The Reckoning JB

"It's done, Jason! I handled it the way I thought was best, let it go!" Jeremy shouted.

"Jeremy, you let that scoundrel get away with trying to murder you! Why did you do that!" Jason yelled.

"I did it because he's an old man and he's lost everything, and he didn't kill me." Jeremy answered calmly.

"But Jeremy, he tried extremely hard to kill you. He held you at gunpoint and handcuffed you to the buckboard wheel. Then he put leg irons on you the next morning and hunted you down like an animal." Jason argued.

"Yes, that's true, Jason, still, beating him is not going to change anything. It's over. I'm safe. Why can't you let it go?" Jeremy asked.

"Let it go?! A crazy man tried to kill my brother and I'm supposed to let it go?" Jason questioned.

"Yes, let it go because your brother is alive and well and your brother is asking you to let it go." Jeremy replied quietly.

"Let's sit down at the table, brother." Jason spoke. They took seats across from each other at the table.

"Jeremy, you can't allow people to get away with treating you like that." Jason told him.

"I don't want to file any charges against him, Jason. What good would it do?" Jeremy said firmly.

"It would remind him that he can't treat people like dogs. It would show that you stand up for yourself and that you deserve respect." Jason answered.

The soldier knows his actions were wrong, I don't have to tell him, and I know I deserve respect without needing to show the world," Jeremy stated. "The reason you want to confront the man is not to teach him that he was wrong or to help me because I'm okay now. Your pride is the reason, brother."

"What are you talking about, Jeremy?" Jason was confused.

"I'm saying that the reason you want a confrontation with the sergeant is because he mistreated Jason Bolt's brother. He got one over on the high and mighty owner of Bolt Brothers Logging Co." The youngest brother looked the eldest brother in the eye.

"Oh, I see. You think I want to beat up your kidnapper because of my pride and not because of my love and concern for you. And not because I have nightmares about finding you shot to death in the woods or shot and dying in my arms in the forest, but because of my pride!" Jason was furious.

The oldest brother left the table and paced angrily around the room. "We need Joshua!" He raged. "Why isn't Joshua here?!"

"He isn't here because you planned this conversation for today when you knew Josh would be in Tacoma," Jeremy spoke quietly.

"How can you be so calm?! Aren't you outraged at what that man did to you?!" Jason shouted.

"I was angry as hell about what happened; however, I got over it, Jason. Why can't you?" Jeremy wondered.

"I can't let it go because he tried to murder you and he put you in danger of being mauled to death by a bear! I don't know how to get through to you, Jeremy!"

Jeremy got up from the table. "You know what you should do, Jason, but you don't want to do it. Go on to Fort James and confront him. Obviously, I can't stop you and you made sure Joshua wouldn't be here to try to keep you from going."

Jeremy got his jacket and put it on. "I'm going to Lottie's. I'll see you when you get back."

The youngest Bolt gazed sadly at his brother and walked out the door.

Jason stood in the middle of the room staring at the closed cabin door. He shook his head and sighed. Jason packed his bags and walked to Ben's Store to wait for the afternoon stagecoach to Fort James.

Jason had been waiting a few minutes when Lottie approached him.

"Hello, Jason. Where are you going? It's none of my business, however I imagine it has something to do with the reason Jeremy is so upset. Jason, you need to talk to him before you leave." Lottie frowned.

"Jeremy and I have already talked, Lottie. Did he tell you that?" Jason inquired.

"No, Jason, your brother didn't tell me. He had a few shots and put his head on the table and cried. I persuaded him to go upstairs and lie down." Lottie answered.

The stagecoach was approaching. "You need to talk to him, Jason, please." Lottie pleaded.

Jason looked at his friend as the coach stopped. "Jeremy and I have nothing more to say right now, Lottie. We are at an impasse."

"What goes on between you and Jeremy is your concern, but I wish you wouldn't leave without talking to him. Lottie spoke.

"I'll be back tomorrow night; Jeremy and I can talk then." Jason replied as he got on the stagecoach. Goodbye, Lottie."

"Goodbye, Jason." Lottie watched the stage pull away.

Later in the evening after dark, Jeremy woke up from his nap at Lottie's. He was feeling better so he went home to the cabin.

That night, the stagecoach from Tacoma arrived in Seattle. Joshua disembarked from the vehicle. He went home to the cabin.

The following night, Jason returned home from Fort James. He was too tired for a drink at Lottie's, so he went home to the cabin.

There were no lanterns burning when the oldest brother walked into the dwelling. It was pitch dark.

"Joshua? Jeremy?" Jason called.

"I need to talk to you, Jason." Joshua answered. He was in the front room.

"Why are you sitting in the dark, Josh? Why didn't you light the lanterns?" Jason stood still because he couldn't see Joshua or the room.

"Oh, I suppose I thought the darkness would erase what happened." Joshua spoke in a melancholy tone.

"Did the darkness make it go away, Josh?" Jason was concerned.

"No, brother, it didn't work like I wanted it to." Joshua sighed.

"What happened, Joshua?" The oldest Bolt worried.

"When I got back in town last night, I came straight to the cabin. I didn't go to Lottie's even to say hello. When I came in the door of this cabin, I found…. I found Jeremy on the floor. He had been shot. I grabbed him and ran like hell to the clinic." Joshua broke down.

"Come on, Joshua! I want to see Jeremy!" Jason yelled.

"You can't!" Joshua exclaimed.

"What do you mean, I can't?" Jason's eyes had adjusted to the darkness. He made his way to Joshua on the sofa.

The oldest brother found a lantern and lit it with a match. Jason held the lamp up to see his brother's face.

"Tell me, Josh." Jason spoke softly.

"Oh, Jason! Jeremy died! Our baby brother is gone!" Joshua screamed. "The soldier killed him!"

"While I was at Fort James to confront him, he was here murdering Jeremy! That bastard!" Jason bellowed.

The two brothers held tightly to each other as they sobbed.

Jason and Joshua went to the clinic to see their brother's body. Both brothers cried again until their tears were gone.

"I love you, Jeremy. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you and stay home. I could have saved you if I had been here" Jason stroked Jeremy's hair

"Jeremy! Jeremy!" Joshua wailed. "I love you."

"Oh! "He awoke with a jolt. I must see Jeremy. He thought.

He went to Jeremy's room. The youngest Bolt was startled awake.

"What's wrong?" Jeremy asked.

"I needed to see you. I had a nightmare that scared me, and I wanted to be sure you were alright. I love you." He explained.

"I'm fine. It worries me that you keep having that bad dream. I love you too." Jeremy hugged the man and the man left Jeremy's room.

The next afternoon, the stagecoach from Seattle came to a halt at Fort James.

Captain Roland Francis Clancy stepped off the stagecoach. He checked his inside coat pocket. He had a solution to his problem right in that pocket.

Captain Clancy loved the Bolt brothers like family. The soldier would never hurt them again. Not even in Clancy's dreams.

The End

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