Delta's Dawn

by Lynn Landes

  Granite Ghost Mine 1872.

  Bear Creek National Forest

  Owned and operated by the Granite

  MT Company.

  A rich silver mine was discovered in 1882

  Closed 1893. Population: 0

  Chills run up her body at the thought of a Ghost Mine, and a grin of delight fills her face. “We've struck gold, Sasha. Finally! Civilization. I bet it's a tourist trap, I'm dying for a drink. That granola bar is long gone,” she says, glancing at her watch. It's a little after two in the afternoon. “Let's check it out.” Sasha turns back to look at the trees behind them, clearly still worried about the noise from earlier.

  Her fear is forgotten for the moment, Delta teases, “Come on scaredy cat, I'll keep you safe.” She starts walking over the granite-paved pathways leading into the center of town. The paved walkway begins to show more wear and tear. Chunks are missing, and grass has grown up in some areas. Careful to avoid the rocks, she wraps the leash up around her hand to keep Sasha closer to her.

  Delta freezes when she finally understands where she is. It looks like she is standing in the center of an actual ghost town. Derelict buildings, once beautiful with redwood timbers and tin roofs are now crumbled red bricks with collapsed archways leading to snow filled rooms. Fallen down shacks, dirt walkways, with rusted red pipes exposed by time, shoot up out of the ground. All of the buildings are missing the glass in the windows where the walls are still standing. Some have only one wall supported by collapsed rooftops or beams.

  “Amazing,” she snaps a few pictures, forgetting for the moment that she is lost in Montana. Gone is the scared mother of two and the writer in her emerges. Inspiration is precious, and she's not one to squander such a gift. Excitement fills her eyes, “Let's check it out.”

  Sasha plops down and stares at her as if to say, ‘No way in hell.’ Delta tugs on the leash and laughs.

  “Look, just a few pictures, and we will go. I swear.” Sasha sighs and slowly stands, stretching her legs out behind her. “Good girl,” she whispers and pats her head.

  The town of Granite is completely deserted. Delta realizes she is walking along what was once Main Street because the buildings are all surrounding the one street. Massive granite boulders were used to create the road that leads to two massive structures further down the end of it. As promised, Delta snaps pictures and moves along sticking to the main street.

  The only church is a crumbled reminder of times destructive power. Each building looks almost the same. The bottom half seems to be made of big granite stones, before leading to simple red bricks with some kind of mortar holding them together. Some have a roof, while others only have wood or steel beams left, and all of the windows have been destroyed. The ground is littered with broken glass, rusted cans and broken shards of aged pipes.

  “Look at that one,” she gasps, snapping a picture of a beautiful house with redwood timbers and large steel beams. A stamped metal sign still states that this was once the Granite Mines office. Carefully avoiding the broken glass on the ground, she ties Sasha’s leash to the sign and tells her to stay. “Sorry girl, but the ground is too dangerous for you.” Delta walks inside and smiles once more. The walls are now only half walls, covered in plaster and faded wallpaper. “Oh, what stories you must hold,” Delta whispers running her hand over the walls. The empty house is depressing but makes for great pictures. She snaps a few before she hears Sasha’s first bark.

  This is not the bark of loneliness or boredom, but a warning. Delta rushes out and finds Sasha barking furiously at a group of trees in the distance. She unties her leash quickly and struggles to hold her back.

  “Quiet,” Delta commands and Sasha whines but obeys.

  Gazing into the trees, with her heart pounding, Delta waits for any sign of danger. Just when she thinks the threat is past, something moves. The swish of its short tail gives it away. “Bobcat!” Delta inhales slowly and tries not to move. They are being stalked by a bobcat and Sasha is trembling with the need to go after it. “Bark and hold,” she orders, and Sasha begins to bark and growl. The terrified cat turns and dashes, back into the trees.

  “Come, Sasha!” This time, Delta runs, and the cat follows staying inside of the tree line waiting for a moment to strike. Delta turns, leaving the main path of the road and runs in the opposite direction, straight towards the massive mine in the back of the town. Running and looking for shelter, she doesn't see the pipe jutting up from the ground until she falls.

