Chapter 11 Marcia, Marci, Marcia!

She sat under the porch of the dormitory, waiting, she had seen everyone taking care of Candy, she had seen her sister and aunt ending up in jail. She was hiding and thinking how she would get them out, still get rid of Candy and the baby, although that might not work out too well, she still had to kill all the Bolts! She had been living in the wilds, following her aunts ways, her hair was a tangled mess, she wore rags, and she did not wash. She ate what ever she could find and occasionally ate what ever dead animal was easiest to eat. She was definitely not in her right mind as if she ever had been. Her sister had protected her but still she was now unable to care for herself. Marcia did not remember reading or speaking, she sang, but not with words. She imitated the animals in the forest. Her mental state deteriorated to the point that she did not see herself as a human. Although she could communicate to her sister and her aunt, to others, she would snarl or hiss and run away.

Clementine and Lisabeth had been picked up by the sheriff and taken to Olympia to stand trial. She would not see them again, but she knew what she was going to do. Candy had had her baby, and they were back in their home. She was going to take that baby and leave it in the woods for her animal friends. That would be a nice juicy present for the wolves. She panted and growled and then howled silently. Then she left her place and went deep into the woods to run free.

Jeremy and Candy were reveling in their newborn baby boy. They named him Jeremy Jr. He had the Blue eyes of the Bolts along with his father's long eyelashes. but his hair although wavy and brown had hints of auburn highlights. Candy and Jeremy were very happy with their newborn.

Katie and Joshua were resting in their little home and Jason was resting in his cabin. Only Molly saw Marcia, she did not say anything to anyone but went to Mr. Stemple's home and knocked on his door.

"What do you need Molly?" Aaron asked

"Mr. Stemple, I saw Marcia running back to the woods. I am worried that she may still try to hurt Jeremy and Candy!" Aaron stepped outside and asked a few more questions and then said to Molly:

"Molly, I want you to have Swede, Clancy and your brother's in law Joshua and Jason to meet me at my office at the mill. Tell them you saw Marcia!" Molly did as she was told. She ran to the Saloon and found Swede and Clancy at the saloon, Then she ran to find Jason, who was in his cabin alone.

"Jason, can you go over to the Saloon, Mr. Stemple wants to meet you there. I saw Marcia, I think she is planning to do something to Jeremy and Candy and the baby." Said Molly. Jason nodded and grabbed his coat.

"Did you go tell Joshua and Jeremy? Jason asked. Molly said no. "I will get them. Go back to the dormitory and make sure the ladies are safe and they have locked their doors!" Molly ran back to the dormitory and let the lady's know what was happening.

Jason went to Joshua's house to let him know that Marcia had been sighted and that they were planning something at the saloon. He then took a short walk over to Candy and Jeremy's with Katie following close behind. When Jeremy and Candy found out about Marcia, Candy was scared. She looked at Jeremy and he asked if she wanted to come to the saloon with him or wait in their home with Katie.

"I would like to take the baby to Lottie's and wait there for you!" Candy said.
"I think that the both of us would be happy to be with Lottie and the rest of you!" Katie said. Jeremy said okay, they wrapped the baby in the warm blankets and took some supplies not sure how long it would take.

At the saloon Aaron was getting ready to plan how to capture Marcia.

"She is like a wild animal; we could go ahead and shoot her!" Ben said and Emily agreed, they remembered Marcia, although both girls had confessed that they had taken her baby because they were worried the baby would be killed, Emily was very cautious about leaving her son or any other child with those two girls.

Jason stood up and said:

"We could hunt her down and shoot her like a wild animal!"

"But you can't, she is a human child no matter what is going on in her mind!" Candy said before anyone had a chance to object she spoke again:

"We are obligated to find a place to take care of her, treat her condition. Who knows she may someday be healed. But to shoot her! That is murder. She is not animal, no matter what she is doing today! I think you should get her and bring her home and put her in the jail cell and then have her sent to an asylum!" Candy said. She held onto Jeremy Jr. very tightly.

"Well, how are we going to capture her? Are there any suggestions?" Jason asked.

"I have a suggestion, since it is almost Christmas, we can review the events of the night when Emily's child was taken. Put the Baby Jesus in the manger and wait for her to come and take it out thinking it was Jeremy Jr.?" Everyone was shocked that Joshua of all people would suggest something like that.

Jeremy stood up and said:

"I don't think that is a bad idea! I-I-I-m-m-mean if she thinks the baby will be in the crib on Christmas eve then she will think she is back in time!"

"But what if she sees that it is not the baby? What will she do then?" Asked Katie who was standing next to Candy holding her baby. No one seemed to have an answer. They sat for quite a while and then decided that they should at least come up with an alternate plan.

Candy spoke to Jeremy, and he was concerned by what she said then he agreed since he would be there along with Jason, and the others, that Jeremy Jr. Would be safe!

"Okay, so we have the plan in place. Let us spread the 'good news' that we will have a real baby in the crib tomorrow night!" Aaron said and with that the meeting was closed.