Chapter Three
The word spread quickly from mouth to mouth until an entire sentence was put together, announcing the destruction that was going on a few miles out of town. "The Detering house is on fire!"
Slim jumped to his horse and met Sheriff Cory near the edge of Laramie and the two of them led a large group of men, ready to help fight the fire in any way possible, towards the Detering farmhouse. The smoke, black and billowing, rising high in the sky, gave a clear enough indication that what they'd find upon arrival would be the home fully engulfed. Slim pulled his horse to such a rapid halt when his eyes finally took in the scene that Alamo skidded in the dust. There was nothing left but a smoldering pile of rubble and a single man standing alongside the blistering debris. Jess.
Mort started hollering instructions as soon as his feet landed on the ground, but Slim walked towards Jess. He stepped alongside his partner, unsure of what reaction he'd receive at his presence, and then he raised his hand to gently touch Jess' back. Jess turned, his eyes were red and puffy but completely dry and looked at Slim, sadly shaking his head. Slim knew without words spoken what Jess was conveying but it was only a few moments later that one of the men in the bucket brigade gave the bitter proclamation. Both Mr. and Mrs. Detering, an older but beloved couple, had burned to death.
Slim and Jess joined in with the effort of depleting what was left of the flames, but as soon as the fire was reduced to coals, Jess walked silently towards his mount a short distance away, hopped into the saddle and turned his horse towards home. No one seemed to notice his departure except for Slim, who hadn't turned his eyes away from his partner much since he'd first spotted him standing so close to the burning home. Before Jess rode completely out of sight, Slim gave a quick explanation to Mort why he was leaving and then hurried his own horse after Jess.
Jess knew Slim was coming beside him, but didn't turn to look at him, just kept Traveler going forward at a slow, but steady pace. Slim being there with him was important, yet Jess wasn't the type to admit a feeling as simple as that, so he kept his gaze forward, but inside of his heavy heart, a small smile flickered. They stayed silent for an hour and only started speaking when a sage grouse flushed in front of them, making both men and their horses flinch. Instead of remarking on the sight of the winged creature's sudden hasty exit, the words started coming forward about the fire.
Jess didn't have to say one word to describe the scene as it was still showing itself vividly in his mind and pounding inside of his chest with an intense pressure of suppressed grief, but he knew Slim needed to know and he was the only one able to relay the story. He opened his mouth to tell Slim, but while the words of description were filling Slim's ears, every other part of Jess was reliving the event, one grueling second at a time. Even though his body was atop Traveler pointing towards the ranch house, his being had stepped a few hours backwards in time.
Jess rode Traveler towards Laramie after Daisy told him of Slim's whereabouts, needing the camaraderie of his best friend more than wanting to talk about what he really had on his mind, something that he still wasn't ready to reveal. He was just coming through a crossroads when his nose began to burn with the acrid odor of smoke. Jess wanted to dismiss the scent, his first thoughts turning to the darkness of night, since he'd been haunted in his sleep far too many nights with the same irritation, but when the ashy plume began to rise above the trees he knew there was no ignoring what was happening.
Jess kicked Traveler into a hard gallop, aiming for the source of the smoke. He hated fire, of course all nature, man and beast included, could say the same, but for Jess, the hatred held a bitterness that not everyone could relate to. He could have rode away from the fire, pretending that he was nowhere near, but Jess could never run from anything that needed saving, it was rooted in his nature like how a mighty tree spread its roots into the depths of the earth.
He knew the Detering's place was in the direction of the ever darkening smoke and the closer Jess came, he was more aware of what was on fire. The barn was still standing, but it was the house that was out of control. He left Traveler a safe distance away from the buildings and ran towards the fire. The roar of the flames exploded in his ears, a sound that had never been forgotten that always came with a hiss of laughter from a window of his memory. There was another sound, this even more cruel that came from inside, choking, fitful coughing amid a pitiful cry for help.
Jess filled a bucket full of water and doused the front door and then kicked it open wide. There was nothing to see but flames. Furniture, walls, the floor, everything was on fire. He put an arm over his face and could barely make out a figure lying underneath a window, but this one he could tell even with his obstructive view that it was lifeless. The coughing was faint and then suddenly went silent and then his eyes went upward to see the ceiling dissolve in a mass of orange fury. His feet moved backwards, escaping the inferno before it reached far enough to claim another life. He stood still outside of the house, unaware of how much time passed, barely noticing the pounding hooves coming in his direction, only turning his face once he knew Slim was beside him.
Now Jess was back on the road towards home, the last bend that would wind down to the ranch house in sight. The silence that followed Jess' account surrounded them like a cloud of darkness, not even being dispelled when Mike rushed from the house to warmly welcome his favorite guardian back home. Jess patted the boy on the head, looking past his imploring eyes as he strode towards the barn, leading his faithful mount behind him.
"What's the matter with Jess?" Mike asked, looking up at Slim with wide, almost fearful eyes.
"Jess has a mighty heartache right now, Mike," Slim eased himself to a knee to look Mike in the eyes. "He needs us to love him and encourage him, but he also needs us to give him some room to wriggle around in his emotions. Do you understand?"
"Yeah," Mike dropped his head as he too, was familiar with heartache. "I know how he feels, I think. I'll hug him, but only when he wants me to." Mike smiled, more warmly perhaps than what he felt inside, and then darted back inside of the house.
Slim returned to his feet and watched Jess through the open barn door, wishing at that moment that he was only a child that could walk up to the burdened man and wrap his arms around him like Mike suggested he would do. Slim did walk toward Jess, only to perform the same task that Jess was doing and not embrace him, tending to his mount to give him the proper treatment the horse deserved after the weary ride home.
After darkness sealed the end of the day, Slim eased himself into his bunk. He'd left a lamp lightly burning on the dresser at Daisy's suggestion, hoping that the little bit of light might help Jess' dreams from turning into nightmares. About an hour after he closed his eyes, Slim heard the bed beside him begin to creak and Slim raised himself up on one elbow to look at Jess, afraid that the vivid images had returned. However, even in the dimly lit room, Slim could clearly see the eyes of his partner wide open. His restlessness was evident, but it wasn't sleep this time that had him disturbed. Slim dropped back to lying on his side, watching Jess' fitful movements in his bed, only stopping once one of his legs dropped to the floor. This brought Jess' hand to clench tightly around the edge of the blanket that partially covered him and then it was thrust into a corner as his body swung upright and then with quickened steps, Jess was through the bedroom door and out into the night.
Slim got up and walked towards the window, watching as Jess paced near the corral, knowing that there would be no sleep for either of them that night. He sighed, remembering the words of Doc Sweeney earlier in the day and pondered the wise man's recommendation. A change of scenery. If it would help his best friend he had to try it. Slim would do anything that would aid in the healing of Jess' unseen wounds, even if he had to have a chunk of his skin ripped out when his partner retaliated with the suggestion with not just the bark, but the bite.