Part 5

Chapter 17

As we continue our ride, Fernando explains the running of the ranch and all that they do. I'm impressed by how beautiful this area is. The mountains surround us and I can't describe the feeling I have being out here. I'm also impressed by Fernando's strength. I'm convinced that if Diablo hurt his leg, Fernando wouldn't have any trouble carrying him back to the barn.

At one point we come to a part of the fence that has had a sizeable boulder roll down the hillside into it. To repair the fence, the boulder needs to be moved. Given the size, I assume that at the very least we're going to need to tie a rope to it and have the horses pull on it. Well Fernando just hops on down, plants his feet and reaches under the boulder then smoothly rolls it out of the way. I am suitably impressed.

After the boulder is out of the way, we quickly nail the fencing back up. As we ride, Fernando tells me about the duties he wants me to do and I ask endless questions back.

When we're about two and a half to three hours out and beginning to head back, Fernando stops us at a small creek. We stay up on the horses but let them graze and drink a bit while we eat our snack.

Just as we're finishing up, Fernando points up to some birds that are circling not too far away.

"What are they?"

"Vultures, something died recently or is dying. Let's go check it out."

Riding over, we pass a number of steers. Fernando makes it quite clear that these are not cows by the way. In about fifteen minutes, we find what is attracting the vultures, a recently killed steer.

Fernando gets down and looks over the carcass and around the site.

"There's a cat around."

"Cat? As in mountain lion?"

"Sá­, keep a very close eye out while I call back to the ranch."

Fernando pulls out the radio and GPS unit and calls back to the ranch. He's talking to someone, explaining what we found while looking all around. I'm trying to see every which way at once. Fears of being pounced upon motivate me to look hard.

Fernando finishes up his call and sees how nervous I am.

"Chiquita, look to Sugar Plum and especially Diablo. They have far better senses than we do and they are relaxed. I believe that we scared it off when we approached. It will return as soon as we leave.

We must return to the ranch now. This is troubling news. This cat is new to this area. If it continues to kill our stock, we will have to hunt it. Fortunately it will not be for me to do that. Let's go."

Around two hours later, we reach the ranch house. Fernando leads us straight to the main barn and hands Diablo over to one of the ranch hands to take care of. He then goes off with my father to discuss the mountain lion.

I’m looking forward to getting off of Sugar Plum. It’s been real fun riding, but I’ve been doing it for almost six hours. My butt is sore and I really need to pee.

Bringing Sugar Plum over to some bales of hay, I swing off and promptly fall right on my butt. My legs completely give out on me.

One of the ranch hands comes over and helps me up and I promptly sit right back down on the hay. Chuckling, he leads Sugar Plum away.

I hadn’t realized how bad my legs had gotten. I’m really not sure how well I can stand.

After about fifteen minutes I finally am able to get up and slowly make my way up to the house and to my room. My legs and hips are in agony.

Once in my room, I strip off my clothes and literally crawl into the bathroom. I get the water in the tub going as hot as I can and slip into it.

Oh. My. God. I may never walk again. The hot water feels wonderful however and it isn’t too long before I doze off.

“Hey there darlin’. Careful you don’t drown in there.”

Opening my eyes I see Carol smiling down at me.

“It would solve any number of problems though. I think I’m a cripple now.”

“Let me help ya. We should have started you out a bit slower. If you were going to do the grand tour, we probably should have used one of the mules.”

“How would a mule be better than a horse? They seem close enough alike to not make a difference to me.”

“I was referring to one of the little ATV’s we have. We call them mules.”

“You mean I could have avoided having my legs permanently maimed?”

“Oh posh, you’ll be fine in no time. Let me help you out and we’ll give your legs a little rub then get you down to the kitchen for some food. By tomorrow, you’ll be just fine.”

“We’ll see, I feel like I've been split in half. I’m defiantly going to take you up on the help though. I’m not kidding when I say I don’t think I can stand on my own.”

With Carol's considerable help, I get out of the tub and back into my room. After feeling the pain when I put on my underwear, I decide to forgo jeans and pull on a casual lavender purple dress.

