FAITH
FAITH (after an idea by Nesciri)
Jimmy swung the axe as he cut another rail for the
fence. He stopped and pushed the hair out of his eyes before straightening up
to look at the new fence section. He couldn't wait for Kid to come back from
his run so he could take off. It would take him at least two days to hit all
the waystations and he thought that this last round of repairs might be done
when he got back. He walked over to the canteen and took a long swig of water
before he got back to work. After this rail, he and Buck could start nailing
the new section of fence together. That he thought would go quick because Cody
and Ike would help after they got back from picking up supplies in town. Jimmy
picked up the axe to put the last notch in the wood. Good, there was the wagon
coming now! Jimmy turned toward the familiar rumbling and waited for it to come
around the corner of the stable.
Ike gave a small salute as they pulled up. Cody
looked less than pleased as he set the brake and hopped down from the seat.
"I'm telling you Ike that woman looked familiar to me. I've seen her someplace
before. I just can't remember where."
"What woman?" Buck said as he came from
the storage shed carrying an armful of hammers and saws.
<A woman in town. Cody said he's seen her before
but I think if he had, he would remember.>
"Why's that? She real pretty?" Jimmy looked
interested and the thought of competition with Jimmy over a girl would usually
rile Cody up, but now he was too preoccupied.
"No," Cody gave them a look of disdain.
"Her face was, well, real unusual."
"Cody, get to the point." Jimmy thumped
the handle of the axe on the ground for emphasis.
Ike made a swift gesture across his face that got
everyone's attention.
"She doesn't have a nose?" Jimmy wrinkled
his own nose as he thought about it.
"Yeah, and she was lookin' at me kind of funny."
"Cody, everyone looks at you kind of funny.
You better get used to it."
Ike and Buck laughed but Cody bit his lower lip thinking about this woman. He had seen her someplace but where? And why was she looking at him?
Cody rolled over in bed the next morning and threw
the blankets back. He sat up slowly running his fingers through his hair. It
was chilly this morning and he thought about crawling back in bed for a little
more sleep but quickly dismissed the idea. He knew if he got back in bed, he
wouldn't be getting up anytime soon and the thought of Teaspoon jerking him
from his bunk quickly decided matters. He sleepily made his way over to the
washbasin and noticed there were thin bits of ice floating in it. He shook his
head sadly when he realized that autumn had definitely arrived. Runs from now
on would be cold, wet and uncomfortable. He plunged his hands in the icy water
and brought them to his face in a splashing motion. It revived him and he stuck
his hands in again this time rubbing water into the corners of his eyes.
Cody stopped splashing when he felt a slight tingle
on his face. He stopped and stood still waiting to see what happened. His skin
started to burn and he stood with his mouth open drawing in ragged gulps of
air. This was hurting and it was getting worse. He instinctively reached for
the water but stopped when he realized that there must be something wrong with
it. He stumbled toward the water bucket but thought something might be in it
too.
"Hey! Wake up! I need help!" Cody's voice
was desperate as the pain was beginning to come in waves. He thought he could
feel his lips growing numb and he tried to get to the front door.
"Cody, what is it? What's wrong?" Kid
was the first to reach him.
"There's something on my face. It was in the
water." Cody's face was becoming red and splotchy and his eyes were swelling
shut. A few tears made there way out and he desperately fumbled for the doorknob
he couldn't see. He had to get to the well.
Buck ran over and looked in the water pail that
was sitting by the stove to warm. He was beginning to see a thin film floating
on top. He picked up the bucket and quickly dumped the water outside. He left
the bucket by the porch and ran to the well. He drew up a bucket and used his
knife to cut the bucket from the rope that held it to the windlass. He ran with
it back inside sloshing a little on his legs as he went. He set it on the floor
and dipped a rag into the fresh well water. He looked to make sure it was all
right and pressed it to Cody's face. Cody grabbed it and wrapped it around his
head. Lou brought more rags over and she kept dipping them and handing them
to Cody so he could soothe his face. Ike got Rachel's big mixing bowl and filled
that with water and placed it on the table. Cody began to wash his hands and
face gently touching the raw blistered skin.
"I think we need to get you to the Doctor.
I'll hitch the wagon up." Lou ran out the door.
"There was some powder or something in the
water. I'll go see if I can tell what it is." Buck left the bunkhouse and
bent down to retrieve the bucket. There was a white chalky looking residue in
the bottom of it. He lifted the bucket up to his face and carefully sniffed
it to see of he could tell what it was. It hadn't been in the well water so
that meant there was something wrong with the bucket or someone had put it in
the water on purpose. But who would do something like that?
Ike joined him on the porch. "How's he doing?"
<OK, for now. What you find?>
"I think someone put something in the water."
Buck felt stupid for giving such an obvious answer but he didn't know how else
to put it. He handed Ike the bucket for his inspection. Ike looked in the bucket
and almost reached in to touch the powder that clung to the bottom and sides
but quickly stopped when he realized what he was doing.
<Who would do that?> Buck could only shake
his head in response. The conversation came to an abrupt end when Lou drove
the wagon up to the porch. Cody came outside and made his way to the wagon.
He still had a cloth pressed up to his face and he leaned on Kid a little bit
for support when he climbed into the seat.
"I'll go with you," Kid said as he climbed into the wagon with Lou and Cody. Ike and Buck stood on the porch and watched as they drove off still wondering about the water.
