Benson.
I snuck into church this morning quietly, knowing I was late, and sat down beside Jeff. They were talking about King Nebuchadnezzar and I gave a small wave to Bree as I listened to Mr. Chris preach.
“You’d never know they were in a roarin fire! The good Lord calmed their fears! Jesus was on a boat ride once. Y’all like boat rides?”
“Uh huh we used to ride the boat over in Pearce that mister Joe made us,” I said as others said they liked boat rides too.
“Well, Jesus was having a ball on this boat ride. They all fished and swam and sang and just had the best ol time! After they had their fun, Jesus got all tired and went to take a nap on the boat as they sailed on. And while He was asleep, there came a raging storm! The tiny ship was tossed and thrown all around like a toy! All the folks were freaking out! They ran and woke Jesus up, ’cause He was still snoozing through all this. HE wasn’t a bit scared.”
“Naw, Jesus isn’t skeered of nuttin right?” Jeff asked and Mr. Chris smiled at him.
“Jesus not scared cause he’s God,” I whispered to Jeff.
“Ya know what Jesus did? Why He walked out on the deck of the boat and looks around… His friends were shaking in their boots and He was cool as a cucumber! Jesus smiled and pur His finger to his lips…” Mr. Chris came over to us and sat down in front of us.
Jeff put a finger to his lips and said, “Like this.”
“And he went… ‘shh…’” Mr. Chris said softly and I tried to hide a giggle. “And the storm stopped. The winds calmed. The rain went away And the sky cleared. My friends... With A God like that in our corner, why do we get scared at all?”
“Cause we ain’t Him,” Jeff answered.
“Because we ain’t Him.” Mr. Chris nodded and smiled at Jeff. “He made us in His image. We should TRY to be like Him. But we never will be. So we need to trust in Him that He will keep us warm and safe and dry when the storms rage and the fire burns and the lions want to eat us! So why are we scared?”
“That’s why we can’t be scareed of no bad guys,” I leaned over and said to Jeff. “Cause Jesus is bigger than our fears!” I said to Mr. Chris.
“Because the good Lord wants us to rely on Him.” Mr. Chris nodded to me.
“I ain’t skeered of them bad guys not one bit!” Jeff made a mean face and whispered to me.
“We’re scared cause we might fail…” Mr. Bass answered.
“Good, Bass... That’s right. And when we fall... not if... but when we fall… We ask Him to help us up.”
I looked over at Jeff then, feeling guilty for being so mad at Millard the other day about what he said about Jeff. I looked down with a frown, closing my eyes so no one could see how guilty I felt.
“Everyone close your eyes…” Mr. Chris instructed. “In your mind, wee what scares you… Let your fears fill your mind for just a minute Ok… Now, repeat after me… Lord, take em away from me”
We all repeated after him and then I heard Ma whispering something in the back of the church, but I couldn’t quite make out what she was saying.
“Feel God lift your fears out the top of your head… OPEN YOUR EYES NOW!!” Mr. Chris said and we all opened our eyes, blinking. “Where are they? The spiders and bad guys and scary dreams and storms and stuff? Let em go, people… God’s got your back. Since before the world was anything… He…” Mr. Chris pointed up. “He had your fears in his pocket.”
I heard Ma crying in the back of the church and went to stand beside her, holding her hand. “It okay, ma. God’s got us.” Ma squeezed my hand tighter as she wiped away the tears.
“Let’s pray, folks…” Mr. Chris said and we all closed our eyes again. “Hey God… You know we get scared... We’re like babies sometimes. We know You can wipe our fears away in a split second… All we have to do is give em to You. Help us do just that, Lord. Because we just can’t do it by ourself, no matter how big and tough we think we are. Watch over us, guide us, protect us as we go our separate ways today and every day… Thank you for your blessings and I personally thank you for allowing us to be this far along on the new church… So... walk with us Lord. Hold our hand and make us feel safe. Thanks. Amen.”
Ma held me close as she cried and I hugged her tight.
“Y’all feel free to walk across the street and see how your new church is coming.” Mr. Chris smiled.
Ma knelt down to hug me and said, “I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too. You gotta see this new church. Jimmy and I preachd and sang in it last night. Right Mister Chris?” I grinned and hugged Ma.
