by Danny Jewell
Zeke said “We can’t stay here! we would cease to exist”.
They mounted their horses and let them lead the way.
The horses rounded the cabin, ducked through some heavy brush and started down a path free of thorns.
Zeke was still feeling the effects of Billy’s kick and felt the need to express his frustration of not taking the same path in they were taking out. “Stupid horses are of this place and knew this path was here”.
Both horses drew to a halt, looked at each other, Then Billy’s horse looked at Zeke and said “Stupid man, you are no more than a flea speck, a tick turd in the vast expanse of the universe and still haven’t learned a thing”.
The two horses looked at each other and whinnied, then to top off the humiliation were joined by Billy who was enjoying the laugh.
It was just past noon when Zeke announced “I need to walk”.
Both men dismounted and took their horses by the reins.
Doesn’t it strike you funny that we have traveled this long and still haven’t reached a town”.
There was no answer because Zeke was feeling the effects of going this long without any food to replenish his life force.
Billy thrust his water skin in Zeke’s face and said “Drink, whether or not we like each other or not is not the question. We are stuck with each other and in this together. Now get up and keep going if you want to see your family again”.
Billy knew then what was going on. The kick he had delivered had robbed the man of much of his energy and the only way he could help was to get Zeke to his feet and keep him moving forward.
He looked up and noticed by the sun’s position it was just after one o’clock and in this heat knew he may be watching a man’s soul die right in front of his eyes.
Suddenly things went black and the roadway and the mountains disappeared.
With Zeke’s arm slung over Billy’s shoulder the two men found themselves in a town looking up a long alleyway to the main street.
The sound of a tin pan piano from the saloon rang in the air mixed with the shouts of drunken cowboys.
Billy’s eyes focused on a group of men in the front of the alley that were viciously beating another man. He let go of Zeke in order to go help the man and Zeke hit the ground with a moan. He turned to check on his companion and told him he would be right back.
He turned back to the other man who was laying on his back and the others nowhere to be seen.
In the dim light Billy propped the old man up to a sitting position and could not mistake the features of an old Indian. He grabbed his water skin and squeezed the last bit of water onto the old man’s lips.
He kept telling the old man “Hang in there, you will be alright”.
The old man reached up and placed his left hand on Billy’s head and said “Tell my son I am proud of him and our family will be together once more as a family hunting Buffalo on the plains as proud Apache”. His hand moved down along Billy’s braided hair, let out a sigh and passed on”.
Billy laid the old man down gently, gathered himself up and went back to Zeke.
His breath was shallow and his body was almost lifeless.
Billy knew that if he did not get food, and fast then Zeke would cease to exist.
Billy went up the alley and saw some dim light coming through a window. He eased up and peered through it. He saw the shelves of stocked goods and knew it was a store.
He took out his knife and slid the blade between the window and the Frame then opened the latch. He then slid through the open window and looked around.
Billy was aware that most store owners lived in the back of the store. He found a Croker Sack and put several cans of meat, beans and peaches in it followed by candy, flour, coffee, sugar and jerky. Out of the corner of his eye he saw bottles of ink and knew Zeke was running low. As he reached up to get a bottle he came face to face with his nemesis, whiskey. He got the ink and as his tongue wet his lips grabbed the two closest bottles of spirits and put them in his sack.
He pulled the money from his pocket that he had found in a can at the shack and placed it on the counter knowing it was more than enough.
He put the heavy sack through the window and in his haste knocked over a broom. It clanged into a bucket and Billy knew the noise would be heard by the owner.
He rushed to Zeke’s side and just as he punched a hole in a can of peaches the stores lamps came to life.
He heard the store keeper say, “Well Martha, it looks like we have had an intruder”.
Billy poured juice from the can into Zeke’s mouth. Most of it ran down the side of his face but enough got through to make a difference.
He took a drink from the can and felt life flow through him again.
Billy hurried to tie the sack to the pommel of his horse and as he was helping Zeke to his horse heard the shopkeeper yell out the front door “Hey you men, call the Sheriff I have been robbed”.
The shopkeeper’s wife exclaimed “Hey! You old fool, whoever did left a lot of money on the counter.
Billy had just climbed aboard his mount when he heard someone in a clear voice say, “There is a dead Indian over here and oh dear God, it is the father of ole “GOCI”! And someone else said “There will be hell to pay”.
Billy’s blood ran cold because he knew the nickname and what it referred to: It referred to Cochise’s name at birth due to his big Roman like nose that gave him the look of prominence and power.
10
HEADLONG INTO THE PAST
His instincts as an Indian took over and knowing the horses themselves were spiritual creatures let them lead the way.
Dawn was on the horizon and Billy heard Zeke say “Ya stupid, mangy injun, get me off this flea bag”.
The terrain was totally different than the day before.
