Chapter 6

The dream was literally her life flashing before her eyes. But Not her life. Zoe Zoe knew it was a dream, and she had no control over it. It wasn't her life, it was the Zoe born in 1864. Zoe Clarissa Wilmington 1.0, since she was Zoe. 2.0. The dream was Read Only. She was in a really nice House in Hyde Park Township, just outside Chicago. It was 1872, Her Mother wasn't sick yet, there had just moved in. Clarissa Margaret Larabee looked close to her own mother, but not quite, like Clarissa Larabee Wilmington. Zoe 2.0's mind was reeling why she was having this dream. The dream slowed down when she reached age 9. They moved to Hyde Park Township near Chicago. Her Mama had been investing a lot recently and it had paid off. She had bought a house, and now Zoe could go to a nice school, her Mama could work for a general practice doctor named Dr. Lucas. She made friends, with two girls named Ellie and Molly. Her Mother continued make investments through Mr. Willis. She met a lot of interesting people. Her mother had Salons in their home, with Chicago's intellectuals. Her Mother got sick and had to stop working, she continued to have salons, and continued to make investments she made arrangements with Mister Willis, Zoe started to do more house work. Zoe 2.0 now knows how to do plenty of chores the old fashioned way. And how to contact plenty of interesting people. She remembers her Mother's death, and Mr. Willis taking her West, the horrible, uncomfortable Journey. She wakes up.

"That was weird."

"What was weird?" Her father was sharing her bed, so JB could have his room.

"I just had a dream about living with Chris's sister, for the last couple years, it was so realistic it was like I was actually there…We lived in Hyde Park township just outside of Chicago, and I went to Hyde Park School, and My teacher was Miss Covington, and I had two friends Ellie Bishop, and Molly Sims, and My Mama worked for Dr. J.R. Lucas, who had a practice in Hyde Park, until she got too sick, and she had her investments through Mister Willis, and she had Salons or intellectual parties at our house every other Saturday Night, since we moved in, and I met all kinds of interesting people."

"Well, Mebbe yer Mama sent ya the dream so's ya'd have those memories." He said. then yawned and stretched. "Come we need to get ready for Church, it's Sunday Mornin'" Zoe put on her Blue dress, and Blue hair ribbons. And her computer purse. Her hair was in her usual twin braids. She took her bath last night, and her Papa had changed her bandage. She realized she didn't even mind him seeing. He was just her Papa taking care of her. Mrs. G had made a giant feast for everyone and her Uncle Chris wasn't there he was guarding the prisoner. They all ate their breakfast. And Mrs. G sent JD with a basket of food for Uncle Chris, and then we went to church. She held her Papa's hand. He was cleaned up, and dressed nice. We went to the church, we had a few minutes before it started.

"Buck, this yer daughter?" a Pretty young girl asked.

"Casey yes this is my daughter, Zoe this is Casey Wells, she's JD's sweetheart, where's yer Aunt?"

"She's 'round here somewhere. JD has the Old Hughes place yeh here?" She asked.

"Yeah, I heard."

"He's gonna have a devil of a time fixing it up, except yer the cabin that place is a wreck." Vin joined the conversation. With JB trailing behind.

"I'll help him." She said. She must really love JD Zoe thought. "Who's this?"

"This here is JB, he's under our protection 'til his Pa gets here from Kansas to come get him."

"Nice ta meet ya JB, I'm Casey Wells, ya seen JD?"

"It's his turn to watch the Prisoner, so he might be in the jail." Vin said.

"Ah, well I'll catch up with him after church." The Sermon was about Loving thy Neighbor, and Serving your Fellow Man, about helping people when they were in trouble. When the collection plate was passed Zoe put in a Penny. Buck put in his usual contribution. So did the others. After church Buck talked to Zoe.

"Did ya put in that penny because of the sermon?"

"No, because My Mama would want me to put in part of my what I've earned, and a penny seemed fair, out of 6 cents….I can't put in less, there's no half-penny, and the church deserves to benefit from what I earn, just like everyone else."

"Yer a good girl, Zoe." He pats her shoulder.

