Chapter 6

Adam closed his book upon finishing the chapter he'd been reading and stretched. It was getting on in the evening, a soft breeze beginning to blow as he glanced over at his father. Ben was still asleep and he chuckled softly as he stood up. He'd let his father rest and go join Missie in whatever she'd been doing.

He started down to the river, glancing around for the girl. There didn't seem to be any sign of her as he reached the water they'd been fishing at ealier and he stopped to look around. She wasn't there but there were a couple of barefoot footprints heading upstream and that was the direction he went on in.

For a moment he thought he'd heard someone scream and stopped, listening. All was quiet except for the rushing of the river as the water flowed downstream and he continued forward. Something appeared to be in the water infront of him, something fighting the current that he couldn't quite figure out. He watched it for a moment, blinking in surprise when he thought he saw a hand above the water. Now he was seeing and hearing things-

He stopped, seeing not too far infront of him where part of the bank had fell into the river recently. Missie's footprints continued on past where he stood right up until the landslide.

His blood ran cold, turning back to where he thought he'd seen a hand. There was nothing there. Apart from the waves of the current, the water was quiet. Oh god no!

Adam threw his jacket and gunbelt aside lest they slow him down and dived into the water. The cold shocked his body upon diving in and he rose from the water gasping. Despite the heat from the sun the mountain river was freezing. He forced himself to dive again, trying to search the water for the girl. You've got to help me God!

He searched until his lungs felt like bursting and he surfaced again for air then dived once more. Help me God. His mind begged as he frantically searched the fridged waters. There, something just below infront of him, sinking towards the bottom.

His lungs were screaming for air again but he ignored it as he surged forward, clutching a handful of brown hair. He held on tight, starting for the surface as the water around him began to turn black. He was almost there, almost-

Reaching the surface he breathed in deep, holding the girl close to his chest as he let the current carry them along. He looked down at her, the child's face deathly grey and her eyes closed. He started for the bank, recognizing they were just downstream of camp now and dragged her along with him. After struggling with the current and the girls limp body for a time he was finally able to get her back onto the shore.

Adam rested beside the girl for a moment, catching his breath as he watched the girls chest for any movement. Nothing. He felt her neck for a pulse, it was there, weak but there. 'Pa! Pa!' He yelled loudly, his voice echoing around the mountainside. 'Pa! Come quick!'

Ben was woken from his sleep at the shouting, frowning when he recognized it to be Adam's voice. He put his hat back on as he stood up, starting towards where he'd heard the shouting from. 'Adam? Adam where are you?'

'Down hear Pa!'

He hurried down the riverbank as fast as he could, looking around for his son. He spotted him downriver, running towards him. Adam was kneeling over something lying on the ground and it felt like his heart stopped when he saw Missie's grey face. He dropped to his knees beside them, Adam pressing down on her chest. 'What happened?'

'The riverbank was unstable from the flooding, Missie didn't know-' He pinched the girls nostrils shut, breathing into her mouth again. 'She got caught in the landslide.' He watched her chest for a moment then began pressing on it once more. 'Breathe Missie, come on.'

His son looked fit to drop and he brushed him aside, taking over for him. Adam collapsed on the ground beside them, breathing heavily as he continued trying to get Missie to breathe. Don't you take her from me just yet Lord. He begged, her chest rising again as he breathed into her mouth. You've just brought her into our lives, don't you take her away from us so soon.

Missie gasped, her eyes fluttering open as she began to cough violently, gasping for air and bringing up water at the same time. She felt someone sit her up, leaning her over as her lungs did their best to expel the water she'd inhaled.

'Easy Missie, you're alright.' Ben soothed, relief evident in his tone as he held her. 'Adam, go bring some blankets and get one for yourself. You'll catch your death of cold.' He nodded as he shakingly got to his feet, watching the girl for a moment. 'I've got her Adam, what she needs now is to be warmed up. Go.'

