Timecachers

by Glenn R. Petrucci

  “What is wrong,” Catherine asked, catching up to her. “Your story brought them happiness; just what they needed.”

  “Oh, my, I didn’t want to spoil it for them,” she sobbed, “but seeing their happy faces made me think about…”

  “Think about what? Why did you become so sad?”

  “I couldn’t keep from thinking about how many of them are not going to make it through this horrible ordeal.”

  Chapter forty

  Rebecca woke with a start, suppressing a gasp when she heard them still somewhere nearby. She dared not make a sound for fear of alerting them that she was conscious. The sound of their coarse voices sharply inflamed her senses, like ice water striking the exposed root of a tooth. She blocked out the memories of the attack that tried to push their way into her mind and focused on appraising her condition. She painfully flexed her abused muscles, biting her lip to suppress a cry when moving her leg sent an icicle of agony through her pelvis. Her head throbbed, and her hips and shoulders ached from restraint and maltreatment.

  She lay naked, her clothes scattered in shredded rags around her. Her arms were bound at the wrists and tied with a length of rope to the headboard, securing them above her head. She ignored the disgusting dampness beneath her; rejecting the horrifying flashbacks which would once again cast her into a bottomless abyss of despair.

  They did not take her easily. She had fought them with courageous vigor, calling on every drop of warrior’s blood that ran through her veins. She was sure she had inflicted severe injury on one of the attackers, presenting him with a well-placed kick to the groin at an opportune moment. She exulted in his painful yelp; saw him fall to the floor, clutching his genitals. Even reducing their number by one, she was eventually overcome. The outcome was inevitable. They tied her arms to the bed and took their turns, each one heaving and grunting their animal lust as the other two held her legs. Once overpowered, she lay immobile, denying them any pleasure from her struggling. At least the one she kicked was unable to violate her; his molestation had been reduced to restraining her for the other two. He vented his frustration when they were through with a brutal blow to her head, knocking her unconscious. She knew he would extract his revenge even more savagely if she could not free herself before he returned.

  There was little hope of that. Even if she could somehow untie her arms from the bed, she would not get far with a broken pelvis, dislocated hip, or whatever it was causing the intense pain at the uppermost joint of her leg. Escape was unlikely. When they returned, as she was certain they would, she resolved to find some way to inflict more pain. If she feigned submission, perhaps they would lower their guard enough for her to bite off an ear, or any other body part they were foolish enough to bring within range of her teeth.

  As she plotted her attack, she was startled by the sound of additional voices. Had Jeb’s other two henchmen returned? The muffled voices sounded heated, as if they were arguing over who would be next to take her. She despaired at the thought of having to endure the ravages of even more attackers. The desperation led her to one possible solution; an extreme measure, but one that would permanently deny them tormenting her further. If she could just slide herself close enough to the head rail to get the rope around her neck…

  Chapter forty-one

  Captain Martin and Adam reigned in their galloping horses, raising a cloud of dust that billowed past them and onto the Deerinwater front porch, where Jeb and his two cronies sat watching them with apparent unconcern.

  “What’s the rush, Jimbo? Outhouse is ‘round back, iffen ya need it real bad,” said Jeb in a smarmy tone, winking at his two cohorts who rewarded him with snorts of laughter.

  “You will address me as Captain Martin, sir,” he said without a trace of amusement, his cold stare leveled at Jeb. “You were supposed to bring the Deerinwater woman and her possessions to the fort. Why have you not done so?”

  “Well now, captain,” he said with a smirk, intentionally mis-pronouncing the title as cappy-tan. “She ain’t quite ready yet. We been makin’ sure she gits all she needs afore she leaves.”

  “Undoubtedly you have been most helpful. Bring her to me immediately and we will escort her to the fort.”

  “Can’t do that, cappy-tan. I’m a-feared she’s tied up at the moment,” Jeb said, inciting a chorus of snickers from the other two. “You just run along an’ we’ll bring her when she’s ready.”

  “If you’ve harmed her I’ll…,” Adam threatened, before getting cut off by a hard look from Martin.

