THE NIGHT OF BIGFOOT

By Andamogirl

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Gordon's house, Green Hill, Illinois

Two weeks later

In the evening

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Jim glanced at Artie's bandaged leg, noticing that the bandage was new, then at his best friend's pale, clammy face and worried, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Shaking his head against the pillow, half-way between asleep and awake, Artemus said, "No, I'm a little sick. Harry cleaned my wound, re-stitched half of it and then bandaged it… He gave me a painkiller… a potion of his… s' very efficient but disgusting." He blinked slowly, his eyes glassy, bloodshot and unfocused. "Feeling like I'm floating…"

Patting Artie's arm, Jim smiled. "Then it's a good drug."

Still blinking slowly, Artemus was having a hard time forming coherent thought. He looked around him, at his bedroom. "I'm glad to be home, finally." He widely yawned. "Took ages to get here…"

Smiling Jim nodded. "You're exaggerating. We traveled from the Washington Territory to here in two weeks. It's quite rapid."

Suddenly a black and white cat padded into the room - the door being open. It jumped on the bed and leaped with feline grace onto Artie's stomach.

It sniffed the human's face and touched its nose to his. Then it started rubbing its head against Artemus's jaw, purring loudly.

Smiling weakly Artemus scratched the cat behind the ears, at which the feline let out a purr of delight. "Yes, that's a good cat…"

The animal arched its back, stretching and yawned, revealing a pink mouth full of pointy white teeth. The cat then started kneading at the bedspread with its paws before finding a comfortable spot at Artie's feet, purring loudly again.

Closing his eyes, Artemus slurred, "Goo' nigh, J'm," as he relaxed. His breathing slowed and deepened and he let himself doze off.

Reaching out, Jim touched Artie's brow – finding the skin warm there.

Dr. Harry Clover entered the room in his turn and then said, "Yes, he's a bit feverish, it's a normal reaction after I treated his wound. It will pass." He too sat on the edge of the bed and pressed two fingers against Artie's neck and then he nodded. "Pulse is alright."

Helena Gordon joined the man she had loved for more than 30 years and kissed with affection the top of Harry's head sparsely covered with white hair. "Let him sleep peacefully. Dinner is ready," she said. She looked down at her beloved son, now snoring and smiled tenderly. "He's strong, he'll be alright soon." And she softly ran her fingers down one stubbly side of Artemus's face. "My boy…"

Standing, Harry took Helena in his arms and kissed her lips tenderly. "Yes, Artemus is going to be alright in a week or so."

The old, petite woman smiled. "Thank you, and I love you," she said. "Now let's head to the kitchen, my beef Stroganoff can't wait much longer."

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The next morning

His eyes half-opened Artemus entered the kitchen dressed in his pajamas and bathrobe, barefoot, wet hair wild and damp from the shower.

He was followed by a meowing, hungry cat slaloming between his legs and crutches, tail raised high, curling around his calf and swinging above its back.

Helena Gordon smiled and said, "Good morning, Artemus. How are you today?"

Opening his eyes, blinking in the morning sunlight, Artie leaned his crutches against the round table covered with a flowery napkin. "I'm alright mom," he said, then he sat on the chair, wincing. Seeing his mother frown as if she didn't believe him, he reddened a little in shame and rectified, "My wound still hurts… but with Harry's help, the pain won't last."

Helena who hated lies – even if they were meant to make her feel better – nodded and said, "I prefer that." Then she leaned down to place a tender kiss on her son's forehead. "I love you."

Kissing his mom's cheek, Artie replied, "Love you too mom."

Helena placed a plate filled with Racuchy z Jablkami (Polish Apple Pancakes) in the middle of the table and then she headed toward the stove.

Suddenly the black cat with white legs leaped on the chair beside Artie who stroked the elegant feline under its chin eliciting loud purrs.

But White Socks was still hungry so she meowed.

Artemus let out a long yawn as he stretched his arms above his head, like a cat, then he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

He took the pot of milk sitting on the table and a saucer and poured a little milk inside. White Socks immediately leaped on the table and lapped up the milk, making small slurping sounds.

