let’s get you two to a hospital.”
“I can’t, I shouldn’t have come here.” Kate says, “I have put you in enough danger.”
“Kate,” Mike says taking her shoulders and turning her to face him. “Listen to me Kate.” He looks her in the eye and speaks, “Kate, you are not putting me in any danger. The danger that is out there has always been out there. The danger we face in this fight is something we must face. If anything we have put you in danger. For you have joined us, and you put yourself in the line of fire because you believe we are equal. They see that as a threat to their way of life, and they see you as a problem, you and every person like you. As a free thinker, a bold and determined youngster, you are a threat to them because you are color blind. That is the only reason they are targeting you. You will not be intimidated by men who hide from truth. They hide behind white robes because they cannot face the demoralizing and violent crimes they have done. They are afraid to release power, and they see you as someone who has willingly handed it over. To them, you are seen as equal to us, and that puts you on their lists. They will never stop Kate. I fear for you, but I also know you, and I praise that you will fight for the rights that have been taken from you, and from us. It is not your fault any of this happened Kate, do you hear me. You are bold and determined and they have a problem with that, they are the ones to blame not you.” Mike says and looks into Kate’s eyes, “Never you.” Mike adds as Ryan and Mike lead Kate out to the car. They pull out of the driveway and are off to the Negro Citizens of Alabama Hospital. Bethany and Joe stay behind. Bethany goes to bed while Joe takes the gun, sits by the door and stays up the night guarding the house.
April 8th 1963
Kate is released from the Negro Citizens of Alabama Hospital; Mike gives her a ride home. They drive past her car on the way out to her house. Mike looks at it as they pass the grove where it was wrecked the previous night. “Mike, stop here, and let me get my purse and keys.” Kate says, and Mike pulls over to the side of the road. Kate gets out; she is unsteady on her feet. “Mike, I never felt fear, really felt it until last night. I’ve never been so afraid, so…hated. I never knew what it was like. I knew what it felt like to be teased, and hit. I know what it is like to be beat, but I never knew what it was like to be treated like an animal. I didn’t know. They…they looked at me with malice in their eyes. Worse still—I know who they are. I want to fight Mike, but what is the point if they won’t change. I want to make a difference; I am willing to die for you.” She says, “I was willing to die last night. I wouldn’t obey them, it was not right; it was my duty as a human, as a citizen of this great nation…I had to stand firm…I had to…” Kate pauses as she gets her purse out of her car; she sees the words on the car, but wishes not to register them. Words so full of hate she cannot read them, she looks past them, past the pain, and pulls her purse out of the car. She gets her keys from the ignition and closes the door. “It is a grievous disappointment in my heart to know those I love are blinded by their hate. I don’t think he even realized I was his daughter.” Kate says as she walks back up to the car. Moments later Mrs. Sanderson comes walking out of her house.
“Kate my dear,” the old lady of 79 says as she walks to the road. “Is that you dear?” She asks.
“Yes Mrs. Sanderson it’s me.” Kate says.
“Who is that with you?” Mrs. Sanderson asks as she reaches them.
“Doctor Banks.” Kate says as she introduces them. “Doctor Banks this is Mrs. Sanderson.”
“Well it is good to meet you.” Mrs. Sanderson says and shakes Mike’s hand. “Were you in the car?” she asks them both. “I heard this most terrible ruckus, but I couldn’t do anything. I saw them dear, and oh I couldn’t do anything. I called the cops, but they never came. I do hope you are okay dear girl. If there is anything I can do just tell me. I saw the car this morning. I do wonder why your father didn’t come, him being so close. I thought he would have come. Wasn’t he expecting you home?”
“Well Mrs. Sanderson to answer all you questions. I was alone in the car, and I don’t hold it against you for not coming. I don’t know what you could have done. My father didn’t know I was coming home, and as to why the cops didn’t come, I fear that is an answer I cannot give.”
“Well, it is good to see you are safe. I didn’t know what them crazy capped men were doing, but a few of them did take off in an old Cadillac. I saw the red thing kickin’ up gravel an’ all. I saw someone runnin’ into my woods. I hope that was you gettin’ away from them hooded crazies. I was a wishin’ I were younger, just can’t run like I used to. They came a walkin’ this way, an’ I put out the light and locked them doors o’ mine. Wansn’ guna let no hateful crazies in my house. I’ve been a mite bit worried ‘bout you Miss Katie.”