  “You’ll what, sonny-boy?” Jeb spat, his words dripping with malice. He said to Martin, “Leave this little mollycoddle here an’ we’ll change his nappy fer him. Should’ve fixed his wagon last time.”

  Captain Martin ignored the taunts to Adam. “You were ordered to enforce the relocation of these families, not to abuse them. And now I am ordering you to produce Rebecca Deerinwater to me, and then continue with the duties you have been assigned.”

  “I take my orders from Colonel Lindsey, not you. Don’t be tryin’ t’ pull that regular army crap on me. Me and my men are contracted to the militia an’ don’t have to listen to your guff. ‘Sides, I just done told ya we was helpin’ her git ready an’ we’ll be the ones a-bringin’ her to the fort. So you can just git on.”

  “You are performing duties for the Georgia militia, and are under the command of its officers. Now I am ordering you for the final time, bring forth Rebecca Deerinwater or I’ll will fetch her myself and report your insubordination to Colonel Lindsey.”

  “An’ I’m tellin’ you for the last time, you ain’t takin’ nobody!” He planted himself firmly between Captain Martin and the doorway.

  Martin stepped up to face Jeb, and then made a motion as if he was preparing to walk around him. Jeb shifted his position to once again block his path, and as he did Captain Martin, moving with cat-like speed, thrust his hip into Jeb’s mid-section. He simultaneously grabbed Jeb’s collar and deftly tossed the stunned man into the dirt behind him.

  “Take your men and return to Fort Wool. I will deal with you further there,” Captain Martin said.

  Jeb jumped to his feet and shot a humiliated glance at his two men. “You’ll pay for that!” he said.

  “Do not make matters any worse for yourself. You already have a charge of insubordination to answer for,” said Martin. He turned his back and walked toward the farmhouse door.

  Adam wasn’t about to be left standing alone with Jeb and his crew. As he followed the captain to the door, Jeb suddenly shoved past him, charging toward Captain Martin wielding a massive hunting knife.

  “Captain, look out!” Adam yelled.

  Captain Martin turned and drew his field officer’s sword in a single, swift motion. Charging at full speed, Jeb drove the sword blade through his own body, unable to stop until he reached the eagle-pommel hilt. He stood impaled on the sword, still holding the hunting knife above his head, staring incomprehensibly at his intended victim. His mouth moved wordlessly as the gravity of what had just happened to him slowly dawned. The sword had entered his chest beneath the breastbone and exited his back, inflicting extensive damage along the way, not the least of which was severing his aorta. Blood from the high-pressure artery flooded his chest cavity, squeezing the pericardium so tightly his heart had no room to beat. Death was nearly instantaneous. Jeb’s body dropped to the ground, sliding off Martin’s sword as it did.

  “Adam,” said Captain Martin, wiping the blood from his sword and replacing it in its scabbard, “please see if you can find Mrs. Deerinwater.”

  Adam, shocked by the violence he had just witnessed, gawked at the dead man lying at his feet. Recovering his wits, he tore his eyes away from Jeb’s body, nodded to Martin, and entered the house.

  “Now,” Martin said to the two other men, “you two will immediately report to Fort Wool. Any objections?”

  “No, sir!” they replied. They ran for their horses, mounted them and rode off without another word.

/>   Inside the house, Adam entered the bedroom and discovered Rebecca. She had pulled herself up far enough to get the rope around her neck, but was alive.

  “My god!” he cried. He quickly took a blanket and covered her, wincing when he saw the bruises from the blows she had endured.

  “Adam?” She looked at him, not sure if he was really there or a hallucination. “Is it you? Where are those men?” she asked in a quavering voice.

  Adam heard the rasping sounds of her breathing, her neck constricted by the rope. “Yes, it’s me. It’s okay now. They won’t be back to hurt you,” he said. Gently lifting her head and taking the rope from around her neck, he began untying her. The left side of her face was already turning purple from the punch that had knocked her unconscious. She had been forced to fervently defend herself against impossible odds—because he had left her—choosing not to face those same odds. He choked back the overwhelming feelings of anger and guilt, and forced himself to focus on her immediate needs. He would deal with his conscience later.

