“Thanks,” he mumbled. He held one of the fig-sized roots between two fingers, and tentatively bit into it. His eyebrows raised, and his mouth watered in response to the pleasant taste in his mouth. He looked over at Sarah. To his surprise, the root had a sweet flavor, similar to a yam.
“What do you call this?” he asked.
“It’s root from the camas flower.”
“Those blue flowers you were digging up yesterday?” He recalled her foraging through a meadow, digging up flowers with a stick the day before when they’d stopped for a rest break. He’d done nothing but sit and catch his breath.
She looked up at him from across the fire, studying his face with narrowed eyes. Her blue eyes shot icy daggers at him. He hadn’t noticed the knife in her hand, which she now pointed first in his direction, then made a sweeping motion through the air with it. “You are observant, and you learn fast. You are a grown man. Yet sometimes you behave like a little boy who needs a good switching from his mother because he forgets his manners.”
One eyebrow shot up in amusement, and he grinned. “My mom never used a switch on me, angel.”
“Perhaps she should have,” Sarah retorted, her chin raised.
Well, well. This could get mighty interesting. Her tongue-lashing was quite a turn-on. It would be so much fun to spar with her right now. But he held back. Sarah had crawled under his skin in ways that gave him a decidedly uncomfortable feeling. He shifted his haunches on the hard ground. He never cared about other people’s opinion of him. That way he wouldn’t get hurt when they left. His old man sure hadn’t cared enough to stick around while he was growing up. His hand automatically went to the dog tags around his neck.
Coach Beckman, the one man whose opinions had mattered, was gone. His own mother had never asked him for anything, whether it was doing well in school or on the football field. Sometimes he wished she had held him more accountable for his actions. Deep down, he suspected she was afraid she might push him away if she was a strict parent. She always blamed herself for his old man walking away. Chase often wondered if he hadn’t left because of him.
He popped another camas root in his mouth. Looking up, Sarah sat, still studying his face.
“You’re right, angel. She probably should have beat me once or twice,” he said slowly. He rose to his feet. “Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I probably would be dead right now if it weren’t for you. But I need to get back to my time. I don’t belong here.”
He stood over her, and held out his hand to help her to her feet. She hesitated, and eyed him warily before she finally placed her small hand in his much larger one. He pulled her up easily. She stood mere inches from him, and he clenched his jaw. No, damn it! Don’t get any stupid ideas. He pulled his hand away. “So long, Sarah.” He turned and headed towards the canyon.
“Good bye, Chase.” Her soft voice carried on the morning breeze. Her mutt bounced along beside him, tail in the air.
“Go on, get back to your owner,” he snarled. He kicked out at the dog. Grizzly barked, but didn’t follow any further. Chase stood at the edge of the gaping canyon, staring at the river far below. He drew in a deep breath. “Okay, Russell, back down you go.” He glanced over his shoulder one last time. Sarah stood leaning against a tree, watching him. He tried to burn her face into his mind, then took the first step into the deep scar in the earth.
******
Sarah sat by the fire, waiting. He would be back. She didn’t believe for a minute that something would magically transport him two hundred years into the future down in that canyon. But how had this man gotten himself lost in the mountains to begin with? His companions had obviously left him for dead in that storm. Her conscience wouldn’t allow her to just walk away.
What a strange man, she pondered. To look at him, he projected strength and confidence, much like her father. But the similarity ended there. It was as if his body had matured, but in many ways, his mind hadn’t followed. How could any man live that way? It was inconceivable to her how a man could act so completely without regard for responsibility, as if life were nothing but a game. Was it possible for the mind to catch up to the body? And what would it take for that to happen?
She tossed a stick in the fire, sending up embers. She couldn’t explain it, but Chase had stirred something in her that had sat dormant up until now - the need to feel like a woman. No man had ever caused such feelings in her. And there were plenty of men who knew how to take care of themselves in these mountains who had shown an interest.
She laughed out loud. Hadn’t she just told her parents that she didn’t want or need a man? Why was she smitten with this one, who knew absolutely nothing about surviving here? And on top of that, he’d been insolent with her on more than one occasion. Her father and brothers would have done him bodily harm had any of them been witness to his brazen behavior.
Early this morning, she had taken the opportunity to steal away for a few moments of privacy. Chase had been sound asleep when she left the warmth of her blanket to indulge in a quick wash by the creek. Why had she not heard his approach? The man moved about as stealthy as a herd of bison. When she’d caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye, her heart had changed places with her stomach for a few seconds.
The smoldering look in his eyes had made her head spin, and she couldn’t remember ever feeling so vulnerable. It wasn’t the leering kind of look she’d received from trappers at rendezvous in years past, or those who came to trade in the valley. No. Sarah suddenly realized the look she’d seen in Chase’s stare held the same kind of admiration as she had seen in her father’s eyes whenever he gazed upon her mother. Warmth suddenly spread from her insides all the way to her extremities.
With a trembling hand, she reached out and scratched Grizzly’s ears. The dog whined softly next to her. “You miss him, too?” she asked softly.
