Wyoming Vision

by Daniel Sandoval

  Johona skipped ahead and then returned, her eyes bright. “It’s just ahead,” she piped. “Just a little further. You can do it. For me.”

  Haloke strove to pick up her pace. “I’ll be there,” she promised. “I’m coming.”

  “I know you are,” called Johona. “Come on, Haloke. One more step. Just one more.”

  The world filled with molasses. Every movement took more energy than it should.

  Johona shimmered … wavered …

  Haloke was having trouble lifting her leg. For some reason wasn’t listening to her.

  She looked down.

  The dusty ground swayed … faded … spun …

  It came up to meet her.

  Chapter Eight

  Johona burst into her parents’ room and switched on the light at the side of the bed. Both of them groaned and her father pulled his pillow over his head. Her mother wearily pushed a hand through her hair. “Johona, what time is it?”

  Johona picked up the phone. “Momma, you have to call Haloke’s boss. You have his number, right?”

  Her mother peered at the clock on the nightstand. “Hun, it’s after midnight.”

  “Not there, it isn’t,” replied Johona. “And Haloke’s in trouble! She’s collapsed on the side of the road. She survived the explosion. But they have to get to her now.”

  Her father grumbled, “Are these more nightmares?”

  Johona threw herself onto her knees at the side of the bed, looking her mother in the eyes. “You have to believe me, Momma. Haloke needs our help. And she needs it now. If I’m wrong, I swear to you I’ll do the dishes for the entire year. I’ll do all the cleaning. The toilets, too. Just, please call.”

  Her mom checked the clock again and sighed. “I guess it’s mid-afternoon over there. I can say we just wanted to wish her a Merry Christmas and haven’t been able to reach her on her own phone.”

  She gave her head another shake and then scrolled through her contact list.

  Ring. Ring.

  A male voice answered. “XO Richardson here. Hello, Mrs. Brown. Is everything all right?”

  Johona looked at her mother with pleading eyes.

  Her mother sighed. “I’m afraid my daughter Johona is quite worried about her older sister. She’s been having nightmares. If you could please just find Haloke for us and put her on, it would help all of us sleep much better.”

  Richardson gave a gentle laugh. “That doesn’t seem like much to ask with it being Christmas and all. Sure, hold on a second.” They could hear him calling out to a sergeant.

  He came back on the line. “So, how’s everything out there in … was it Montana? Idaho?”

  “Wyoming,” said her mom. “We have a nice, white Christmas. The snow makes everything fresh and clean.”

  He laughed again. “Well, we aren’t getting much of that where we are right now. Just the sun and sand.”

  There was a murmur of voices in the background. Richardson called out to them, “What do you mean, she’s not back? Wasn’t she due at dawn?”

  Johona grabbed her mother’s arm and shook it. She whispered, “Tell him.”

  Richardson came back on the phone. “I’m afraid your daughter hasn’t returned from a mission yet. She’s running a bit late, but I’m sure it’s no cause for alarm.”

  Her mother glanced down at her, and then spoke into the phone. “My daughter Johona’s been having dreams that Haloke’s jeep was involved in some sort of an accident. An … explosion. And that she’s hurt. She’s on foot and trying to make it back to the base.”

  Richardson’s voice was all business now. “We’re going out to look for her. Don’t you worry. As soon as we find her, we’ll have her call you.” He clicked off.

  Johona crawled into bed next to her mother. Her mother didn’t say a word. She just made space for Johona to fit in, drew over the blanket, and pulled her close.

  Chapter Nine

  Logan pulled to a stop in the parking lot of the Dancing Bear. The bar was packed. Something about the holidays seemed to bring out the drinking spirits in the locals. Maybe it was the scattered diaspora of the town coming home to visit relatives. Or maybe the far-flung homesteaders were coming in to civilization for a bit of holiday festivities. Whatever it was, the parking lot was full and the music throbbed from a live band.

  He climbed out of his SUV, adjusted his hat, and headed inside.