  “How badly are you hurt?”

  “I do not know. My hip hurts a lot,” she said, indicating her left side. “It feels like something is broken inside. Where is Jimmy? Is he safe? Can you take me to him?”

  “Yes, of course. You’ll be with him soon. He is at the fort. He is still shaken up, but mostly with worry about you. Do you think you will be able to ride?” If she had a broken hip or pelvis riding might be impossible.

  “I can ride. I just need to go to Jimmy.”

  A sound from the next room caused Rebecca to gasp, her eyes growing wide with fear as she drew the blanket around her tightly and tried to coil into a defensive position.

  “It’s okay,” said Adam calmingly. “It is just Captain Martin. He is the one who got me out of the fort and came with me to bring you to Jimmy.”

  Martin stepped into the room, momentarily losing his staunch military expression when he saw Rebecca.

  “Damn their souls,” he said. “Did they…?”

  Rebecca averted her eyes and did not speak.

  Adam answered for her. “I don’t know the extent of the abuse, but she certainly has been molested. She thinks her hip may have been broken during the struggle. She is in a lot of pain on her left side. I never should have left her behind.”

  “Don’t be a fool,” Martin snapped. “Had you attempted to take them on unarmed, you would be lying where Jeb is now, and we would not be here to prevent further atrocities.” He turned his attention to Rebecca. “Ma’am, if you will permit me, I must examine your hip to determine if you can be moved.”

  Rebecca hesitated, not sure that she could tolerate anyone touching her. She longed for the river, to swim in its cold, clear water until it washed away the disgust clinging to her, but her longing to be reunited with Jimmy was greater. She would endure whatever it would take to reach him. She nodded her reluctant permission.

  He kept the blanket in place, but when he placed his hand on her hip she recoiled, from both pain and the foul memory his touch invoked. Rebecca clenched her teeth and endured the examination. She was grateful that he was swift, gentle, and considerate.

  “I do not believe it is broken,” he said after a cursory inspection. “The hip appears to be dislocated, and quite possibly some ligaments have been torn. I am sure it is very painful. It will be even more painful for her to travel. However, we may be able to pull the bone back into place and give her some relief. I am afraid that it is going to hurt very much for a few moments, but at least riding will be more bearable. I will have to pull…”

  “I am familiar with the procedure,” Rebecca said. “Just get it over with so I can go to my husband.”

  Captain Martin had encountered victims of sexual attacks in the past, and he was not surprised by her curt reply. It was better for her to express her anger than repress it. Her physical injuries would heal long before the psychological ones did. It also did not help that he represented the people who were forcing her from her home.

  He instructed Adam to stand behind the bed and showed him how to hold her while he repositioned the ball and socket of her hip. “You will have to hold tightly, Adam. It takes quite a bit of force to pop the joint back into position. Are you ready, Mrs. Deerinwater?”

  She took a deep breath and nodded.

  Captain Martin placed one hand on her ankle and the other behind her knee, checked that Adam had a firm grip, and pulled. Rebecca pressed her lips so tightly together they turned white, but she did not cry out. With great relief, she felt the hip joint pop back into place and Captain Martin gradually released the pressure on her leg. She was even more relieved to have their hands off of her.

  “That should help to relieve some of your discomfort,” Captain Martin said. “Take a few moments to—compose yourself, and then we will go to the fort. We can use the wagon so you will not have to travel on horseback. I will go and prepare our mounts; come as soon as you are ready.” He grabbed a few blankets and then turned and left the room.

  “I’m so sorry this happened, Rebecca,” Adam began. “I should have…”

  “Adam,” Rebecca interrupted, “you should have done exactly as you did. You have nothing to be sorry for. Captain Martin was right. The best you could do was to allow yourself to be taken to the fort and come back with help, just as you did, and I thank you for that. But now I need to get to Jimmy.”

