V. is for The Mountain girl (Chapt.6)

The Mountain Girl
Chapter (6)
Jess, and The Copperhead

Angel washed the dishes, and patiently listened as Beth, explained her,
days adventure. Beth promised not to leave the cabin, without telling
someone, where she, was going.

Angel said, "my thoughts were running wild!" I imaged all sorts of
things had happen to you. Beth threw her arms around her, and muttered,
"Oh, mama, I'm so sorry I, worried you."

Angel gave her a big hug, and told her, "off to bed with you, now as
she, tucked her, in, and gave her, a kiss."

Jay yawned, and mumbled, "I am going to bed I, have had enough
excitement for one day!" Jess said, "So have I!" Angel gave them both a
kiss on the cheek, and said, goodnight guys."

Angel washed the tomato jars, and put them away. She thought, of the
baby fox, she, peeked out the door. He was lying on the porch. Now,
what are we going to do with you? Well! I see you have had plenty to
eat as she, noticed the steak bone in the yard. I suppose you got most
of Beth's, supper didn't you?

"The fox stared up at Angel. Angel said aloud, "You're going to be a
little stinker aren't you?"

Angel had just slid into bed when she, heard the door open. She
thought, "Beth if that's you, messing around with that fox, you're
going to get a spanking. I too, have had enough for one day, as she,
climbed out of bed.

Angel peeked out the door, and it was Jess, going towards the outhouse
with Stinky, on his heels. She quietly shut the door, and creped back
into bed.

Jess, and Stinky were strolling back to the cabin when Jess, heard an
odd sound. It was coming from the make shift shed.

Jess mumbled, "It sounds like running water. We'll, check it out come
morning Stinky, I'm tired tonight!"

"Jess, Angel yelled, knocking on his door. It's time to get up!"

Jess walked in the kitchen and washed his face, in the cool water,
Angel had poured for him. Jess told, "Jay, what he, had heard last
night. It could be a spring beneath the ground pa!" "I can't mess with
that today Jess," Jay, responded. Your mama wants to put in a garden
where the old thicket used to be. I need for you, to hook up the plow
for me, when you, finish your breakfast. "Yes", papa, Jess,
stated.

"Beth" Jay said, you need to help your mama, cut the potatoes for
planting. Beth muttered, "Yes," papa!"

Jess quickly did all his chores, and ran to the shed. He looked all
around the shed; but could not find the water. He could hear some sort
of hissing sound, coming from under the shed. He, thought that's got to
be, "where it is!"

Jess got down on all fours, and peered underneath the shed. He decided
he, would have to crawl under it. Stinky set down at the opening. Jess
yelled, "move Stinky, you're in my way!" Stinky got up ran around, and
around at Jess's feet.

Jess said, "I don't have time to play Stinky!" If I can find this
stream of water, it would help mama out so much. She wouldn't have to
pack the water from the lake.

The little fox, grabbed Jess's pant leg. Jess muttered, "I've had
enough, as he, reached under the shed to retrieve a stick." But at that
moment he, saw the copperhead.

It was to late it bit him, on the back of his hand. Jess, started to
back up slowly the snake, was coming toward him. Jess was
terrified!
Stinky, ran in front of Jess, the snake, struck at the little
fox.

Jess climbed up on a wooden box, his pa, had made to store wood in.
Jess was panicking he, couldn't get his breath he, felt weak. Jess,
looked down at the snake, it had coiled up by the box.

Jess glanced around he, didn't see Stinky, anywhere. "He was trying to
tell me that snake was there," Jess, muttered.

Jess knew that animals usually crawled off to die somewhere, and it,
saddened his heart."

Jess's hand felt as though he, had stuck it into a blazing fire, and
his, arm was going numb. Jess felt himself, slowly passing out.

Angel, and Beth, watched the fox, as it ran around in circles stop, and
look back at them. Stinky came over set at Angel's feet, and stared at
her. Angel asked, "What do you want?" Stinky, ran off the porch, and
looked back at her.

Beth said, "mama" he, acts as though he, wants you, to follow him."
Angel responded, "I got work to do you, go, and play with him, for a
while."

Beth ran after the fox he, headed toward the shed. Stinky, turned, and
ran back to where Angel, was setting. Angel said, "I thought you were
going to play?"

