TRAIL OF DREAMS

by Courtnee

Standard disclaimer

© Courtnee

Chapter Ten

Theresa stumbled along the trail, blinded by the pitch-black night. There were no stars or moon to shed light on the unfamiliar land, and she hadn't thought to bring along a lantern. In fact, she hadn't exactly planned on getting lost either. Buck had been in sight one moment and the next evaporated into thin air. She would have turned back, only she figured on finding him first. Now she was good and lost.
And she was scared.

Terrified that a hungry beast would pounce upon her with out a moments notice. She had no weapons and was probably too far from camp to enlist any aid with a scream. Weaponless and blind, she was prey for any prowling enemy, whether the threat is an animal or a Sioux warrior, enraged with the injustices of his race.
It was so unfair! She'd only wanted to help the lonely man. She knew what it was like to hold secrets and keep them locked up deep inside. No matter that it clouded the soul as well. At least it wouldn't tear apart those she loved, even if it reeked havoc on her piece of mind and stole her trust and her innocence.
Briefly, she wondered how long she'd been gone. She didn't even know if Lou or Kid or anyone else had noticed her absence. Were they all sound asleep, oblivious to her predicament? Did they think she had only slipped off to bed early?

And then her thoughts changed to Buck. She wondered if he was back at the camp. Wondered if the ghosts of his past had been locked back up, to build in their host until he couldn't contain them any longer.

The shrill lonely howl of a wolf broke into her thoughts, startling her. She halted, straining her ears to determine where the beast was. The cry of a second wolf erupted into the still night. It had originated just over the hill to her left, very close, too close.

Theresa darted to the right, running head long over the uneven ground. She was too panicked by the thoughts of a torturous death to worry about the cliffs that threatened to steal solid earth from her feet. Only one thought seared her mind.

Escape!

She was unaware that each hasty step sent her farther away from the camp and from safety.

Morning came too soon to the weary express family. Rachel stumbled out of her bedroll and immediately put on the coffee. She then went back to the wagon to retrieve her pallet and wake the children.

Jeremy was the first to wake up. He was excited about his first day of work and his new horse. Kid had given him an old saddle and had taught him how to clean it the night before. Even though he'd stayed up later than usual, too excited to get any sleep, he was now wide awake. Without a word, he sprang from beneath the wagon and disappeared inside it.

Rachel moved to Theresa's blankets. Odd, the child wasn't there, and it didn't look as if she had been. Quickly she recounted the previous night's events. She hadn't seen Theresa since Teaspoon told his story. Then after Buck had left he'd remained on her mind for the rest of the evening, gaining her full attention.

A frown marred her lovely features as Rachel rushed to the next wagon. Lou and Kid lay with arms linked and baby Noah tucked soundly between them. Kid was the first to stir, with a groggy complaint, "It ain't mornin' yet, Lou. Go back ta sleep."

"Kid!" Rachel roughly shook his shoulder and then Lou's, "Louise!"

"Alright. Alright, already, I'm up!" Kid sat up, cracking his head on the underpinning of the wagon. An occurrence that took place nearly every morning with Kid.
Louise, a bit more of a morning person, gently touched her husband's arm. "Kid it's a wonder you got any sense left." But she eased her taunting remark with a soft kiss to the angry bump.

"Louise, have you any notion where Theresa is. She wasn't in her bedroll this mornin' and it don't look like she spent the night there." Rachel sat back on her haunches, awaiting Lou's answer.

"What'a ya mean, Rachel? Where else could she be?" Lou scrambled from beneath the wagon.

Kid, sobered by the worry in his wife's tone, quickly followed suit. "What's goin' on?"

"Well, did ya see her last night, before you went to bed?" Rachel shuffled her glance from Lou to Kid.

Louise concentrated for a moment. She hadn't seen Theresa go to bed, which wasn't all that strange. The girl was the quiet type. If someone had been talking when she'd wanted to retire, she wouldn't have interrupted, but would have just gone to bed. "No, I don't recall seeing her after Buck disappeared."

Kid absently rubbed at the knot on his head, "He back yet?"

Both women shrugged their shoulders.

"Okay, this is what we're gonna do. Rachel, you get Teaspoon. Lou, find Jeremy, and I'll see if Buck is back."

Kid found Buck saddling his horse. "Buck, Theresa's missing. You seen anything or heard anything?"

Buck turned startled eyes to Kid, "She's missing?"

Kid sadly nodded his head. "Don't think she slept here last night and no one's seen her."

Book shook his head no. He hadn't been gone long from camp last night, but he hadn't seen her after. He'd gone for a walk, to clear his thoughts.

Kid and Buck headed back to camp, Buck leading his saddled horse.

Twenty minutes later, they were all gathered around the fire, each holding a steaming mug of black coffee. No one had any new information.

"Kid, son, why don'cha go check with Gus and Charlie. Find out if they saw or heard anything unusual. Rachel, Lou ya'll get the camp broken down. Buck, look for any signs in the surroundin' area that can tell us anythin'. I'll head over and question the other immigrants. If'n they don't know anythin', I'll have a talk with the Pilot. Maybe we can hold off a couple of hours before the train hits the trail again." Teaspoon took a long swig of the hot liquid before throwing the remains into a bush a few yards behind him.

The small group split up, each hurrying off in the direction their assignment demanded. Jeremiah angrily stomped after Teaspoon. He wanted to help out in the search for his younger sister, and was mad that he had been excluded. "Teaspoon! What'cha want me to do?"