He left and he looked back at the girl, hitting her on the back firmly between her shoulder blades to help her cough up the water. The girl was still coughing, struggling to breath and he kept her lent over. He could hear how raspy her lungs were as she continued, knowing the girl had inhaled a lot of water from the volume she was expelling . Adam soon returned with a blanket and together they helped her out of her soaked clothing until she was only wearing her undergarments and then wrapped her in the dry blanket.

Missie's eyes were wide with fright as she struggled to get a breath, her lungs feeling like they were burning and heavy as she kept coughing. Still more water came up, the girl too frantic for air to notice her father and brother changing her from her wet clothing. Finally she was able to catch a breath, breathing in deep as her body sagged against the arms holding her. Someone lifted her up, bringing her head back against them and she looked up at who it was. 'Pa-'

'Ssssh, don't try and talk sweetheart.' He could have cried in relief hearing her voice again even if it were barely audible. 'I'm here honey. You're alright, you're safe. Everything will be alright.' The girl closed her eyes, overcome with exhaustion and he looked up at Adam, his son kneeling beside him with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. 'Where's your jacket?'

'Left it on the bank when I went after Missie.' He coughed, his throat and lungs burning from holding his breath under water. He could see the concern in his fathers eyes, Ben placing a hand on his shoulder. 'I'm alright Pa, Missie is the one you should be concerned with.'

He glanced up at the sky to figure out how much daylight they had left, watching the dark grey clouds appearing on the horizion. 'Missie was right about there being a storm, look.'

Adam turned to where his father was motioning. 'We'd better take shelter before that arrives. It's moving in fast.'

'There's no way we'll make it home-' He was thinking quickly, calculating what was the best move to make. Missie needed to be looked after, home was the best option but it was almost fifteen miles back. Pushing the horses as hard as they could they still wouldn't make it. There was a cabin however, only a couple miles further upstream- 'We'll make for the trappers cabin. We can build a fire and get both of you dry and warmed up.'

'I'm fine Pa-'

'No your not son and I don't wish to have both my children catch death of cold.' He picked the girl up gently and started slowly back to camp. 'Go find your jacket, you're going to need it. I'll get her back to camp and collect our things and we'll make for the cabin.' He heard Adam leaving after a couple moments and continued on up the bank. Missie's skin was grey, the girl shivering violently as he laid her down on his bedroll and wrapped her in his blanket and the canvas covering. There wasn't much else he could for her until they got to the cabin, she needed to be warmed up and quickly. He touched her forehead with his calloused hand, her skin so cold it felt like ice. There wasn't time for sentiments with the storm approaching and he got up as thunder rumbled in the distance.

It didn't take him long to collect their things, Adam returning as he tacked up the horses. His son didn't look much better then the girl and he quickly unbuttoned his shirt to give his son. 'Here, put this one. When we get to the cabin you'll be able to dry your clothes out.'

Normally he would protest but he was too cold to argue with him and he took the shirt with gratitude. He took off his own soaked garment then put on his father's and put his jacket on over the top. It was taking everything he had not to let his teeth chatter from the cold. 'Thanks Pa.' He picked up the pile of wet clothing, wringing out the remainder of the water as his father put his jacket on. 'Missie was walking along the bank, it gave way underneath her. I didn't notice it had been weakened from the flood, she didn't know it wasn't safe.'

'It's not your fault son.' Ben cinched up the geldings girth firmly and turned back to his son. 'We'll put the rest of the gear on the roan, I'll take Missie with me.'

Adam nodded and went to place the clothes into the saddlebags. The sky to the east was thick with black clouds, a steady wind starting to pick up that chilled him right through. 'We best hurry, we're going to get caught in that.'

