Read Online Bride of the Wild by Carré White - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carré White
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ever again.”
Amelia climbed steadily, disappearing from sight a moment later. I grasped the lantern in one hand and the ladder in the other, my feet tripping over the bottom of my dress. I joined them in the kitchen a moment later. Micah lowered the door in the floor, covering it with the rug and table, while I stared at the prone form of the bear only a few feet away. Blood pooled beneath its furry, smelly body. It wasn’t as large as I thought it would be, no older than a youth.
“It’s a girl bear?”
Micah nodded. “Yes.”
Its belly did not move, nothing moved. “It’s truly dead?”
“It sounded so much bigger,” murmured Amelia, verbalizing my thoughts. “This was responsible for all the deaths?”
“It was vicious,” said Micah. “Unnaturally vicious and fast. It’s diseased. I’ll drag it outside in a moment, but I want to go upstairs. Maybe … I’m hoping that maybe … there’s a sign of life.”
I hadn’t thought of that, chiding myself for the oversight. “I’ll join you. Let’s go, Micah. Let’s hurry. Maybe we can help them.”
He nodded. “All right.”
Amelia remained in the kitchen, gingerly stepping around the dead animal. She put the kettle on, while Micah and I took to the stairs, finding blood streaked on the floor and walls. What waited for us on the upper level was nothing short of horrifying. Bullet holes spotted the walls and furniture had been smashed, while blood pooled in places, but this wasn’t from the bear.
I gazed at Lucy, who had been mauled rather severely, blood soaking her dress. “Oh, my Lord,” I cried, dropping to my knees and holding my face in my hands. I could not stop the sobs that tore through me. Her ashen features and frozen eyes were difficult to look upon. Micah’s hands grasped my shoulders, and I turned into him, burying my face in his chest. “We should’ve boarded these windows,” I sobbed. “I forgot about the tree. Of course bears climb trees … and this one did. Poor Lucy. I can’t believe it … it’s too awful. She died in our home.”
He uttered something in a language I didn’t understand, the words low and hoarse. “I’ll find a blanket to cover her with. The undertaker will come tomorrow.” Brushing my forehead with his lips, he moved from me, slowly getting to his feet. I felt wetness on my face, knowing he had left blood. “I’ll see to Deer Runner.”
A blanket drifted over Lucy’s body, hiding her from my sight. I sat there for some time, numb and alone, not knowing what to do. I began to whisper. “‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you,’” I murmured, quoting Isaiah 43:2. “I’ll miss you terribly, Lucy. You’re with God now, but far too soon. How dreadful to have you gone.” Tears blurred my vision. I glanced over my shoulder at Micah.
“We sleep downstairs tonight.” He held out his hand. “Come along, Saffron. There’s nothing more we can do here.”
I got to my feet, feeling lightheaded. “I know.” I grasped a lamp someone had left on a nightstand. It was a miracle it hadn’t toppled over during the fight and caught fire. “I should say something for Deer Runner.”
“If you want, or I can.”
“That might be good.” Micah escorted me into the other room, where he had placed a blanket over the Indian, but his boots stuck out at the bottom. Then he knelt beside the man and spoke in the Arapaho language. “What did you say?” I asked after he finished.
“A prayer to send him on his way to heaven.”
“Thank you, Micah. Amen.”
He nodded gravely. “This has been a sad day.”
“Indeed. Did he have family? A wife? Children?”
“His wife died of smallpox a few years ago. They hadn’t been married very long, so they didn’t have children. He mentioned a woman he’d been seeing in town, but I’m not
Amelia climbed steadily, disappearing from sight a moment later. I grasped the lantern in one hand and the ladder in the other, my feet tripping over the bottom of my dress. I joined them in the kitchen a moment later. Micah lowered the door in the floor, covering it with the rug and table, while I stared at the prone form of the bear only a few feet away. Blood pooled beneath its furry, smelly body. It wasn’t as large as I thought it would be, no older than a youth.
“It’s a girl bear?”
Micah nodded. “Yes.”
Its belly did not move, nothing moved. “It’s truly dead?”
“It sounded so much bigger,” murmured Amelia, verbalizing my thoughts. “This was responsible for all the deaths?”
“It was vicious,” said Micah. “Unnaturally vicious and fast. It’s diseased. I’ll drag it outside in a moment, but I want to go upstairs. Maybe … I’m hoping that maybe … there’s a sign of life.”
I hadn’t thought of that, chiding myself for the oversight. “I’ll join you. Let’s go, Micah. Let’s hurry. Maybe we can help them.”
He nodded. “All right.”
Amelia remained in the kitchen, gingerly stepping around the dead animal. She put the kettle on, while Micah and I took to the stairs, finding blood streaked on the floor and walls. What waited for us on the upper level was nothing short of horrifying. Bullet holes spotted the walls and furniture had been smashed, while blood pooled in places, but this wasn’t from the bear.
I gazed at Lucy, who had been mauled rather severely, blood soaking her dress. “Oh, my Lord,” I cried, dropping to my knees and holding my face in my hands. I could not stop the sobs that tore through me. Her ashen features and frozen eyes were difficult to look upon. Micah’s hands grasped my shoulders, and I turned into him, burying my face in his chest. “We should’ve boarded these windows,” I sobbed. “I forgot about the tree. Of course bears climb trees … and this one did. Poor Lucy. I can’t believe it … it’s too awful. She died in our home.”
He uttered something in a language I didn’t understand, the words low and hoarse. “I’ll find a blanket to cover her with. The undertaker will come tomorrow.” Brushing my forehead with his lips, he moved from me, slowly getting to his feet. I felt wetness on my face, knowing he had left blood. “I’ll see to Deer Runner.”
A blanket drifted over Lucy’s body, hiding her from my sight. I sat there for some time, numb and alone, not knowing what to do. I began to whisper. “‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you,’” I murmured, quoting Isaiah 43:2. “I’ll miss you terribly, Lucy. You’re with God now, but far too soon. How dreadful to have you gone.” Tears blurred my vision. I glanced over my shoulder at Micah.
“We sleep downstairs tonight.” He held out his hand. “Come along, Saffron. There’s nothing more we can do here.”
I got to my feet, feeling lightheaded. “I know.” I grasped a lamp someone had left on a nightstand. It was a miracle it hadn’t toppled over during the fight and caught fire. “I should say something for Deer Runner.”
“If you want, or I can.”
“That might be good.” Micah escorted me into the other room, where he had placed a blanket over the Indian, but his boots stuck out at the bottom. Then he knelt beside the man and spoke in the Arapaho language. “What did you say?” I asked after he finished.
“A prayer to send him on his way to heaven.”
“Thank you, Micah. Amen.”
He nodded gravely. “This has been a sad day.”
“Indeed. Did he have family? A wife? Children?”
“His wife died of smallpox a few years ago. They hadn’t been married very long, so they didn’t have children. He mentioned a woman he’d been seeing in town, but I’m not
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