She looked up at the sun straight above. He’d been gone the entire morning. How long did it take to descend into the canyon? She didn’t think it would take more than an hour. With a deep sigh, Sarah pushed herself off the ground and walked the short distance to the canyon rim. She peered into the chasm from an outcropping. The river flowed far below, and she scanned as far as she could see in both directions, her gaze coming to rest on a small moving object close to the river’s edge at one point. Chase! He’d made it into the canyon safely. How long had he been there already, searching for his mysterious time portal?
“This is crazy, Sarah,” she spoke out loud, even before the thought of following him into the canyon entered her mind. Why not? She could help him in his search. Her father’s disapproving face flashed before her eyes. He would not be happy with her. Sarah laughed. Nothing she’d done these past few days would meet favorably with her parents. In an act of rebellion, Sarah took a slow step over the edge. She turned and climbed backwards on hands and feet, cautiously feeling for a foothold, or a tree root to grab on to.
Grizzly barked furiously from the rim. “Stay,” she called to her dog. “I’ll be back soon.” The dog continued to bark and whine, as if warning her that climbing into that canyon would only lead to disaster.
******
Chase retraced his steps along the river for the third time. He ventured as close to the base of the falls as was possible. The cotton shirt clung to his skin, soaked through from the heavy mist and spray of millions of gallons of water that plunged into the canyon.
Nothing. He’d neither seen nor felt anything that could possibly be his ticket home. He’d covered every inch of ground in the area he’d been in a few days ago, retracing his steps and actions as best as he could remember of that night when he and his compadres had climbed down here.
Why was he the only one who had time traveled? He’d been the only one retching in the river. That was the one time he’d been separated from the group. And when he woke up the next morning, he must have already time traveled. It had to have happened while he was passed out. The booze got you in trouble again, Russell
.
Chase worked the details over and over in his mind, and combed the river’s edge, staring into the fast-moving water, then at the ground around him. He had no idea what he was even looking for. He kicked at the loose river pebbles in frustration. He refused to believe he was stuck here. What the hell would he do? He had no place to go. He wouldn’t last a week. That much was crystal clear already.
He sank down on the rocks, his knees drawn up, and his face buried in his hands. This was a nightmare. He threw rocks in the river, cursing loudly at the sky. He’d been so sure the last couple of days that once he came back to this spot, everything would be alright.
His head suddenly snapped up. He listened. The roar of the river and waterfall drowned out most sounds, but he could have sworn he heard his name. Someone was calling him. There! He heard it again. He stumbled to his feet, and turned in all directions. He squinted his eyes, looked beyond the river, and then gazed up the canyon walls. His heart nearly stopped beating.
Sarah! What the hell was she doing? And it looked like she was in trouble. Her feet dangled precariously in the air, her hands hanging on to a root jutting out of the rocks. If he’d learned one thing from his climbs into and out of the canyon so far, it was that most roots didn’t hold long in these brittle cliffs. She’d never survive a fall from her present height.
“Sarah! Hang on,” he roared. He had no idea if she could hear him. He sprinted towards the steep incline, stumbling over boulders in his rush to ascend the canyon wall. He climbing faster than he ever thought he was capable of. All those years of weight training and football practice were paying off. He slipped and slid several times, but his eyes remained on the girl hanging on to a precarious tree root for her life.
“Sarah, hold on,” he called when he was sure he was within earshot. Her head turned towards him.
“Chase! I lost my foothold.” Her eyes were round as saucers. He’d never seen that look on her face before. The confident girl he knew was terrified.
“I’m coming, Sarah. Don’t let go.” His heart pounded in his chest and up his throat. Sweat ran down the side of his face. Pure adrenaline kept him going. Don’t let her fall. Please don’t let her fall. If there is a God, I’m praying to you now.
It would be impossible to reach her from below. He labored along a parallel direction until he reached an outcropping in the rocks, where he managed to get a secure enough foothold. His hands and fingers were still raw from his ascend a few days ago, but he ignored the burning and stinging. He tested the strength of a rock he held on to, then stretched his arm as far as it would reach.
“Grab my hand, and let go of the root,” he called to her. Her eyes met his with uncertainty. She glanced over her shoulder down the canyon. The root moved several inches out of the rocks.
“Sarah, grab my hand. I won’t let you fall,” he yelled. Their eyes met. He knew the moment she made up her mind. Her mouth set in a determined line, and her hand reached over. He grabbed on, pulling her to him. For a split second, she hung in midair. With strength he didn’t know he possessed, he pulled her up by one arm.
She gasped and struggled, and with her other hand reached for the security of the rock he was on. Her feet found a hold, and his arm felt lighter. She let go of his hand, and grabbed hold of the rock. He could feel her body tremble as she caught her breath.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he raged.
“I….I thought I could help you find what you were looking for,” she stammered, still out of breath. She wouldn’t meet his eyes. They both stood, holding on to the rock, catching their breaths.
“That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard,” he yelled. “Come on, let’s get up to the rim before we both end up dead.” He nudged her ahead of him, and she pulled herself up the jagged incline inch by inch. He followed close behind, steadying her every once in a while when her feet slipped in the gravel. Well, at least he knew he was a better climber than she. That thought gave him little satisfaction.