'Not if I have a say in it we won't.' He kicked sand onto the last remaining coals of the campfire and quickly looked around to be sure they hadn't forgotten anything. Everything was packed and he went back to the girl, kneeling down beside her as Adam came over with Buck. 'Missie, Missie, can you hear me?' He waited, the girl's eyelids fluttering but remaining closed as she nodded much to his relief. 'Good girl. You just hold on you hear-' Adam picked her up and he mounted his gelding, his son passing her up to him. 'We're going to get you to a place where you'll be nice and warm.'

They made it to the cabin just in time, the storm arriving with all its ferociousness as Ben carried the girl into the old cabin and laid her down on the bed. Adam came in after him, carrying the saddlebags and their supplies. 'Adam, get yourself out of those wet clothes and wrap yourself up in a blanket. I'll get a fire going.'

'What about the horses?'

'I'll tend to the horses, you just look after yourself son.' He replied, heading back out of the cabin. The wind howled as he gathered the reins of the horses, hurrying to lead them into the barn and closed it up tightly. Lightning flashed and thunder roared overhead, the clouds threaterning to burst at any second. He went to the wood box out back, picking up as much wood as he could carry and took it into the cabin then went out for more. There was no telling how long the storm might last and if they were to keep warm they needed dry wood.

The storm finally broke just as Ben brought the last of the wood in, Adam forcing the door shut against the driving rain while he dumped the wood on the floor. 'How's Missie?'

'Near frozen.' He replied, holding the blanket tightly around him lest his father see him shivering. 'Least we're not out there.'

'Let's just hope the cabin holds.' Ben's tone was thick with seriousness, glancing over at the girl as he prepared to get a fire going. 'Adam, you both need to get warmed up. I'll take care of the fire, you lie down with Missie and I'll get some coffee on as soon as it's going.'

'Coffee sounds like a good idea.'

'I'll see what makings we have for some food too-' He finally got a flame going, encouraging it to take hold with some dry grass. 'It's a good thing Missie got those rabbits this morning, the leftovers can be turned into stew.'

Adam laid down on the bed beside the girl, her skin colder then his as he brought her close to his chest. While he was still shivering, Missie's shivering had ceased and that he knew wasn't a good sign. He wrapped his arms around her, the girls eyes remaining closed despite him moving her and he could see how blue her lips were. Pneumonia was the first thought that came to mind. There was no telling how much water had gotten into her lungs or if she'd coughed it all up or not. That river had been freezing cold, it'd be nothing short of a miracle if they both didn't catch pneumonia. He'd had pneumonia once before when he was almost sixteen. He could still remember his father sitting up with him, watching over him with his fatherly care. It hadn't been a walk in the park at all, it'd taken months for him to fully recover.

'With that fire going now we'll have in here toasty warm in no time.' Ben exclaimed, going over to check on them. 'I've hung your clothes up with Missie's to dry Adam but it might take sometime.'

'Not like I'm planning on going anywhere in a hurry.' He replied dryly, the sound of the rain increasing in volume as the deluge continued. 'She's not shivering anymore Pa.'

He placed his hand on her forehead. Was it just his imagination or did she feel colder then she had before? The colour of her lips didn't escape his notice either and as he took her pulse the severity of her condition started to sink in. Hastily he unbuttoned his jacket and began to strip down to his undergarments. With Adam nearly as cold as her she wouldn't be getting any warmth from him and that was what she needed. He climbed in underneath the covers on the opposite side of Adam, the girl snuggled between them. 'This isn't how I imagined our camping trip to turn out.'

Despite the situation Adam had to chuckle a little. He hadn't imagined things would turn out like this either. 'Family bonding time Pa. Could have done without this though. It's a good thing Hoss and Joe aren't here, we'd never live it down.'

'If they were here, more than likely somehow Joe would have ended up exactly as Missie. I've never known someone to get injured or sick as often as he does.'