  The music was nearly deafening as the door fell shut behind him and he took a moment to let his ears adjust. A country-western band was on stage, belting out a tune from Johnny Cash, and the floor was filled with laughing men and women of all ages.

  He pushed his way through the throng to the bar. Jimmy was pouring with one hand and cutting limes with the other.

  He looked up at Logan. “I already talked to Sam about that woman who got hurt. I’m sorry it happened near here – but we’d had a pipe burst that night. Had to close up early. Nobody saw a thing – the place was deserted by that hour.”

  Logan looked around. “Seems like you got it fixed fast enough.”

  Jimmy laughed. “Near Christmas? You bet your butt I had that plumber out first thing in the morning. Paid double, too, but take a look around. This is my busiest time of year.”

  Logan swept the edges of the ceiling with his gaze. “No cameras?”

  Jimmy pushed the limes into a bin and began pouring two more drinks. “Nope. They’d just get broken anyway. It can get a bit rowdy in here sometimes.”

  Logan gave a low laugh. “Do tell.”

  Jimmy put the drinks out for his customers and wiped his hands on his shirt. “So how can I help?”

  Logan leaned his back against the bar and looked across the sea of customers. “Anyone stand out as being a bit rowdy these past few days? Or unusual?”

  Jimmy cocked an eye at him. “Do you see this crowd? Half of them are distant relatives or mountain men down from the hills. The other half are drowning their sorrows at having those same relatives or mountain men around. We’ve had two fights already tonight.”

  Logan sighed. It could be just about anyone.

  At one table sat four boys who could have been high school seniors. A large plate of wings sat between them along with four tall sodas.

  One had straight, chiseled looks and blond hair cut short.

  One was darker with thick brows. A scar twisted along one cheek.

  One was wiry with sinew. His long, auburn hair reached his shoulders.

  The forth was heavy, half-way between muscle and fat. His greasy hair was caught back in a short bun.

  Logan nudged his head. “How about those four?”

  Jimmy smiled. “Oh, those are just local boys. They’re celebrating because Vaughn – he’s the movie-star one – got drafted by the University of Wyoming. He’s gonna be a Cowboy.”

  “Is he really,” murmured Logan.

  He remembered those days. The days when sports seemed to be all that mattered. When your thoughts were focused on that girl you wanted to take to the dance and the college that would take you away from all of this.

  And now here he was again, right back where he began.

  He sighed and patted the bar. “Thanks, Jimmy. I’m gonna go out back and take another look around.”

  Jimmy shrugged. “Be my guest. Thing is, lots of people use that alley as a cut-through. Even if there was a clue there last night, it’s probably gone now.”

  “Or maybe now it’s finally being revealed,” countered Logan.

  Jimmy laughed. “Aren’t you the glass-half-full guy.”

  Logan looked down. “I made a promise, and I intend to keep it.”

  Chapter Ten

  Haloke blinked her eyes open in confusion. The last thing she remembered, she was stumbling along the dirt road back toward base. Johona had been there with her, although Haloke didn't see how that could possibly be true.

  Now, she was in the medical tent.

  She lifted the pale blue sheet which covered her body, peering beneath i
n concern. She still had her arms and legs. A thick bandage was wrapped around her middle. She experimentally prodded at it.

  The pain took her breath away – her vision clouded to jagged shades of red.

  A gentle laugh came from her side.

  She turned –

  XO Richardson smiled at her. “You always were the feisty one,” he teased. “Doctor’s orders are that you stay put for a while. Two cracked ribs. You’re lucky it wasn’t far worse than that, with the state your jeep’s in. What the hell happened?”

  “They put something in the road – made it look like a local child. I didn’t see it until I was nearly on top of it. I tried to avoid it – but I flipped the jeep and went right into it.”

  He shook his head. “They probably put a hole in the ground and had it pop up in front of you. Heck, you’re probably lucky you flipped the jeep. Instead of that thing going off right against the engine block, it looks like it tore through the passenger floor instead.”

  Haloke looked again at her bandages. “Yeah, lucky.”

