Brindle's Odyssey
Page 18
The next day was cool and cloudy and a stiff breeze blew from out of the north. I insisted that we leave the village and get to Walker as quickly as possible. Man Killer responded by saying that the Sioux were about to attack and that we couldn’t possibly leave. I was torn between my responsibility here and my obligation to my grandfather.
The Sioux would make that a moot point.
They attacked in the early afternoon, but our men were waiting for them and the battle was on. The Sioux were painted and carried long lances. Arrows began to fly and I ushered Man Killer inside the lodge. “Don’t you come out until I come back,” I ordered. I then handed her a long knife and I walked outside to join in the fray.
The battle was everywhere and it was bloody and fierce. I chose a large brave and I charged him like a mad buck. I caught him in the chest and he flew backwards. I saw an old man fighting a young Sioux warrior, twice his size. I quickly leapt on the Sioux and caught him square in the jaw with a right hook. He went limp and I quickly moved on.
I screamed when I saw some of the Sioux setting fire to our lodges. Children poured from the flaming structures and the anguish was clear on their little faces. I began to attack the Sioux with a reckless abandon, landing some blows which I know now were fatal. I did not want to kill. I felt that I had no choice in the matter. I saw the old Chief fall to a tomahawk and one of Stump Nose’s friends take a lance through the chest. He died before he hit the ground. I doubled my efforts, moving with more speed than was humanly possible. I picked up a tomahawk and began to swing it with all of my strength. The Sioux soon began to retreat, their terrified eyes betraying their fear of me, the unseen killer.
When they had gone I ran back to our lodge and screamed again when I saw that it was engulfed in flames. Black smoke billowed in the wind and I nearly choked on it. I charged inside the burning lodge and dropped to my knees, which is how I found Man Killer. She lay flat on her back and there was a great bruise on her forehead. Hot embers showered around us and I knew I didn’t have much time. I grabbed her under her arms and hauled her outside to safety. Her eyes fluttered open and she somehow managed a smile. I held her on my lap as the enormity of what had just taken place began to hit me. The village lay in smoldering ruins and many of our number had died in the terrible fighting.
“Go,” whispered Man Killer. “I will be all right. You need to help the wounded.”
“Are you sure, how does your head feel?”
“I will live, but I might not be so pretty to look at.”
“You’ll always be pretty to me,” I said, kissing her softly on the lips. I then set her gently in the grass and ran off to attend to the wounded.
There were so many that I didn’t know where to begin. I saw our men moving among the Sioux, cutting the throats of any who still drew breath. I looked away. I suddenly felt the breath being sucked from my lungs and everything blurred. That was the last thing I remembered for a long time.
Chapter Twelve