Wind

by Cheryl Twaddle

  “It’s just the way things are here.” I could hear anger in his voice, yet he kept it inside. I admired him for it. “Look at it this way; we never would have met if it had not been for the 360 nor would we have had so many years together. I must dwell upon that instead of her wasted death or I will go crazy.”

  “I don’t like it.” My tears turned to anger as I thought about everything that had happened. “Just a few days ago I only had to worry about school and graduation. My biggest fear was passing my biology test and now I’m fighting with guns and arrows and trying to keep myself alive. I want to go home. I want my old life. I want my mom.”

  “Don’t we all.”

  We put our anger aside and talked about what had just happened outside the cave. He had heard Max and his men and thought the same as I did; there would be no sense running out in the dark in a futile attempt to warn Marshal and Cornelius. They would have to look after themselves. We were better off to prepare ourselves in case our hideout was discovered. But we could do that in the morning. For tonight we could let everyone have a good night’s sleep. It was what we all deserved. Robert would stay awake and listen for any noise that would indicate that Max was back. I went back to my sleeping bag with Barker and slowly went back to sleep.

  THE NEXT MORNING WE informed Emma Lee and Billy of the little meeting outside the cave during the night. They were relieved we went unnoticed but concerned for Marshal and Cornelius. I could tell that Emma Lee had feelings for Cornelius by the look on her face when I told her that Max was intent on finding them. I guess they had spent a couple of days alone with each other on the side of the mountain. It was only natural that they would form some kind of a bond with each other.

  “Do ya think they’ll be back today?” Billy asked, interrupting my thoughts.

  “Well, let’s see,” said Robert. “If they got there through the night and got what supplies they needed, then it all depends on whether or not they decided to stay until morning.”

  “Do you think they would risk that?” asked Emma Lee. “I mean they must know that Marshal’s would be the first place anyone would look for them. Everyone seems to know where he lives.”

  “Yes, but Marshal also knows that Max was away from camp for a few days.” Robert was trying to put himself in their place and figure out what he would do. “He might be thinking that his place had already been searched. If so, they may have felt safe enough to stay.”

  “I don’t think they did.” Something occurred to me that I hadn’t thought of before.

  “What do you think they did?” asked Emma Lee.

  “I think they went to Sarah’s to look for her,” I said. The others looked at me and smiled. Of course they would do that. “Marshal was really worried about her and I think he would have gone to her place as soon as he could to find her.”

  “Doesn’t Pig know where she lives, though?” asked Emma Lee. “I was under the impression that he liked her.”

  “Yeah, Pig knew but I don’t think no one else did,” said Billy. “Whenever he went to see her, he went alone. She told me that he didn’t want any of his men to know where she lived. Said it was for her own safety.”

  “Yeah, I just bet it was,” I said. “I bet that’s where they went, then.”

  Convinced that Cornelius and Marshal were safe inside Sarah’s small house made us feel better about their situation and we settled into our day. We made breakfast, some canned fruit and stale crackers which seemed to be the only thing on the menu lately. Then Emma Lee came up with a horrible idea; she wanted to clean the cave. I wanted to get out; the walls were starting to close in on me. I knew there was a pond nearby and I had seen some fishing gear among Marshal’s supplies in the corner. So, I pleaded with the others to let me go out on my own. We had a meeting and a vote and figured it should be safe as long as I took Barker with me. If someone were to attack me, his barking would alert them. I promised to be careful and keep my eyes open for trouble. Maybe I could catch a couple of fish for dinner.

  I’ve never been fishing but I was willing to try it just to get some fresh air. No one wanted to come with me which was a surprise. I figured Billy, at least, would want to come. Wasn’t fishing something boys liked to do? I guess he didn’t want to be away from Emma Lee. I had my suspicions that he had a crush on her.