"That she is." Josiah come up behind them, as does Miz Wells, and Casey Wells.

"Josiah, I didn't see ya there." Buck said.

"Hi, Josiah, Casey, Miz Wells." Zoe said Brightly guessing the identity of the last person.

"Hello, to you too, Child." Miz wells was amused she'd heard a lot of this child over the last week, mostly from JD and Vin. "I am pleased ta meet ya, Welcome to Four Corners, where are you from child?"

"Chicago."

"Where in Chicago?"

"Well near Chicago, We moved a lot when I was younger, but three years ago, we moved to the town of Hyde Park…." Zoe said remembering the dream. "My Mother left the House ta-to." She corrected herself. "a Couple we know who wanted to start an Orphan Home away from the city."

Miz Nettie nodded. "That was right Christian of her."

"She also left money to other charities, and money to Nathan for his clinic, and Josiah for church and a Preacher house for future Preachers."

"She did." Josiah rumbled.

"Sounds like she was a good woman." Miz Nettie said.

"She was. I wish she coulda been buried here instead of back there." Meaning the future, not Hyde Park.

"Ya can still talk to her child." Nettie Wells said.

"I know…." The rest of the day was uneventful and quite boring which made the seven lawmen very happy. Monday dawned and Zoe got ready for school, and after helping with her usual chores, and eating her breakfast, Mrs. G gave her, her Pot roast sandwiches in her basket, and she went to school. Everyone was there today, and even though School was particularly boring and seemed to last forever, the end of the school day, did eventually come. She went home, and got into her less than nice clothes so she could do her chores, she did her horse chores talking brightly to Yosemite learning about his childhood in what is Now West Virginia, and his Journey Westward, his natural ability with horses, his meeting of his wife, getting married, and gaining of his nickname at Yosemite Valley, and the birth of his children and the death of his wife. And him settling here, with his sons Clayton and Virgil Jr. and his daughter Abilene. Apparently his first name is actually Virgil, and his last name is Easton. She asked him if he wanted me to call him Mr. Easton he laughed and said everyone called him Yosemite. She asked what Virgil did and he said Virgil was very sickly and didn't leave their house, and Abilene took care of him and the house. When she asked what was wrong, the symptoms sounded like asthma. But with no medicine available she guessed he was just sick all the time. She told Him coffee could help with that.

"Really?" he asked surprised.

"Home remedy, My Mama friend had symptoms like that….coffee worked it might not work, but it's worth a try." She said.

"Thanks, Zoe. It is worth a try. Couldn't hurt anyway." After her Horse Chores the shoveling, and the brushing down and grooming of Sky, and giving her of some sugar cubes, she went back to the boarding house, and cleaned up, and then she helped Mrs. G, and then she did her homework. Multiplication, Division, Spelling List use each word in a perfectly structured sentence, and an Essay on Democracy, that one was due until Friday. Sometimes she missed the school work from the future, she was technically still being homeschooled by the same homeschool program in the future, now so was Vin. It just used games with their students as study tools. He was learning a lot. Nathan had signed up as well, he wanted to learn chemistry and Biology. The Homeschool Program had College programs too. Nathan wanted to take advantage. Once he got the GED out of the way. Josiah was taking online courses in Clinical Psychology, Social Work and Profiling, and JD was taking Profiling courses as well. None of the others were taking advantage. They could take the courses from either the Kindle or the Laptop. So some of them could be taken at the time. Before anyone knew it, it was Wednesday, and several things happened on Wednesday, Zoe woke up with a Horrible cold, and after being checked by Nathan was ordered to stay in bed. Judge Travis arrived, James Benjamin Carlisle Sr., and a U.S. Marshall named Micah Matthew Morris, showed up. First Sheriff Jim Carlisle

Jim Carlisle immediately demanded "Where's My boy?"

"He's at the boarding house….Buck's daughter has a cold, and he's probably keeping her company." He nodded. "Nathan why don't you take Sheriff Carlisle to see his son, and explain what was done to him."

"Alright, I have to check on Zoe anyway…."

"Before I leave I want some time alone with Lang…." He growled.

