“He wanted the best for you. To be first wife of the Chief would give you high status. He thought because of this, you would learn to love him. You were both young then. He didn’t see the future as some do. Try to understand his feelings, for he did this out of love for you.”
The time was passing. Her dress was finished and waiting. Even her mating moccasins were beaded and ready. Everything was ready except her. All the people were anxious about having a celebration. The next day, flowers were picked for her to carry. Pretty small flowers were placed on top of her head band.
The Holy Man was standing in front of the couple. On the right side, the people gathered to watch. Just as the Holy Man started to make words, a horse raced toward the couple at full speed, the rider leaned to the side of the horse and without slowing down, Night Hawk grabbed Raven and put her riding in front of him. They raced like a flash of lightening until they were out of sight. Waiting there was Foxhunt who grabbed her off of the racing horse and put her in front of him on his horse and with great speed headed to the Comanche land. Night Hawk, Long Snake, Running Deer, Wild Antelope, and many other brave warriors, were ready and waiting for the Apache warriors to come after them. Night Hawk was out to kill Straight Arrow, not just for almost sending him to walk in the spirit world, but to take Raven away from him. In his hand he held one of his throwing knives. He saw him coming, but waited for him to get closer. The time was now. His knife flew in the air, landing deep into Straight Arrow’s chest. Blood spurted out as he fell off his horse to the ground, dead. All Apache warriors were angry and determined to revenge his death only to find the Comanche warriors were ready for them. The battle between the warriors of both tribes fought a good fight, but joined their future leader to the spirit world.
The Comanches were hooping and howling until they were out of hearing range. Night Hawk gave his horse a good name for he was on Flash; as he rode in a flash. His friends could not catch up with him. He was going to be with his love, his Raven.
As they entered the canyon of his people, Night Hawk jumped off his horse and ran to Raven where they reached out to each other in sheer joy. She was dressed in her mating gown and the Comanche Holy Man was waiting with all the people gathered around for the two, Night Hawk and Raven was mated. They now belonged to each other. She was here to stay with the man she loves.
They slept that night and every night in each others arms. Raven was now where she knew she belonged, here in this beautiful canyon surrounded by high, glorious mountains with the man that she will love forever.
It didn’t take them long to began their family. First was a son, they were both proud of. They named him Eagle Feather. Next came their daughter, Pretty Flower. They both adored their children. Where Raven always knew she would be a good mother, she was happy at what a good loving father Night Hawk was. They had a lot to teach them, but most of all they vowed to never Promise their daughter to anyone. Both their children were to find their own love without their interference.
Chapter Nine
Almost two hundred years had passed since the time of the Comanche Tribe living in the area of Palo Duro Canyon. It was now a State Park enjoyed by many.
The anticipated camping trip had finally arrived. The father was now on vacation. The couple and their four sons were heading to Palo Duro Canyon State Park South of Amarillo, Texas. They were going to tent camp there which they all were excited about. After the four boys helped in getting all the camping equipment out of the van, they excitably ran off to climb the mountains that surrounded the campsite. The father was getting the tent and tent poles ready to erect while the mother was making sure there were no rocks where the tent flooring would be cut. While she carefully felt the ground with her open hand, something caught around her finger. It was a thin leather strap weathered by age. Strung on the strap were two stones that together they were the size of a silver dollar. She was amazed. Both stones were an orange-red color. When she placed the two pieces together, she felt movement. Startled but curious, she felt it again only this time with more patience; she realized it was like both stones together felt like two strong heart beats.
THE END
BEVERLY MACHADO
BEAR HUGS
Chapter One
In a very busy city, on a very busy street, lived a very busy family. The mother, the father, the ten year son, and their four year old daughter lived in a little house on a little piece of land. All the little houses in this neighborhood were very close together. There was a little fenced yard where the four year old girl named Lila had her dog that she loved and she took very good care of him. She named him “Dog”. She loved all animals. Cars passed all day long and half the night on this busy street in front of their little house.
The family was looking forward for when they could take their vacation. They would stay in a log cabin deep in the woods where trees grew and wild flowers grew for here in these yards, trees didn’t grow and flowers didn’t grow. The soil was not good for growing anything.
They heard about this cabin in the woods. It would give them a quiet time to share together where they would not be busy and they could fish in the lake by the cabin. They could rent a boat and go boat riding and swim.
There were lots and lots of trees that people called a forest. They said wild flowers grew in this forest.
No cars passed and no houses could be seen. They were happy when all work stopped for the mother and father and their school closed, so they were not busy either. They packed lots of things they needed and put them in the car and it was time to go to this quiet place in the forest. They were happy and sang happy songs on the long drive there.
Lila and Lester, her brother, were making angels in the pile of fallen, colored leaves in front of the big cabin. The family played together and ate together outside while their father barbequed hamburgers and hot dogs for them to eat at the picnic table under the trees by the lake.