  I ventured outside with Barker. He was always willing to do whatever I wanted to do, except gardening I recall. I found the hoof prints of the horses from the night before. It was amazing how close they were to us. I looked over to the crack in the side of the mountain and imagined what it looked like in the dark. I guess it must have been hidden by the shadows but right now, in the daylight, I could see it clearly. I was suddenly very relieved they decided not to camp here.

  The pond was a ten minute hike from the cave. My shoes, which were finally dry, were wet once again by the time I got there. This time, the morning dew was to blame. The pond, itself, was a good size and was surrounded by tall pine trees and wild rose bushes. The water was still and with the brightness of the sun I could see insects flying just over the surface of the water. As I approached I noticed a splash and then ripples formed a circle that echoed out to the bank. A fish! They were already jumping, not missing a chance to catch the dancing insects.

  I chose a spot near the water’s edge. There was an old log that was dry and probably full of bugs but it was a place for me to sit while I figured out how to work the fishing rod. I had never done this before but figured it couldn’t be too hard. This was a sport that guys liked so it had to be easy. I opened up the little tackle box and looked at the hooks. Marshal must have got these recently because they looked modern to me. I picked one that was white with orange stripes. It looked good to me. I brought the fishing line through the hoops on the rod and then tied the hook to the end.

  “There,” I said to Barker who was looking at me like I was an idiot.

  I walked over to the water and gripped the rod and tried to cast, nothing. The line didn’t move. I looked at it and then studied the turny thing. Do I have to wind it out there? I tried and what little slack I had on the line tightened. Okay, so winding it brings it in. How do I get it to go out? There was a button. I pushed it, nothing. I let it go and the line fell to the ground. Aha! I wound it up again. I guess I had to press the button, let it go and then throw it out there. I gripped it again, pressed the button and put it over my head. I released the button and cast it out. My line fell behind me and hooked on a tree.

  “Dammit!” I went and unhooked it and wound it up again. This was something I needed to think about. I guess I shouldn’t release the button until I threw the rod forward. I tried again and my hook went bloop right in front of me. I went to wind it up and it wouldn’t move. It was caught in the dirt at the bottom. “Great.” I moved it back and forth then sideways and finally it came out. Maybe this was harder than it looked.

  After about ten tries, I finally got the hang of it and was casting out quite far. I could see the fish jumping and every time I saw a splash I quickly wound my line in and then cast it towards the ripples. I wondered if I should put something on my hook like a worm but, eww, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I could shoot a man but I couldn’t push a worm on a hook, go figure. I was actually having fun just casting out and winding it back. I didn’t really care if I caught anything. Besides, what would I do if I did catch a fish? I would have to touch it and get it off the hook and the thought of killing it made my stomach queasy. It would be nice, though, to fry up some fish for supper tonight, I thought.

  I must have been there for awhile enjoying the fresh air and watching the water. I had lost all track of time, clearing my mind of everything that had happened the last few days. It was so quiet here and I wished Robert had come with me. Maybe he would have found some peace in all the beauty that surrounded me. I would bring him here tomorrow for sure, I thought.

  I still hadn’t caught anything and decided to change my hook for the fifth time. I kept convincing myself th
at the fish must only like a particular colour of hook and I would keep switching until I found out which one. The yellow one with black dots I was using now got a couple of nibbles but then nothing so it was time to change it. I sat down on the log and began to look through the box. I was so lost in my search that I didn’t hear the bushes moving behind me. Then I saw Barker stand up and wag his tail.

  “What is it boy?” Maybe someone had come to join me after all. I turned and dropped my rod. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. “Oh my God! Cocoa is that you?”

  The beautiful horse that once belonged to Butcher and helped us carry our load before the winds came was now pushing her way through the trees and bushes towards me. I couldn’t believe she was here; that she had actually survived the winds. I was so upset when Marshal sent her away and thought I would never see her again. I was sure she had been killed by the strong gale that whipped over the land. Marshal was right, though, she was a smart horse and must have run to the trees for protection.

