Jim elbowed Suzy and pointed. She looked and there was the crow sitting on a fence post. It took flight and landed on a red Mustang. Suzy questioned, “How much for the pair of reds over there.”
The man insisted, “80 dollars if it gets your crazy ass out of here.”
Suzy walked down to the Mustangs and handed Jim the rifle and canteen. Then she jumped over the fence, and walked up to the first horse. She checked each leg and hoof then looked in its mouth. Suzy patted it on the neck then she jumped up laying across the horse on her belly. Then she slung her leg over and sat up on the horse. She patted it between the ears as she talked to it. Then she jumped down and checked the other horse.
Suzy walked back and jumped over the fence. Then she exclaimed, “Well one is about 12 years old and the other could be as old as 15. It needs to have its hooves trimmed and new shoes. Then the other one has a loose shoe. I’ll give you $40 and the Winchester. I’ve only shot it twice, and you saw the one time. Hand him the rifle Jim.”
Looking over the gun he replied, “$50 and the gun.”
Suzy offered, “You say fifty and the gun. I say forty and the gun, so say we split it. Two horses for forty five and the gun.”
The man thought for a few and agreed. Suzy insisted she get a receipt, so she went to the office and got a sales receipt. Then Jim gave the man four ten’s and five silver dollars. Then they put the harness on the horses and walk them through town.
Jim questioned, “How much did you save by using the gun?”
Suzy thought for a moment and replied, “Its $300 in our time for a silver dollar. The horse would have been $40, so that is 40 times $300 or $12,000. The Winchester was $2,500 in our time, so I saved $9,500. It’s not just saving money. Money in this time period is hard to find. We were lucky to get the money we got, so we need to spend it wisely. As for the deal, the Winchester cost $50 right now, and he got it for $35. I guess I got took for $15”
Jim inquired, “Have you seen the crow?”
Suzy replied, “Yah it’s down there on the hotel watching us.”
Jim complained, “I need to get off my feet. The boots are killing me.”
Suzy said, “Just climb up on the horse and ride it.”
Jim confessed, “I don’t know how to ride a horse.”
Suzy snapped back, “Damn it Jim! Why didn’t you say something? You knew I was taking horse riding lessons. You could have been doing that too.”
Jim insisted, “I thought I would be riding around on a wagon. Not riding around on a horse.”
Suzy demanded, “Give me the reins and climb up on the horse.”
Jim handed Suzy the reins, and climbed up on the horse. Suzy tied the reins to her gun belt and climbed on the other horse. Then she rode down the road with Jim’s horse tethered to her gun belt. She stopped at the creek to water the horses. Then back to camp. Arriving at camp everything was just as they left it. Sliding off the horse Jim complained, “Now my feet and butt hurt.”
Suzy chastised, “Jim quit your wining. We have to unload the truck so I can get the stuff to make dinner. Then you have to get wood and start a fire so I can cook it.”
Jim inquired, “Can I change into my old boots?”
Suzy ordered, “Well get with it Jim. I’m going to stake out the horses.”
After Jim changed his boots he pulled the wagon cover from the truck. Then he spread it out on the ground, and started putting stuff on it from the truck. Soon the truck was unloaded, and all that was left was the wagon. Jim got a roll of hemp rope from the pile on the tarp and threw it on the back of the wagon. Then he got in the truck and started the engine. He pulled the truck forward then backed it up to a tree. He got out and tied the rope to the tree and the wagon.
Then he had Suzy let him know when the wagon was hanging off far enough for the wheels. He put on the two back wheels. Checking the wagon break Jim went and pulled forward until the wheels dropped to the ground. Then he got in the back of the truck and worked the wagon break and pushed until he could put on the front wheels. After Jim got the front wheels on. He released the break and let the wagon slide off the planks. Pushing the planks in the back of the truck Jim hollered, “Done!”
Suzy answered, “Not with the fire wood. If you want to eat get the wood.”
Jim mumbled, “Crap.”
Then he took the ax and headed into the trees. Soon he returned with the ax and leaned it against the wagon.
Suzy questioned. “Where’s the wood?”
Jim joked, “In the woods of course. I cut off some dead branches and busted them up in a pile. I’m going to get it now.”
Soon Jim had carried and piled the fire wood. Then Suzy setup her cooking pot, and put water in it. Then she got out her dehydrated beef and put it in the pot. She got out a large baking potato and two carrots.
Then she requested, “Jim can I use your knife?”
Jim pulled his knife from the sheath and handed it to Suzy. Then she cut the potato and carrots over the pot without peeling them. Then she got an old tin can and opened it. Taking a pinch of the salt inside the can she put it in the pot.
Jim’s mouth dropped opened as he insisted, “Don’t tell me that’s hundred year old salt.”
Suzy laughed, “You know it, is it did come out of a salt mine somewhere. You silly guy you. That’s it dinner is cooking. It’s time for us to load the wagon and put the cover on it.”
Jim whined, “Don’t you ever stop?”
Suzy revealed, “When I’m sleeping. Now let’s get the tongue on first. Then we can put the springs and mattress in the back of the truck.”
With the wagon half loaded Suzy questioned, “What time do you have Jim?”
Jim pulled out his pocket watch and announced, “4:45 for whatever it matters.”
Suzy revealed, “Well I know from the sales receipt it’s May, 13, 1874. I also know it gets dark about 8:30 or 9:00 o’clock this time of year. I overheard someone at the Hotel say it’s going to be a new moon tonight, so that means it’s going to be dark as hell when the sun goes down.”