The air was fresh. They could smell the sweetness of the colorful flowers. They heard the water gurgling as fish swan and played tag in the lake. It was a happy time for all the family.
One day they decided to take a walk in the forest. It was a good day with a cool breeze blowing the high grass back and forth and the fallen leaves played chase.
They were so happy looking at the rolling hills and trees that when they came to a fork in the road they were looking up at the hills and blue sky and where the mother and father and brother took the road to the left, Lela took the road to the right.
No one noticed until a little time passed that their daughter was not with them. They called and called but she did not hear them.
She was frightened when she realized she was not with her family. She didn’t know which way to go. She called, but no one answered her. What could she do? She just kept walking and calling. That’s all she knew to do.
She then realized she was hungry and right ahead of her, she saw apples on the ground. When she looked up, apples were hanging on the trees making the trees heavy. She sat under the tree and ate until she was not hungry anymore. But now she was thirsty.
She walked a little more in the forest. She was not on a trail anymore; just surrounded by all kinds of trees. Then she saw a creek with clear water. She drank and drank until she was not thirsty anymore.
She then realized she was sleepy and laid down on top of a pile of leaves. An hour later she woke to see the sun was still in the sky brightening the forest.
It was then that she saw two little bear cubs wrestling. She watched them for a while, but she was lonely and decided to join them in their play.
They were happy to play with the little girl. The mother bear was watching them play. She could sense that the little girl loved her two cubs. When they got tired of playing, they laid down and slept. She did too. The mother bear was still watching over them.
She woke later with the mother bear licking her fac
e. It was her way of saying, it was time to eat. Lila hugged the mama bear’s neck as much as she could because her little arms couldn’t reach around the big neck of the big bear. Lela saw the cubs and the mother eating a large piece of meat. But she didn’t want to eat the meat.
While she was looking around, she saw lots of fruit trees and bushes; pears, peaches and more apples. She also saw pecans that had fallen on the ground. She loved pecans.
She held out her shirt and filled it with lots of fruit and the delicious pecans. She brought them over to the bear family incase they wanted some. Because she had strong shoes on, she crushed the pecans open. She had plenty to eat.
As the day grew later, the mama bear and the cubs were climbing to get up a high hill. But she couldn’t climb that high. She kept falling backwards. The mother bear saw that she was having trouble following them so she got in back of Lela and pushed her up and into the cave where they would sleep for the night.
She slept cuddling up to all the bears and it felt so warm with all the fur around her. She felt happy here and went right to sleep.
When morning came and they all went back down to the stream of water, a loud roar could be heard. She looked up and saw a tiger coming to get to the little ones, including Lela. The mama bear went into action. She got up on her hind legs and with her front paws was attacking the tiger. For a little while it looked like the tiger would win because it bit half of the bear’s ear off leaving teeth marks on the rest of the ear. It made the bear very mad and she kept attacking the tiger until it ran off into the forrest. Lela was very happy having her bear family protecting her just like her own family protected her.
They were in for a surprise this day because while the little ones played, the mother bear went and chased the honey bees away long enough to get to the honeycombs. Lela ate and ate as much as the three bear’s ate. It tasted so good to her, but she got so sticky that she had to get in the creek to get the stickyness off of her. The water was deeper than she realized from the rain the night before that she couldn’t make it back to shore. The mother bear saw she was in trouble and ran into the water. Because she was so large, the water was not too high for her and she reached out with her mouth and grabbed onto Lela’s shirt and pulled her to shore. Again she was saved by the large bear.
While they were on the hill, she saw her mother and father calling to her. They had been searching for her the whole time with the help of a lot of people. They thought she would be hungry and thirsty and cold but was surprised to see how good she looked.
The mother bear was watching when she left. She was sad to see the little girl leave. She liked having her there.
Chapter Two
She was happy to be home; happy to see her pet dog that she missed. Through the years as she grew and finished her high school, she decided to go to college and learn all about caring for animals. She loved all animals, big and small.
When she graduated from college, she got a job working at the zoo in her city. She loved working there and taking care of all the animals. One day as she passed the large fenced yard for the bears, she saw a big bear with her ear bit in half and bite marks on the rest of the ear. She also saw two bears that were larger than their mother. They knew it was the little girl because all animals go by smell and she smelled the same even though she grew tall. The two other bears knew it was her, too.
She knew it was the mother bear and her now grown cubs were larger than she. She hurried and unlocked the gate and ran to them with open arms.
Now her arms could reach around their necks and she gave them all bear hugs. They gave her bear hugs, too.
THE END
BEVERLY MACHADO
BELIEVE
Chapter One
There was something mysterious about that Mississippi River that Billy felt a drawing power over him. It’s like it was beckoning to him to be a part of it. Strange, strange. So strange it frightened him, yet he felt attached to it. He never would understand it, probably. He loved it when he had to go to work with his father who was the pilot of the Natchez Sternwheeler. He loved watching the water making fantails standing out on both sides of the large steamboat. When Billy went to work with him, he would sit on thick pillows so he could see the boat cutting thru the waves. It looked pretty. He loved the whole trip up and down the river watching the waves the boat was making. He loved the water. He was fascinated almost to the state of being hypnotized gazing at it. He watched his father as he lifted all the knobs and switches to control the boat. He thought to himself, that is what I am going to do when I am grown.