“Sure did Natalie.” Mr. Chris chuckled.
Jeff came over to give Ma a letter and I wandered over to the new church with everyone else. I went up to the front and sang “Amazing Grace” like I did last night and Mr. Chris smiled. Aspen came over and I greeted Aspen as Mr. Chris talked to everyone about the new church.
“I sure hope someone has been documentin' the building project in photo or something. This will make a good story for the Bee or Epitaph,” Miss Pet said.
“I’m gonna write bout it when it’s done Miss Pet! Mr Chris promised,” I told her.
“Aspen, Jeffery, and some of the other kids are keeping track of the progress, Pet.” Mr. Chris insisted.
“Oh I mean from the ground breaking from a nothin to something type article,” Miss Pet said.
I grinned wide seeing Ma come over then and walked over to her as Mr. Chris invited people to grab a hammer or shovel and get to work. “You okay ma?”
Ma was talkin’ with Mr. Bass about his honeymoon with Mrs. Pet so I stayed quiet, letting her talk to them.
“I not gonna grab a shovel. I don’t wanna get my dress dirty.” I told Mr. Chris.
I saw a horse with Miss Jade and went over to hold my hand out for it. “That’s a perty horsey. What’s its name?” I asked.
“Thank you Natalie. Her name is Ascar,” Miss Jade said.
“She’s real perty. Ascar’s a good name. I got a horse named Velvet. Miss Abi do you have a horse?” I asked her.
“No Natalie, I don’t,” Miss Abi answered.
“Um… Jeff. She’s a pony.. And black. And little like me.”
Ma talked to Miss Abi about looking after me while she went to deal with something and I looked over as Aspen said, “I got the name for my pony.”
“Yeah Aspen?” I grinned. “What’s it gonna be?”
“Cocoa.”
“That’s a good name! Cause it’s cocoa color!”
“She doesn’t need to stay overnight or anything just if you see her in town like now I just... don’t want her wandering from town to town by herself,” Ma was saying to Miss Abi then. “Not sure how she managed to come out here on her own.”
“Aw ma.. I wanted to go to church!” I turned to her.
“She is a determined girl,” Miss Abi said.
“I’ll fill you in another time when we’re more alone,” Ma said to Miss Abi.
“I promise you I will take good care of her,” Miss Abi promised.
“Thank you Abi. And Natalie, you listen to Miss Abi. Got it?” Ma looked at me with the look that meant I had to listen to her.
“Yes Ma….” I sighed. I watched Ma walk away and bit my lip.
“Natalie, she will be fine,” Miss Abi said to me then. “You will be safe with me until she returns.”
“She mad at me.” I frowned but then hugged her tightly, trying not to think about home. I played nervously with my apron and looked around as everyone else kept talking. Mr. Chris went off to do some errands after a while and I looked around.
Aspen came over and hugged me tightly, and I hugged her back, trying to remember Mr. Chris’ sermon.
“Aspen, Natalie and Jeffery, are you all ready to go?” Miss Abi asked us.
“I guess.” I nodded to her.
“Where we goin’?” Aspen asked.
“You kids take care of Miss Abi, ok?” Mr. Chris looked at us.
“Yes sir, we will,” Jeff promised.
“Let’s take a walk to town, okay?” Miss Abi suggested. “For no reason, just to go.”
“Mr. Chris?” I asked him before he headed home.
“Yes Natalie?”
I walked over to him and gave him a quick hug. “Pray for ma? She real scared bout somethin’. She not been in church in a real long time but she came today.”
“I will. I promise Natalie.”
“Okay.” I nodded to him and turned. “Let’s go Miss Abi.”
Miss Abi held out her hand to me and I took it as we walked back towards town.
Goldfield.
I saw Ma and Pa in the distance and ran over to them. Ma turned to me first and said, “Hey kiddo... I just had to talk to your pa alone for a bit. Why don’t you go play with your friends?”
“Okay ma.” I sighed and hugged them both.
“Yeah go have fun, and be careful sweetie.” Pa hugged me tight and kissed my head softly.