"I'm not sure I can arrange that, but I'll try." Nathan walked to tall, broad shouldered Blonde man to the Boarding House and explained the wounds he found on JB.

"Ima gonna kill that son of a Bitch." He growled.

"I'm Sorry." Nathan said.

"It Ain't yer fault, ya did the best you could fer ma boy. Ya the doc?"

"The Healer."

"Good fer ya, My wife is the doc in Starlight, She would have come but three women in Starlight is expecting babies, and Old man Simmons can't function without her around, I never saw what she wanted with an uneducated lawman like me, but I Thank God every day. We have four other children, three JB never met before…."

"I'm Sorry."

"Again it Ain't yer fault."

"We're here." They went into the boarding house. "Mrs. Grayson. We're looking fer JB."

"Zoe is taught him to play chess, and they're playing in her room." She said. They went into Zoe's room.

"I can't believe you beat me." Zoe said voice in disbelief. "You're moves, they're complete chaos. There was no counter to them….I'll have to remember that. It's good strategy, good game."

She extended her hand, he shook it." He looked over her shoulder.

"Pa!"

"Son, it's good ta see ya." He stood up and ran to Jim, and the two embraced, gently, on Jim's part, not gently on JB's part. JB was crying. "Shh, it's alright now, son, I'm here, and I'll protect ya, no one's gonna hurt ya ever again….."

"Yer gonna hate me the things he did to me, they were sinful, disgustin"

"the things he did, were his sins, not yers, you did nothing wrong, I love ya son, and I always will."

Back at the Jail. Judge Travis arrived. "Well, I'm not sure if we're the one's who'll try him, he's wanted for Murder and Kidnapping in Kansas. I'm sure the U.S. Marshalls will send someone for him."

"They have. I'm US Marshall Micah Matthew Morris, 3M. I have papers, releasing Andrew Landon, Alias Andrew Lang, alias Andrew Laurence into My custody to be tried in front of a Federal Judge in Kansas, for the Kidnapping of James Benjamin Carlisle Jr, the kidnaping, torture and Murders of William Dobbs, and Orville Tobin, and Theft of property worth totaling $1,000, including horse theft from Starlight Citizens Henry Todd."

The Judge over the papers, and nods. "Of Course Marshall Morris, we'd be happy to hand over the prisoner."

"Just as soon as Sheriff Carlisle has a talk with him." Chris said quietly.

3M nods. "Of Course, the Sheriff should, have a talk with him, it's his son after all…..as long as he doesn't hurt so badly he's not fit for travel, I don't see any problem with that, we need to leave today."

"I won't." Jim Carlisle said.

"And can you return Hercules to his previous owner, I know it's been six years, but he is Mister Todd's horse and was still in Landon's Possession."

"Of course." Carlisle said. After inflicting enough damage to satisfy himself but not enough so Landon couldn't travel, Jim and his son left themselves. Zoe got over her cold over the next few days. But was back in School by Wednesday. School was incredibly boring for her, she knew most of the answers, but she still behaved because she respected Miss Dawson, and she respected Buck and Chris, and she didn't want to ruin the educational experience for the other kids, who just a few years ago, didn't have the opportunity to be educated if they lived in Four Corners. Wednesday Night, JD was acting strange at dinner.

"What's going on JD?" Zoe asked.

"I'm gonna ask Casey to marry me."

"When?"

"Saturday Afternoon we have a date. I already asked Miz Nettie and she thinks it's a good idea. I have my Mom's ring."

"Wow….." She said. She thought Chris would ask Mary first. She took her head. The rest of the week, JD was pretty nervous. On Saturday JD took Casey on a Picnic that Mrs. Grayson packed, he even had bottles of Ginger Ale he had bought. He and Casey settled on the blanket. And laid out the food.

"JD, why'd ya go to all this trouble?" Casey said. "We could have just practiced shootin'?"

"We can do that later if you want Casey, aren't you hungry?"

"Yeah, I guess." They ate. And when they got to dessert. Buttermilk Pie. She was slicing up the Pie. And when she handed him the plate. He had a ring out, and was on bended knee.