"Ok you, on the bed, face down. I'll give your legs a bit of a rub down then we'll go get lunch."

Moaning I do as she says. When Carol starts to massage my legs however I have to scream into my pillow. My poor muscles really hurt. Soon the pain moves from excruciating to merely unbearable and eventually I think I might be able to walk unassisted.

With my massage done, we walk down to the dinning room. Well Carol walks, I kinda hobble.

Carol has me sit and says she'll be right back. Judy comes over and hands me a sandwich and a bowl of fruit. Giving me a sympathetic smile, she tells me to just call out if I need anything else.

Carol returns with a large glass of ice tea and some ibuprofen. I gratefully accept both.

Chapter 18

After lunch four days later, I'm settling myself on the porch with my guitar. It's been extremely hectic trying to learn all that I can about the ranch and the animals; hectic but fun too.

Who would have thought that a city girl like me would like ranch life so much? Not me certainly. Oh don't get me wrong, I miss the big city a lot. The hustle and bustle, the noise and the energy. The little Armenian restaurant just around the corner where we'd get the best apricot jam anywhere and where the owner always seemed to have a piece of lemon cake or baklava to give me. No, I do miss New York, but I'm learning to love this place too.

Fernando taught me how to drive the 'mules', the little ATV's that they keep around on the ranch and today was the first time I've been able to get back up onto a horse.

I'm fingering a little jazz piece when Edgar shows up. Edgar tends to follow me around a lot.

"Well hello there Edgar, like jazz?"

"Toc, toc, toc."

Giggling at him, I continue while watching him turn his head almost completely upside down. I do a bunch of different fingerings and it seems that Edgar likes the fast paced stuff the best.

Edgar flies off when Judy hurriedly comes out asking me if I've seen Carol or father. I tell her no and without saying anything else she rushes back into the house. Something definitely is up as shortly afterwards father, Fernando and Selma come running up the hill.

Setting aside my guitar, I follow them into the house and back to the office. There Carol is on the phone with someone. She quickly hangs up and turns to us.

"That was Sally Evans. There's a big fire over at the Parker ranch. No word yet on if anyone is hurt or not, but their main barn is completely engulfed and it's spreading to some of the other buildings.

Things are quiet here so I told her to let them know we'll be over as fast as we can to help.

Selma, they're going to need you right away so go ahead and take off now, we'll be shortly behind you. Take Miguel with you.

Bill, call in all the hands, I'll get things ready to move out and when I do, I'll take everyone with me. I want you and Fernando to stay here.

We have a big storm that is expected by the weekend and we also have that cat out there. We need to make sure everything here is ready for both. Fernando, with Delilah and Molly both so close to dropping, I can't have you gone"

Father, Fernando and Selma all take off.

Turning to Judy and me, Carol says, "Judy, make sure the house is ready for the storm. Also if the fire reaches the barracks or the main house, I'm going to offer for them to stay here. Make sure we're ready for them. Angel hon can you help Judy and Fernando?"

"Sure Carol."

"Thanks darlin'."

With that we all head off. I go get my guitar and put it away then find Judy.

She's rapidly packing food into coolers and other carriers.

"Help me get this out to the truck, then well grab some cases of water. The last thing they're going to think about is food but they're sure going to need it."

We quickly get a huge amount of food put together and loaded into Carol's truck just before she heads out.

It was forty-five minutes of chaos and everyone running around and now it's quiet.

When Judy assures me she doesn't need me, I go off to find Fernando.

Chapter 19

I go down to the main barn and find father and Fernando talking. Father gives me his usual glare and says, "You need to stay out of the way. Go up and help Judy."

"Judy doesn't' need me right now and with everyone gone, you need every hand you can get. You don't have to deal with me, I'll work with Fernando."

Before father can say anything, Fernando says, "Good, I can use your help."

Father glares at me again and tells Fernando, "I'm going to go check the near sheds to make sure they're in good shape. Tomorrow I'll go out and check some of the outer ones. The timing on this is terrible but that can't be helped. Let me know if you need my help on anything. See you at dinner."