“Sorry I had to say hi to pa.” I said and ran off to rejoin Miss Abi, Jeff and Aspen.
“Hey Jeff?” I looked over to him as we waited for Aspen to catch up with us.
“Yeah?”
“I… Well I was kinda feelin bad earlier cause I heard Millard say you was dead. I was gonna get him back for it cause I didn’t want you to be hurt.”
“Well he was just follin ya.”
“And I didn’t like Mill lyin’ to me. Well I felt real... guilty this mornin’ at church so I.... I sorry. I jes glad you’re okay.”
“It’s okay, I’m not dead.”
“I sorry for how I acted yesterday.” I nodded and looked at Miss Abi. “I shouldn’t have called Millard a twat. He was just bein’ a boy.”
“That’s okay Natalie, we all get angry sometimes,” Miss Abi said.
“Just didn’t like the idea of somethin’ happenin’ to Jeff cause of Mr Lot,” I said.
“I understand.”
We walked back to the town and Jeff showed us the grocery store where he helped Mr. Cas. He showed us the candy and I bought some candy for ma and pa. Miss Abi paid for me to buy a new hankie and kerchief.
“Miss Abi I’m so glad ma went to church today. You know she used to play in church a long time ago?” I said to her then.
“Church was good today huh?” Jeff asked.
“Sure was.” I nodded.
“I like the new church it is gonna be neat!” Jeff grinned.
“I think she’ scared bout somethin. I gotta keep tellin her Jesus’ got it.” I said.
“Look Natalie, a baby doll! Right here!” Jeff showed me.
“Oh wow! Who made that?” I asked.
“Mr. Cas, I think,” Jeff said. “He makes all kinds of things.”
“Wow he’s real good! I had no idea he made stuff!”
“Oh he makes everything he can! “Jeff said.
After we got everything we needed, and I bought a doll to go next to the bear I got from Miss Zan, I went to the library to read Sherlock.
***
Tonight, I ran over to the sheriff’s office where Pa was sitting in the chair in front of the window. “Daddy!! I’m hungry!!!!”
“What! Huh! Hey munchkin.” Pa looked up from his chair.
“Paaaa! Were you sleepin???” I giggled.
“Who?! Me? No, I was just inspectin my eyelids.”
“I don’t believe you!”
“Ok...I might have been napping a little...you caught me.”
“I been readin’ all day. I tired and hungry. I forgot to go home to dinner cause well.... the book was too good. What are the chances ma cooked dinner?”
“Ummm, the chances are, it’s just me and you munchkin. Ma and Jimmy were in town earlier while you were reading and I was working.”
“So what we gonna do for food huh?” I giggled.
“How bout we go down to the Oriental and grab some grub? I hear that got a great steak.”
“Okay sounds good!” I took his hand and pulled him up.
Pa groaned and stretched as he stood up. “Munchkin, your pa is gettin old. You might have to start walkin on my back.”
“Well don’t sit for so long, daddy!” I giggled.
“But what else can I do when no one else is around sweetiepie..run up and down the street like a wild man?”
“Uh huh!!! Gotta get your exercise, daddy!” I giggled as we walked over to the Oriental. “Where you wanna sit daddy?”
“Wherever you want munchkin.” Pa said and then Shira came bounding over to us, pouncing Pa happily.
“Shira!!! Daddy Shira came for dinner!!!” I exclaimed happily.
“What tha!! Hey Shira!!” Pa laughed and Shira licked around his face. “Does Shira want a big fat steak like me and the munchkin here?”
“Daddy, where we gonna sit huh? Or should you eat standing up cause you sat too long?” I asked Pa.
“Over near the window sweetie. So we can look out.”
“Oh yeah you still workin. Daddy guess what!” I said as we sat down beside the window and he started to work on dinner. “Well actually two guess what’s….”
“What sweetheart?”
“Okay first of all... Ma went to church!!!”
“Uh huh, I knew that.”
“Three times!! She said she not gone that many times in the past few months!!” I reached over and pet Shira behind her ear, happy the dog was there.
“Yeah, she was very happy to go today.”
“And guess what else!”
“What dear?”
“I got you somethin! And ma but I gave it to her already.”
“Oh really? What did you get me? How you want your steak munchkin?”