Sarah’s mutt barked loudly from the canyon rim. She struggled on, and managed to pull herself over the rim with a few loud grunts. Chase found his breath again when he heaved himself onto the horizontal ground next to her. He pushed off the gravel, wiping the sweat from his forehead. She sat on her knees, her hands on the front of her thighs, her head bent into her chest. The dog ran around her, then him, barking happily.
“Shut it, Grizzly,” Chase reprimanded, and gave the mutt a hard stare. Its ears lay flat against its head, its tail down. With a final whine, the dog quieted and sat on its haunches.
“Sarah,” he said softly. “It’s okay now. You can get up.” She stared at him. He hadn’t expected to see the tears in her eyes. He cleared his throat. “Come on, angel, let’s move away from the rim and back to camp.” He reached down and gently grabbed hold of her upper arm, tugging her to her feet.
She must have started to rise on her own at that same moment. The added momentum of his tug sent her straight against his chest. With a mind of its’ own, his other arm wrapped around her waist and he pulled her closer.
She gasped and pushed her hands against his chest, her eyes slowly meeting his.
“Hey, angel, you’re still shaking,” he whispered. A sensation unlike anything he’d ever felt doused him from head to toe. Warmth trickled over and into his skin, through his veins and arteries, down into his stomach, and wrapped itself tightly around his heart. The urge to protect her, to keep her safe at all cost, flooded his entire being stronger than his need to find a way home at that moment.
“Please, let me go,” she said, her voice as shaky as her body. It barely registered in his brain that she’d spoken. He couldn’t stop staring into her shimmering blue eyes. He felt her stiffen and push away from him. All he wanted to do was pull her closer. Reluctantly, he released his hold around her waist. She quickly ducked away and headed towards the trees.
What the hell just happened, Russell? He stood rooted to the ground, staring after her.
Chapter 10
Sarah caught her breath. She glanced over her shoulder. Good, he wasn’t following. She stumbled to the nearest tree and leaned against it, her hand over her heart. Hey, angel, you’re still shaking. His tender words, so full of concern, echoed in her head. She had already composed herself from her near-mishap in the canyon. Tears of shame at her own stupidity and carelessness had almost spilled down her cheeks, and he’d seen it. Then he had to pull her up against him. The feel of his strong arms around her, holding her to his solid physique had caused her to shake. Her mind had spun out of control. Time had stopped. All she’d wanted to do was lean into his strength and forget the world around her. But it was nonsense to give in to such feelings. Chase wasn’t staying. He may have come to her aid, but she knew he intended to continue his search for a way home.
She inhaled deeply. Her feelings for this man scared her. She desperately wanted her mother at this moment. She would know what to do.
“Enough, Sarah,” she scolded herself out loud. “You don’t need a man, especially this one. He can’t even take care of himself.” She pushed away from the tree, and headed in the direction of camp. A dull thud echoed through the trees, and she stopped abruptly. It sounded like an ax striking wood. Moments later she heard it again. The faint smell of wood smoke wafted to her nose. She followed the sound and smell directly to her camp.
Her eyes widened in surprise. A fire crackled where she’d doused it earlier, before heading to the canyon rim. Chase stood with his back to her, the tomahawk she’d given him in his left hand. Her mouth fell open when he took aim, swung his arm out and over his head, stepped forward with his right leg, and released the handle. The blade buried itself firmly in the trunk of a narrow lodgepole some twenty feet away. The force and accuracy of his throw stunned her. The only person she’d seen do it better was her father. He strode to the tree and worked the blade free. When he turned, he stopped and met her gaze.
Sarah walked towards the fire, glancing around for h
er horn bow and rifle. Another stupid thing she’d done – leaving her weapons behind. She sighed in relief. They were still propped against a tree where she’d left them. Her father had taught her better than that. A weapon should always be kept within easy reach. Chase hadn’t moved.
“I thought you didn’t know how to handle a weapon,” she called to him. Finally, he strode in her direction, tossing the ax in the air repeatedly, making it do somersaults. He caught it with a sure grip each time.
“I didn’t know I could,” he grinned. Sarah held her breath. Her heart sped up. He stopped several feet in front of her, his eyes staring right into her. “I figured you needed some time to yourself, so I kept busy.” He nodded towards the fire, then glanced at the ax in his hand. “This isn’t much different than throwing a pigskin. A little heavier maybe.” He shrugged.
Her eyebrows shot up. “You throw pigs where you come from?”
Chase laughed. “No. A pigskin is a football.”
“I don’t understand,” she shook her head. She relaxed, but clasped her hands behind her back to hide their trembling.
“Football is a game I play back home.”
“Tukudeka children play a kicking game with a ball, but you are not allowed to touch it with your hands,” Sarah said. “Why do you throw it if it is called foot ball?”
He shrugged. “There are a few times when you kick the ball, but usually you throw it to a teammate and run with it.”
She nodded, not understanding at all. An awkward silence followed. She’d never been tongue tied before. She heaved a sigh of relief when Grizzly chose that moment to nudge her leg with his wet nose. He barked and furiously wagged his tail. Thank you for the diversion. Sarah patted the dog’s head.
Yellowstone Redemption Page 7