Father then turns and walks off without another look at me. No loss there.

"Ok Fernando, what can I do?"

"We're not going to move Delilah or Molly over to the birthing barn after all. We'll keep them here but we need to rearrange the stalls to give them more room."

For the next couple of hours I help Fernando rearrange things so Delilah and Molly will have more room. We also feed and water the animals for the night and generally do the work of everyone who took off to help with the fire.

By the time dinner is ready I'm exhausted. After dinner and the promise of an early start, I go off to clean up and go to bed. That night I again dream without nightmares. I haven't had any since Flower and her baby died.

Come morning, I wake to every muscle in my body complaining over the abuse I've been giving it recently. Hobbling into the bathroom, I take a hot shower to try to loosen up then get dressed and head down to the kitchen for some breakfast.

Despite the early hour, Judy is up and gives me a sympathetic smile.

"You look terrible."

"I feel terrible. Every muscle in my body aches. I thought I was in shape but this last week has kicked my, um has really worn me out."

"This should help." And she gives me some ibuprofen.

"Bless you."

After downing them with some orange juice and following that up with some scrambled eggs, I go off in search of Fernando.

I find him in the barn checking out Delilah.

"Morning Fernando. How's our girl doing?"

"I think today will be the day, tomorrow at the latest. I want to stay very close to her, can you look to the other animals on your own?"

"Sure, no problem. Any word from Carol?"

"Si, the fire was very bad. It missed the main house but the stable and barns are completely gone along with many of the out buildings. With the storm moving in, she and the others will be staying there to help tend the stock. I do not envy them.

Your father is out hunting the cat. Yesterday he found two more fresh kills. The signs indicate that it is the same animal but it is not typical mountain lion behavior. There is something very wrong with this one, possibly rabies. That would support the indiscriminate killing it is doing."

"Rabies? Yuck. Well I better get busy. If you need anything, give me a yell."

"Thank you Chiquita. Take a radio with you. With everyone gone, we'll need them."

"Ok."

By lunch time, I had taken care of the morning feeding. With the storm scheduled to hit tomorrow, I also have to make sure that everything is closed up and ready.

After getting myself something to eat, I fix something for Fernando and take it down to the barn.

Judy is down there talking with Fernando when I get there.

"Ah, Chiquita, gracias. We just heard back from your father, he is on his way back. No luck in finding the cat. Judy is going to take some supplies over to the Parker's along with a change of clothes for Carol and Selma. Can you help her load the truck?"

"Sure thing, come on Judy."

"Thank you again. I'll have my lunch then I 'm going to grab a shower and then back to playing nursemaid."

I help Judy load the truck. The sky is getting rather dark and it's not that far past noon.

"Judy, it looks like you better hurry if you're going to beat the storm."

"Maybe I should wait. If I'm not able to get back you guys are going to be awfully short handed."

"Don't worry about it. We have everything buttoned down. Father is on his way back and Fernando and I are here. The only thing we're going to need to do is try to stay dry. If you can't make it back, don't worry."

"I suppose so."

"Go on, they need this stuff and I'm sure that Carol and Selma will appreciate the change of clothes."

"Ok, but you be sure to call if you guys need us."

"We will, don't worry."

Judy takes off and I head back down to the barn. Just as I get there, Fernando comes rushing out.

"Chiquita, have you seen Delilah?"

"No, what happened."

"Maldito. She is not in her stall, the gate is open."

"What! How did that happen?"

"I do not know. I know I closed the stall door."

We quickly split up and look around but there is no sign of Delilah. When I get back to the barn, Fernando is saddling up Diablo.

"I am going out to look for her, get on the radio and tell your father what happened and then call Carol and let her know. She can't have gone far in her condition. I will be back as soon as I can. Don't worry, you will be fine here."

"I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about her."

"She will be fine too."

With that he mounts his horse and is gone. I go into the office and call Carol. I end up getting her voicemail so I leave a message and tell her everything. I also try to call Judy but I don't even get voicemail with her.

