Q. is for The Mountain Girl (Chapt.2)

The Mountain Girl
Jay runs into some bad luck again!
All Names, Places, Dates, and Events in this story are Fiction: Any
similarity is hereby coincidentally!!
Chapter 2 Angel From Above

"Jay," He scolded. You're a darn nut why did you just up and leave
like that, and that story about your family. "What family"? Your folks
died with the fever. Ok! So I'm running scared. I had to get out of
there.

Besides he said, "what if she did have a husband"? But, he didn't see
anything there that may have belonged to a man, and she didn't seem
interested in him anyhow. But, why would she? I almost bit her head off
when she was only being kind to me.

He smacked his forehead, and muttered, "You're a real jerk, Jay
Crabb"!

Gabby shook her head. Jay mumbled, "I don't want to hear any lip from
you either".

***********
Angel washed up the dishes, and put everything away. She took down her
journal. Angel wrote about all the things that had happened in the last
day, and a half.

Angel tried to keep her mind off the tall, and handsome stranger. "Jay"
whatever his last name was! But, her mind kept drifting back to him.
She could see his round face, and his smile. "Enough! She yelled, and
went over to get a clean shirt out of the dresser drawer, and clean
under garments".
Angel then headed for the lake. She needed a bath she thought, picking
up her towel, and soap.

**********
Jay decided to camp out on the south side of the lake for the night.
His side was hurting from bouncing up, and down. He tied Gabby to a
tree, and threw his bedroll on the ground. He took out a piece of beef
jerky, and decided that was supper. He didn't feel like cooking. Jay
lay down on the ground, and threw his wool blanket over him. He
thought, "boy this is a far cry from that nice bed he was in this
morning".

Jay shut his eyes and once again he could smell her. She smelled of
fresh lavender, and he remembered her golden brown hair, and those
eyes. He thought, "If I ever decided I wanted a wife it would be that
golden hair maiden". "I need a cold swim to clear my head", he, said
aloud.

*****

Angel topped the ridge, and saw the lake just beyond the trees. As she
walked on she looked around her at the scenery it was so pretty here.
She always wondered why her folks didn't build their cabin here instead
of on the other side of the ridge.

Angel remembered the very first time they brought her here to pick
blackberries. She was only about 3 maybe 4 years old. She was never
allowed to come here by herself, because the bears like berries, and
fish as well. Her mom could make the best blackberry pie she had ever
eaten. To this day she couldn't copy it no matter how many times she
tried.

Angel thought poor mama, and papa the last time she had seen them. They
were on their way to town to buy her a new dress, and pick up supplies
for winter.

It was five years ago, her birthday was coming up, and they wanted to
buy her something special. Mama wanted to get her a dress. Angel told
her, "papa she wanted a new shotgun, because she loved to hunt".

They never returned on that shopping trip for some outlaws were waiting
on them about 20 miles outside of town. Their, they robbed, and killed
them, and took their wagon.

But, it didn't take long for the sheriff to catch them. Because they
were carrying the shotgun her papa bought for her. It had her name
Angel Potter, Born Oct. 16, 1880 carved in the stock. Each of them
blamed it on one another. They were hanged in the same spot that they
had killed her folks. It saddened her heart once again.

Angel; had her share of tragedies in her life. She remembered when the
cabin caught on fire. But, once again luck was on her side for the rain
poured all night long. The only thing remained was the one room and
what little was in it; and the few things she salvaged. "Oh, What a
mess", she thought.

Angel shook her head as to clear all those terrible memories. But
thanks to her folks they taught her everything she needed to know to
survive.

At last she was at the lake, she dove in clothes, and all. She swam to
the other side of the lake.

Jay felt light headed. He looked around, and everything was fuzzy, he
broke out into a cold sweat, he was chilling so bad his teeth were
chattering. He felt like he was going to faint, he had to get back to
his horse, and bedroll, and build a fire.

But, he couldn't walk he was stumbling all over the place. Jay felt
himself go numb, he toppled over backwards down the hill, and he was
plunging into darkness.

*******

Angel striped her clothes, washed, and then swam back to the south
shore. She thought she had better get going it would be dark soon, and
she didn't have her gun. She wadded out of the water got dressed, and
set down to put her boots on.

Angel heard something behind her; she jumped up! She was listening, but
she couldn't see anything. It made her uneasy. She mumbled, "I best get
on my way it may be a bear, and I wouldn't have a chance out here in
the open".

Angel ran to the trees sure enough down in the thicket, she could see a
big black bear stalking something. The bear seem to be angry he, was
trying to get into the thicket. He couldn't figure out a way in. But,
there was defiantly something in there he was after; he kept
circling.

Angel shivered, and thought, "I better get out of here before he
catches my scent". She quietly made her way through the forest.

Angel glanced over her shoulder, and saw Jay's horse tied to a tree.
She said aloud, "What is going on here, was Jay watching her while she
bathed? Well the nerve of him"! She was going to march right over, and
ask him, "What he was doing here"?

Angel did just that, but to her surprise he wasn't anywhere to be
found. A puzzled look came over her face, and she thought, "Where was
he"? His bedroll was here, and she noticed a half eaten piece of jerky
lying on the ground.

Angel looked everywhere she even took a chance, and went back to the
lake. She thought, "maybe he had walked back to her cabin, none of this
was making any sense to her". Angel heard, Gabby snort as if she was
nervous, she, too was getting the scent of the bear.

Angel muttered, "Jay has to be at the cabin"! She grabbed his bedroll,
and climbed upon Gabby's back. It didn't take them long to get back to
her place.

Angel threw the door open. He wasn't there! She hurried to the barn
calling out his name "Jay, Jay"! But, there was no answer.

Angel set down on a log; she stared out into the darkness, and
wondered, "Where are you Jay"?