  “Cocoa, my God, Cocoa! Look at you!” I went to her and let her sniff my hand and I stroked her neck and buried my face in her mane, breathing in the rich horse smell. Barker was happy to see his old friend too but kept back, afraid to get stepped on. “I was so worried about you. I thought you were dead. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

  “Nicky?” I pulled away from Cocoa and looked back at the trees.

  “Ryan?” I was shocked to see my friend out here in the trees, then panic swept over me. “Are you alone?”

  “Yeah, I’m alone,” he said. “What are you doing?”

  “Fishing,” I said. “Or at least trying to fish.”

  “I thought you’d be long gone by now. How come you’re still here in the forest?”

  “I little setback. You know, with Madge and everything.” I looked at him and noticed his grimace at the mention of Madge’s name. I could tell that her passing had hit him hard too.

  “I’m so sorry about that,” he stammered. “I was in my tent when it all happened. I heard the gunfire but there was nothing I could do to help. How’s Robert?”

  “Not good,” I said. “What happened anyway? I assume Max is the one who actually did the deed.”

  “I told you he couldn’t be trusted,” he said. “I told you he was worse than Pig.”

  “You didn’t need to convince me,” I said. “I believed he was bad from the first time I saw him. When did he get back?”

  “I don’t know,” he said. “He must have come back to camp without too many people noticing him. I know I didn’t see him until after all the commotion. I don’t get it, I had just checked on her not long before and she was fine. He must’ve wanted revenge for your escape. You must’ve pissed him off big time.”

  “Do you think he knows you helped us?” I asked, suddenly worried for his safety.

  “Nah, if he did, he wouldn’t have let me leave camp,” he said.

  “What are you doing away from camp anyway?” I asked, hoping he was reconsidering and wanted to join us.

  “Actually, I’m looking for you,” he said, “at least, I’m pretending to look for you and the rest of your gang.”

  “Really? And...”

  “...and too bad I didn’t see anything.” He laughed and looked back at the trees. “At least I found this horse. I’ll bring her back to camp with me and add her to our herd. We can always use more horses. I followed her here to the pond thinking she was thirsty and wanted a drink. I was just about to get my rope to lasso her when I heard you.”

  “Yeah, she kind of scared me when she came through the bushes,” I said. “I was just getting ready to pack up.”

  “Did you manage to catch anything?” He was unwinding the rope to slip around Cocoa’s neck and I felt guilt flush over me as I looked at her. Again, she was being taken away from me and I felt heartbroken.

  “No, I’m not much of a fisherman. Listen, do you really need the horse?” Ryan looked blankly at me. “I mean, she seems real gentle. Maybe you could let me keep her. I could use her to get away from here.”

  “I’d love to,” he said, “but it would look better if I brought something back with me.”

  “Please,” I tried one more time. I wanted Cocoa with me. I didn’t want to abandon her again.

  “You’re better off low to the ground,” he said. “It’s easier to hide without a big horse by your side. The only reason I found you was because I was following the horse. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her.”

  “Yeah, I guess,” I conceded. I knew Ryan was right. I trusted him and knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. “You won’t let them, like, eat her or anything right?”

  “Is that what you think?” he laughed.

  “Well, they always want to eat my dog,” I exclaimed. Ryan looked down at Barker and smiled.

  “Yeah, well dogs are expendable,” he said, “horses not so much. We use them to ride and they’re great at pulling logs and hauling stuff.”

  “Okay,” I said. “I was just worried, that’s all.”

  “You have nothing to worry about,” he said. “Well, I should get going and you should probably hide. Being out here, in the open like this, is dangerous. There’re others out looking for you, too and they’d be happy to to find any one of you. Trust me, Maxwell has made your capture a priority.”

  “Yeah,” I said, “I just need to pack up a few things.”

  “What you got?” he asked and peered over my shoulder.

  “Just some fishing stuff.”

  “You seem to have quite a variety there,” he said. “Where’d you get it?”

