All The Way
Chapter 28
Later that night...
The rain blew in gusts as the cold front rushed through the canyon. The temperature had dropped easily by ten degrees or more. The embers of the fire glowed at the cave entrance while Julia nestled in the crook of Eliot's arm, unconsciously kneading the skin of his chest.
"Senora Doctor, your horse will take care of you, it will warn you of danger."
Julia's eyes fluttered, hearing the young Mayans voice, wondering if the voice was real or a dream. She had definitely heard something. It was the sound of snorting and hooves stomping. Eyes narrowed, she strained to focus in the dim light. The snorting and stomping continued. Julia's head turned to the horses at the rear of the cave and saw their ears pricked, hooves pawing. Deep snorting indicated they had picked up a scent from the outside. Julia's heart began to race knowing the animals had given the alarm something was at the entrance of the cave. Carefully, she pulled herself from the warmth of his embrace and searched for the makeshift spear leaning against the wall. Eliot stirred, eyes gradually opening. The physician slowly eased along the wall of the cave holding the spear in her hand. Nearing the fire she lowered and pulled a small branch from the fuel pile and placed the tip in the embers. Patiently she waited until the tip glowed then ignited. Julia felt adrenaline surging through her body.
Julia glanced back at Eliot on the blanket and heard his words.
"I am not afraid, Julia. You are my brave and beautiful lioness. I have no fear."
Cautiously she moved along the wall with the spear and torch.
"The mountain lion will come looking for our javalina. Instead it will find us, and that is the price we pay for staying in their home."
Was it a mountain lion? She strained to make sense of the shadows along the cave entrance. Suddenly, the glow of the torch revealed the reflective tapetum of the mountain lion's eyes crouching in the shadows. A deep growl rumbled across the darkness.
"Please just leave," She whispered, hoping the sound of her voice would scare the big cat. Instead, the eyes approached, the animal determined to feed or seek shelter. Julia stepped back.
"Why aren't you leaving?" she whispered again, trying to find comfort in her own voice. The big cat moved forward hissing and growling as it approached. She couldn't let it in the cave; she had to stop it here, but how? Julia glanced back and forth between the glowing branch and the spear, then decided to toss the flaming stick to the ground in front of the predator. Instinctively, the cat recoiled and hissed. Surprisingly, the animal did not retreat, but stood its ground. The glow of the stick revealed the cat's head, glowing eyes, white barred teeth, and ears tightly pinned back on its broad head. The mountain lion was prepared to fight. Julia gripped the spear with both hands.
You are a brave lioness. You have no fear.
Remember a lioness fears no one, not even the male. Julia felt her legs stiffen and tightly gripped the spear. You will survive. Eliot and Hallie are depending on you.
Lunging toward the cat she drove the spear at its body. The mountain lion easily swatted the spear and snarled. Julia pulled back, attacked again, more forcefully this time, aiming behind the head near the shoulder of the big cat. The spear penetrated causing the big cat to scream loudly. Pulling back the spear she watched as the cat frantically turned and retreated into the shadows.
Suddenly, her legs began to violently tremble forcing her to lean against the cave wall for support. Bringing the tip of the spear to her face, she inspected the knife and saw the blood dripping from the blade. Tears welled up making it difficult to see. Would the big cat return even more determined, more aggressive?
"Julia." Eliot called to her.
Staggering back in the cave, Julia collapsed along the wall near his blanket. The professor feebly turned on his side and touched her.
"Are you alright?"
Julia's eyes turned and meet his eyes with fear and anger.
"No I'm not alright!" She snapped, holding back tears, not wanting him to see her cry.
"I can't do this, Eliot." Fighting the mountain lion was just the beginning. There would be more battles to fight, more battles to fight alone. Alone! Tomorrow, Richard would be better and the threat would resume. She would be the one to struggle for food and water. The supply truck would not arrive for another week. Eliot was very weak and disoriented, and Hallie, sweet Hallie, was in her own comatose dream world. She couldn't hold back the tears and began to sob. His fingers gently stroked her back. Looking around she realized he had crawled along on his arms to reach her. From beneath the white bandage his dark eyes looked at her then to the tip of the bloody Swiss Army knife.
"Julia."
Wiping her eyes, she reluctantly looked at him.
"May I speak honestly with you?"
"Unlike all the others, I can truly say you've always been honest with me." She replied and watched him smile weakly at the complement.
"I will help you all that I can."
"I know that."
He brought her trembling fingers to his lips and gently kissed them.
"Julia, without you we will not get out of this alive."
She fought back a new wave of emotions, turned, and stared out at the darkness beyond the cave entrance.
"I'm so afraid, Eliot. Where's Herb, Denis, or Eric? Where are the others?"
Eliot stared down at the cuts and bruises on his knuckles, the thought had passed through his mind a million times. He looked up not wanting to share his worst fears, the fear they had all been eliminated in some manner. Thinking back, he recalled how casually Carter had waited for him in the kiva, waiting for the last man living. He had watched Richard's hand move several times near the hunting knife at his belt. Carter had planned to kill him and leave him in the kiva. Surely, Julia understood this.
The professor felt his head begin to spin again.
"Julia, without you we will not get out of here alive. Tomorrow, take one of the horses, follow the truck tracks and go for help."
Julia quickly turned, eyes flashing with alarm, and stood.
"No!" She raised her voice, "No, I'm not leaving you or Hallie." Moving to stand near the fire she began nervously tossing on branches from the fuel pile. Eliot pulled back to the blanket and closed his eyes. He did not have the energy to argue with her, perhaps tomorrow. Julia stood watching the branches ignite and burn, the flames gradually rising. She pulled a tissue from her pocket and thoroughly wiped the blood from the knife, then tossed the tissue into the fire and watched it burn. Shivering, she returned to sit near Eliot, turning the spear in her fingertips.
"Do you want your blanket back?" He asked without opening his eyes.
With her back to him she replied. "No."
Eliot pulled back the edge of the blanket. Julia reclined and slipped beneath the offered cover and the protective crook of his arm. In her right hand she held the makeshift spear, her head resting on his chest, eyes vigilantly watching the entrance of the cave.
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The next morning…..
Julia's eyes fluttered open and wondered if she had truly slept. Dim light filtered through the vegetation hiding the cave entrance. The pain medication allowed Eliot to rest peacefully. Hallie's breathing and heartbeat remained deep and slow while her eyes and lips twitched with activity.
The physician removed the Swiss Army knife from the end of the spear and extinguished the fire. She had decided to return to the camp for food and water. Folding the knife, she slipped it into her pocket along with the leather strip. She would never leave them behind. Tomorrow they would all leave together.
~~~tbc~~~