*********

Jay moaned he, felt like he had been run over by a bunch of wild
horses. The pain shot through him as he tried to move; he was very
weak.

Jay grabbed his side he felt another stabbing pain. He felt something
wet running down his side. His shirt, and pants were soaked. He
thought, "Did I go swimming"? He said, "Jay think"! But his mind was
cloudy; all he wanted to do was fall back into a deep sleep. He shook
his head, and mumbled, "I didn't make it to the lake."

Then he remembered he had fallen. But where was he? Jay couldn't see
anything it was to dark. He reached back, and touched his side the
wounds were torn open, and he knew he had lost a lot of blood.

Jay felt like he was going to pass out again. But he knew if he did, he
would bleed to death. He had to get out of here. Jay tried once again
to move but it was as though he was in a spider web. His feet were
tangled in some sort of vines, and they had sharp thorns on them. He
said, "O, no! I am in a thicket at the bottom of the hill it is so
dense no one would ever find me here".

Jay said softly, "I will make it out of here, I have a Angel from above
watching over me." He gave a big jerk on his right leg, and he could
feel the thorns ripping his flesh through his pants. But it was no use
he could not free them.

The blood was oozing more, and more out of his side. Jay tightened his
belt he was so light headed. He could not remember if you suppose to
stop the blood from above the wound or below it.

Jay heard something snort; for a moment he thought, it was his horse.
He could hear something moving in the distance. It sounded so close; he
then realized it was not his horse it was a bear.Jay tried again to
free his feet, he knew if he didn't free himself from these vines he
would be eaten alive. He gave one last jerk with all the strength he
had in him, tearing his flesh so bad that it felt as though the thorns
were scraping his bones.

Jay sighed, and gave an expression of pure relief; now to get out of
here. He got on his knees; the pain was so bad he had to steady himself
with his hands. But Jay knew he wasn't going anywhere; he was too
weak.

Jay could hear the bear trying to make it's way though the thicket it
was very determined; it could smell fresh blood. It made Jay's heart
beat faster, and faster. He thought, "Of Angel if she was here, she
could help me". Jay peered into the darkness above him; he could see a
light. He tried to yell, "but no sound came out of his mouth".

Angel ran into the cabin, and grabbed her gun, and the oil lamp from
the kitchen. She climbed back on Gabby's back, and rode back to the
forest. Angel did not dismount; she leaped off the horses back, and ran
over to where she, seen the beef jerky on the ground.

Angel peered over the hill. She noticed the tall weeds had been knocked
down, as if something large had tumbled through them. She placed her
hand on her cheek, and said, "Oh Jay"! Her heart sank in her chest he,
was in the thicket. She remembered the bear; Angel knew it wouldn't
give up until it got its prey. She said aloud, "Not this time bear, I'm
going to get there before you"!

Angel thought, "How am I going to get in there"? Then, she remembered
as a child. She had sneaked off to the lake one afternoon to swim. Her
pa came looking for her, and she crawled through to the other side. She
ran up the hill, and through the forest. Angel didn't out fox him; he
was waiting for her on the edge of the trees. He too knew a short cut a
lot faster than hers. She rubbed her backside, and laughed. Angel
pushed the memories aside and thought, "I sure hope that path is still
there, as she made her way towards the thicket".

********

The sweat was pouring off Jay's forehead even though it was cool
outside. He knew he was burning up with fever. And for the very first
time he thought, "he was going to die".

Jay jumped; something was coming closer to him. He reached down to get
his pistol; even though he knew deep down that wasn't going to stop a
big 300 lb. black bear. But, his pistol wasn't there; it must have
fallen out when he was tumbling down the hillside. Jay could hear the
sounds of something big tearing at the thorny vines only a few feet
from him. He knew that bear would not go away.

*******

Angel was on the upper side of the thicket. She was hoping the bear
hadn't already found Jay. She held the light up high so she could see
ahead of her. Angel could see something hanging on a vine; it was a
piece of Jay's shirt.

Angel thought about calling out to him; but thought best of it because
of that darn bear. At last she spotted him; she cried out "Jay"! He was
laying face down on the ground. He did not move; her heart felt like it
turned over in her chest. Angel thought, "I'm to late".

****

Jay was dreaming of Angel, and he could hear her sweetly calling his
name.

Angel bent down and yelled, "Jay, Jay can you hear me?"

Jay opened his eyes, and said, "You really are my Angel from above,
aren't you"? "Yes, I guess I am" Angel, responded. She leaned over, and
kissed him". She told him, "I have to get you out of here"! It took
everything in her to get him to his feet. Slowly they made their way
back to Gabby. Angel put him on the horse, and noticed there was a
trail of blood behind them. She also knew that bear; was tracking them,
she could feel it.

Angel lightly kicked Gabby, and they rode back to her cabin.
She could feel Jay's body going limp. She knew he was passing out
again. They reached the cabin, and she dismounted, he slid off into her
arms.

Angel helped him get into bed, and gave him a glass of the whiskey to
drink to kill the pain. She quickly mended his wounds, and thought,
"all he needs now is plenty of rest".

Angel decided she would go out, and feed the horses before she too
turned in. She led Gabby into the barn rubbed her down, and gave each
of them grain, and water.

Angel picked up her shotgun, and stepped outside, she saw the bear. It
was at the cabin door, it had followed the trail of blood.

Angel placed her gun up on her shoulder; just as the bear turned
slightly she shot it above the ear. The old bear topped over sideways.
Angel walked over, and poked it with the barrel of the gun. She said,
"I was hoping you wouldn't show up until morning."

Angel looked in at Jay, and he was still sleeping.

She glanced back at the bear, and said "Well, I got my work cut out
for me tonight, but you are both well worth it"!
(To be continued)

1