  “Oh!” Sasha barks furiously keeping the beast at bay so Delta can get up. Standing up, she looks at her leg and sees a rip in the thigh of her jeans. Terror pushes her on, and she ignores the wet burning sensation. In a few strides, Delta reaches a graveyard full of enormous metal tram cars that have tumbled on their sides, effectively blocking her path into the large ramshackle mill. “Damn!” Delta mumbles and grabs a metal rod from the ground to fight off the large cat.

  Sasha is barking furiously and straining against the leash, causing Delta to drop her camera, but she's not letting Sasha loose. They stand trembling and Delta, snaps, “Cease!” so she can hear. Sasha instantly goes quiet, but her body is vibrating with the need to protect. Nothing, but the sound of the wind in the trees. This time, the cat creeps along behind the iron cars. A breeze blows the scent to Sasha, who spins, barking and warning Delta just as the bobcat leaps at her. Delta screams swinging the pipe and catching the cat in the shoulder and sending it rolling away. It leaps up and runs into the trees. Her arm is numb from the force of striking the forty-pound animal.

  Delta crumples to the ground, trembling as Sasha licks her face. “Good girl,” she cries. Tears spill down her cheek, and her leg is throbbing now. Blood stains the rip of her jeans, and it's growing worse by the second. “Shit,” she looks inside the rip and gulps. “This is gonna hurt.” The gash is about five inches across, but she doesn't see bone, only flesh. “That's a lot of blood,” Thinking quickly, Delta jerks off her light jacket and takes off her long T-shirt. Using a piece of a broken can, she slices the sleeve off and ties it around her thigh above the wound, which causes her to scream again. The rest of the shirt is used to pad the cut and soak up the blood. Feeling dizzy, Delta groans and takes note of her condition.

  “We're screwed.” Thinking fast she does the only thing she can think to do. She unclips Sasha from her leash and looks into her eyes, “Sasha, Focus,” she orders, “Guard.”

  Sasha was trained to guide and protect. Nothing will get by her unless she is released from that command.

  Delta shivers, now wearing only a black tank top, she pulls her jacket back on and laughs. “Some adventure this turned out to be.” Glancing at the mill she wishes for a pen, imagining the silver mill during the height of the rush, soon, unable to fight the warmth of the sun she closes her eyes to rest.

  Daniel drives as fast as he can to the turn-off. Once on the jeep trail, he can only go so far before they have to park. He leaps out and looks around, yelling for Delta. Reaching behind the seat, he grabs his walkie-talkie and hands his dad the other.

  “Dad, you stay here in case she comes back. I will run up the trail and see if I can see any sign of her.” Daniel and Abby run up the gravel route to the summit of the overlook. It takes about ten minutes at the pace he is setting. Panting for breath, they take a second before looking around. “Nothing.”

  “Look, Dad, that's Granite Ghost town over there. Do you think she went there?” Abby asks, staring at it.

  “No, she isn't from here Abby, she wouldn't even know what it is.” But it looks like the nearest town, he thinks with a frown. “Maybe?” He turns to head back down the mountain, and Abby calls to him.

  “Daddy, I just saw a flash down there!”

  “That sounds like a dog…” they listen and sure enough the sound of a barking dog echoes across the valley. “Shit!” He radios his Dad as they make their way down to the truck. Chase is already inside with it running when they jump inside and tear off back down the hill.
<
br />   “How long, Dad?” Daniel growls softly. Chase doesn’t answer immediately. He takes the jeep trail that leads to the Ghost town.

  “Depends on the condition of the road, son.” The town was closed because of the hazardous conditions. Once the wealthiest silver mine on earth, it is now a shell of what was once a bustling town of three thousand miners and prospectors.

  “She’s gonna be alright, Daddy. Sasha is with her,” Abby reminds him.

  “True,” he squeezes her hand on his shoulder as they bounce along the dusty trail. They creep along at about ten miles an hour before they are forced to get out and walk. The sign for the town is in front of them. Abby holds the first aid kit and walks between Chase and Daniel, who both are carrying rifles.

