No Justice For Jeremy: Chapter Two
Jeremy was asleep in the back of the wagon. He and his family had been doing some long hard traveling for the past week. Everyone was exhausted.
Someone was climbing quietly into the back of the wagon. Jeremy was startled.
"Who's there?!" Jeremy demanded.
"Jeremy, it's just me." Candy answered. "Well, me and this little fellow. Isn't he cute,Jeremy? I found him on my walk. He's so hungry that he's drooling. Poor baby. I'll find you something to eat."
Jeremy lit the lantern and held it up so he could see.
Jeremy set the lantern down fast. He grabbed his rifle and snatched Candy's new pet away from her.
Jeremy ran down the wagon steps. He kept running until he was a few yards from the campsite.
Jeremy put Candy's pet on the ground.
BOOM! BOOM! Two blasts came from Jeremy's rifle.
Jeremy shot and killed his wife's pet.
Candy rushed out of the wagon."What did you do, Jeremy?! Why did you kill that sweet puppy? What's wrong with you?!" She screamed.
By this time, Jason, Joshua, and Biddie had come out of their wagons.
"Candy! That wasn't a sweet little puppy. It was a wolf pup and it was deathly sick. It had hydrophobia!" Jeremy shouted.
Jeremy ran up to Candy. "Let me see your hands and your arms! Did that thing bite you?! Even a playful little bite?!
Jeremy tried to hold his wife's hands and arms to examine them. Candy wouldn't be still. She was angry at Jeremy.
Jeremy grabbed her arms by her wrists and held them tightly.
"You're hurting me, Jeremy! Let me go!" Candy shouted.
"No! Not until I see if that wolf bit you!" Jeremy shouted.
He examined Candy's arms and hands all over. There were no signs of any marks, scratches, or bites. Jeremy let go of Candy's hands and arms.
Candy went to the wagon steps and sat down. Jeremy took some deep breaths. He was relieved that the wolf pup did not scratch or bite Candy.
"Is everything alright, Jeremy?' Jason asked walking up to him.
Joshua and Biddie also came up.
"Yeah, Jason. Thank The Lord, that wolf pup didn't bite or scratch her. She thought it was a dog and needed care. She's pretty angry at me. But, I can handle that a lot easier than I could having my sweet girl deathly sick." Jeremy answered.
"Maybe you should talk to her again about all the potential dangers that we are facing now, animal and human." Jason suggested.
"I will do that, Jason. When Candy starts speaking to me again." Jeremy shook his head.
"Biddie, maybe you and I should have that talk one more time." Joshua told his wife.
"Anything you say, sweetheart." Biddie replied.
After he said goodnight to Biddie and his brothers, Jeremy walked back to his wagon. Candy was still sitting on the steps looking at the ground. She didn't look up at Jeremy.
Jeremy squatted on the last step in front of Candy. "I'm sorry if I scared you, Candy. I had to move fast before that wolf pup hurt you or got loose. Hydrophobia is fatal, sweetheart. The thought of losing you terrifies me. I'm sorry I shouted at you and I'm sorry I grabbed your arms. You know I wasn't trying to be mean or to hurt you. I had to make sure that you are alright. Please forgive me, Candy. I love you." Jeremy said.
Candy continued to look at the ground. Jeremy put his index finger under her chin. He slowly lifted her chin. When he could see her face, he realized that she was crying.
"Candy, I didn't mean to make you cry. I was just…Jeremy gasped.
There was blood on the side of Candy's neck. The wolf pup had bitten her there.
"B-B-Be s-s-still, C-C-Candy." Jeremy said softly. "W-W-We need h-h-help."
"I don't want to die, Jeremy." Candy whispered.
"You will be alright." Jeremy whispered too.
Jeremy ran to Jason's wagon and went inside. There was muffled frantic conversation.
In a minute, Jeremy and Jason ran out of the ran back to Candy. Jason went to Joshua's wagon. He knocked on the tailgate. Joshua came out of the wagon. Jason told him what had happened .
"Biddie! Please get up! Candy needs our help!" Joshua said going back into his wagon.
Biddie got up immediately. "That wolf bit her, didn't it?"
"Yes, it did." Joshua answered.
Joshua and Biddie left their wagon.
Biddie went to sit with Candy.
Jason had already built a fire. He was holding the knife and the cautery iron over the fire. He was heating some water on the fire for Joshua to use to wash his hands.
"Jason, what if this doesn't work?" Joshua asked worriedly.
"Josh, it terrifies me to even think about that now. Because if it doesn't work, we are going to lose both Candy and our brother." Jason replied sadly.
