by Stephy Smith
"What do you mean, they will be back?" Jessie asked.
"We have only weakened them. Some will be back, but not as many," Shining Moon said.
"The ceremony is working?" Cord inspected whelps rising on his arms.
"Yes, my friend. It will take a few days to clear them all."
"Good, I'll feel safer when I know Mother will be out of danger." Travis rubbed the scratches on his face.
The storm lessened. Only the soft sprinkle of rain fell lightly on the roof. It wouldn't last much longer. Shining Moon glanced over at Sweet Sarah.
She was in a deep sleep in her rocker. Cord took a blanket and covered her.
"Your mother, she's a bold woman." Shining Moon watched the steady rise and fall of her chest. "I've never seen eyes bright as new grass after a rain. She will need a lot of rest. This will be hard on her as the constant worry leaves her body."
Shining Moon left the cabin. He walked a short distance from the house to sleep under the stars. He had pitched his shelter earlier in the day, before he had returned to his village. No matter what Sweet Sarah said, he couldn't stay away any longer, and he was prepared for her scolding.
The family would be free to relax the rest of the night. He drew in a deep breath of cool air. His Sweet Sarah would now be able to rest properly, once this was over. Many times over, he asked himself why she had kept this from everyone. He surmised it was because she wasn't used to admitting she needed help. Or she always had to be the strong one, helping others. No matter the reason, his Sweet Sarah was now on the right path to recovering a normal life. He gave thanks.
****
Sarah's footsteps were light as she walked up behind Shining Moon. "Good morning." Her voice was soft and angelic. A cool, refreshing shiver sent goose bumps racing across his skin. When he entered the barn, the rising sun had just barely penetrated through the open doors. Even the chickens had settled down after a few minutes after his arrival.
"Good morning." He pointed to the basket of eggs. Betsy swished her tail but continued to chew the hay he had thrown in front of her. Shining Moon pulled the pail of milk from under her. Then he stood from the milk stool and walked closer to Sweet Sarah.
"What are you doing? That's woman's work." She smiled.
"You need your rest." Shining Moon said.
Sarah took the basket of eggs and walked beside him as he carried the pail. They walked in silence to the cabin. When Sarah's sons woke, they entertained him with the story of Travis shooting at the ghosts. They had also related their emotions of how they felt on the first encounters. He listened intently and gave a slight chuckle.
His eyes followed the sway of Sweet Sarah's hips as she moved in front of the cupboard gathering dishes. Then she moved to the stove and tossed bacon into a cast iron skillet. She cracked the eggs into a bowl, and when the bacon was done she removed it from the pan and poured the eggs in.
Sarah wrapped her hand in her apron and pulled the biscuits from the oven. She dished the food onto the plates and carried them to the table for her three sons and Shining Moon.
"I'll be back in a while. Today is the day I carry my extra milk and eggs to the Garner family. I won't be long." She grabbed a biscuit and slid a piece of bacon between the layers. Shining Moon listened to the wagon creak as she pulled away from the farm.
"When your mother sent me away, it hurt me deeply. I don't recall my heart ever being in so much pain. I knew something was wrong, but I thought she was in severe depression over her mother's death." He looked the young men in their eyes as he spoke.
"It's not your fault, Shining Moon. We all thought it was from Grandma's death and the farm being run down. Boy, were we surprised when we found out it had nothing to do with that." Jessie said.
"She told me she sent you away. I couldn't imagine why. She adores you." Cord wiggled his eyebrows.
Shining Moon's heart skipped a beat when Sweet Sarah came back to the cabin. She had been gone for over an hour and he was getting concerned. His nerves calmed when he heard the creaks of the wagon.
"How were the Garners?" Jessie asked.
"Oh you know… they're getting old. With Mr. Garner's failing health, I wonder how much longer Mrs. Garner can care for the man by herself. Their children live a ways off. Back East somewhere. So, did my sons keep you entertained with their stories?" Sarah's gaze was on his face.
"Indeed. I hear Travis put on quite a show," Shining Moon said.