“Thank you for that Mrs. Sanderson I was worried about you all last night too.” Kate says, “Did you happen to see where the truck went to after it left last night?”
“Let me think, they came up to…” she pauses, “’hen left and drove their’s car, no ‘hat was a truck, it headed out toward your folkses house.”
“Thank you Mrs. Sanderson, I am in debited to you. I, as you can see, will be fine.”
“I knows that truck Kate, and if’in I see it ‘bout again, I’lls just give you a call. I won’t let ‘hem get to you.”
“Thank you again Mrs. Sanderson.” Kate says and Mrs. Sanderson heads back to her house.
Once out of earshot Mike turns to Kate, “That was a strange conversation.”
Kate giggles under her breath, “Mrs. Sanderson lives on one of the oldest plantations in the south, and her grandfather went all the way up to Illinois just to fight for what he believed in with the Union, he joined the Illinois 3rd infantry. He was a daring man, and he fought gallantly for the Union. He died on his return to Alabama, leaving his wife with four sons and two daughters, as well as a plantation to run, her name was Alice, and she worked herself to death to save this place.” Kate says as she looks over to the beautiful house that sat just off the road. “Mrs. Sanderson, whose name is Sara, married Jebediah Sanderson, and his ancestors, had been her ancestors’ slaves. His family farmed part of the plantation for many years, Alice gave it to them after the war. Alice knew she couldn’t let the northern solders take her land so she gave it to them, her former slaves. They paid her through previously worked time, and gave her money for taxes. Of all the families in the south, they had it figured out. Sara fell in love with Jebediah, and he told her it wouldn’t work. She told him, and I quote her with this, ‘I am in love. Who cares where you come from, all that matters is where you’re going.’ She loved him and married him. They were married for 28 years before he was hung, wrongfully by the Klan in the late 20’s.” Kate says, “The state of Alabama never recognized their union. The house has remained in her name since her brother died in France in 1917. If anyone has reason not to fear you it is her. Jebediah and Sara had three children. They all live up north.” Kate says looking at the grand house, a one and a half story white Antebellum in the Federal Style. With a Greek Revival porch added around 1849. The Sanderson’s plantation house stood like a beautiful beacon of history, it far out cried the ruin of Magnolia Hill.
“She’s a brave woman, but the conversation is still strange. Does she ever leave?” Mike asks as they get in the car.
“I think she is too afraid to.” Kate says, “I mean from her point of view seeing them again would be like seeing the past all over again. It has been almost 40 years since she saw those hoods.”
“I can understand that, still, you and her have something in common. Do you think she would be against visitors?” Mike asks.
“I don’t think she would, but I can’t say anyone else wouldn’t have a problem. It appears as though the Klan is back in Alabama.”
“Breath Kate, they are just white men who think they can tell the world what to do.”
“True but what happens when you know who is behind the mask, then what. No one will stop them, and I can’t make them stop. I can only get away and try to survive until next time.”
“Who is it Kate, who did you see?” Mike asks as they approach her drive. “Kate,” he says and stops the car, “Who’s eyes did you see?”
Kate takes a breath, “Mine, and there is only one person with those eyes in my family other than me.” Kate says, “Please let me off here, I don’t want to start anything.”
“Kate please tell me,” Mike asks, “It is best you tell someone.”
“Mike if you don’t tell Ryan I will tell you.” Kate says, “But you have to promise.”
“Okay, I won’t tell anyone, now Kate who was behind the mask?”
“My Father,” Kate says and gets out of the car. “and my brother. Mike thank you for everything, and tell Ryan I love him. Tell him, I will never forget Birmingham.”
“But Kate if…” Mike says as Kate walks to her house slowly and fearfully. But with fear at her core, she walks strait to her house, never wavering, and not willing to back down.