Zeke asked where he was, how he got there and if Billy had
hit him again and where the food came from then said “Never mind; open up a can or two”.
Zeke was done with his beans and was opening up a can of mystery meat when he noticed Billy staring at the horses.
So, what are you looking at them for? They ain’t caused us nothing but trouble and a sore butt”.
Billy took the top totally off a can of peaches and found a stick.
As he walked towards the horses he said “My people have always regarded these creatures as brothers, even though they are not native to our land but brought over by the Spanish just as you and I are not native to this plain of existence”.
Billy continued on “You and I are souls in human form needing to survive on energy given to us by The Great Spirit and should this be true then all life forms in this realm should be surviving on energy provided to them through us and The Great Spirit.
“You and I are souls in human form needing to survive and they are either here as them former selves or appointed in the forms you see to help us out, either way, they should respond to my offering”.
Zeke asked “So what is your point”?
Billy stuck his sticks in the can, brought out two large chunks of peaches, held them to the horses and they ate them greedily. He then let them finish the juice off in his hand.
They too are souls sent here in these forms and are on a task, just as we are. Whether or not they were horses in their former lives we may never know but if I had to guess I would say they are confined to helping us and in those confines can only say so much and do as they are appointed”.
Zeke said “Now I am confused, where are we and why are we here”?
Billy replied “not too sure, all I can tell you for sure is that we are not in heaven”.
He paused for a moment and said “This must be a place where just a few are shown a purpose or the opportunity to make a change or difference their earth bound selves,
you know, like some kind of school”.
Zeke said “Your brain must be fried, you are loco”.
Billy sat down and told him what had happened the night before, even though he left out the parts where he showed compassion or where the old Indian spoke of Cochise, which still gave him the chills.
Zeke said; “If what you said is true then we don’t know if the town we left is real or not and if they are coming after us then we better get a move on”.
They rode the rest of the day and came to a bluff overlooking a small valley then made camp for the night.
The two men ate jerky and settled in. Zeke was writing in his journal when he noticed Billy had gone into the food sack and brought out a bottle of whiskey.
Billy offered Zeke a drink and Zeke said “I don’t need it and neither do you”.
Billy just said “Speak for yourself, I have earned this and no man, Black or White tells an Apache Warrior what he can and cannot have”.
Zeke did not like it a bit to be spoke to in such a way. “You are what my grandma would call a “Rakeshame”, a wretch of a man bound for crime and misery as long as you persist in doing that”!
Billy started feeling the effects of the whiskey. The more he drank, the loser his tongue became. He told of how he had killed the bad white man over his sister. He told wild stories of his people and how they were treated like second rate citizens.
He danced around the fire trying not to stagger and fall into the flames.
Billy stopped for a moment and announced “Apache go pee”!
He walked over to a group of rocks and as he was chanting in a low tone and carrying out his business Zeke heard the rattle and Billy yelp at the same time.
Zeke saw Billy stagger backwards and fall across the edge of the fire.
He grabbed the drunken man, knocked the hot ashes off of him then dragged him to his bedroll.
Billy said “I really done it this time, I feel the venom starting to take its toll. Try to suck out what poison you can, although I am afraid it will not be enough because I feel the blackness starting to close in”.
Zeke did his best to remove the poison and make Billy comfortable.
Hot water and compresses did no good. Zeke watched Billy’s leg swell up and turn black. Before Billy passed out he told Zeke he felt as if he was on fire and when Zeke got back to tell his sister he was sorry and that he loved her.
Zeke felt helpless.
The Sorrell Cactus stood like sentries around their camp and Zeke saw a huge Owl watching from the tip of one of the arms. The Owl let out a call “Whooooo”! Zeke grabbed a stone, came to his feet and hurled it at the bird and said “Go away”.
He bent over to get another stone and as he did was hit in the back. He looked down to see the stone he had just thrown at the bird lying beside him.
Zeke looked at the Owl and said “What the?” just as the bird jumped up, spread its wings and as it flew into the camp Morphed into Cochise.
“You almost hit me” Cochise exclaimed.
Zeke just asked “Are you here to help him”?
“No, I am here only to guide. The ones who can help or send help are the ones with the great Spirit you call, Angels”.
Cochise did not let Zeke speak but went on to say “The poison from the Whiskey and Snake Venom is no less damaging than the hate speeches and vitriol that will consume the youth in generations yet to come. He may pass on before this night is over just as in time you will witness the slow deaths of the spirits of the youth in your world. When the free spirit and the free will of man imprisons him in a world of hate and anger, he no longer is a child of “The Great Spirit”; he only exists consumed over time in a world far worse than that which flows through Bill Two Trees.
Zeke changed the conversation “What am I doing hooked up with a drunken Indian that I just learned killed a man just because he raped his sister; I should not even be here”!