Beth, told her, "mama" he, wants you!

An uneasy feeling came over Angel as she, watched the little fox. What
is it Stinky? Angel followed him, towards the back of the shed. The
fox, stopped at the corner of the shed.

Angel stuck out her arm, and grabbed Beth, by her shirt. She whispered,
run and get me, the hoe!

Beth said, what is it "mama?" Angel replied, "I think it's a snake!"
Angel peeped around the side of the shed. Her, heart sank when she, saw
Jess, curled up on top of the wooden box. Angel looked at the fang
marks on his hand. She noticed his hand, and arm was turning black, and
blue. She thought, "I have to kill the snake before I can get to
him."
Beth said here, "mama" she, handed her, the hoe.

The copperhead raised its, head to strike. Angel cut its, head off with
one swing of the hoe.

She shook "Jess" and said, "wake up honey, you have to try, and stay a
wake!" Angel slid her arms around him, and carried him, towards the
lake.

She yelled, "Beth, run in the house get the whiskey, a white piece of
cloth, and potatoes bring them to the lake!" Angel laid Jess, in the
mud on the edge of the lake. She quickly started packing the bite with
the mud it, had swollen so big it didn't look like a hand.

Angel was hoping this would work. Her, pa, had told her, there was
something in mud, that would break down the poison. She dabbed the
whiskey on the wound.

Angel peeled the potatoes with Jess's pocketknife, and scrapped it. She
laid the scraped potatoes on the wounds, and bandaged his hand, with
the white cloth.

Angel told, "Beth to run, and tell her, pa, what had happen."

"Jess, how do you feel," Angel, asked? He just sort of rolled his eyes,
and looked at her. Angel mumbled, "when your papa, gets here we, will
take you, home and put you, to bed!"

Jay, and Beth, rode up on the horse Beth, slid off. Angel handed Jess,
up to Jay. He whispered, "Angel that hand, does not look good!" She
wiped a tear away, and muttered, "I know!" Jay just shook his head, and
rode off with Jess, in his arms.

By the time Beth, and Angel, got back to the cabin, Jay had put Jess,
to bed.
Jess was delirious Jay, had to strap him in bed he, was in such a
state. Angel changed his, bandage on his, hand every 3 hours.

"He might be alright if we can get that infection cleared up," Jay,
stated,

Angel said, "let's go set on the porch, and get some fresh air." Beth
said, "here, pa, have a cup of coffee!" I will set with Jess a while.
Jay smiled at his daughter, and told her, "thank you sweetie."

Jay told, "Angel" I think I, should ride to The Pilot Rock, and see if
the old trapper still lives by the creek."
"Jay" that is along way, "what if you get there, and he's gone,"
Angel, asked? Jay said, "I'll have to take that chance!" "Angel" he,
has lived in these mountains for 75 years surely he, would no what to
do for a snakebite!" Angel muttered, "I suppose your right!" It's been
3 weeks now, and Jess, isn't getting any better.

"That does it than I'll, ride out first thing in the morning," Jay
responded.

Angel went in, and set by Jess's, bed he, was as white as a sheet. She
prayed silently, and drifted off to sleep."

Jay threw a blanket over Angel. He stooped down, and gave her a kiss.
He went in Beth's room and gave her, a kiss on the forehead. He walked
back into Jess's room, and said softly, "I love you son!"

Jess mumbled, "did you say something pa"? Jay smiled as he reached
over, and poked Angel. She looked up at Jay, he, pointed to Jess.

Angel leaped on the bed, and started crying as she, through her, arms
around him. She yelled how, "do you feel Jess?"

He whispered, "mama" I'm hungry. Jay laughed, and said, "He's going to
be all right!" Angel muttered, "I believe so once he, gets something in
his, tummy."

Jess said, "Papa" I want to tell you......... "Son" here's your
favorite deer stew," Angel, interrupted.

Jay asked what, "were you going to say son?"

Angel said, "I'm sorry son I, didn't mean to interrupt you."

"That's ok "mama, we'll talk about it later I'm starved," Jess,
stated.
(To be continued)

Note: "If you, or anyone you may know; should get snakebite get medical
attention right away!" This story is not true it is based on
fiction!