“I got a new hankie for ma and I got a kerchief for you! That’s what Miss Abi called ’em.”
“Awww, you are such a good daughter…” Pa smiled as Shira started to wander over to the kitchen, but then Pa fed her some meat from his plate.
“Well you two looked scared or sad ’bout somethin’. So I wanted to get you somethin’. Was she scared cos more bad people not likin’ what you do?”
“No munchkin, she has just had a lot on her mind lately, and Christmas time is tough on all of us. It’s very emotional time for all of us.”
I sighed and looked over at him. “Are you lyin’ again pa? I know somethin’s goin’ on, remember you talked to me ’bout that.” I waved out the window to Miss Abi and waved her inside if she wanted to come in. She walked inside the saloon and I told her, “Hi Miss Abi!! Pa’s makin us dinner!”
“No, I ain’t lying sweetie. That other has been bothering her too, but other things have been on her mind too,” Pa said and then smiled. “Howdy Miss Abi!”
“Well alright. Ma told me that she felt so much better after church. She came to check on me in the libary after the last service ended.”
“I just came to see how you are doing,” Miss Abi said.
“She said she not gonna be afraid no more. Cause God’s got us in his hands.”
“Well that’s great.” Miss Abi smiled as Shira went over to lick her hand in greeting.
“We are doing ok. How are you Miss Abi? Hungry?” Pa asked her.
“Miss Abi I gave them the hankie and Kerchief!” I told her.
“I hope they liked the gifts,” Miss Abi said as Pa came over with our plates and sat down.
“Miss Abi are you hungry? You can join us.” I looked at her.
“Well I don’t want to interrupt your dinner so I will be going,” Miss Abi said.
“Yes please join us if you like Miss Abi,” Pa invited her.
“I have already eaten but thank you for asking. Natalie if you need me you know where to find me. Good to see you Thomas.”
“Thanks miss Abi!” I waved and looked down at Shira who had gobbled all her food up already. “She was hungry too! And she didn’t even say grace!” I giggled.
“Nice seeing you too ma’am.” Pa said and looked over at me. “You wanna say grace munchkin or you want me to?”
“I wanna!” I grinned and folded my hands as Miss Abi headed out of the saloon.
“Go ahead.” Pa smiled.
I closed my eyes and said, “Hi God! Thank you for the food that pa made. Help it make us strong. Thank you that we could go to church today. Thanks that ma went to church again finally! She really needs you... help her to not be afraid bout whatever bad guys not likin’ her and pa… Thanks for our new family... for pa, for ma, for little brother Jimmy, and for Shira. Keep us all safe and happy and um........ amen!”
“Amen!” Pa said and we started eating. “Through the teeth and over the gums, watch out stomach cause here it comes.”
“You’re so silly.” I giggled and started to eat, making sure that not a single food touched the other one. Shira, meanwhile, lay down beside the table.
“So did your ma tell you I went to church today also?”
“She did yep! She said she never gone to church with a man before!”
“Yeah she told me the same thing. We are going to start trying to go every Sunday.”
“That’s a great idea, pa!”
“She said you and her went to Mr. Chris’s service this morning...how was it?”
“He talked bout how the people were in the fire but they didn’t get burned up. And how Jesus made everyone calm at the storm on the boat.”
I put an onion on my lap and then put it on the floor, hoping Pa didn’t notice. Shira pushed the onion away though and gave me a look that said ‘are you kidding me?’ Pa took a bit of his onion and made a face, spitting the onions out into a napkin.
“Well if ya don’t like onions pa why’d ya make em?” I blinked at him.
“I do like onions, it’s just these I think may have turned.” He laughed and flicked a potato at me playfully.
“Uh huh.... Hey!! If ma were here she’d say we weren’t s’posed to play with our food!!”
“Hey! I wont tell her if you don’t!” Pa flung a potato at Shira and chuckled. Shira jumped up and ate the potato happily.
“We gonna go to storytime?” I asked Pa.
Pa twisted his arm and laughed. “Well since you twisted my arm, I guess we can go.”
“Yay!” I giggled, eating my steak last. “Hey pa did you get the bee today?”