While his brothers were making the arrangements to excise and cauterize Candy's wolf bite, Jeremy was putting up a tent. He thought that it would be better for Candy to be on a cot inside a tent rather than on the ground.
When Jeremy had the tent and the cot ready, he carried Candy from the steps to the cot. Biddie came with them.
"Candy, I know you don't drink, sweetheart. But, I want you to drink this whiskey. It will help you deal with the pain. Please drink it." Jeremy asked quietly.
Candy looked at the cup. "Okay, Jeremy. I'm scared! I'm going to die aren't I?"
"No, sweetheart. You aren't going to die. You will be f-f-fine." Jeremy replied.
"Jeremy, you can't lie. You never have been able too." Candy drank the whiskey in the cup.
"I'm not lying, Candy. You will be alright." Jeremy told her.
"We are ready, Jeremy. Candy, you will be fine." Jason said confidently.
Jeremy gave Candy some more whiskey. She drank it.
Joshua came in with the cautery iron and the knife. Jason was going to assist Joshua. Jeremy was going to hold Candy down.
The procedure took about ten minutes. Candy did well lying still. There were only a few moments when Jeremy had to hold her down.
"Did you get the whole wound, Josh?" Jason asked.
"Yes, I did. It wasn't very deep. Candy will be alright. I think we should stay here a day or two so she can rest." Joshua said glancing at Candy.
Jeremy was on his knees by his wife's bed, praying for her to get well.
"You did a good job, Joshua. All of us are grateful to you. Our brother is going to be awfully worried the next few days. Jeremy's going to watch her like a hawk for any sign of hydrophobia." Jason looked at their youngest brother.
"You're right, Jason. Dear God, if anything happened to Candy…." Joshua shook his head.
"She's gonna be fine, Josh. We have to have faith, like Jeremy." Jason nodded toward Jeremy. He was still on his knees praying.
Joshua and Jason smiled at each other.
The two oldest brothers sat up with Jeremy and Candy the rest of the night. Biddie made coffee. Since everyone's nerves were frazzled, they had a little whiskey in their coffee.
About two hours after the surgery, Candy had a high fever. Jeremy panicked.
"J-J-Jason, f-f-fever is d-d-dangerous." Jeremy was frightened.
"Fever is serious, yes. But it is also treatable. Think how many fevers you have survived, Jeremy. Candy will be alright." Jason reassured his brother.
"But this is C-C-Candy, J-J-Jason! Ladies are d-d-delicate!" Jeremy stammered.
"Ladies have a lot of strength too. Josh and I will get a bucket of ice cold water and lots of clean washcloths. Then you can sponge Candy with the cold water and cool the fever. Alright?" Jason put his arm around Jeremy's shoulder.
"Okay, Jason. Thank you. Thank you too, Josh." Jeremy said.
"You're welcome, Jeremy." Both brothers replied.
Jason and Joshua brought the bucket of ice cold water and the washcloths to the tent. They and Biddie left the tent. Jeremy closed the tent behind them.
Jeremy took Candy's nightgown off of her. She was wearing her camisole and pantaloons. Jeremy began dipping the washcloths in the freezing cold water. Very gently, he wiped her face. Being able to do something to help his wife made Jeremy feel calm.
Jeremy wiped Candy's body with the wet cold cloths. She shivered.
"It's alright, sweetheart. You're alright." He whispered.
Candy whimpered. Jeremy put down the wet cloth. He put his arms around his wife and gently raised her up from her pillow. He held her close to him.
"I love you, Candy." He whispered in her ear. "You are going to be fine."
Candy opened her eyes and looked at him."I love you, Jeremy. Sing for me. Your mother's favorite song."
Jeremy smiled at her. He knew Candy wanted that song because it brought him comfort and helped him to be calm.
Jeremy began singing softly. "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now, I'm found, was blind, but now, I see."
As Jeremy continued to sing, his beautiful voice soared. "When we've been there, ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days, to sing God's praise, than when, we'd first begun."
Candy sighed. She went to sleep in her husband's arms. Her fever was lower. Jeremy hugged Candy a little tighter.
Outside the tent, Jason, Joshua, and Biddie were sitting by the fire. They smiled as they listened to Jeremy singing.
Right as Jeremy sang bright, shining as the sun, Joshua said, "Look Biddie, look Jason." Joshua nodded toward the sky.
Jason and Biddie looked. There was a big, beautiful, bright sunrise.
The Bolt family stayed at that campsite for two more days. Candy recovered from the fever. She showed no signs of hydrophobia.
Jason, Joshua, and Jeremy agreed on aliases for themselves. Candy and Biddie decided on their aliases too. The family agreed to stop in the next town so they could practice using their new names.