HANNIBAL THE CANNIBAL - Chapter Two
The young boy carefully slid his hand into a front pocket and fingered a single peppermint. He poked his head out from under the blanket and looked around to make sure no one was watching, especially his father. The man who made him call him vater, really wasn't his father. His father was killed in a farming accident four years prior to coming to this country from Germany. A team of horses had spooked while he was adjusting the collar on one of them and dragged him under their hooves and the wheels of the wagon. He lingered for several weeks before succumbing to his injuries. His father had been a kind man who always had a gentle touch and loving words for him and his mother, unlike his new father.
At the time he was too young to understand why his mother Elisabeth, would marry such a man like Lewis Keseberg, and nine years her senior. Widowed at nineteen, with a three year old son, there were limited choices for a woman in her position. She accepted the first offer of marriage, ending any connection with her family and friends when raised a Catholic, she was wed in a Protestant church.
She had lied while pregnant, when she lost the baby girl, Ada. It hadn't been from fright, or heavy lifting, it had been from the brutal beating her husband had given her. It wasn't the first and she knew it wouldn't be the last. She never told anyone the truth nor did she argue when he insisted that her son's name be changed from his late father's Lukas to Lewis Junior. She prayed that this journey would lead to a new start and life.
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He pulled the candy out of his pocket and kept it concealed under the blanket as he slowly unwrapped the slick wax paper from it. He ducked under the blanket and popped the candy in his mouth, silently counting to ten, then reluctantly took it from his mouth and carefully rewrapped it tucking back into his pocket. He sucked in the night air, delighting at the cool minty taste that swept through his mouth. He couldn't wait until tomorrow night when he could taste the special candy again and think of the nice man with the kind eyes who had given it to him with a wink.
This was their last night before starting their trek. Tonight he saw the look of deep concern on his mother's face which she tried valiantly to hide from him, but he noticed her hugs were tighter and longer.
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Kid knew Heyes was stalling, giving the wagons a good head start, before they continued their journey to San Francisco to see Soapy.
Heyes was right, although Kid refused to acknowledge it, there was nothing he could do. He hoped once they got back on the trail, sense would prevail and the immigrants would continue on the well traveled Oregon Trail to their destination and he and Heyes would pass the caravan with a nod and tip of their hats.
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The day was beautiful for the start of their new journey. The excitement was palpable with people in good spirits. Lewis Junior was anxious to make new friends among the forty three children that helped make up the caravan.
Little did anyone know, the trip that took the other immigrants to their final destination in four months, would take these immigrants over eight brutal months with the loss of half the party.
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Kid pulled his horse to a stop, and looked up the trail that cut south of the Oregon Trail. There were definitely fresh wagon tracks and dried dung on the dirt path. Deep ruts marked it from a number of wagons…at least twenty Kid had quickly calculated.
Heyes didn't stop but continued on, slowing his horse to a walk as he listened for the hoofbeats of his partner's horse.
He was about to turn his horse around, when he heard the rhythmic cadence of a trotting horse approaching on his right side.
Heyes turned his head and looked at his partner, catching his eye. Kid knew the question without a word spoken. He gave him a quick nod, reached up and adjusted his hat.
"Better pick up our pace if we plan on getting to Soapy's when we promised."
Heyes nodded in agreement as he tightened the stampede strings on his hat, and touched the spurs to his horse's side as they both galloped together, each taking a side off the rutted well worn Oregon Trail.
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Kid was the first to see the far off cloud of dust being stirred up by the steady moving oxen from the covered wagons.
There was a hopeful look in his eyes when they met Heyes'. A line of wagons snaked up the Oregon Trail, accompanied by most people following on foot.
Heyes and Kid stopped on the rise and looked down on the sea of white bonneted wagons, moving down the trail lined with tall grass that bowed and swayed with the increasing wind. The clouds were darkening to the north, announcing an approaching storm.
"They do look like ships don't they Heyes?"
"Guess that's why they call them prairie schooners. Must be the richer folk in those big Conestogas."
"Do ya think…"
"Heyes shrugged his shoulders, "Won't know until you look. Can't do anything…", he reminded him.
"I know," Kid reassured Heyes, "And I won't cause no trouble. I'd just like to know for sure."
"They ought to be stopping soon." Heyes said, tilting his head to look skyward towards the dark clouds. "Storm's moving in fast. We best get settled in too."
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The morning rays caught the wet blades of grass making them sparkle as the sun slowly rose. There was a freshness to the air, and the soil took on a deep rich earthy smell.
Kid broke down their small camp fire and split the remaining coffee with his partner before he fling the last bitter grounds at the bottom aside. He wiped a quick hand around the inside of his cup before he tucked it into his saddlebags.
He waited for Heyes with one hand on the saddle horn, the other holding the reins. With a nod, his partner let him know he was ready.
"If that boy ain't among them…You'll let it go." Heyes said, as the stepped into his stirrup and settled into his saddle. He looked at Kid waiting for a response.
Kid nodded. Satisfied, Heyes reined his horse around and headed towards the wagon train.
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An older man rode towards them, a rifle across his lap.
"Help you gents?" As he pulled his horse to a stop, his hand dropped onto the long gun and rested it there.
Kid gave the man a cordial nod, "Aint lookin' to cause you any harm. Just lookin' for a man and his family."
"And who might that be?" The man cautiously asked.
"A Lewis…," Kid paused and looked at Heyes.
"Think his last name was…Kes…Keseberg?" Heyes said.
The man straightened in his saddle. "What you want with Lewis?"
"So you know him?" Kid looked around, "He here?"
"He a friend?" the man's eyes narrowed as he looked at Heyes and Kid with suspicion.
Both men immediately started shaking their heads.
The man laughed a bitter laugh, "Of course you ain't friends. Cuz that bastard ain't got none."
"But you know him…"
"Ain't friendly by any means but I know him. Kind of got a reputation and well deserved. One of the most miserable people I've ever come across."
"He here?" Kid impatiently asked again. "And his family?"
"Nope," the man said, shaking his head. "Parted ways when him and those others took that other route days back. Says it shorter. I prefer to go the way I know. Getting too late in the year to be fooling around with a shortcut that no one really knows nothing about. Sorry, I can tell by your faces that ain't the answer you wanted."
"It ain't," Kid said, sadly.
"Thanks," Heyes said, touching the brim of his hat. Turning to his partner he said, "We got our answer, now let's go."
With a sigh, Kid nodded.
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