“Yeah sure did, but haven’t had time to read it yet.”
“Cause you were too busy nappin’?” I Pouted.
“Hey! You and Jimmy take naps, why can’t I?”
“Not while we’re in school or writin’ and workin’! We’d get whipped for that!”
“Well I wasn’t working, I was ummm street watching.”
“Ain’t that what you do when you’re workin’?” I asked, letting some steak fall for Shira.
“Well yeah I guess so...but who is gonna whoop me for sleeping?”
“Uh… Maybe ma”
“Okay!” Pa smiled.
“Oh yeah I said I was sorry to Jeff bout bein all upset at Millard yesterday. Cause Millard said Jeff died and he was bein’ a twat. I told him I just not want anything bad to happen to him cause of Mister Lot.”
“I’m glad sweetie. Hey! Don’t use that word!”
“Why? That’s what he was bein’!” I gasped.
“Cause it’s not a nice word to call people.”
“What word can I use? Brat? Pain in the butt? Jerkface?”
“Yes, brat is ok. The other is often used for women, and it’s very wrong.”
“We should go to the orphanage, daddy,” I said as we finished our dinner.
“Yep, I guess you are right munchkin.” Pa stood and we fed the rest of our food to Shira as we cleaned up our meals.
We walked over to the orphanage and Shira followed close. I told myself to be nice to Millard when I saw him and I asked, “I brought my pa and Shira, is that okay?”
“Sure, Natalie,” Mr. Chris said.
“Ohhh a dog, now we can try that recipe in the Bee,” Millard said.
I shot Millard another glare as Shira went to greet Jeff. “See???? He’s bein a…” I stopped myself.
“What?” Millard asked innocently.
“I not sittin beside Mill.” I folded my arms across my chest. I looked over at Mr. Chris and remembered church, sighing. “My dog ain’t food.” I glared at Mill. I gave Pa an ‘I told you so’ look as I went to sit beside Jeff.
“The recipe said any dog is fine,” Mill said.
“Mill, stop bein a…” I started.
“Natalie the rug would be more comfortable,” Miss Abi told me.
“Yeah but this is a nice doggy,” Jeff said.
“Mr Chris is your story about forgivin twats?” I finally asked. “Cause I ain’t doin it. Not till he says sorry.”
“No, umm... forgiving what?” Mr. Chris looked at me with surprise as I pet Shira protectively.
“Natalie that is not a good word,” Miss Abi told me.
“Well first he said the boy I... my friend was dead... Now he say my dog’s food… So he’s a brat.” I hid my face against Shira’s fur, upset.
“Millard I feel you should apologize to Natalie,” Miss Abi ordered.
Millard pulled out a copy of the Bee and cleared his throat, reading, “Lemongrass Dog. Ingredients: 2 lbs dog meat... Acquire two pounds of dog meat. Try to ensure that it is from a medium-sized dog. The breed does not matter, unless you have certain preferences.”
“Millard, hush,” Miss Abi ordered.
Tears started to form and I hid against Shira closer as she licked my face. “Jeff, tell him to stop.”
Millard put the paper away and said, “There’s a recipe for cat too. But I reckon cats is too stringy.”
“Sorry mister Chris. Millard…”
“If you cannot behave you can go to the boys room and miss the story,” Miss Abi told Mill.
“Yes Miss Abi,” Millard huffed.
Mr. Lot came over with a big rug in his hands and he said he wanted to just say hi. Millard asked if there was going to be a recipe in the Bee next week for cooking people and Miss Abi yelled, “Millard STOP IT NOW!”
“Millard Dewey!! We ain’t cannibals!”
“What?? I didn’t say WE would cook anybody!” Millard protested.
“No one gonna cook no human,” Jeff insisted.
“Well you’re gonna show em how by puttin in a recipe. Might as well jes do it yerself. Jes as bad.”
“Ohhh can I?” Millard asked.
“Chris please please start the story,” Miss Abi insisted to him.
“I seen a book at the library that said how some savages someplace eat folks,” Millard said.
“Yeah and we ain’t cannibals! So stop it!” I said.
“Yes Ma’am,” Mr. Chris cleared his throat as Mr. Lot walked out of the orphanage with the rug in his hands.