Helena took the pot of freshly brewed coffee waiting on the large stove, a cup from the cupboard and poured the black, bitter beverage into it.

She settled it in front of her son who took it and the she asked, "How was your night?" Then she waved a stern finger. "No lies Artemus!"

He shook his head. "No lies. I promise." He petted White Socks on top of her head, still busy lapping up the milk and then replied, "I didn't sleep well. Not because of the pain in my leg, Harry gave me a painkiller before I went to bed last night, but because I had nightmares." He took a sip of coffee – and a pancake and added, "I was lost in the blizzard, I was very cold, I was looking for Jim and Moira ... and when I found them, they were as blue as the summer sky ... and rigid, like corpses. Then Bigfoot broke my ribs and I died suffocating, drowning in my own blood…" He poured a little milk in his very hot coffee to cool it and said, "That's all I remember. It was very graphic…it looked very, very real. I still remember them vividly." He buried his face in his hands for a few seconds, then ran his fingers through his wild curls trying to tame them. "It was horrible mom. I woke up screaming, sick and soaked with sweat…"

Moira kissed her son's temple with love, soothingly. "Don't worry, Artemus, those nightmares will disappear with time."

Finally realizing that he was alone with his mother in the kitchen, plus White Socks; Artie asked, "Where are Harry and Jim?"

Helena placed a second plate in front of her son which contained an open-face sandwich made with warm and crispy bread, ham and tomato and on the side there was scrambled eggs with big slices of smoked Polish sausage (kiełbasy wędzone) and sliced pickles. "They left at dawn. Mara, our younger mare is ready to have her first foal and Harry needed help. They left about two hours ago."

Artemus licked his lips hungrily. His mother had prepared a Polish breakfast for him. "Thank you mom, I love it looks delicious." And he showed a content smile on his face.

Helena smiled. "I know that you love that breakfast."

Suddenly the door opened and Harry and Jim entered the room and headed toward the table, stomachs grumbling.

Harry said, "I could smell the scent of cooking food from the hallway… Mmm, you prepared Polish breakfast. I love it." He wrapped his arms around Helena's waist; leaned down and placed a kiss her forehead. "I love you," he added.

Sitting on a chair beside Artemus, Jim said, "I'm famished!" and then he eyed his best friend's breakfast hungrily; licking his lips. "I love it too." He glanced up at Artie and noticed that he looked crumpled and a bit gray and worried, he asked, "Are you okay?"

Shaking his head, Artie said, "No, I still have stabbing pains in my leg and I had nightmares. But don't worry about that. They will pass with time."

Jim nodded in confidence. "I know. You're the strongest man I know." He stroked White Socks between his ears and the cat purred. Then it leaped to the floor and padded outside the kitchen. Then he reached out toward his best friend's plate.

Protecting his plate with his arm, Artie said, "Don't even think of it. It's mine! I'm hungry too." Then he took up his fork and his knife.

Helena poured hot, steaming coffee in a mug and placed it in front of Jim. "I'm going to prepare the same thing for you, Jim," she said.

Smiling at Artemus's mother Jim said, "Thank you very much Helena." But he as he couldn't wait and loved to tease Artie too, he stole half of Artemus's sandwich and wolfed it down in a matter of seconds, ignoring his partner's glare. "Absolutely delicious!" he said.

Rolling his eyes, Artie sighed. "What are you? Five?" Then he smiled at his mother when she gave him a new sandwhich. "Thanks mom."

She had prepared a dozen of them.

Chuckling softly, as he loved teasing Artie in a playful way, Jim took a couple of Polish Apple Pancakes and set them down beside his mug of coffee.

In retaliation, Artemus grabbed one and bit into it, looking at his best friend straight into his eyes. Then he wolfed down the other pancake.

Helena gave Harry a mug filled with black coffee and a shot of brandy. She grinned and said, "If I did not know you both, my boys, I would think you are siblings." Then she headed back toward the stove to prepare Harry's breakfast.