"I was afraid we were all going to die that night Travis showed up." She shook her head then laughed as she set the empty milk can she used to sell the milk to the mercantile in, on the cabinet.
Shining Moon jumped from his chair to assist her. Jessie, Cord, and Travis exchanged glances with brilliant smiles, none of them saying a word. He dished up a plate of tender bacon and flavored eggs for Sarah, poured her a cup of coffee, and then offered her his chair. She ate every bite of the food she had cooked earlier. "These eggs are wonderful, what did you put in them after I left?"
"Thyme, sage, and chives. Make sure you don't add to much sage." Shining Moon gazed in Sweet Sarah's green eyes with golden slivers running through them. He could feel the air rush out of his lungs. He turned and followed Cord from the house. Travis and Jessie joined them soon after.
"What do you think, Shining Moon?" Cord listened, as his friend stumbled over his words, and smiled.
"Your mother is a captivating woman."
Cord laughed and then spoke, "I was talking about the ghosts."
"They will all disappear within four days' time."
"We all tried to get Mother to stay at our houses. She refused to leave." Cord gazed toward the cemetery on the hill.
"I wouldn't think she would leave. She has ties to this land. It's her home." Shining Moon shivered as he recalled the past few months of watching her from the hill.
"We thought about burning down the cabin. Mother refused that idea." Travis waved an arm in dismissal.
Building a gate for the corral, Shining Moon looked to the east. "I was a young boy when the whites made us come to this land. I remember my mother crying. The soldiers dragged us from our home. We had to walk for many days to get here. My father died on the trail in 1831. I was five. I think that is how your mother would feel if she were made to leave this place."
"I reckon you're right, Shining Moon," Jessie glanced at the cabin.
Sarah had stripped the beds and was rubbing the linens on the scrub board. Her voice floating through the air as she sang, lifting her eyes heavenward. Shining Moon watched and listened until a flicker of light in Mrs. Burgess's cabin caught his attention. He sauntered to the little cabin.
"Those don't bother anyone." Travis called after Shining Moon.
Shining Moon continued into the tiny house. A few minutes later he emerged, all eyes on him. "Grandma told me to get out until I was called to eat."
Sarah leaned against the windowsill and looked at the boys, who were all laughing. "She always told us that. We would try to steal her cookies," Cord said. Jessie and Travis nodded their heads in acknowledgement.
After supper, they waited for the ghosts to appear. Sarah and her sons seemed excited about the surprise they had in store for the unwanted creatures that had been haunting them. Shining Moon sat back and watched as the family interacted with each other. His heart swelled with pride as he listened to them recalling their memories of Mrs. Burgess.
Chapter Ten
Shining Moon watched his Sweet Sarah as she rocked in her chair on the porch. Her golden green eyes held him captive, as he read the story within them. Confusion, anger, sadness, fear, and guilt were holding the real woman prisoner within her own body. He could see the woman inside, desperately fighting her captives to break free of the torment and relentless suffering she had to endure.
He was certain if Sweet Sarah hadn't sent Cord for him, she would have been lost to the torments forever. His body shivered at the thought. All she had to do was search inside herself to find him and her sons
waiting to help her. They never would have turned their backs on her and walked away. Despite her hollow face, Sarah was a natural beauty. Her long golden hair was tucked behind her ears with a few strands floating in a slight breeze. He noticed the wrinkles had lessened around her straight nose and full lips, the color of wild pink roses. She appeared to be calmer. A thoughtful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she tried to hide the story in her eyes.
The cleansing ceremony was working. The difference in Sweet Sarah was subtle, but it was there. Her faith seemed to be returning to her. She had almost let those evil spirits beat her down to nothing more than an empty shell, roaming the Kansas prairie. His chest tightened, and his stomach rolled as the thought sank into his mind.
Sweet Sarah now carried her fragile body with more confidence, as if she were defying the forces working to destroy the soul she fought so hard to keep as her own. Her arms cradled across her chest. The appearance of her actions made him think she was taking full possession, as the war of emotions battled within her.
