Chapter Four
Running Wolf stood at the edge of the woods, staring into a distance. The sound of the approaching footsteps reached him but he did not turn around. He remained engrossed on the spot he was staring at.
“Hi there Running Wolf, been looking for you everywhere,” Chito forced a smile as he nudged his friend.
Running Wolf ignored him, still staring. Chito’s eyes followed Running Wolf’s to the forest and then, he turned back to his friend.
“Is it time for your vision quest? I believe you should go on it in seven months. Why do you stare so deeply into the forest? Is it calling out to you? I do not think it is the right given your condition. I…”
“Why are you here?” Running Wolf finally said. His voice was hoarse and lacking emotion. He had not used it in days as he had chosen to mourn his loss in his solitude.
Chito sighed and he shook his head, “The Chief and the rest of the elders want to see you. You are the head warrior. They want to extend their condolences to you.”
“I do not want to go to the village,” Running Wolf told him.
Chito gasped. He cleared his throat nervously, “Uh… I really do not think that is right, my friend. We are talking about a summons from the Chief here. It is only right that you obey and do as he instructs, don’t you think? I understand that you are in mourning and...”
“Good. If you all understand that I am in mourning, you will realize that I want to be alone. I want to see no one, Chito.” Not waiting for his friend’s response, Chito turned around and headed toward a tent close to the mouth of the woods.
Chito sighed as he watched his friend back away.
His friend had not returned to the home he shared with Fala ever since her death.
How long was he going to survive like this?
He had been excited to find out that Fala was expecting.
Not only because Running Wolf was the head warrior but because he was finally continuing his bloodline, but also because his friend was finally having a family.
After the death of his mother at a young age, his father had never remarried and it had just been the both of them.
His father had died some years ago, leaving Running Wolf with the village as his only family.
Still, as his friend, Chito knew how much Running Wolf longed to have a family even though he never voiced out this desire.
His friend had not been in love with Fala but he had cared about her enough to have a child with her.
He had respected and protected her. This was a hard blow, to him and to all of them.
Running Wolf settled on a slab of stone in front of the tent and held his head in his hands.
He was exhausted and had lost his will to do anything.
All he wanted to do was be still. That was certainly not too much to ask for.
He was in no frame of mind to see the elders.
As long as there was no threat to their village, he had no business going back in there.
He would be fine being where he was. Going back to the tepee he had shared with Fala, he could not do it.
The only other option was his family supply shack a short distance from where he was.
His plan had been to work on the supply shack and prepare it for them to move into when his child was strong enough.
He shook his head. Everywhere he looked they all had one thing in common, they reminded him of his losses and his pain: his father, his mother, his wife, and his son.
He was truly exhausted by all of it. While he was not needed by the village as a warrior, he would stay out here and nurse his wounds.
He would stay here and deal with his losses.
He did not have a choice. This was the only way he knew to deal with the pain.
His solitude, it was the only comfort he had. Nothing comforted him better than it.
Running Wolf lowered his head and took in deep breaths, trying to calm himself. This was his new reality. His losses were now a part of his life that he had to accept.
*
Elaina tied up the last bag and stepped back to look around the little cabin that she had called home with James.
It was time to say goodbye to it and move on.
It was the only choice they had. She hurried to the door and looked out.
James was supposed to be back by now. Why was he taking so long? She wondered.
She ran a hand through her hair in a nervous gesture.
There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
What if something happened to him? He was supposed to resign today but what if they had not let him leave?
She closed her eyes as she tried to calm herself.
If only he had listened to her. She had told him that they should leave without notifying anyone but he had insisted that he owed it to his supervisor to let him know.
She had a bad feeling then and she still had it now.
Her hand flew to her stomach and she whispered. “Your father is fine, little one. He will be here soon. He has to be.”
The sound of an approaching carriage led Elaina to the window. She groaned when she saw Leila. Elaina hurried out of the house and shut the door behind her. She met Leila halfway up the front walk.
“Hello, Elaina,” Leila greeted her brightly.
“What are you doing here? Did I not make it clear enough that I want nothing to do with you?”
“Really? Are you still holding on to that grudge? Oh come on, dear friend. All that is in the past. Now that James is no longer in the picture, you are going to need someone to take care of you. I will advise you to accept...”
“What do you mean by James is no longer in the picture? James is very much okay. He went to the mine and...” a panicked Elaina gasped.
“Oh...” Leila nodded slowly, “I see that you are not yet aware of the current situation. Well, that is just too bad. I guess I came here to give you the update ahead of time. Isn’t it lovely? You should consider me a great friend, you know, right? Without me, you will not know a lot of things.”