Kate hears Mike’s car leave as she approached the front doors. Her house was once the “Big House” on what was once the grand plantation Magnolia Hill, or rather the Johnson Estates Plantations as the books call it. But to the Johnson family it has always been Magnolia Hill. The sweeping landscape blooming in Magnolia’s with the vast two and a half story manor house peaking the hill with eight Corinthian columns that support its porch and give Greek style to the second story veranda, its doors like great windows into a landmark of the past. Kate takes a breath, she loves this place, it is beautiful, just beyond the living room window she sees the only variety of color. To the west of the house sits a large rose garden, one she had planted as a child. To her it gave the hill side color, so the magnolia’s had company. In the summer when the magnolias bloom, the hill looks like one large budding Magnolia, the once white house at its peak, but now the house looks less than favorable. Kate wishes she had the money to bring it back to the grand mansion it was, but with her father farming the small bit of land himself, her mother working as a secretary in Clanton just to make ends meet. She knows that the place will never return to its former state of grand exquisiteness. The house in dire need of a paint job, doors need to be fixed, most have wood replacing glass, and that is just the outside. Kate breaths deeply, she knows why the name is Magnolia Hill, but to her, the flowers are wilted and dead and look no more glorious than the dilapidated house. To her, the hill is a sorrowful sight, she knows who lives there and she swears to herself while she stands before the grand doorway, she swears to herself she will not let that evil consume her. So with that sworn oath she opens the door and enters home, now the enemy’s domain.
“Kate!” her father shouts from the parlor. Kate stops about to close the door. “Where have you been?” he asks entering the foyer looking all of his 49 years. “Do you know how worried you had your mother and me?”
“Sorry father, I was out of town, I had an interview for a job, and had problems getting back home. Not to mention I crashed my car, so I went to the hospital. I didn’t want to alarm you all, so I hitched a ride home, with a friend.”
Henry, her father, looks at her with anger and something else that Kate can’t name. Caroline, Kate’s mother walks in from the kitchen moments later. “Dear Katie! Oh Katie, where have you been,” Caroline asks as she enters the foyer. “I have been worried sick about you. When your school called and said you were not there, and that after you didn’t come home on the 2nd, oh you had me so worried.”
“Sorry momma, some girls took me out for my birthday, and I had an interview. I had some troubles getting home from there. I am very sorry.”
“Well dear where is your car, I didn’t hear it pull up.”
“It’s in the ditch by the Sanderson place.” Kate says, “I’m afraid I put it in the ditch last night, Mrs. Sanderson helped me out, and I got a ride home with a friend.” Kate says to her mother as she embraces her daughter in a tight hug. “Are you okay?”
“A little banged up, but I will be just fine.” Kate says, “I just need to go freshen up.” Kate says as her mother releases her.
“Go on then dear.” Caroline says and shoos her daughter up the stairs. Kate takes the opportunity to leave the tension of the room and escapes up stairs to her room.
Kate reaches her room, walks over to her ancient bed as old as the house. “I can’t do it,” she says to herself. “I just can’t do it,” then sinks onto her bed and cries. There is a knock at the door.
“Kate, are you decent?” Julie asks. “Can I come in?”
Kate brushes away her tears, “Yes, come in.” she says sitting up.
“Kate, are you alright? That is a question I expect you to answer truthfully.”
“Julie,” Kate says with a half hearted smile upon her face. “No, I’m not alright. The world seems to be falling apart, and I don’t know if I can handle it. I’m so angry Julie, so frustrated with the world. I want George to graduate from college and do well in boot camp. I want him to have a long life, and I want you to have a life of joy and happiness. It just all seems so frail, like a house made of sand, never stable, always eroding away.”
“What are you so worried about?” Julie asks, “You seem so lost in another world, look at me Kate, listen to what I say,” Julie adds as she tips Kate’s chin with two fingers. “Don’t worry, this will be a fun summer, but since I missed your birthday I have a gift for you, and I brought it in with me.” She says handing Kate a small package. “Open it for me, please Kate.”
Kate takes the small package and opens it. It is a small velvet box. Kate opens it slowly, “Julie, you didn’t have to, oh it is beautiful.” Kate says as she pulls the sliver locket out of the box.