'I think Missie's making good headway on matching his record.' Underneath the blankets and out of those freezing wet clothes he slowly began to feel like the edge was being taken off his chill. 'Her hands only just finished healing up. I told you Pa she was going to be the cause of more grey hair-'

Missie could hear them talking faintly, almost like their voices were far far away from her. Darkness, blackness, cold, the water all around her. She tried calling to them, tried to scream for help but there was nothing she could do as the river dragged her under. The voices were becoming fainter as she slipped further and further into the frozen depths…


Slowly the cabin began to warm up after sometime and Ben carefully slid out from under the covers to check on the coffee. Adam was sleeping, his son having drifted off to sleep awhile back with Missie still in his arms. He poured himself a cup of coffee and placed more wood on the fire then went back and sat in the chair beside the bed keeping close vigil over his children.

Adam slowly came back to his senses as he woke, his arm numb from holding Missie and gently he moved her over. The girl didn't stir, didn't so much as bat an eyelid at the movement. He looked over at his father, clothed again and sitting in the chair with a half drunk cup of coffee in his hand, sleeping deeply. He wondered briefly how long he'd been there as he got up and tucked the blankets in tightly around her once more.

Her skin was still cold when he touched her forehead, even with the blankets piled on top of her she hadn't warmed at all and his concern for her increased. She should have been warmer by now but yet she wasn't.

He left her side quietly, going to check on their clothing. His father had laid them to dry on the chairs infront of the fire and he was pleased they'd dried while he'd been asleep. They were warm as he put them on and he glanced over at the girl with an idea coming to mind. While the cabin was warm, it was warmer beside the fire. He finished dressing and checked her clothing. Her skirts and petticoats were dry, they could be used to help her warm up.

Going back to his sister he took the blankets off her, placing a couple over his shoulder to wrap her in beside the fire and gently picked her up. Oh Missie darlin. He looked at her pale face as he carried her over to the fireplace, sitting down next to the hearth. Carefully he slipped one of her petticoats over her head then wrapped her snuggly in one of the blankets. Missie still didn't stir at all as he leaned back against one of the chairs, the girl's head against his chest as he held her. What had started out as a peaceful camping trip had quickly turned into a nightmare.

Time slipped past, Adam dozing off now and then for a few minutes at a time. The sound of footsteps woke him a little while later and he looked over as his father came to join them beside the fire.

'How are you feeling?'

'I'm fine Pa.' He reassured as his father placed his hand on his forehead. 'Nothing a good sleep couldn't fix.'

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.' He apologized, kneeling down beside him and turned his attention to the girl. Gently he placed his hand on her cheek, her skin cold still but he thought she felt a little warmer then she had been. 'She seems to be warming up.'

'Took long enough, she was still like ice when I woke up.' Adam replied with a hint of sarcasm that overtoned the concern he felt inside. 'Thought she might warm up quicker being closer to the fire.'

'It was good thinking now that it's really going.' Adding some more wood to the fire he checked the pot of coffee sitting on the hearth. It was still warm and he doubted his son had thought to have any while taking care of the girl. 'Here, I'll take Missie for a spell. There's coffee there and we've beans you can heat.'

Gently he handed his sister to him, his father holding her tightly against his chest. Thunder rumbled in the distance, the sound of the rain on the roof increasing in volume once more. 'Sounds like this storm doesn't want to give up.' He remarked, streatching his aching muscles from holding the girl as he stood. 'We might have trouble getting home.'

'That's what I'm afraid of.' Tucking the blanket tightly around her once more he stroked her cheek gently. He could hear her breathing becoming raspy and ragged, a sure sign she had something on her chest. He could remember well when Adam had been sick with pneumonia, the long nights he'd spent by his bedside as his son fought for his life. 'Missie needs a doctor.' He'd been thinking of what was the best possible way of trying to get help. With the deluge they were continuing to receive the roads would be slick at best, not to mention the section that went through the mountains. If there were a landslide up there there'd be no way across, they'd have to take the long way around and that was only if those trails were safe too. 'I'll head out as soon as the storm breaks and see if there's a chance we can get her back home.'