  “And you made it nearly five miles on foot, even with those injuries,” continued her XO. “Quite a feat. You’re just lucky your sister called to ask about you, though. We might not have thought to go out after you for a few more hours. And it might have been too late by then.”

  Fire sparked in Haloke. “Johona called? I’ve been trying to reach her. I’ve been having dreams about her.”

  His eyes creased with curiosity. “Funny, that’s what she said. Or your mom, at least. That she’d had dreams you were in an accident and were trying to make it to us on foot.”

  Cold fear swept through Haloke. If Johona’s dreams had been real-time, and not future visions …

  She turned to her XO. “I need to speak to Johona now. Could I have my phone?”

  He grinned and picked it up off the side table. “I thought you might say that. And your family’s waiting for the call. So go ahead. I’ll give you some privacy.” He stood and moved to the far side of the tent to talk with the doctor.

  Haloke’s hands were shaking as she took up the phone and pressed the button.

  Ring.

  Ring.

  Her mother’s voice picked up. “Haloke? Is that you?”

  Just the sound of her mother’s voice sent waves of warmth through Haloke’s body. “Yes, it’s me, Mom. I’m fine. Just two cracked ribs. Johona’s vision saved me. The men came out to find me and they got to me in time, because of her.”

  Her mother’s voice caught and then cascaded through the phone. “Oh, Haloke, I’m so glad you’re all right. We’ve all been so worried about you.”

  Haloke’s throat closed up. “Mom, can you put Johona on the phone?”

  There was a shuffling noise and then Johona’s bell-like voice came on. “Haloke?”

  Haloke wished she could pull Johona through the phone and grab her in a warm embrace. “Johona, I’ve been trying to call you. I need to warn you. You need to be careful.”

  Johona’s voice suddenly sounded strangely thick. “Warn me? About what?”

  “There will be these four men,” stated Haloke, her throat growing tight. “You have to watch for them. They’ll be hiding out behind the Dancing Bear. It’ll be at night, after a party, and they’ll –”

  Johona burst into tears. The sobbing billowed from the phone, cascaded into the room, and filled Haloke’s ears with searing pain.

  Tears started streaming down Haloke’s face. “Johona? Johona? What happened?”

  There was a clattering noise.

  Panic sprang high into Haloke’s very soul. “Johona?”

  Her mother’s voice came on the line, strung tight with tension. “Haloke, I’m afraid … something’s happened.”

  Cold reality washed over Haloke, and time suspended.

  As if every tear hung in place, glistening, to dry and evaporate into steely resolve.

  Her hand drew close around the phone, her fingers turning white.

  “Don’t worry, Momma,” she stated, her focus growing crystal clear. “I’m coming home. I’m coming home right now.”

  She drew in a long, deep breath, the certainty of her fate filling her. Carving her into an arrowhead.

  Her voice rang with cold determination. “And when I get there, I swear to you, I’ll fix things. I’ll find a way to make everything right.”

  * * *

  Thank you for reading Wyoming Vision! The sequel to this story is Logan’s Vision.

  https://www.lisashea.com/wyoming/logansvision/

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  Dedication

  To Sandra, Molly, Sandy, Yvonne, Marilyn, and Sheryl, who all provided great feedback and suggestions.

  To the Boston Writer’s Group and Sutton Writing Group, who support me in all my projects.

  To my beloved partner of twenty years and counting, who believes in my dreams.

  About the Author

  Lisa grew up adoring stories like Dune and Lord of the Rings – stories where the old, safe world we once knew has dissolved into a whirlwind of danger and struggle.

  Over the years, she has found the power in these tales. Our world is always in motion. Anything a person clings to can be taken away and lost. Life strips us down to the bare essentials, to what really matters.

  Relationships.

  Trust.

  Love.

  The only constant is change. Nature continually renews. Life goes on. And by learning to accept that and embrace it, we can achieve all we dream of.

  Lisa’s own heritage includes the Lumbee tribe of South Carolina and Tennessee. The Lumbee are considered by many to be related to the Cherokee.

  Half of all proceeds from Wyoming Vision benefit local battered women's shelters.

  Lisa has written over 300 published works.

 

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