Chapter 13
Jimmy laid on his back looking up at the ceiling. He shifted from one side to the other. He was so tired yet he could not find sleep. His hand, arm, and shoulder throbbed. His chest even hurt now. He had managed to keep what was happening to his arm to himself as the others were quickly pulled back by Carson's plan. His accusations hit him hard, and they never left his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that deep down, could he be right? Why was he so sick? What was going on with his arm? He was still thinking when the stabbing pain hit him again. He held his breath in order not to make a sound and wake the others. He felt the sweat forming on his forehead as he tried to hold it together. When it finally subsided, he slid from his bunk. He eased the door open and walked out away from the bunkhouse and barn to the prairie. The pain hit again, and he fell to his knees. He felt like he couldn't breathe. He rolled on his back in the grass. He felt it ease and reached to rub his face with his hand to wipe the sweat away. He felt his worst nightmare take hold of him. He froze with his hand on his face. He slowly lifted it up as the clouds moved away to allow some light. He held his hand out and stared. His fingernails. How did they get so long? He actually screamed. He sat upright as he panted for air. He felt something prick his lip. He reached and felt long fangs. He let his hand fall away. My God. He needed Teaspoon. He needed him now. He went to stand. He staggered for a moment. He started moving to Teaspoon's room when his world went dark.
Buck was laying on the cold ground. The ground was cold as ice. He could see his breath in the frosty air. It was foggy and clouding his mind. He heard screams. He saw flashes of movement and black in the misty air. Why was the air so thick? He heard screams again. He saw familiar red eyes.
"Buck! Wake up!" Cody was yelling and shaking him.
Buck sat up trying to catch his breath. He looked around the room at the concerned faces of his family.
"Sorry." Buck mumbled.
"Must have been a doozey. The way you were yelling." Noah remarked.
"Yeah. Yeah, it was. Excuse me."
The group watched as Buck walked out the door. He went to the horse trough and proceeded to dunk his head in it. The inability to stop the hurt in his dream was overbearing. He was always stuck in place and could merely watch it unfold. This time though, he couldn't see anything. What did this mean? He smoothed his hair back as Carson rode up. Buck made his way back into the bunkhouse.
"Better?" Rachel asked as she put a plate of breakfast in front of him.
"Some. Thanks."
"Anyone seen Jimmy this morning? He has been a little under the weather." Teaspoon asked.
"He left me a note on the porch. Said he needed a few. Took a ride out to the pond." Rachel answered.
"Ok, I know he needs a break. We will get him later."
"So, we all have had a night to sleep on it. What's the verdict?" Carson asked.
"Carson, I am still a bit undecided on this here. We….." Teaspoon started as a knock sounded on the door.
Noah opened it and spoke to the man on the other side. He closed the door and looked at everyone waiting.
"Been another."
"Where?" Teaspoon asked.
"Out behind the Nix place."
"The Nix place?"
Noah swallowed and looked down at his feet.
"His boys."
Teaspoon laid his fork down and cleared his throat. Hugh's boys weren't but fourteen and sixteen. Rachel gasped. He looked back at Carson.
"This settles it."
"Tonight then." Carson agreed.
Buck listened in. He waited for the group to head out to latest scene of attack. He needed to talk to Raven. He rode toward town. He rushed up to her room and beat on the door. She didn't answer. He tried the knob. It was locked. Where could she be? He figured that she may have already heard. He ran back down and jumped on his horse to head out to the Nix homestead. He slid to a stop right inside the fence. He ran around back. Teaspoon was talking with the boys' father, trying to console the man. Carson was busy writing. Noah was heading toward his horse. He looked at the death around him, but Raven was not there.
"Buck, you ok?" Noah asked.
"Raven been here?"
"That girl from town?"
"Yeah."
"Not when we got here. Why?"
"No reason."
"You sure you are alright?"
"Fine."
"Well, I got to head back. Kid will be back soon."
"Ride safe, Noah."
Noah nodded and left to head back to the station. Buck stood deep in thought. He needed to speak with Raven. He felt like he should let her know their plan but then again, something was wrong here. Where was she? She had never missed an attack before. Where was Jimmy? They had not thought about him since the news. He tried to concentrate on his dream. All he could remember was the fog. Fog. He ran back to his horse.
"Where is he going?" Teaspoon asked as Buck sped away.
"That one knows more than he is letting on." Carson said.
"Now don't you go pointing fingers at another of my boys unless you can back it up."
Carson chewed his pencil as he watched the dust fade.