Beyond the Green

20

When I wrote this book way back when, I didn't know anything about consistent chapter length, so in reposting and editing it now, I've had to make some HUGE adjustments to almost every chapter. Thusly, there are some sort ones (like this one), and some normal length ones. I just can't post a chapter this long and let it go, so I am again posting two. Thanks for putting up with the inconsistencies!

Hearing that name on his lips sent my head reeling, and I swayed slightly, blood rushing from my face all at once. That name was like a thunder clap out of the blue and I was caught completely unprepared. Steadying me, my husband did not break eye contact.

"How do you know about him?"

"You talk in your sleep." Tyler held onto my shoulders, keeping his eyes fixed on mine. "What happened between you two?"

"Dell was a good man," I whispered. "I'd never known anyone like him before, and...I believe he loved me...as I loved him,"

"I put that together for myself, Molly. Tell me what I don't already know."

"I first saw Dell when my wagon assignment came through for the crossing. He was our driver, and he was quiet and somewhat shy, didn't say too much. As time went on, he opened up to me, and we got to be friends." I paused searching for the right words. "I don't know when it was I knew I loved him, one day I just knew.

"I could feel it when I looked in his eyes, I could hear it in my voice when I spoke to him. The night he asked me to marry him was the happiest in my life," pausing, my eyes welled with tears. Blinking them back I continued. "The news caused no end of trouble among the passengers and other teamsters. Why they had such strong opinions about it I will never know, but tensions ran high, outbursts of anger common, over little things too."

"What happened to Thorne? Was he a victim of one of these outbursts?" Tyler had heard the tightness in my voice the closer I brought those memories into the open.

"No. I never saw anyone get the best of him, and they tried. He was cornered by several teamsters one day; they'd been drinking and wanted to pick a fight," My eyes were no longer seeing the man in front of me, but the bulk of three men trapping Dell between them and a wagon. Taunting him, wanting to bait him into a confrontation. They got more than they bargained for.

"There was a fight?" Tyler encouraged me to continue.

"A fight?" I laughed despite myself. "That would imply the odds were even! Dell took them apart. I have never seen anything like it. He used a coil of rope and thrashed them with it, so cold and deliberate that it stunned everyone. Even me. Later he told me he'd had enough of their jabbing at him." I paused to brush more tears from my eyes. "He said it was time to make a stand, to shut them up before they dragged him into real trouble."

"That was the beginning of the end though. The brutality with which he cut them down really upset the passengers. Even though he hadn't killed anyone, they thought Dell was out of control, or some vicious madman. Passengers started complaining about having him among them, the drivers he'd beaten wanted revenge. It was spiraling out of control.

"Mister Riggs, that's the trail Captain, called a meeting between all the men on the train to decide things. A few days later they held a trial right there in the middle of nowhere. I don't think Mister Riggs wanted to really, but he was trying to get everyone along safely." My heart had begun to hammer with bitter anger and dread. "They trussed him up like some criminal! Took his guns, tied his hands, made him listen to vile accusations when all he'd done-!" my voice cut off as memories washed over me.

"Did he hang?" it was a blunt question, but I was too lost in the memory to be offended. Physical pain shot through my chest, eyes flaring wide as I gasped desperately for breath.

"No, they never got the chance,"

"Tell me, Molly," he urged softly. "Tell me what happened."

"I couldn't bear to just sit and wait, and since the men decided no women were allowed at the proceedings, I went for a walk. I just wanted to clear my head, praying Dell would get through this alive. If he did, I was going to urge him to leave the wagon train, and we'd start a new life right where we were. We'd find a preacher and a piece of land for ourselves- I guess I wasn't watching where I was going, I was so preoccupied..."

"It's okay." Tyler stroked my hair as large tears formed in my eyes. "You can tell me, Molly, nothing is going to hurt you now."

"There was a creek," I started again slowly. "Down a little way at the bottom of a shallow gully? Somehow I ended up there at the water's edge. I was looking at my reflection in the water when I heard a horse. It never occurred to me to be afraid. It never occurred to me that it might be dangerous to wander such a short distance alone. That's when I saw him, just...staring at me.

"I thought I'd die of fright. I'd never in my life seen an Indian before. It was the worst kind of nightmare. He was painted in a horrible mask of red, yellow, and black, just...staring. It made me think maybe I was dreaming, that it wasn't real, that he wouldn't hurt me, but..."

"But?"

"He started to smile, such a vile, ugly smile that I...I ran. As fast as I could, screaming for help, praying that someone would hear me. I didn't get far before he grabbed me, and I was thrown over the saddle. I'd heard the stories of what happens to white women who are captured, I knew that I had to escape. So I started kicking and biting, struggling to get away.

"He grabbed my arm to try and stop me, but it let me fall off his horse, twisting my arm when I hit the ground. It knocked the breath from me. All I could do was lay there, helpless when he came back for me. I don't know how I managed to stand up, but there was nowhere to run.

"Indians on horses were around me, keeping me right in the middle. I thought I was going to die right then, that I didn't have the courage to be brave, but," sniffling, my heart beating so fast I struggled to breath, I saw it in my mind's eye. "There was a shout, the sound of a horse coming toward us. I wanted to scream for help but I couldn't. I wanted to...to warn him..."

"Dell." Tyler's voice was soft as I nodded, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"I covered my eyes." Guilt twisted my stomach as I relived those memories. "I was so frightened I couldn't watch but they started whooping...horrible, feral sounds. It made me look, but when I did, Dell was running toward me. For a split second I felt safe, but,"

"But he didn't have his gun." It was a flat statement, and I cringed, nodding.

"I know he only meant to save me, to get to me as fast as possible, but, he must've forgotten. He must've assumed he had one. Then we were cut off, surrounded, and I could hardly breathe. I was so afraid.

"I remember Dell staring at the Indian who'd tried to kidnap me. I'd never seen his face like that before, then slowly, he pushed me behind him. 'It'll be alright,' he told me. 'It'll be alright.' Then they attacked us. Dell shoved me to the ground, facing them alone, without any defenses, and they...they just swallowed him up. All I could see was blood.

"They were jabbing at him with spears, screaming and hollering, taunting him, almost daring him to fall down. H-he looked at me right then, and I screamed his name, but he...he fell." I was weeping, barely able to get the words out, but unable to stop. Too deep in the memory, my heart hammered painfully within me. I could smell the horses; hear the stomping of their hooves as they moved, saw the crimson-stained grass.

"The Indian who tried to kidnap me got down and stood over Dell, a horrible expression on his face. I couldn't watch. May God forgive me, I looked away! I'll never forget that sound! Like a cough, but strangled...a scream drowned by blood, it was so horrible..."

"Didn't any of the others come to help?"

"Too late." Swaying, seeing it all vividly replay in my mind, I reached toward Dell's body. "They came too late, and when the Indians ran away, I went to him...I couldn't make myself believe...He just lay there, so quiet. I shook him, and called his name, begged him not to leave me, but...he just lay there. He couldn't see me anymore and wouldn't answer me. He's gone Nolan, he's gone, and it's my fault!"