Artie looked the older man. "How are Mara and her foal?" he asked before taking a sip of his café au lait.

Harry took an apple Pancake from the plate and replied, "They're both fine but the birth was difficult. I named the foal Coal because he's all black." Then he looked down at the plate that Helena had placed in front of him on the table.

Using his knife and fork he cut a piece of Placki Ziemniaczane (Polish Potato Pancakes) and dipped it in a pot of sour cream. Then he diced his two smoked sausages.

Helena placed a new plate in front of Jim and said, "I prepared your favorite breakfast, Jim." And she watched him look at the Semolina porridge with blackberry syrup (kasza manna) hungrily. "Enjoy your meal."

Glancing at Artie's mother, he smiled and said, "Thank you." And he moved away from his partner, moving closer to Harry, taking his plate and spoon with him.

Rolling his eyes again, Artie huffed and shook his head. "I'm not gonna eat your food, I prefer mine." Then he started eating his Jajecznica (scrambled eggs with Polish sausage), and he couldn't help letting out happy noises.

Helena sat on a chair and took an apple pancake from the plate. She said, "I'm glad to see that your injury and pain don't stop your appetite, Artemus."

Shaking his head, Artie replied, "No, impossible," with his mouth full.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and everyone watched a short, round-shouldered man dressed in black clothes enter the room, a cigar clenched between his teeth.

Ulysses S. Grant smiled and asked, "May I come in?" then he took off his black wide-brimmed hat and placed it on the dresser.

Harry and Jim stood and Helena too. Artemus tried too but stabbing pains in his bad leg made him change his mind.

Helena moved toward the POTUS, bowed her head in respect and then she said, "Of course, Mr. President. You are welcome here and you will always be." She took his coat, folded it over the back of a chair and gestured to the table. "Can I offer you something? I prepared a Polish breakfast."

Grant glanced at the different meals covering the round table and nodded. "With pleasure," then he followed the petite, old woman. He shook hands with Harry and Jim then took his place beside Artemus, and they shook hands too. "How are you Artemus?" He asked.

Catching his mother's long look saying "don't lie!', he chose to tell the truth to Grant. "It still hurts, but I feel much better, Sir. Harry told me that I won't be able to walk normally for three weeks minimum. I'm going to spend my medical leave here, at home."

Grant nodded. "It's a great idea. It's ideal to be able to rest with your family." then he smiled when Helena placed a mug of hot coffee and an ashtray in front of him on the table. "Thank you Mrs. Gordon," he said.

Curious Jim asked, "What brings you here, Sir?"

The President took a sip of coffee and said, "I needed some vacation, so I chose to go to Galena and stay here for a week. As I love riding, I saddled a horse and I went for a ride, and I ended up on top of the hill close to your house. I knew that Artemus was here, and I wanted to say hello… and tell him that I have news about Miss O'Donnell."

Artie immediately asked, "Moira? How is she?"

Grant smiled. "She's alright, be reassured. She sent a message yesterday to Colonel Richmond. She is fine. She didn't take a boat to Europe, but instead she headed to Alaska to find a mythical creature called the Tiz… Tiz-something." Then he puffed on his very long and very strong cigar.

Smiling too, Artie said, "She's incredible!" He pushed the plate of Racuchy z Jablkami toward the President and then added, "The name of this creature is Tizheruk, Sir. It's a large snake-like creature that is said to inhabit the waters near Key Island, Alaska."

Curious Harry asked, "And what does it look like? And do?"

Looking at the old 'country doctor', Artie replied, "It is said to have a seven-foot head and a tail with a flipper. The local Inuit claim that it has snatched people off piers without their noticing its presence." He took an apple pancake and bit in it.

Frowning, Jim asked, "Can she find that creature?"

Artie nodded. "If it exists, she will. She found Bigfoot, remember?" Then he looked at the President of the United States and asked him, "What is the news in Washington, Sir?"

The end.