Then I get on the radio and try to reach father without success. Ten minutes later, I try him again. This time I get through but there is a ton of static and I can barely make out what he is saying.

Before I can tell him what has happened, he says that his horse threw him and he thinks his leg is broken. The signal is getting weaker but I manage to get the coordinates of where he is. I tell him what has happened here but there isn't any response. I'm not sure if he heard me or not.

I get back on the radio and try to reach Fernando but no luck.

Outside the sky is getting darker, the temperature is dropping and the wind is picking up.

Damn, damn, damn. Reaching a decision, I quickly write a note explaining what happened to father, where he is and that I'm going after him. I grab the big first-aide kit and a heavy coat and head out on one of the mules.

Chapter 20

With the GPS to guide me, I head out on the mule. The wind is blowing and its cold out but no sign yet of rain. The landscape looks surreal, a kind of weird twilight with the clouds letting just enough light through to make everything seem like a different world.

Travel is fairly smooth at first and I can head right towards father's coordinates but after forty-five minutes, I need to start to detour around things that if I were on horseback, wouldn't be a problem.

In another forty-five minutes I'm very near to where father said he was. It's quite a bit darker now with the occasional spot of rain. What light there is has take on a red-orange glow from all of the blown up dust and dirt. The clouds occasionally light up from lightning. Hopefully the lightning will stay up in the clouds and not start striking the ground.

As I take a short break to try to find away around a small wash, I try again to reach father or Fernando on the radio. Heavy static is all I get in reply.

Movement out of the corner of my eye makes me turn but nothing is there. It happens again and again then I suddenly realize that the landscape and the darting shadows are just like the nightmare I had about Flower. This time I'm not dreaming though. Shit.

Unclipping the spot light from the mule, I shine it where I last saw darting shadows. Nothing is there.

Ok, you're under stress, you have an over-active imagination, that's all it is. I keep telling myself this over and over again.

Heading out again I make my way eastward until I find a way across the wash, then I turn back towards where father is supposed to be.

The rain starts at this point and I could wish that it had waited just a bit longer. At least until I got to father. The good thing is the darkness looks a bit more normal now, the bad is the lightning is striking up in the hills and not staying in the clouds. Being hit by lightning would definitely not be a good thing.

As I'm driving along, I'm trying to figure out just what the hell I'm doing out here. First, I'm a city girl, this wild, wild west stuff is for the birds. Second, I'm heading out into a storm to try to rescue a man who hates my guts. Obviously I'm nuts. When I get back, if I get back, I need to have a long call with Maggie about all of this. I'm sure she can find me a nice padded cell somewhere.

I have to creep along as my visibility is very poor now, even with all the lights on this thing. Suddenly I stop as I hear what could only be gun shots. That has to be father and I'm close.

Just as I start to head out again, there's a blinding flash and the immediate blast of thunder as lightning strikes.

Dazed, I pick myself up out of the dirt, checking myself to make sure that I wasn't what was hit by the lightning. Then I realize there shouldn't be dirt and a second ago it was darker than the inside of a hat, now it isn't.

Looking up, everything is dry, the light is an eerie reddish orange and there is no wind. Things aren't just quiet, it's like every sound is muffled. Then the shadows start to move.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. I am so screwed. I'm not dreaming I know I'm not, but what happened?

I move back to the ATV and the engine has stopped. I try to restart it but it doesn't even make a click as I turn the key. Trying the radio, I get nothing, not even static. I notice that the GPS unit is not working either.

Shit. I seem to be saying that a lot lately but it seems the most appropriate word. I'm not really sure what is happening but the safest place will probably be with father.

The ATV was pointed right towards where father was supposed to be. Grabbing the first aid kit I start in his direction.

The moving shadows resolve themselves into flyers but at present they're ignoring me. Unfortunately they're going in the same direction that I am.

Making my way around some brush, I come across the body of a dead cow, sorry Fernando, steer. It's nothing but hide over the skeleton. A flyer kill.