  “What?” I didn’t want to reveal that Marshal had a hideout not far from here. It was bad enough we all knew about it. Marshal would kill me if someone from the out-of-town camp knew it existed, even if it was Ryan. “I found it along the river. Pretty cool, eh? It must have come down here with the 360.”

  “You found all of this?”

  “Yeah, some poor bastard up there was probably fishing when the 360 hit.” I hated lying to him but the less he knew about me and the others the better.

  “Can I ask you a question?” he said.

  “Sure.”

  “How’s my mom, really?” He kept his eyes on the hooks but I knew they were full of sadness.

  “She’s better,” I said. This was not a lie. My mom knew Mrs. Duncan quite well. “She was a mess when you first disappeared. Well, so was everyone. You were pretty popular at school. Even the teachers were upset. They cancelled school the day you disappeared. Anyone who wanted to was allowed to go and volunteer to search for you. I think over three hundred people showed up.”

  “Really?” He seemed pleased by this and I could tell he missed that life.

  “Yeah,” I said. “I went. So did Jamie and my mom and dad. Anyway, your mom tried to be strong at first. She was there searching with everyone else but everything caught up with her eventually. She wasn’t sleeping or eating and she broke down. They had to put her in the hospital so she could get some rest.”

  “Oh.” I didn’t want to upset him but he asked.

  “She’s better now, though,” I said. “Mom says she’s really involved with various missing person’s charities. She gives speeches about it. She seems to be coping with it a whole lot better.”

  “Well, I guess she’ll be helping your mom now,” he said.

  “Yeah.” I didn’t want to think about it. “Well, I guess I should pack up everything.”

  “And I should get back to the camp and introduce this horse to the others.” He walked back to the rope and picked it up. Cocoa was still standing there nibbling at the ground. I guess it wouldn’t be too bad if Ryan took her. At least she’d be in good hands. I watched as he slipped the rope around the horse’s neck and then turned to leave. “See ya, Nicky. Keep safe.”

  “Thanks.

  Chapter 15

  “We have to go.” I got back to the cave as soon as I could. I waited until I thought Ryan had gone far enough away so
he couldn’t see where I was going then I packed up my hooks and rod and headed back to the others.

  “What are you talking about?” asked Emma Lee. She was still trying to sweep dirt out of the cave from a dirt floor. I wondered how long she’d do this before she realized it was a useless endeavor. “We can’t leave.”

  “We have to,” I said. “I ran into Ryan while I was at the pond. He said there were lots of out-of-towns out in the woods looking for us.”

  “Ryan!” Robert put down the book he was reading and stood up. “Did he say what happened with Madge?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “It’s like I thought. Max snuck back and killed her.”

  “Right, then.” He went back to the corner and sat down.

  “What are you doing? We have to go!” I couldn’t understand their lack of concern.

  “Nicky, if it was Ryan you met then I don’t see why you’d be so upset,” said Robert. “He is your friend after all. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. He won’t say anything to anyone.”

  “But, there are others out there too.” I wasn’t worried about Ryan. It was the fact that there were other out-of-towns out there that worried me and I couldn’t understand why no one else seemed concerned by this.

  “It’s simple; we’ll just have to stay in the cave until the others get back,” said Emma Lee.

  “Awww,” Billy whined. “I wanted to go outside later and look for worms. There should be lots after all that rain. I thought, maybe, Nicky could use ‘em for fishin’.”

  “You can go look for your worms later,” she said and I could see Billy’s fascination with her fade just a little. “It’s best we keep hidden until the others get back and we know they’re safe.”

  “Don’t forget we have to go and kill the out-of-towns before we can have any fun like digging up worms.” We all stared at Robert as he calmly said this then opened his book and continued reading. He’s losing it, I thought to myself. He seemed to be detaching himself from reality and it was beginning to worry me. I looked at Emma Lee and she shook her head and continued to sweep.