Jim replied, “We should be done in an hour or so. I think were fine even if I dig up the box.”
Suzy replied, “No I think we should do the box in the morning before we go.”
Jim questioned, “Are you sure you know how to hookup all the straps, wooden things with steel rings and stuff? It looks complicated.”
Suzy assured, “What do you think I was taking all the horse classes for. I spent the last three months learning this? The wooden things are called doubletrees and the big Collars are called yokes, and yes I know how to put on every strap and part of the rigging. I told you this was my job. You just had to build the truck, and you did the best job of that ever.”
Jim and Suzy finished loading the wagon and putting on the cover. They ate their dinner and washed up the pot in the creek. Then they put the stuff in the wagon.
Lying on the mattress Suzy questioned, “You ready for tomorrow?”
Jim replied, “To be honest today kind of freaked me out a little. I didn’t see anyone waring guns but us. And you were carrying around the rifle, but no one seemed to notice. Then when you shot it off at the livery. That scared the hell out of me. I thought the Sheriff was going to come and put us in jail. I just sucked it up and kept going. I just want you to know this is the adventure of a lifetime even if it is hazardous.”
Suzy informed, I have to teach you to ride a horse. You won’t be able to do things in these times without that knowledge.
The next morning Suzy mixed up a pan bread in a cast-iron frying pan, and got a fire going. Getting Jim’s knife she carved off some of the bacon from the smoked and cured side she got. It was over ten dollars a pound but came in a cloth bag, and didn’t need refrigeration. It fit the times.
Jim dug up the money box and Suzy helped him with the springs and mattress. Then Jim backed the truck down in the hole surrounded by trees. Then he took off the battery cables just in case so the battery wouldn’t go dead.
Back at the wagon Suzy had the chairs out, and had turned over the pan bread. Looking at the bread Suzy thought
, Not quite like when I practiced it at home on the stove, but we’ll eat.
Jim came back and sat in a chair, as Suzy dumped the bread on a tin plate. Dropping the bacon in the pan she exclaimed, “It will be ready in just a few. The coffee is perking, and we’re just waiting for the bacon.”
After eating Suzy requested, “Jim take the canteen and frying pan to the creek. Fell the canteen and wash the pan. I’ll hitch up the team. Then we can load the money box, and we’ll be on our way.
It was a slow ride over the ruff field to the road, but Jim turned the wagon on to the road and commented, “Made that turn. I think I’m getting the hang of this.”
With the horses at a walk they slowly moved along. That’s when Jim saw the corn field up ahead.
Coming up on Connors corner Jim announced, “Look it’s the corn field it really was on this corner.”
Going around the corner Suzy insisted, “Stop the wagon! Now pull back on the break handle until it locks. Then wrap the reins around the break handle twice. There you just learned how to park the wagon.”
Suzy jump down off the wagon and walked to the edge of the field. Then she yelled. “Look at that little tree Jim. It must grow up to be the tree that killed my mom, dad, and Autum. Let’s chop it down.”
Then the crow landed on Suzy’s head and her eyes rolled back in her head. She fell to the ground lifeless. Then her mother appeared before her, “Oh my dear child how I love you. You’ve work so hard and given up so much to make it here. It saddens me to bring you this news. You have to understand that no one has ever come back from the other side. If you remove what killed us we will just die another way.
I’m sorry about Autum she’s to drained to come to you now. She used up her energy protecting you, and has to regenerate. That’s why I sent the crow to guide and protect you. I’m also sorry to tell you that you can’t go back home. You can stop the curse, but there is no one in that time for it to help. I’m so proud of what you’ve become. Give Jim lots of love he needs it now more than ever. I love you my dear child.”
Then Clara faded away and Suzy slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Jim knelling next to her she started to sob uncontrollably wining, “I ruined everything”
Jim wrapped his arms around her and whispered, “Whenever you need someone to lay your head on I’ll be there for you. Wherever you go, I'll be with you. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. Whatever it is I’ll do it. Jest let me know. Only love knows why your heart cries. My heart cries here too, but we got each other. Isn’t that what you keep telling me? We got this, you and me girl. Just lean on me and I’ll take you places you could never dream of.”
Suzy just got worse with every word Jim would say. It hurt him so to see her cry. His heart sunk and Jim became saddened by the hurt Suzy was going through.
Then the crow came down and landed next to Suzy. It jumped up on her shoulder and rubbed its head on her face wiping the tears. Jim fell back on his butt staring at the bird in disbelief. Then the crow flew over to Jims shoulder and rubbed its head on his face. Wiping the tears on Jim making him feel all the emotions Suzy was having. Jim filled with, affection, anger, concern, desire, despair, empathy, passion, anguish, grief, regret, and sorrow. It made him so sad he passed out.
Wiping her eyes Suzy moved next to Jim. She called out his name as she shook him. All Suzy’s emotions had put Jim in a trance like state, as her feelings surged through him. His ability to function voluntarily had been suspended. It was as if he was under hypnosis. He could hear Suzy’s voice calling his name but he couldn’t move.
Then the crow started squawking and Jim opened his eyes. Suzy fell on top of Jim as she whispered. “Thank God.”
Jim wrapped his arms around Suzy and squeezed her tight. With a tingling rushing through his body Jim assured, “I’ll get the ax and chop it down.”