  Delta’s scream echoes off the brick buildings and through the town, terrifying Daniel to his core. He breaks into a run, straight up Main Street and in the direction of Sasha's furious barking. Daniel isn't sure what's worse, the fear or the silence that follows. Unsure which way to go he has to wait for a sign. “Delta!” He calls and gets no answer.

  Chase catches up with Abby in tow. “Which way, Son?” He asks quietly.

  “You two go that way, I’ll check out the mill,” Daniel decides.

  “Come on Abby, she can’t be far.” They only make it two steps before Daniel yells again for Delta. This time, Sasha hears Daniel and starts barking.

  Relief washes over the group, and they run the rest of the way down Main Street. Coming around a corner, they see Delta on the ground and Sasha in front of her. The dog stares at them, and her head drops low. She's on guard and won't back away until released.

  Sasha licks Delta and causes her to open her eyes.

  “What is it, girl?” She asks, pushing up to her elbow. “Cease, Sasha.” The dog runs straight to Abby, barking in excitement.

  Delta looks up at Daniel just as he squats down to brush her hair from her face. “Hey, beautiful,” he says causing her to smile and him, burst into tears.

  “You found me,” she babbles as his hug envelopes her.

  “Of course, I did.” Lifting her chin, he presses a hard kiss to her mouth soothing them both. Chase walks up smiling down at her and offers her some water while Abby is busy giving Sasha some water from her hands. His face pales when he sees the blood-stained shirt wrapped around her leg.

  Delta is so stunned by the feel of Daniel that she can only stare at him. Chase calls to Abby for the first aid kit. “Okay, Delta, I'm gonna need to check your leg,” Chase says kneeling down beside her. Daniel looks down for the first time, and all the color drains from his face.

  “What did you do to yourself, Delta,” he demands as he runs his hands over her body looking for more injuries. If she were able to think straight, she would be angry, but she's so thankful to see them that she can only smile and wipe her tears.

  “Well, hell, Daniel, it’s not every day a woman gets abducted and dumped in a national forest, stumbles upon a ghost town and is assaulted by a bobcat. I feel pretty good about myself right now.” No one moves for a moment, and then Chase laughs out loud, startling the birds from the trees nearby.

  “I’m gonna kill him, break every bone in his body…” Delta touches Daniel’s face startling him.

  “Can you take me home first? It’s been a really long day.” His steam evaporates replaced by concern for her. Chase cuts the jean above her gash and Abby groans.

  “It’s all right, Abby,” Chase says. “She put a tourniquet just above it which saved a lot of blood loss. You need stitches and a tetanus shot.” Daniel’s face blanches when he sees the gash.

  “Holy hell, Delta. You need a hospital!” He starts to pick her up, but his father grabs his upper arm.

  “No! First, I need to release the pressure on her leg, Daniel. That can only stay on for a few minutes before needing to be released. Then we can re-bandage it and move her.” He stares at Abby, who is holding Delta's hand.

  “Are you a doctor, Chase?” Delta asks.

  “I was a medic during Vietnam,” he replies unwrapping her leg.

  “I don’t suppose you have a shot for pain in that little case?” Delta asks hopefully.

  “Afraid not darlin, but the sooner we get it done, the better,” Chase replies.

  “Tell me what to do, Dad,” Daniel demands and Delta leans back, blinking away her tears. It feels so nice to be taken care of. Sasha licks at her face, causing her to smile.

  “First, Abby needs to turn around,” Delta demands. “She doesn’t need to watch this.”

  “Abby?” Daniel asks his daughter who is already moving forward to squat on Delta’s other side. “I wanna stay and hold her hand. I won’t look.”

  “Thank you, Abby, but could you get Sasha's leash. I don't want her running off if that bobcat comes back.”

  Daniel growls and cocks his rifle.

  “Daniel will watch for the cat, now lay back and close your eyes.” Chase works fast, and soon they are ready to move. Daniel scoops her up, and she doesn't argue; instead, she savors the scent of him, the feel of his heat warming her up. “I’m just gonna rest now.” She closes her eyes and gives in to the urge to sleep.