Cochise’s voice became hard “You now tout yourself above this because he took the life of another man. The only mistake he made that he will suffer for is that he did not give the man the chance to make peace with God for his eternal soul. Billy will be brought before “The Great One” to answer for this just as you will be brought before him for breaking your wife’s arm, beating Tim White almost to death and scaring your two sons half to death by seeing it. The only sin that cannot be forgiven to those who do not accept “The Great One” and his son and worship things of this world that are not of him, so the next time you wish to cast a stone, just remember, you may see many more thrown back at you”.
With this Cochise tossed the stone back at Zeke that he threw at him, morphed back into an Owl and flew away.
11
TEARS OF THE FALLEN
Before the sun came up Zeke was sitting there missing his sons and wishing he had just walked in, caught them in the act and said ‘Have a nice life” and walked out. Now he was sitting there waiting on a man he did not know or like cease to exist and leave him alone.
Zeke heard them before he saw them, Ghosts, Indian Ghosts, all dancing and chanting around Billy.
The dawn broke over the horizon and Zeke saw the spirits fade away only to be replaced by real Indians.
The weather turned cold and Zeke watched in amazement as the Chief of the Tribe and Shaman came forward.
The Chief asked “Who are you”?
Zeke was startled to notice that he understood what was said and replied “We are Apache and were separated from out tribe”.
The old Medicine Man had gone to look at Billy and returned moments later where Zeke thought “Yeah; I know she is dead, now go and leave me to my own business”.
They talked for a moment and the Chief said “Your woman is still alive, come, we go now”.
They reached their destination later that day and the tribe immediately set up camp while the shaman made poultices to apply to Billy’s snake bite.
That night he slept in a Tee Pee with several others and at one point heard a noise across the way, looked up to see a papoose nursing on its mother’s breast and her warrior husband on the other.
Zeke just smiled and said to himself “So that is why they have two of them”.
The camp was up early next morning and Zeke went to see if he could make friends with those who had adopted him and Billy.
As he was going out the shaman was going in.
Children were running about in collecting firewood and doing what they could while a hunting party was getting together for a morning hunt.
Zeke was curious about how they would go about getting wild game so he tagged along to learn what he could for the memoirs he had been writing.
They were about four miles out when everyone fanned out to cover more land.
Soon there was a yelp and everyone road to its source.
Tracks of a Buck and Doe were found and everyone followed them.
Zeke was amazed at how these warriors could tell the size and age of the game they followed just by the tracks they left behind.
They were not far along the trail when everyone came to a stop. One Buck got off his horse and searched the ground. He looked up at Elk Horn who was the leader and said “Other riders follow too”.
Elk Horn had a clear and distinct voice and asked “Who”?
The answer came like a bad omen “White Soldiers and one Scout”.
Elk Horn: “We follow”.
They topped a ridge a quarter mile ahead and saw four specs headed off to the east.
The party proceeded to where the four had come from and in an outcropping of boulders among a stand of Alders they found remnants of the deer they were following.
The deer were cleaned and parts of them had been left behind.
The Indians picked up what they could and as Elk Horn lo
oked about he announced “No good Indian would leave meat behind and so doing dishonor the spirits of those who gave their lives to provide for my people”.
At camp the women brought out what was left of the dried meat they had packed and Zeke was ashamed to accept what meager rations were set before him.
The next day saw much of the same and found the swelling in Billy’s leg had gone down greatly.
A few fish had been caught in a nearby stream and snares had caught two rabbits.
The tribe suddenly came to life at the site of soldiers coming into camp.
The Capt. announced himself and shook hands with the Chief.
Through a translator the elders went into a Tee Pee. Not long after all the braves were called together.
The Chief announced that the soldiers would agree to supply beef to the tribe for the long winter if they agreed to surrender their guns. This way the soldiers would not have to worry over any trouble from the Indians. Many braves protested and said they did not like it but knew their families needed the food and reluctantly surrendered their guns.
The Capt. had the chief make his mark on a document as Zeke got to view it for his memoirs.
The soldiers then gave the tribe the two deer they had beaten them to, took the guns and left camp.
Zeke; despite the circumstances enjoyed the rest of the day playing with the kids and was particularly taken by a little girl he called “Princess”.
He went to his saddle bags for paper and pen, when he opened the bag realized the sack was still hanging from Billy’s Saddle Horn.
Zeke opened it and thought it would be a good idea to share the canned goods with his newfound friends. As he rummaged through the bag he found the bottle of ink Billy had taken and said to himself “Well, the little prick does have a heart”.
He put a few pieces of the candy in his pocket for Billy because he knew the Indian had a sweet tooth.
At the campfire Zeke presented his treasures to the tribe and everyone was thankful, especially the beaming faces of the children who had never had anything like it.