  “Yes, of course. We’ll go as soon as you are ready.” Adam knew he would never be free of the guilt he felt for not being able to prevent the attack, but her words gave him some reassurance that he had done the right thing.

  He helped her to a sitting position, and brought her a pitcher of water and some clothing from the armoire. He told her to let him know when she was ready and he would help her to the horses, and then left the room.

  Agonizing as it was, Rebecca washed and dressed quickly. The pain prevented her from putting any weight on her leg, so she would need Adam’s help to walk. When she finished she called him back into the room.

  Adam sensed her unease at his touch and did his best to give her only enough support to walk without holding on any more than necessary, though he kept himself ready to catch her if she stumbled. They slowly made their way through the door.

  Captain Martin stood holding the horses. Rebecca gasped when she saw Jeb’s body and he said, “I apologize, ma’am. I should have used one of the blankets to cover him.”

  “I would rather you did not soil my blankets with that filth. Where are the other two?”

  “I sent them ahead to the fort. I did that before I knew what they had done to you. They may not show up, fearing punishment when I report what has happened here. Even if they do, I’m afraid I cannot promise you they will suffer the appropriate consequences. They may only face charges of insubordination and dereliction of duty.”

  “You mean it doesn’t matter what they did to me because I am just an Indian.”

  “Mrs. Deerinwater, if it were up to me…,” he nodded toward Jeb’s body, letting his earlier actions speak for him. “I will strongly recommend a severe punishment for their offenses, but I know, as do you, that it is not likely. It would be dishonest for me to lead you to believe otherwise.”

  Rebecca thought to herself that it was much easier to tell others they should expect unfair treatment than it was to suffer it yourself. At least he was being honest. He had dealt with Jeb, and she gave him credit for that.

  Captain Martin had placed a nest of blankets in the wagon, tethered Adam’s horse to the rear, and then they gently helped Rebecca aboard. He briefly instructed Adam how to drive the wagon. “We will go slowly, and I will ride alongside you,” he assured them.

  Martin led them at a slow but steady pace—doing his best to avoid any jostling that might cause Rebecca more anxiety than he thought she could handle. Rebecca rode soundlessly in the wagon behind Adam. All she had to do was hang on, but Martin knew riding in a bouncing wagon in her condition must be agonizing. He rode next to Adam, glancin
g often at her, checking for any indication that she could not tolerate further travel. Her face was a mask of pain, but she did not cry out or ask to slow the pace.

  At last they reached the ferry and the river was mercifully calm. Rebecca remained in the wagon as it would be more painful for her to get in and out than just to endure the jolts and bounces of the ferry crossing. She brightened markedly once they landed and the stalwart walls of the fort on the hill above New Echota came into view.

  They rode directly to the fort’s stables where they helped Rebecca from the wagon and handed off the horses to the stablemen. They each took an arm as they helped her walk to the stockade. The ride had sapped her strength, obliging her to tolerate the discomfort of their touch. She blocked out everything else and fixated on finding Jimmy.

  Once inside the gates of the stockade, they immediately encountered Benjamin. His look of relief turned to alarm, then ill-concealed anger when he saw Rebecca’s condition. He said nothing, asked no questions, but took the captain’s place at her side.

  “Jimmy,” Rebecca said to him. She could not find the energy to say more.

  “He is over here, waiting for you, Rebecca,” he said, walking her toward the area where he had left the others.

  “I must report to the colonel,” said Captain Martin. “I will find you later, Adam.” He turned and departed without another word.

  They found Jimmy where Benjamin had left him, sitting, back against the wall with his eyes closed. He opened his eyes as they approached, momentarily looking at Rebecca as if he wasn’t sure if she were really there or part of his dream. Realizing he was truly awake, he jumped to his feet and ran to her, circling her in his arms and taking her from Adam and Benjamin. They stood locked in a silent embrace, neither one having the strength to stand on their own. Together they looked as if nothing could tear them apart. Adam watched in awe, marveling at the power of their love for each other, and hoping it would be powerful enough to heal them both.