Shaking, I make my way past the carcass and head up the hill. Just before reaching the top, I hear two more gun shots. From the sound of them, they're just on the other side.

Rushing the rest of the way up the hill I find where all the flyers were going.

Looking down the hill, I see my father. He's lying down, partially propped up against a fallen tree. All around him are flyers. They appear to be just waiting. Father's head is back and he appears either dead of unconscious.

I've never been more scared in my life as I begin to make my way down the hill.

Although this feels real, I know it can't be. This must be a dream, it just has to be. And being a dream, maybe I can do the light trick that Molly did.

I keep trying to make light as I go down the hill. As I approach the flyers, they part and let me pass. There's no light so why are they making way for me?

I reach father and see that he is breathing. He has a nasty gash on his head and his left leg is swollen and looks like it might be broken. In his hand is a revolver. Trying to keep my eyes on the flyers and father, I take hold of the gun and pull it out of his hand then gently shake his shoulder.

"Father. Bill wake up."

No response. I open up the first aid kit and start to clean up his head wound. After getting that relatively clean, I wrap his head in gauze to stop the bleeding. Not a great job but it'll have to do. With that done, I start looking around for something to splint his leg with.

Still keeping an eye out on the flyers, I make my way over to a dead fall that looks to have some branches that I can use. As I struggle to get the branches I need I hear a scream from my father and turn to see that a flyer has moved and is covering his legs.

Suddenly there's a flash of light and the nearby flyers turn to dust and I'm suddenly at my father's side without being aware of moving.

As I bend over him to see if I can wake him again, father's hand shoots up and grips my throat. Holding me by the neck, father opens his eyes and there's nothing there but blackness. Once he is standing, he continues to raise me up until my feet clear the ground and I'm dangling in his grip.

Hardly being able to breath, I desperately grab his hand and arm, trying to break his grip. Father just smiles.

"So the little bastard is a hero too. How charming. Were you going to save me? Then out of gratitude we'd be father and son once more? Oh forgive me, father and daughter."

A look of absolute disgust comes over his face and he shakes me. My vision is starting to black out and I hear a great roaring in my ears.

"As if I'd want a freak like you." With that he throws me to the ground where I gasp desperately for air.

In a quieter tone he says, "you shouldn't have come. You should have stayed in New York."

"What's happening? Why are you doing this?" I gasp out.

"Why to destroy you, why else?"

"Why kill me after all these years?"

He backhands me and I go flying to the ground again.

"You don't listen, I said destroy, not kill."

Father turns and looks up the hill. "If I'd wanted you dead, you'd be dead. Just like that slut of a mother of yours."

At his words I grab a large branch on the ground and screaming swing at him.

My blow catches him right on the side of the head, just as he's turning. He crumples to the ground.

As I watch him, his face changes. The color seems to run out of him a bit, then his mouth opens and a black writhing tentacle emerges.

I back up in horror as a flyer begins to leave my fathers body. As it emerges, my father looks more worn and tired looking.

When the flyer completely emerges, it makes its way up and over the opposite hill.

Cautiously, I make my way back to my father. He's still breathing.

Now, all of the flyers are rushing up the opposite hill. Looking up to the top of that hill I see a black form resolve itself into the shape of a giant cat. This must be the mountain lion, but it's like no cat or lion I've ever seen a picture of. It's huge and black and as the flyers reach it they seem to be absorbed into it, make it bigger and even more evil looking.

Oh why can't I have normal nightmares like other people? Of course I've never been normal about anything so there's probably not a reason to start now.

I'm not sure what's happening or why this is happening, but I do know that everything that's happened recently was to get me here to this place at this time. For some reason, this thing wants me dead. No not dead, destroyed or something even worse than that. Before that happens though, it's going to kill my father, Carol and everyone close to me. This I somehow know.

The cat thing lets out a frightening scream. It works, I'm frightened. As the echo of the cat's scream comes back and dies away, I seem to hear the faint cawing of a raven too. The sound of the raven seems to build some resolve in me, to what I'm not sure. Before I can think on it further, the cat starts to charge down the hill. A band of bright light seems to extend from either side of me as I realize that I'm running to meet it.