“Dad, I am going to pilot a sternwheeler when I grow up. “
“You are not smart enough to learn all that is involved in navigation,” he very rudely said.
I’ll show him and everyone else. I am smart. And I will learn all that is involved in directing a boat in this river that I love. That’s what he thought, but deep down he believed his dad. Maybe I’m not smart at all. Maybe I can’t learn anything worthwhile.
He felt love for this river, but why? Love, what is that? No one loved him. Well, maybe Aunt Lizzie. He could talk to her, and she would take the time to listen to him; the only one that did.
One day when he felt at his lowest, he walked to her house. It was only two houses down from his parent’s home here in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb out from New Orleans. She was sitting in her living room in her favorite rocking chair. She lived alone. Her husband died three years previously. Where other people her age had their children to spend time with, she and her husband, Harry never had any children. She was partial to Billy. They needed each other, she felt.
“Aunt Lizzie,” he asked “can I talk to you now?”
When he asked her, she stopped rocking and set her soft drink down on the side table next to her. She knew the time had come and it would be a sad talk. He was twelve years old, but very smart; smarter than the usual twelve year old. He was a quiet boy. Maybe that’s why. He listened more than he talked. He listened to anyone that was speaking, so he knew more than he should for his age.
She knew this was something she had to do for him. Her time on this earth was limited, so the doctor told her.
“What exactly is it you want to know, Billy?” She said in her kind, and patient way.
“Why am I treated different from everyone else in the family? I’m a good boy. I do everything Mama and Dad tells me to do. I always have; so why, Aunt Lizzy? Maybe if I knew the reason I could change or handle it better. Please tell me if you know. I have no one else to talk to but you.”
Lizzy was the older sister to Maggie. She was ten years her senior. She knew she owed this little boy an explanation of how his high-spirited, nervous almost to the point of being neurotic, mother treated him. “Go fix yourself a soft drink and come back and sit in Uncle Harry’s lounge chair. I will tell you, but it won’t be a pretty story. You are sure you want to hear this?”
“Yes, I’ve got to know.” He got his drink and settled himself in the lounge chair, bracing himself to hear what he felt he needed to hear.
“Okay, Billy, I’ll tell you.”
“Your mother was always a high spirited person. She had set certain goals for her life. She was so particular in everything she did and everything she wanted. She is what you would call high-strung. I, being older, always gave in to her. After-all, she was my baby sister and our parents spoiled her, too.
Her plans for her life were to marry the man of her dreams; they would buy a small cottage with three bedrooms, no more. She was going to have two children, a boy first, then a girl. That is what she wanted and to herself, that is what she was going to get. She met your father in high school and they both fell madly in love. So to her, the stage was set. They married and in a couple of years were able to buy their three bedroom house in the Metairie,Louisiana, a suburb out from New Orleans. It was a new development with cottage type homes.
When she got pregnant, she knew it was her son she was having. And when she delivered a boy, your mother and father were so happy. Your brother, James, was spoiled from day one. ‘Now,' she told your father, ‘we just need our daughter to complete our family.’ Three years later she got pregnant again. Your parents knew for sure it was their little girl. They decorated the third room with baby doll wallpaper and pink lace and impatiently waited for her to be born.
But instead of their daughter, you were born. Your mother, to put in lightly, was disappointed, so was your father. Your father tried to comfort her saying next time we will get our little girl. I was at your house when they brought you home. Your mother stood in the doorway holding you, looking at the pink and fluffy room, sobbing so hard, that I took you from her arms.
Your dad tried to calm her down telling her he would change the room and box all the girl things up for their next baby. It was sad. You were a beautiful baby. She should have been proud. But all her life she got what she wanted. If not, then she would throw a tantrum fit. This, to her, messed up her life. The house was going to be too small with three children. Besides she never wanted a third child. She was acting like a child. I was use to her ways. Your dad was, too. So we knew just to leave her alone.
I was the one that took care of you. I was proud to do that for you since I never had a child of my own. Besides, I was also the blame of spoiling my baby sister, your mother.
When she became pregnant again she had good days, but mostly bad days. Your dad bought bunk beds and put you in the room with Jimmy even though he didn’t want you in his room. Your dad even brought all the girl decorations out and redecorated the room that was yours. You were three years old then. Jimmy was six. When the baby arrived and it was your sister, your mother seemed to calm down. She lavished attention to Susan, the daughter she waited so long for. So you see Billy, you were caught in the middle. She had no right to, but she did resent you, and still does; so does Jimmy and your dad who blame you for erupting their peaceful lives.
1- The Glass Room 2- The Spirit Stone -3-bear Hugs-4- Believe Page 13
