Thunder Mountain Ranch

by McCarthy, G. L.

  “To tell you the truth, I never felt afraid the entire time I was up there, although I think my actions scared Sam half to death.” Alex looked over her shoulder at Sam who was going for the hot apple cider.

  “Are you serious? Did you see the ghost?” Andy wished he had gone with them. This kind of stuff fascinated him.

  “No, but I thought I heard something. That’s why I went on ahead. I guess I’m lucky I had Sam along to keep me from doing anything stupid.” Did she really want to tell Andy everything? She hoped he would let it drop.

  “Well, if you want to go back up there let me know. I’d love to take a look, and company policy says we can’t go out by ourselves. It’s the buddy system or not at all.” Andy hoped she wanted to go again or maybe Sam would be up for it. Either way he really wanted to do this.

  “Are you serious? You want to go up there?” That was great, as Alex figured there was no way she could get Sam back up there.

  “Absolutely. How about tomorrow? We can go out with the morning ride and then you and I can go off by ourselves.” This was going to be fun and Andy could hardly wait.

  “Perfect. Although I’ll need to tell Jessie what we have planned. I don’t want either of us getting in trouble with Mom again.” Smiling at Andy, she didn’t want to worry her friend again or get him in trouble with the boss.

  “What are you two talking about our little adventure, or what everyone else is talking about?” Sam had been cornered by one of the kids who was grilling her about the ghost.

  “Andy just wanted a first hand account of our adventure. What have you heard?” Alex thought it was best if Sam stayed behind. She wasn’t all that crazy about having been there in the first place and going back was something Alex was sure she would pass on.

  “Well, the kids think we’re really brave and cool and several of the adults think we’re out of our minds. So let’s avoid the adults, and hang with the kids.” Sam had thought they were out of their minds at the time they went up there, but being brave and cool with the kids was more fun then admitting the truth to their parents.

  “Cool, you say. Great. I’m sure their parents will set them straight when they get them back to their rooms.” Acting foolishly and disregarding one’s safety was not the example Alex wanted to portray to the kids. She picked up her coffee and headed for the door and her appointment with Jessie. Sam followed along as she wanted to hear what Alex had to say too. Alex was glad Sam was along, as she only wanted to relay this story once.

  Jessie was sitting at her desk looking over some papers when Alex and Sam entered. She folded them up and went out to join the two of them in the waiting area of the office. She sat down, handed the papers to Alex and asked her to read them. Alex saw they were copies of an old newspaper article. The headline read “Thunder Mountain Claims Another Life. Victim’s Body Has Not Yet Been Recovered.” The story told of a young man named Ramon Arroyo, who had disappeared somewhere at the base of the mountain while looking for some missing livestock. The similarities to the legend were chilling and his body had never been recovered. He was survived by his widow, Anna. There had been a service, but no burial. The widow had requested they continue their search for her husband’s body, but no one wanted to go up the mountain. They feared they would meet the same fate as Ramon death at the hands of the Dark Ones if they didn’t heed the warning of the legend.

  “Was Anna the woman who worked for you?” Alex already knew the answer but wanted to hear it from Jessie.

  “Yes, it was the same woman. I hadn’t put the two together until you told me what she said to you.” Jessie remembered hearing the old woman tell the story of how she lost her husband, but she had only said he was lost in an accident and his body never recovered. It was only when she had heard that Alex had ridden up the valley towards the area where he had gone missing, did she put two and two together. Thanks to the Internet she was able to reprint the story from the paper and she felt she knew what the old woman wanted. She wanted her husband brought home to rest beside her and wanted Alex to be the one to find him. Now how would she tell Alex all this.

  Sam felt like she had walked into the middle of a movie, as she had no idea what they were talking about. Alex handed her the papers and stared at the floor processing all that she had read and experienced in the last ten hours. Looking up at Jessie she became overwhelmed at the thought of losing someone she loved so much a love that could just disappear one day and never come back never again hear their voice or see their smiling face except in a picture. Just as she stood so did Jessie. As they embraced Alex broke down, feeling her own emotions and possibly some of the old woman’s. She held on to her friend, almost afraid to let her go.

  Sam finished the article and realized that Alex may be out of love with her ex, but was still very much in love with Jessie. How does one compete with that? Does one even try? Jessie saw the expression on Sam’s face as she looked up from reading and gave her a wink. It was a signal that everything was okay and she would explain what was happening in due time. Alex felt as if she was released from a secret. She knew Jessie understood now and would let her go back up the mountain tomorrow at least she hoped so.

  “Do you understand now why I was drawn to go up there tonight, and why Anna talked to me today? She needs me to find Ramon so he can come back to her.” Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked at Jessie and prayed she understood and wouldn’t give her an argument. “Yes, I do. But you can’t go alone. We don’t allow anyone to ride alone on this ranch, not even the help. It’s the buddy system or not at all.” A rider less horse returning to the barn was no help in finding the injured party.

  “Can I take Andy with me? We can go out with the morning trail ride and then head up that way on our own.” She turned around and looked at Sam, assuming she would prefer to stay with the trail ride.

  “You’re more than tonight you’ve had enough remembered how shook up she was about the whole thing.