“Millard I said stop it and I mean it. One more word and you are going to your room,” Miss Abi ordered and Millard finally clammed up.
“I have a couple of short stories for you all tonight. We’ll start with William Wobbles McGreet & His Ten Bowls of Wheat,” Mr. Chris started.
“William Wobbles?” I blinked.
“William Wobbles McGreet measured 3.4 feet, and yet he felt strong and tall and not at all small, his confidence you could not beat. Young William McGreet would every day eat ten bowlfuls of shredded, dry wheat and he felt that this habit was the reason, dangnabit, for his confident view of himself. At breakfast the table, with Will very able, three bowls of the wheat were expertly arranged. Though clearly deranged, his father would muse, Will ate fast with his hands, no spoon would he use, till the bowls were as clean as shined shoes. His sister Rebecca, who lived in Tribeca, would visit from school every now and again and she’d watch all agape like a shocked and stunned ape at her dear younger brother consume one bowl then another of dry-as-a-bone, tasty-as-Styrofoam grated, minced, chopped, destroyed shredded wheat.”
“He ate wheat with his hands.” Jeff laughed.
“That’s a lotta wheat,” I muttered.
“Sure is,” Jeff agreed.
Mr. Chris grinned and adjusted his glasses. “‘I love this!’ Will cried, very most satisfied, as he wiped his mouth clean with his sleeve. ‘I can’t wait till lunch when I’ll stuff me a bunch of this joyous wheat stuff down my throat,’ Will did gloat. ‘And for dinner,’ he said with a tilt of his head, ‘I’ll have three more big bowls of it, and I’ll sleep through the night ’cause my tummy’s just right and I’ll wake the next day oh-so-ready to say, “Mommie, I’ll have me some yum-yum good wheat!”’ Mrs. Greta McGreet turned white as a sheet as she went through the grocery bills. ‘Four hundred dollars just on shredded wheat?! For the love of Sweet Pete, what are we to do with this Will wackadoo?’ she asked of her husband, whose name was Ballou.”
I knew I was going to get spanked when I got home and tried to focus on the story. “You think they greeted people with wheat Jeff? Cause they called McGreet?” I asked.
“‘What harm can it do?’ asked kind sir Ballou. ‘It’s healthy, and though we’re not wealthy, we can afford to keep the wheat business in business ’cause he doesn’t like truffles or potato-chip ruffles, he hates filet mignon and detests Grey Poupon, New England clam chowder and milk chocolate powder he turns up his nose to it all; so let him have this, yes, it goes on for days but it’s surely a faze, these silly displays are just part of plain growing up.’”
“Naw and ain’t nobody else in Tombstone a person eater,” Jeff said.
“But this went on for months, this consistent exhibit till one day it all stopped at once. William’s Mommie had read in Mommie Magazine that abnormal behavior that goes on too long should be looked at and poked at and thought of and taught of and stifled and stopped, if you please, then and there. So, in the midst of his play, his Mommie one day decided to say, ‘Now Willy McGreet, I don’t think it’s sweet to eat shredded wheat ten times every day without one drop of milk.’ She threw all the wheat out and, boy, did he pout and he stomped his feet hard on the ground.”
“Well why he like wheat so much anyways?” Jeff asked.
“I have no idea!” Mr. Chris laughed.
“Maybe it keep him regular.” Pa smiled.
“‘Fine, be that way,’ was all Will could say,” Mr. Chris went on. “‘if milk’s what you think I should drink then I’ll drink ten bowls of that like a cat till I’m fittingly fat and my skin turns as white as a bunny. Laugh, I don’t care if you think that it’s funny, I’ll drink nothing but milk from now on!’”
“He might turn into a cow,” Millard said and we giggled.
“And so was the story of William Wobbles McGreet & His Ten Bowls of Wheat,” Mr. Chris said.
“That’s it???” I blinked and everyone laughed.
“That’s funny.” Jeff laughed. “He should eat cookies only.”
“Ok. Next we have one especially for Jeffery,” Mr. Chris said.