"I'm going inside. The spirits will be returning soon, and I need to rest for the upcoming ceremony." Sarah stood and walked inside. Shining Moon followed and continued to watch her. She moved across the floor with ease.
She sank into the rocking chair next to the fireplace. Her shoulders slumped as she wrapped the shawl around them. Slowly she closed her eyes. Shining Moon could feel her strength and determination even as she fell asleep.
He had watched her sons and could see the respect they held for their mother. They all had the same worries etched on their rugged faces, determined to free their mother of the nightmare she was living in. Pride filled his heart at the thought of the love and loyalty they showed.
Shining Moon closed his eyes in meditation while Sarah and her young sons were asleep in their makeshift beds until the ghosts made their play to torment the inhabitants.
As he sat in his meditative state, he gave thanks for being brought to share the strength of this family. The power of their love for one another was a sight to cherish. He did not question why anyone would want to harm them. He knew all hearts and minds don't hold the same values.
He suspected that the evil spirits were a part of a curse. They were not caused by restless souls that once roamed the area. These things were put here to harm Sweet Sarah, and he would not allow such a devious act to take control of her, if he could help. Shining Moon pushed the negative thoughts from his head. He had to keep a positive attitude while doing the ceremony, or the negative energy would rush back in to take possession of his woman.
"Sar-rah, Sar-rah." The cold and creepy voice called from above. As the laughter broke into Shining Moon's meditation, his eyes open to the circling ghosts that made their dives at his head.
Sarah, Jessie, Cord, and Travis took their stances. On occasion, they seemed to will themselves to stand still. A slight shuffle of feet echoed in the room, or they made a small jerk of their heads when a ghost came too close. Sarah's face paled and she twisted her hands in the folds of her skirt. She clenched her eyes shut as she regained her courage, which reinforced the confidence he had in her.
Shining Moon offered a sacrifice of sweet grass. Jessie slipped to the fire and poured water over the white-hot lava rocks, to make steam.
The space in the cabin became thick with the smell of sweet grass. The eerie laughing of the ghosts became harder to hear as more of them dropped from the circle above. Slowly the ghosts disappeared. Some seemed desperate to hold onto their haunting ground inside the cabin. The screams and shrieks lessened. They appeared to bump into each other instead of the participants of the cleaning ritual.
Shining Moon raised his voice. Most of the creatures above were now attacking him. They had left Sweet Sarah and her sons alone. He welcomed the battle for he knew he was out of their reach. The ghost couldn't sway his medicine, since his beliefs grew stronger as he drew energy from the family.
"They're gone for the night. Sweet Sarah, you can safely return to your own bed." Shining Moon watched as she slowly approached her bed and slumped down upon it as if she had found freedom. He was happy and proud of the woman who stood her grounds against unyielding odds.
"Jessie, you and Cord can have the other room. I'm taking the rocker." Travis slid into the chair as if he hadn't the strength to stand another minute.
"Tomorrow." Shining Moon turned to the door and walked to his bed under the moon, stars, and fresh air. Thinking about the woman haunting his own dreams, he memorized every detail of his Sweet Sarah's face. He imagined her hair the color of ripened wheat resting down her back. Her voice, seemingly sent from Heaven, settled in his ears. The grass grew in her eyes as her heart was returning to a life without fear. The sun had lightly touched her skin. "Sarah, you're one brave warrior," he said softly and closed his eyes, welcoming pleasant dreams of the love he would share with her someday.
****
Sarah rose from the bed. It had been a long time since she was able to sleep more than an hour without being tormenting by the menacing ghosts. Her body didn't ache as it had from sleeping in the rocking chair. Quietly she slipped out of the house. The morning air was crisp from the night. She breathed in the scent of upturned soil Jessie had plowed the day before.