  “If you’re going up there in the daylight, then sure count me in. But why Andy?” Sam wasn’t going to miss out on this little adventure. She didn’t care how scared she was earlier.

  “He wants to go. I think he was sorry he went on the kids’ ride tonight.” Having him along would give Alex another credible witness to back her up.

  “If he wants to go, then I say great. Safety in numbers and all that.” Jessie saw the twinkle come back in Alex’s eyes as she was on a mission to save someone.

  “Okay, so fill me in on what I missed that happened earlier today.” There were some big holes in this story that Sam needed filled in.

  Alex relayed the whole story to her and also filled Jessie in on what she had felt tonight as she rode up to the base of the mountain and found the path leading to the hidden valley. It had been like she knew exactly where to go, that she’d been there before. But when she was inside the valley she lost the feeling as if someone had turned off the picture feed leading to her brain. But somehow she knew that’s exactly where she would find Ramon.

  welcome, but I figured after of Thunder Mountain.” Alex

  Chapter 11

  Alex fell into bed exhausted from her emotional day and was asleep as soon as she rolled over and closed her eyes. It only seemed like seconds before she was reliving the events of the day. She was walking towards the office to see Jessie when she saw Anna waving her towards the craft room. As she approached the doorway she was ready to ask several questions, when Anna waved her in and then disappeared inside.

  Alex went in and felt the same as she had when she met Anna earlier in the day a feeling of great love and caring, like a warm blanket wrapped around her. Now Anna was sitting in a rocking chair a chair that hadn’t been there before now. Alex sat down next to her in an identical rocker. It reminded her of those old movies of the old couple sitting on their front porch watching the world go by. As she started to speak Anna held her finger to her lips and told her that she had sent her up to the mountain to find her Ramon,
but that once she was inside the valley she didn’t know where he was. She only knew he was in a dark place but couldn’t see enough to tell her how to find him. A chill ran up Alex’s neck as it was just like the legend had told of having no eyes to see. Alex asked if there truly was evil there. Had he met the evil spirits or just had an untimely accident? Anna said the mountain was haunted by ghosts of lives lost throughout the years since the first Ashiwi walked this land. But the only evil was in the hearts of those who dwelled in the shadows and preyed upon the weak and defenseless. Alex would be protected from such evil as she was strong willed and free from guilt and deception. She leaned towards Alex and kissed her gently on the lips.

  As Alex pulled back and opened her eyes she was standing in a church in front of a priest and Anna was standing next to her more beautiful than the picture could ever show. When the priest said they were man and wife a cheer went up as she as Ramon kissed his young bride and felt as if he was floating on a cloud. This was the beginning of a wonderful life with the woman he loved more than life itself.

  They left the church and climbed aboard a small wagon decorated with flowers, waved goodbye to their friends and family, and headed to their new home together. Their home near the base of Thunder Mountain. Alex could hear Anna’s voice telling her that Ramon was a rancher and raised horses, cows, goats and chickens. She wove blankets and sold them at the local store to the tourists who visited the nearby guest ranch. Their life was perfect and they were the envy of all their friends and family that is until the day when Ramon rode up into the valley to find a few strays that had gotten through a hole in the fence. Anna had begged him not to go, that she had a very bad feeling. She knew he had to go as this was the path his life was to take. The only thing she didn’t see was where he was going to die. She wished now that she would have gone with him, but he had insisted she stay home. If she couldn’t have saved his life at least she would have seen where he died and could have brought his body back to be buried. As it was no one would go back up there to find it. Several times she had ridden up to the canyon and found no sign of him. Her family told her to stop looking as she would never find him, as he was with the Dark Ones. She didn’t believe it, but she stopped looking and prayed that someday someone would come and find him for her so that they could someday be together forever.

  Alex found herself riding up to the canyon alone, entering the little valley and looking for a sign to show her where he was. But the valley was a blur, nothing was clear. It was like looking through someone else’s glasses. She stopped moving and stood perfectly still, hoping to feel something pulling her in the direction she needed to take. But nothing did. She only heard a soft voice telling her to keep looking and please find him, pleading with her to return him to her. As she stood there her vision became more blurred and it seemed to be getting darker and darker until she was in total darkness. She started to panic and kicked her horse to go forward. As she rode out of the valley her vision came back and she stopped and looked back. She then saw a dark figure standing at the entrance watching her. She couldn’t see his face, but it was definitely a man who then vanished in the wind. Wondering who he was she walked towards the spot where he had stood. As she entered the valley her vision was failing as everything was going dark again. It was clear that she had to ride into that valley and find him. He was unable to tell Anna where he was because he couldn’t see, that is what he was trying to tell her.

  Chapter 12

  Alex awoke minutes before sunrise feeling restless and anxious to get up to the mountain as quickly as possible. Since breakfast was hours away she decided to take a walk. Leaving her casita she was spotted by the roadrunner making his rounds, who jetted off when she kept walking in his direction. As she circled around by the outer buildings she saw the same figure she had seen days earlier standing by the tack shed. She stopped and watched as he seemed to be waiting for someone. He looked familiar and she suddenly realized it was Andy. As she approached, he didn’t realize it was her and started to take off around the back of the shed.