The great cat leaps and flinging myself into its path I raise my hands to some how block it. My small hand meets the huge paw of the cat, its claw sinks deep into my palm.

There's a loud scream, from me or the cat I'm not sure. Then nothing.

Epilogue

Last nights storm made it almost impossible to make it back to the ranch and completely impossible to go out looking for Angel and Bill.

When I got Angel's message then Fernando's frantic call that both were missing in the storm, Selma and I headed back to the ranch with Judy and Miguel. A trip that normally takes forty-five minutes took three hours last night and when we got to the ranch, every time we tried to leave to go in search of them, the storm seemed to get worse.

The weather finally broke at five this morning and with Selma and Judy taking care of Delilah and her new baby, Fernando, Miguel and I loaded up and went in search of our missing family.

Fernando rode ahead on Diablo and Miguel and I each drove one of the mules.

"Carol,  ¡date prisa!" calls out Fernando.

Gunning the engines of the mules, we race forward to find Fernando at the mule that presumably Angel took. There's no sign of Angle though, or of Bill.

Fernando is circling and I'm checking Angel's mule. It starts right up, so where is Angel? Why would she leave it?

From the top of the hill Fernando calls out, "Carol, I found Bill!"

Mounting back up, Miguel and I quickly follow after him. There at the bottom of the hill is Bill. There's a blood soaked bandage wrapped around his head and an open first aid kit next to him, but no Angel.

At our approach, Bill's eyes flicker open and he sees us. Before we can say anything he points up the opposite hill. Looking, I see a pale form lying near the top. With Fernando and Miguel looking after Bill, I race up the hill and am beside the still form of Angel in no time.

Her pants are torn and muddy; her shirt is in tatters around her waist. She's laying face down with her hair spread about her like a halo.

"Angel, Angel honey, it's Carol."

I quickly check her over and the only injury I see is to the palm of her right hand. I gently turn her over and as I do her eyes flicker open. She gives me a little smile and reaches up and touches my cheek then her eyes close and she is again unconscious.

Gathering her small form, I pick her up and carry her back down the hill.

~o~O~o~

Looking down at Angel sleeping in her bed I turn to Bill and ask, "Bill, what happened out there?"

Shifting on his crutches, Bill replies, "Carol, I wish I knew. Trying to remember is like trying to find things in a fog. I had gone out checking the outer sheds and hunting the cat when something spooked my horse. When she reared up my reins broke and I fell off and hit my head. I don't even remember hurting my leg. When I came to, things were getting dark. Fortunately I had grabbed the radio and the GPS when I fell.

When Angel here called, I gave her my coordinates but there was so much static I wasn't sure that she got them. Then the cat showed up. I shot at it but my head was so muddled I kept missing.

At one point I was hallucinating. I saw Angel but she was so much larger and seemed to be made of light and it even looked like she had wings. She was fighting the cat that had changed into a monster. There was a great blast and I don't remember anything else until you guys found me."

"Well the blast you heard and saw was probably the lighting. We found the mountain lion, it was hit by lighting; dang near cut in half. Angel it seems was close enough that it knocked her out. Fortunately, aside from a puncture wound on her hand, she's ok. Doc just says that she's exhausted is all. That is one lucky little gal there"

"I've been a fool Carol."

"You usually are."

"It's like for the past thirteen, fourteen years my mind has been wrapped in cotton. I haven't thought straight at all, at least concerning her or her mother. Do you think she'll ever forgive me?"

"In time maybe, just give her time Bill. She may never be your daughter, and she is a girl, not a boy, but someday, she might be your friend."

"No, she's no boy alright, and I can live with friend. That would be nice."

~o~O~o~

A hand wrinkled by time but still strong and tanned reaches under a bush and retrieves a large iridescent feather. Looking to the dead puma and the blackened scorch marks on the ground around it, the man looks thoughtfully to the south then tucks the feather inside his shirt and leaves. Behind him a raven glides after on silent wings.

Image credit: 'Doves' by Marta Dahlig