  Delta spends the next four hours in the emergency room in Phillipsburg. After ten stitches, a shot for tetanus and antibiotics they are ready to release her. The doctor returns to the waiting room and calls for the family of Delta Richards. Daniel, Chase, and Abby all jump up at the same time. He grins and walks over with a set of crutches and paperwork for him to sign. “Mr. Richards your wife is ready to go. She will need to use the crutches until the stitches are out. Delta was lucky that she only tore the top two layers of her thigh and didn’t hit the main artery. It would have been a much worse ending if she had.”

  Daniel doesn't trust himself to speak, and no one bothers to correct the doctor. He just signs the papers with a trembling hand. “Can I see her now?” He asks hoarsely.

  “Yes, of course, she's been asking for you.”

  “Abby and I will bring the car around,” Chase suggests and heads outside with Abby, leaving Daniel to follow the doctor. Before Daniel walks in the room, the doctor tells explains that Delta is on morphine for the pain.

  Delta is sitting on the side of her bed, in her black bra and panties when Daniel thanks the doctor and walks in. He stops and stares in appreciation, “Need some help.”

  She smiles at him, and he discovers he is desperate to touch her. To him, she is curved in all the right places. Walking close he runs a hand over her shoulder and finds her skin is peaches and cream and so soft to the touch. The wound on her leg is covered, and Daniel feels responsible for it.

  “Daniel, I can’t open these.” She sighs and shoves a bag with scrubs to him. “I’m really hot, maybe I will just take the rest of my clothes off.” He grabs her hand before she can unhook her bra.

  “As tempting as that sounds, Beautiful, you have to wear clothes to get home.” He lifts her chin and gives in to the urge to kiss her. Softly he tastes her mouth, chasing her tongue with his. Her purr of pleasure has him grinning. “Get dressed.” Setting her back from him, she frowns at him as he rips the scrubs open. “You're very bossy,” she snaps.

  “Arms up,” he groans when she lifts her arms. Her breasts are lush and so beautiful. He quickly jerks the top down over her head.

  “Scoot to the edge for me.” She grabs his shoulders and drops her feet inside the pants legs. “Now stand on your good leg,” she does as ordered and clutches at his shoulders to keep from falling over. He pulls the stretchy blue scrubs up over her hips while she decides to chew on his ear. “You taste so good, Daniel. Will you kiss me again?” He turns with a smile and looks into her diamond blue eyes.

  “Count on it,” he unwraps her arms from around his shoulders. “Though, I think I will wait until you are not high on drugs, so you remember who is kissing you.” He sits her down and pulls on the socks the hospital left her, while she strokes her hands through his thick hair.

  “Okay, D
aniel, but I'm getting naked as soon as I get home. My skin's crawling,” Delta says, wiping her hair out of her eyes.

  “Sounds like a plan,” he chuckles and turns to gather her jean jacket.

  “Today, I thought I was going to die up on that mountain but guess what?” she whispers leaning forward.

  “What?” He asks, watching her closely, so she doesn't fall off the bed. “All I could think about was you,” her voice fades. “I wished…” she doesn't fight the tears that escape.

  “What did you wish for Delta?” he asks lifting her chin and wiping her tear.

  “I wished for you.” A knock at the door and the nurse enters with the wheelchair. Daniel ignores the nurse and lifts her up into his strong arms and kisses her softly.

  “You’ve got me, angel.” She smiles as he gently lowers her into the wheelchair.

  The nurse watches with a big smile, and he follows, carrying her discharge papers. “The morphine will make her sleep. Let her, it's good for her body. The prescription is for pain medicine if you think she needs something stronger, call the doctor, and he will get that ordered for you. In five hours give her one of the pain pills. You will need to make a follow up in a week to have the stitches removed. Ice for swelling, but watch for drainage or striations. If it is hot to the touch, and the pain is worse, or a fever develops, call us immediately.”

  “Thank you, we will do that.” Delta's head bobs as he wheels her outside to the truck.

  He quickly places the crutches in the back of the truck and lifts her once again. “So tired, Daniel,” she mumbles leaning against the door when he lifts her up. Sasha tries to climb in the back with them, but Abby keeps her upfront.

  Daniel climbs in next to him, and she immediately curls into the crook of his arm. “Sleep, Delta.” Chase and Abby keep quiet as they drive out of the parking lot.