  “Andy, it’s me, Alex. Where are you going?” She wondered why he was up and out at this hour.

  “Alex, oh wow, I thought you were one of the guests. I mean, you are one of the guests, but a friend.” He was trying to think quickly how he was going to explain.

  “Yes, I’m a friend. So where are you going?” Just then Alex saw movement out of the corner of her eye from one of the other casitas. It was then that she realized Andy was there to meet someone.

  “Don’t answer that. I’m going to keep walking and I’ll see you after breakfast for the trail ride.” As she veered away from Andy she saw him tip his hat and she knew she was right.

  That must have been him the other morning when she was up early to work on the tack shed. She wondered if this guest was a regular or someone new Andy just met. Her curiosity was going to be piqued until she could get him alone to find out all the details. She loved romance and wondered if hers with Sam was ever going to get on track.

  She walked over to the corral where several horses came over to see if she was there to feed them. When they realized she didn’t have anything to eat, they all walked away, except Bruce. She petted his forehead and kissed his soft muzzle. She missed Beau, and thought about everyone back at Taylorwood. She decided to get her cell phone to call Cyn and check on how things were going. As she turned to go get it, she heard someone walking behind her. It was several of the guests heading for the dining hall for their morning coffee. Alex hadn’t realized how long she’d been petting Bruce, having once again been lost in thought. So much had happened in the last few days and not all of it was totally believable. She wondered if Sam was already getting coffee. She headed off to get some herself, and while walking gazed off at the amazing view this place had to offer. Nature was so gorgeous and awe inspiring it made all of her problems seem so insignificant. Just as she reached the porch Sam walked out the door smiling with an extra cup of coffee in her hand.

  “Good morning, Alex. Did you sleep well?” Sam had seen her coming and prepared her a large mug.

  “Good morning, Sam. I had an interesting dream, but I feel very rested. So yes, I did sleep well, and you?” Maybe it was the hot shower, but she felt great.

  “Once I got to sleep, I stayed asleep. I kept reliving the whole ride over and over. I think I finally fell asleep at midnight. I feel good though. Check back with me about two.” Sam thought that would be about the time she would hit the wall. Not to mention the thirty minute phone call she received from Jessie explaining Alex’s emotional breakdown.

  Jessie explained that Alex felt things very deeply, almost like an empath when it came to other people’s feelings. She could so easily put herself in their position and understand what they were feeling. Right now she couldn’t feel Dez’s pain because she was still holding unresolved anger - not so much at Dez herself - but anger over the situation and the failed relationship. She would process all that when she got home and had time to sort things out. Sam understood and it also helped her understand Alex’s sudden change in mood. They had been hitting if off so great, and now it was like she didn’t even exist. Jessie reassured her to be patient and she would come back around. That was easier said than done, as the amount of alone time they had together was minimal. Was she being realistic about this woman who would be gone in nine days? At least she had the draw of Jessie to get her to come back. But when? Would it be in another two years or maybe after the end of the school year? Who knew and was she setting herself up for a fall?

  “Sam. Earth to Sam. Come in Sam, over.” Alex was looking at her, wondering where she had gone.

  “Oh sorry, I drifted off for a second. I guess I’m beginning to pick up that habit of yours.”

  “Yes, it looks like I’m beginning to rub off on you. So my question to you Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?” She wondered if everything that had happened yesterday was beginning to bother Sam, and who would blame her if she wanted
to run the other way.

  “It is definitely a good thing. I think I need to put more thought into my actions. That’s something I guess I never really did in the past.” She couldn’t believe she just said that. But it was the truth.

  “And what actions are we talking about?” Alex hoped she didn’t have second thoughts about going on the trail ride this morning.

  “Nothing specific. Just stuff in general” Knowing that couldn’t have been anymore vague, Sam figured Alex wasn’t going to buy that answer.

  “Stuff in general. I see. Well, whatever I can do to help just let me know.” Alex was trying to figure out if she still really wanted to go. Maybe she wanted to wait outside the valley, while she and Andy checked out the canyon. “I just thought maybe you were having second thoughts about going with us this morning to Thunder Mountain. It’s fine with me if you’ve changed your mind.” There, she’d finally asked the big question.

  “Oh no, that’s not what I was thinking about. I still want to go.” Sam’s mind raced to come up with something to change the subject.

  “I was just wondering if you still wanted to take that basket weaving class? After what happened in the craft room I thought you might have changed your mind.”

  “You know I haven’t given it much thought since that first day. I guess I should check it out after the ride. Thank you for reminding me.” Alex was touched that Sam had been thinking about what she had said earlier in the week.

  “You’re welcome.” Feeling relieved, Sam was thrilled. It was a nice save and she made brownie points too. Woohoo!!

  “Can I help you feed the horses? I have time to kill before breakfast, and the scraping on the tack shed is on hold for a couple of days.” Finding Ramon was her number one priority for the moment.

  “Sure, I’d love the help and the company. Let’s go.” Sam did need to be patient and realized it as she and Alex headed off to feed the stock. Now if she could just put it into practice.