“It’s about a Pony Express Rider.” Mr. Chris nodded. “Ballad of Johnny O’Dell. Wild are the tales of the Pony Express and most of them are true if I don’t miss my guess. But wildest of all tales that they tell is that of fearless young Johnny O’Dell. Johnny was little, but he was a man
whom none could outride, outshoot or outplan. Ride, he could ride anything that could run and could outdo any man with a gun. Back in those days there were men in the West and Johnny O’Dell was as good as the best. Only the bravest could carry the mail through terrible dangers that haunted the trail.”
“Yeah that’s me. I got my bb gun,” Jeff said.
“Dangers there were on the night I describe, for Johnny encountered an Indian tribe. Blackie, his horse, gave a new burst of speed. No Indian pinto could equal that steed. Bullets and arrows whizzed over his head as into the foe and right through them he sped. Outlaws had raided the station ahead the horses were stolen, his partner was dead. Onward went Johnny over the trail. For such was the life when you carry the mail rivers they forded for bridges there were none while crossing one stream he was stopped by a gun. ‘Halt!’ cried a man on the bank of the creek- As together they fired by the light of the sun. Still lay the stranger whom Johnny had met, for all that I know he is lying there yet. So you see, Johnny was a quick draw with his gun! Onward went Johnny into the West, as a spot of crimson appeared on his vest. Together they continued their hazardous ride, the powerful horse with the brave man astride.”
“Yay!” Jeff exclaimed.
“Into the town of Red Gulch did they go, as blotches of blood marked their way through the snow. This was the end of the perilous trail through bullets, and arrows; through blizzards and hail. Johnny dismounted and cried with a wail, ‘Oh, Darn it all, I’ve forgotten the mail!’”
“Bud did he die?” Jeff asked as everyone laughed.
“Nope. He just forgot his mailbag and went through all that!” Mr. Chris said.
“Welp I not forgot mine,” Jeff said.
“I think you’re a lot better than poor Johnny O’Dell was. Ok... One more quick one,” Mr. Chris went on. with another story. “Now this last one is the story of Barnabas and Sebastian. This is a true story. An old man named Barnabas lived with his dog in a house a big old house his grandfather had built long ago. Barnabas used to own a store in town, but now he was retired and spent his days panning for gold in nearby streams hoping to some day strike it rich. The dog was a big wolfhound named Sebastian and Barnabas had raised him from a pup he found years ago. Every morning Barnabas went out to pan for gold and Sebastian stayed behind and guarded their house. One morning, as Barnabas was dumping out a dead pan of gravel, he got the feeling that something was wrong at home.”
I felt myself starting to get sleepy as Mr. Chris read and I looked at Pa. “You ready for bed munchkin?” Pa whispered to me and I nodded, not wanting to be rude to Mr. Chris.
“Goodnight,” Mr. Chris mouthed to us and we whispered goodnight back as we walked outside quietly.
We heard Mr. Lot talking and Pa called shrugged and led me back to the house.
Bisbee.
Pa tucked me into bed and I was still furious at Millard and didn’t want to forgive him. I sat up straight, unable to sleep, and looked over at Pa. “Why’s he gotta be so mean?”
Pa pet Shira and kissed my forehead. “What do you mean?”
“First he said that Jeff was dead... then he goes on ’bout how Shira’s gonna be food. Then ’bout how people are gonna be food. I don’t like him and he’s mean.”
“Natalie, that’s just how Millard is.. He is a boy and loves to pick on girls.”
“But why???”
“Cause he has nothing else better to do..you just have to learn to ignore him.”
“Well then give him somethin better to do.” I sighed.
“Natalie, just ignore him. He does it because he knows it makes you mad. If you ignore him, then he will stop.”
“Is that why you and ma not gonna be scared no more? Cause if you ignore the bad guys they’ll stop?”
“No sweetie...we aren’t going to be afraid anymore, because God is in control and loves all of us. Good will always win in the end. Gods loves you too.”
“I know. So I gonna win over Millard.” I nodded and smiled, satisfied.
Pa rolled his eyes, but smiled. “Yes you will munchkin. Now go to sleep, and have sweet dreams.” I giggled and hugged him before curling up under the covers. “Good night munchkin. I love you very much.”
“I love you too pa,” I said as I fell asleep.