Teaspoon stopped and turned to the boy, "Son, things'll be best if'n ya stay out of the way. Now, go on back to the camp, Son."
Jeremy watched silently as Teaspoon approached the first wagon. He tamped down the urge to cry, to shout, and to beg that his sister be found unharmed. Turning on his heel, he headed back to the camp.

Theresa knelt at the creeks edge. She soaked the ribbon of cloth that she'd torn from her skirt in the cool clear water.

"Ouch!"

She gently cleaned the dozen or so scratches that covered her arms, face, and legs. Her mind re-played the events of the night before, over and over in her head. After she'd embarked on her terrified run from the wolves, she'd suddenly found a cliff. It wasn't a sheer drop-off, but was very steep. When she'd landed on the sharp slope, her body began a deathly roll down the side.

She was sure she'd hit every obstacle on the hill, small trees, big rocks, and bigger bushes. None broke her fall though. No, she rolled 20 feet down the cliff and another 10 feet at the bottom. She'd lain there, stunned, but the rustling in a near by bush sent her on her way.

Then she'd walked for most of the night. Until her body couldn't go on. She'd spent the rest of the night curled up in a small grove of bushes, hurt, scared, and licking her wounds.

Though she was exhausted, she woke up at the first faint light of dawn. Now it was mid-morning, and she was still lost. Nothing at all looked familiar or rather everything looked the same. Her internal compass was broken. She'd been turned around too many times to know exactly which direction she should take to find camp.

If camp was still at Ft. Laramie, as the train should have pulled out hours ago. She fumbled with the thought endlessly. They wouldn't leave her behind, but she knew they had to stay with the train. Who knew when another train bound for Oregon and its promises would pass through?

An intense rumble of hunger issued forth from Theresa's empty belly. She hadn't eaten much the night before. Now she regretted the fact. Wringing the rag out, she tucked it in a pocket. She squinted her eyes towards the sun, then turned and studied her surroundings.

She made a decision to travel away from the mountains that lined three sides of her. Quickly she offered up a silent prayer to the heavens, pleading that help would come. Hoping that she wouldn't die out here alone.

Squaring her shoulders, she grasped her skirt in one hand, lifting the hem from under her feet, and began her search.

The express family gathered beside one of their wagons. They'd searched for three hours for the missing girl. Many of their friends, fellow immigrants, joined in the search but to no avail. No one had seen or heard anything unusual the night before.

Lou paced worriedly back and forth. She was frantic with gory images of her dead sister. She should have noticed sooner. Theresa was her responsibility to protect. And now she had let them all down.

Kid placed his arms around his wife, hoping to give her a small bit of comfort with the simple gesture. "We'll find her, Lou."

Lou turned into his embrace, allowing the tears she'd held at bay for far too long, to wet her cheeks. "Kid, it's all my fault. I shoulda noticed her absence last night."

"Lou, it ain't yer fault. None of us did."

"But I'm her sister…"

"Louise!" Kid held his wife at arms length, staring deep into her eyes. "Not another word. I already told ya, it ain't nobody's fault. Things like this have a way of springin' up on a person, no matter how much ya try to hold it off."

Rachel walked up beside them, touching Lou's shoulder. "Kid's right, honey. You couldn't have known this would happen. Don't beat yourself up about it."

Teaspoon, Buck and Jeremiah joined the three. Teaspoon hung his head, regretting the decision he had to make. "Lou. Kid. The train is fixin' to move out. We'll be going with 'em. Buck is gonna stay behind and look for Theresa."

"I ain't going, Teaspoon, not without my sister." Lou stared daggers at her former boss.

"No you ain't, Lou. We need you to drive one of the wagons."

"Teaspoon, you ain't my boss anymore. I don't have to take orders from you. I'm staying." With that Lou turned her back on him.

Kid moved to stand in front of his wife. "Lou. He's got a point. Buck can track anything better'n any one I know. He'll find her."

Lou turned her scowl on Kid. "This ain't your decision, or any one else's. My mind is set."

Lou stomped off, and disappeared into a wagon. A few minutes later she exited, a saddle in her arms.

Kid moved to go after her, but Buck halted him. "I'll go talk to her."

Kid slowly nodded his head in resignation.

Buck met up with her as she made the finishing touches on saddling her horse. He stood by quietly awaiting her attention. Finally Lou spoke, without offering him a glance.

"Might as well hold yer breath, Buck. Nothin' you say is gonna sway my decision. Theresa is my sister, my responsibility. And I aim to find her."

Buck nodded his head, though she couldn't see the action. "Jeremy needs you here."

Lou stopped her task. She hunched her shoulders and leaned her head against the saddled horse. She had forgotten Jeremy would be upset too. He'd spent nearly everyday of his life with Theresa.

Buck continued, "I can move faster by myself. Time is critical, Lou, I don't have to tell you that. What Teaspoon said about the increased Indian attacks is true."

Lou rolled her face across the saddle, piercing Buck's soul with the utter look of helplessness he saw shining in her eyes. She leaned on Lightning, her cheek pressed hard against the saddle; she depended on the strength of her horse to keep her standing.

"If they got her, I have a better chance of getting her out of there alone."

Lou squeezed her eyes shut, he was right. And she knew it, though she had fought hard against the truth. "Bring her back, Buck."

She left unsaid what both of them knew. Bring her back dead or alive.

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