"Casey you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Yer smart, kind, spirited, strong, you're all I think about when I go to sleep, and the first thing I think about when I wake up, there are times when I want to kill ya, but other times when I'd kill fer ya, there isn't anything I wouldn't do fer ya, will ya marry me?"

"Yes, ah course, I'll marry ya." She attacked him with a kiss. "We need to get yer place in working condition."

He nodded. And they enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. The next day they went to see Josiah and decided on a June wedding. Sunday happened upon them again. Zoe wearing her Blue dress, and Blue hair ribbons. There was a new family in church. Zoe met them in Sunday school which she had to start today an Hour before Church started. She had Breakfast with everyone as always, and Her Papa walked her to church, and Josiah led Sunday school, with most of the kids. There were two new kids she didn't know in Sunday School, Zoe did not enjoy going to Sunday school, and tried to make philosophical arguments about the nature of God, several times, Josiah didn't mind in the least and thought it showed she was a very bright, and engaged mind. Which only soured her mind further at least until she got into it, and she and Josiah really started debating. Which the other kids weren't listening they were just glad they didn't have to answer any questions or memorize anything Zoe was doing all the talking. Maybe they could get her to do that in class. She mostly just sat and didn't talk in school unless she was called on and then she answered correctly, most of the time. Sometimes her answers were strange. But they were never complicated or as detailed as this. Apparently she knows what she's talking about. They needed to get to talk in Miss Dawson's class more. After Sunday School Zoe went to church, and listened to the Sermon about different kinds of Love, love between God and Man, Love between husband and Wife, between parent and child, between siblings, between friends, love between mankind, and the kind of love you have when do for others. Then he spoke about the difference between love and biological urges, and love and obsession. Zoe gave another penny, and she left the church with her father. After church she changed out of her church dress and into some trousers and a shirt, and did her chores, and then had lunch with her father, her Uncle, and Vin. JD had Lunch with Casey and Miz Nettie. Another Monday dawned and she did her morning chores, had breakfast and got to school, She said hello to Oswald, Lizzie and Al. Her three best friends here in Four Corners, and chatted with them Oswald as excited because his dad was letting him make a Crate on his own, which was the first step in his training to become a carpenter aside from the lifetime of training he'd already received. Al was happy, his Grandpa wasn't taking him away from Lafe and Sally, but he would be visiting more, and Lizzie didn't have any news to share other than her mother made Fried Chicken last night, and she has leftovers for lunch today. Zoe had sliced Chicken and Gravy sandwiches. Now the School day started like every other day, When Miss Dawson began speaking of President Andrew Jackson, of his heroic deeds….." Zoe lost it. She raised her hand, and when called on, she listed everything he did, every remotely bad, including slaughtering an entire Indian village personally in the Creek War, and fighting various duels over insults to his wife, and causing the panic of 1837.

"Zoe Wilmington!" Miss Dawson snapped. "Andrew Jackson was President of United States and Deserves your respect, he was responsible for allowing us all to move westward so you wouldn't be here without him, despite his faults. I think You need to Write I will not Speak Disrespectfully in the Classroom 500 times I want it on my desk by tomorrow."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"And I want her father to sign it."

"Yes, Ma'am." After School, She did her chores, and then started on her homework, and her punishment lines. Buck came in, where she was writing at the dining room table. Dinner time was about half an hour away.

"What ya doing?"

"Lines." She said pouting.

"What fer? I will not speak disrespectfully in the classroom. What'd you say?"

"I went on a rant about Andrew Jackson not being that great a guy."

"Why?"

"He did a lot bad things."

"That so? Well, he did a lot of good things fer the country too."

"I guess."

"He expanded our borders, made politics accessible for the common man, won the War of 1812…."

"I guess."

"Zoe." He said sternly.

"I'm sorry." She finished.

"You have to sign this." He said. He signed it at the bottom. "Yeh should probably set the table."

She nodded. He smiled. As she packed up her papers, and her pens and ink. He knew she had been on her very best behavior since she got there. The fight she had gotten into was just her actually trying to do the right thing. It was good she was started to relax, a bit and be herself more.