“Talk to me, Leila! What on earth happened to my husband?”
Leila chuckled, “Remember that time I told you that the mine’s output was reducing?
Well, it turns out that your dear husband has been skimping some of the ore.
Isn’t it a shame? The man you trusted so much, turns out he is also a thief.
Well, he has been handed over to the sheriff.
Soon, he will be in the custody of the army. ”
“That is a lie. James would never steal. Even when we were down in the dumps, when we had nothing, he did not steal, he never set aside anything for himself. I refuse to believe that lie!” Elaina said compassionately.
“It does not matter what you think or do. What matters is what Grimsson thinks, and frankly, he is convinced James is a thief, so he is not getting out of this.”
“Oh, come on, you and I both know that Grimsson is biased. He won’t be fair about this. Please help me, Leila. Help me get James out of this mess. You might not like him but you know that he will never steal. This is all just a misunderstanding.
“I am sorry but I cannot help you this time, my friend. Here is my advice to you. Forget about James. When Grimsson comes, accept his advances. Do not be bullheaded. And that way, I will be seeing you every day on the other side of town. You got that?”
“Leila please!” Elaina called to her friend who wished her farewell as she left in the carriage. It retreated, taking her along.
Elaina fell to her knees, her hand over her mouth as she stifled her sobs,
“James… James… what will we do without you?”
She managed to pick herself up and returned into the house.
Elaina fell heavily on the bed and curled up into a ball as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
She knew that there was no point going to beg Grimsson.
In his mind, he already had what he wanted, her.
He was not going to let James go if he had come this far and done this much damage to have her.
She was beginning to think that it had been his plan all along, to get James out of the picture from the beginning.
The thought of James suffering in some jail caused her to cry harder.
She must have drifted off sometime because she was awoken by loud knocking.
Gently, she got out of bed and made a beeline for the door.
She did not care to see anyone and she had one plan, to dismiss the caller sharply and return to mourning her loss.
She threw the door open and saw a thin and wiry man on the front porch.
He looked nervous and he was jumpy. His eyes kept darting around.
Elaina swallowed hard as she took the man’s appearance in. She ensured not to step away from the door as she said, “How can I help you?”
“Are you Elaina? Elaina, James’ wife. James who works at the mine?”
“Yes… who are you?” she asked quickly, her hold on the door tightening.
“I worked with James at the mine. He sent me to get you and your things. You both must leave tonight. Any later than tonight and they will kill him.”
“That is not true. I don’t know who you are or who sent you to me but you are lying. I know that James was arrested earlier today. So how then could he have sent you?” she hissed.
“It is true that they came for James after they accused him. But whoever gave you this information gave you incorrect facts. James was able to escape from the mine and he has been hiding in my house all day. You both have to leave tonight if he is to survive. I heard that they are going to start house to house searches beginning tomorrow under the excuse of inspection. It seems they plan to cover up this so-called crime they have accused your husband of, and still punish him at the same time. You both have to leave now!”
“How am I to believe that you are from James? You could be from the people who want my husband gone,” She said slowly. She could not let herself rejoice until she was sure that this was actually real.
“He said you are a smart one and will definitely ask. He told me to tell you that you both decided to name the baby you are currently carrying Jessica after his mother, if it is a girl and James, the Third, if it is a boy.”
Elaina’s hand flew to her mouth and she stumbled back. “He escaped! He really is safe. Please take me to him.”
The man nodded, “Get what you must carry. We have to be quick.”
A short while later, Elaina found herself wrapped in the embrace of her husband.
“I thought I had lost you,” she whispered, kissing his face.
“Not now, not ever,” he whispered, pulling her into a hug again.
“It is time to leave,” the thin man said.
James grabbed his hand and shook it, “Thank you for this, Tom. I will never forget this, how you saved my life and reunited me with my love.”
Elaina stared at James, curious about how the man saved him. James smiled softly and stroked her cheek, “We will have all the time in the world when we get out of here, my love. For now, we have to get as far away from here as possible.”
She nodded in agreement. The two of them climbed into the grain wagon and they were handed straws for their noses.
They lay down, with the straws standing as they were covered with grain as the wagon was filled.
The straws would help them breathe. It would be hidden amidst the grains so it would not be easy to detect.
The couple held hands as they squeezed their eyes shut.
They felt the lurch of the grain wagon as it moved, they knew that they were headed for freedom.
If only they would get to their destination in one piece, that is.
They both said a little prayer in their hearts, praying for the safety of the other and wishing with all their heart that they got out of the messy situation they had found themselves in.
There was nothing they could do anymore in that moment except to stay quiet and still.
Any wrong move, and it would really be the end.