“This way you can carry your secrets with you, your hearts truest desires can be with you always.” Julie says, “I’m not a fool Kate. I know this won’t be easy for us. The world is changing a lot, and with George in college, and me getting married. It will leave you alone in this house. Just promise me you’ll look after things for us. Keep the place from falling apart any more than it already has. We want George to have a place to come home to.” Julie says. “He’ll be home for my wedding in June. I just can’t wait Kate, the end of the week is the dress fitting. I am just so excited Kate. I love him so much.” Julie smiles at Kate, “Don’t you worry Kate; you’ll find someone to spend the rest of your life with, just like I did. Now you keep this close, put whatever you like in it. I just wanted you to have something that was all yours.”
Kate looks at Julie, “Thank you Julie, it means a lot. And I’m looking forward to the wedding it is bound to be perfect. Everything you do always is.” Kate adds as Julie gives her a quick hug and leaves closing the door behind her. Kate looks down at her new locket. A place to keep her secrets she thinks and she knows just what belongs in it. She lets the tears fall and rolls over to cry into her pillow.
April 9th
Mike arrives home parks his car in the car port and walks in. “Bethany, where is everyone?” He asks as it is about time for everyone to be home from school and work, yet the house is quiet. “Bethany?” Mike asks again.
“Dad,” Ryan says as he walks in from the back of the house, “Mom’s crying,” Ryan says, “She’s worried about you.”
“I’ll take care of it son,” Mike says and walks into the master bedroom.
Ryan walks to the window; he didn’t go to school that day, too torn up about the past few days to go. He looks out at the front yard. Birmingham is in turmoil and it is obvious that it isn’t just in Birmingham that there is turmoil. Clanton is quiet right now, but in the stillness there is turbulence. A silent unrest seems to seep through the town, as if the stillness is covering a hurricane that waits behind it. Like the eye of the storm, a moment of quiet before hell breaks loose. Ryan thinks about Kate, about what happened to her. They wanted to silence her. Ryan realizes then that they are afraid. It hurts his heart, but he knows it is true, he feels it in his heart. They went after her, because she is standing against them. He breathes out a long breath; she is fighting with them; that is their problem. Ryan looks to the table, with his mother crying he walks to the kitchen and starts to cook supper. “This is going to be a long summer.” He says to himself and pulls out some pans to make something.
May 4th 1963
Kate rushes out of the house unwilling to deal with the facts. It’s been almost a month, but she is not about to deal with her father yet. She plans to buy paint in town, but right now she is going to scrape and sand until she can paint the Big House. If nothing else it will keep her busy and away from her father. Caroline follows her out of the house. “Kate darling, what are you doing?”
“Mama, I’m going to scrape this old paint off the house so I can paint it. Consider it a Mother’s Day gift.”
“Before you do that dear, you should come see the news. Your father will be in the field all day; he won’t see it till later. Come see, you need to.” Caroline says and walks into the parlor. Magnolia Hill’s Big House’s layout is simple, entering through the front door the house spreads out in a long foyer, with two winding stairways that start at the far end of the house to each side of the door and circle up to the second story. Inside the front door to the left is the parlor, to the right the living room, the next rooms in are the dinning on the left and the ball room on the right, just past the dining room is the kitchen, the ball room is followed by a study and a bathroom added in the late 1930’s. At the far end of the foyer two steps lead up to the platform that meets either the back door or to the right and left identical flights of stairs, only one of which is still intact. Both, when intact led up to the second floor where they had once meat above the front door. The second floor holds a balcony over the hall as well as four bedrooms, all of which lead out to either the front or back verandas. Above that level is the attic which holds a winding stairway to the widows walk. Kate eyes her room above the kitchen, on the side where the stairs are missing. The bathroom up stairs replaced a closet when it was built in the house in the late 40’s. The laundry room took the place of most of the pantry, and a new one was built in the mid 50’s. Caroline leads Kate to the parlor, where the television is, she turns it on to show the news. They only get two stations, and both were showing the abuses in Birmingham. Students the same age as Kate were being blown down with fire hoses, and attacked by dogs.
Tears flooded Kate’s eyes, when Caroline whispers, “Go dear, take my car and go, I don’t need it today, go see them. Tell them I am sorry, they need your support.” Caroline says then takes Kate by the shoulder, “don’t tell your father where you were, and drive safely.” She adds and gives Kate her car keys.