'And what if there isn't a way out, what then?'

'We'll find a way.'

Vaguely, faintly, the girl started to be able to make out the sound of men speaking as she came out of her deep, cold induced slumber. She tried hard to figure out who the voices belonged too, slowly figuring out that it was her Pa and brother speaking. She became aware too of someone's presence close by, hearing a faint steady throbbing she figured to be someone's heartbeat. She focused on that and their voices as she tried to force her eyes open. She was cold, so so cold. She thought furiously, trying to figure out what was going on and why she was so cold. The last thing she remembered was the river, the cold, the darkness- She whimpered softly, a pathetic little whimper that came with memories that long had haunted her with a fear of water.

Adam heard her little whimper, putting his cup down as he came closer to her. His father was checking her temperature again, the girls eyelids making the slightest flutter. 'Looks like she's coming to.'

'She's still much too cold.' Ben remarked with concern. 'She's warmed a little but not much.'

'We should try getting something warm into her.'

'If she wakes up so we can, yes. Missie brought along some chocolate as a treat for you two to share, we can melt that and make her some hot chocolate. It's in the saddlebags.'

The girl heard someone close say her name and then footsteps going away from her. She was trying to fight off memories in her mind, trying to figure out instead who was there with her. She felt something touch her forehead again, something rough that she realized was someone's hand. It was much too rough to be Adam's, his hands were pretty calloused but Pa's hands were more. Finally she was able to force her eyes open and looked up into Ben's face. 'Pa-' She began to cough and violently, wheezing and rasping as he sat her up and patted her back firmly. Her lungs felt like they were heavy and after a time she began to cough up thick phlegm. Her Pa was there with a handkerchief at the ready, the girl too exhausted to notice as she struggled to breathe.

'Easy honey, easy.' Ben murmered softly, his brow furrowed with concern. Her coughing subsided after sometime and he laid her back down against him. She was exhausted, her head resting heavily against his chest. 'It's okay my girl, you'll be alright.'

'W-water-' She mumbled, her voice barely audible. 'Scared...'

'I know, I know you are honey but you're safe now. We're at the trappers cabin a couple miles from the river. You're safe here.'

'Can't get out...

Adam returned and sat down beside them, brushing the girl's cheek with the back of his hand. 'It's okay Missie, like Pa said. You're safe now.'

'Cold.' It felt like her lips were numb, they were from her low temperature but she didn't notice that in her cold induced stupor. 'Cold.'

'We're trying to warm you up my girl, Adam's making you some nice hot chocolate. It'll help warm you up.'

She nodded wearily, trying to take a deeper breath. 'Hurts...'

'Where do you hurt?'

'Chest...'

Most likely from your coughing. He wished there was something else he could do but there was nothing. Until she got to a doctor there wasn't anything more they could do then what they already were. 'It'll ease up soon Missie, your coughing probably caused it.'

No, that wasn't it. She knew that. It was a burning, a heavy burning that made every breath agony. Somehow though she was able to remember a medicine she'd been taught by Elizabeth for pain. 'Willow bark... White root...'

'Willow bark? White root? What are you talking about?'

'Tea...'

Adam frowned a little then it dawned on him. 'Willow bark tea for pain, isn't it?'

'Yes...'

'Willow bark and white root?' Ben questioned again.

'It's an Indian medicine I remember being mentioned in a medical journal a couple years back.'

'Do you know how to make it?'

'Dry. Crush-' She instructed wearily though the question wasn't directed at her, each word an effort to get out. 'Boil...'

'I'll see if I can find some tomorrow. I've got some hot chocolate here, do you think you can drink some?' She nodded wearily after a moment and he took the cup his son handed him. Placing it to her lips she slowly drank some of the warm liquid then pulled away, closing her eyes as she rested her head against his shoulder again. He gave the cup back to his son and stroked her cold cheek gently. 'Sleep now my dear, everything will be alright.'