Entering the dark barn, Sarah lit the kerosene lamp and hung it on a nail to light the milk area. She threw hay into the manger, and Miss Betsy walked over to eat her breakfast. Sarah moved her milking stool next to the cow, her hands pushed up and pulled down as she milked and talked to the cow in a soft, soothing voice. Miss Betsy turned her big brown eyes to Sarah, and then went back to eating.
The chickens gathered around the barn floor, pecking at anything that moved. Sarah reached into the pocket of her apron and threw out a couple of handfuls of chicken scratch. She watched the birds scurry around, scratching and pecking to gather up the tiny morsels. She laughed softly at the chicken feud at her side.
When she turned around there was Shining Moon standing in the barn door. "Shining Moon, you startled me." Her heart picked up a beat. He leaned against the frame and crossed his arms. Sarah's feet froze in place for a few moments before she could convince them to move. The morning sun encased him, her breath caught at the magnificent glow.
"I should have knocked." His deep voice sent goose bumps across her skin.
"No, I should be more aware. I usually pay more attention to what is going on around me." She walked to him carrying her milk and eggs. His hand brushed against hers as he reached to help her. Tingles spiked up her arm. The warmth of his touch lingered on her skin.
Shining Moon smiled and took the bucket of milk from her. "I have already slopped the hogs for you while you were making the chickens dance."
"What? I didn't make the chickens dance." Sarah gazed at the bright sparkles in his eyes as she laughed.
"The milk is heavier today. This is a good sign."
"Yes, and I gathered more eggs today. The ghosts scared everything out here."
"Why didn't you tell me what was happening, Sweet Sarah? You know I care about you and would not have passed judgment on you." Shining Moon's earnest eyes held Sarah's for a few moments.
"I was afraid you would think I was crazy and had called the ghost on my own, and that's not what happened." Sarah lowered her head.
Shining Moon gently lifted her face to his and kissed her lips. Sarah leaned into his strong arm. A surge of sweet tingles ran through her. His warmth settled into the depths of her soul. For the first time in a long time, it was a feeling she didn't want to end.
They walked to the house in silence, stepping to the porch. Sarah turned to Shining Moon, "I want to thank you for all you have done for me. You saved my farm."
"There was no threat to the farm."
"Yes there was, I had a hard time convincing my sons not to burn it, and I almost let them."
"What about the little cabin?" Shining Moon looked toward the dimly lit lantern.
"I don't think those ghosts are dang
erous. What do you think?"
"No. They aren't dangerous. I thought you may want to rid the place of them, also."
"No, they can stay as long as they behave." Sarah said.
Shaking his head, Shining Moon walked into the cabin. The shuffling feet of Jessie, Cord, and Travis scuffed across the wood floor. The young men had run from the window they had been watching out of to take chairs at the table. "Were you spying on us?" Sarah glanced at her sons and saw mischievous little stars playing in their eyes.
"No," they all said in unison with conniving smiles on their guilty faces.
"Liars." Sarah tilted her head. "You have guilt written on your faces."
The transition of diminished stress from the last couple of days was a relief to her. Her usual teasing of them returned, and everything in her life was not all work and no play. Better still, it wasn't all fight and no victory. Since Shining Moon stepped in, she could now see the burdens lifting from the faces of her sons.
The hollowness of her face wasn't as noticeable when she took a glance in the mirror. The wrinkles were slowly disappearing. She noted how the color of her skin was changing from gray death back to the golden, pink life-look. Her weight was improving only slightly as her appetite grew. She still had a long way to go before she would start showing enormous improvements. At least she was showing progress as she moved toward a normal life.
Sarah sighed. It felt good to relax. Just to sit without the constant worry of another attack. She turned her gaze to Shining Moon. He had come to her rescue when she thought he would never want to see her again… not after the way she had treated him. What a wonderful man with a big heart. Her mind reeled every time she looked upon him.
Chapter Eleven
Settling in for the night, they all took their positions, closing their eyes to wait for the ghosts. There wouldn't be as many, according to Shining Moon, but still one of these mean creatures was too many for Sarah. She wondered what stirred them up in the first place. Sarah took his arm and led him through the door to the front porch.