by Haidyn N.
#11 for point of views: Cory’s point of view when he heads down the mountain to get help and is grabbed by Deputy Hugh Baker. (Trouble with Treasure)
Jenny and Cory, who are married, have a little girl named
Celia who is five years old. Cory and Jenny met when Andi, their best friend,
invited them to come with her and Mitch, her brother, to go and fix up ranch
hand cabin’s and restock them. Many years later Jenny and Cory married and
moved to Tacoma, Washington, Jenny’s hometown, and they now have a small livery
business of their own.
Cory Blake walked into his humble house in Tacoma,
Washington, and immediately was greeted by his daughter. Daddy, Daddy!” Celia
cried as she jumped into her daddy’s arms. “Tell me a story!!!!” She begged as
he sat her on his lap gently.
“Oh, I don’t know Celia, I’m pretty tired!” He joked
ruffling her hair.
“ Oh Cory! Please!” Cory’s wife, Jenny, pleaded walking in
with a pile of clothing.
“Alright, what story do you want to hear?”
“How about when you left me and Andi to go find help for
Mitch! You never told us the rest of the story!” Jenny explained.
“Perfect story! Let’s see, after Mitch got shot, I packed
myself some supplies and headed off. . ….
------------------
I trotted Flash away
from the cabin, my friends, and safety. I groaned, being the head man will be
much harder than it had seemed, just a day ago to my eager childish self, when
Mitch had asked me to take care of Andi and Jenny. I thought as we rode on.
Though I didn't know if I‘d see them again, I knew I had a job to do, and I would not
fail the girls, nor Mitch. The path began growing thicker, so I slowed
down. We trotted past the same landmarks
I had seen close to the cabin, and hurried past the rock the crew and I had hid
behind as Mitch confronted the men.
I shivered despite the heat. Was it only yesterday that we
had to see Mitch shot, and Andi, his sister, had to fix him up. I sighed, they
were counting on him, and he would do the job. I nudged Flash into a faster
gait and headed deeper into the woods. The leaves rustled in the wind, and the
stream gurgled in a beautiful tune. I relaxed and braced himself for the long
ride. Two hours later I woke up later to falling flat on my face on the ground…
Present
day.
Cory, you fell asleep?” Jenny burst into giggles.
“Why yes, but I was younger and I had woken up really early,
" Cory argued.
“Sure, sure, whatever.” Jenny rolled her eyes.
“What happened next Daddy?” Celia continued nudging his
shoulder.
“Well, I fell off Flash, and I immediately woke up and found
that I was lost.”
--------------------
I glanced around rubbing my face. The trees looked the same,
but the path and the river were gone. “What have I done?” I cried, crumpling to the ground in a heap. I
looked around for my horse, who was nowhere to be seen. “FLASH!!” I yelled.
Flash popped out of the brush and nudged my hand, nickering
softly. I thought for a moment, as I mounted Flash, maybe he would find his way
back to town. I knew this would be my last chance. So I let Flash have his head
hoping he would find his way.
After a while, I became hungry, so we stopped, and I pulled
out my gunny sack, which I had prepared beforehand. The contents I had packed
was beef jerky, and an apple which I gave to Flash, who crunched it down
greedily. I gnawed on the jerky and rode Flash further while the sun fell
downwards..
It became colder as it got darker, I pulled my jacket
tighter against myself, and glanced around. I still hadn’t found the main trail
yet. Suddenly Flash tripped and me, not ready for the fast movement, pitched
over the saddle and fell to the cold shrubbery. I moaned and rubbed my face, my
head pounded. I had fallen off Flash and hit my face on a rock, that would
explain the crusted blood. I thought, wiping my hand on my pants.
Present
day
“And that would explain the scratch on your face, when you
showed up at the cabin.” Jenny thoughtfully remembered.
Cory sighed. “You're
worse than Andi, let me finish the story Jenny.” Cory mumbled. Jenny laughed
and continued folding the clothes as Cory continued. “As I got up from the dirt, I recovered my
wits and discovered something had found my gunny sack, and my food, which
supposedly fell off Flash.”
-------------------
An animal was sifting through my food. I sadly noticed. I
was about to rush towards the animal, but common sense filled me, this could be
a dangerous animal. So I slowly walked toward Flash, who was several yards away
and very jumpy, and reached for Mitch’s pistol.
Suddenly like lightning a huge animal lunged from the trees
and grabbed the animal. It looked at me for a second but then dashed off. I
gasped. A cougar! I blasted my gun
towards the animal, but missed. “A
cougar…. In the tree….. Right above me…” I
breathed out, hands on my knees.
I calmed down a minute later, and walked over to my gunny
sack, “ Nothing left.” I sighed, kicking dirt over the ripped bag. Suddenly I
remembered something. The girls! “The cougar may hunt down the horses and find
the girls.” I thought aloud, “Dear Lord,
I prayed immediately, Protect them please, I can’t be there with them and I
don’t know how Mitch is doing so please keep the girls inside, and please
protect me too, help me to find the town for Mitch. In Jesus Name, Amen. I
remounted Flash and hurried away.
Present
day
“Aw you are so sweet Daddy, you prayed for mama and Aunt
Andi!” Celia acknowledged. Aunt Andi was what Jenny and Cory told Celia that
they could call their friend. Cory smiled.
“I didn’t know you prayed for us Cory, that is so sweet, and
that's where the cougar came from too!” Jenny agreed.
“Well, Cory sheepishly grinned, I was really worried about
you three and yes, I wish I shot the cougar, but anyways, finally we found the
trail.
------------------
“Almost there buddy!” I patted Flash. “We finally found the
trail, but now I’m starving!” That racoon or whatever it was stole the rest of
my food.” I whined. All I could do now was to ignore my growling stomach, the
pound of my head, and arrive in the town to get help, and then food.
FInally, an hour
later, high noon, I saw the town and quickly nudged Flash into a lope. Once we
reached town, I pulled Flash to a stop and dismounted. I turned around and
started to run towards Mrs. Simmons' house, she used to be a nurse in the war,
and thankfully helped Jenny when she cut her head when they found the
rattlesnake.
But since I wasn’t looking at my surroundings, I collided
into a not so friendly face. “Hey there boy, stop this monkey business, or I’ll
have you arrested. The man cried pushing
me away from him.
I glanced at the man. Hugh Baker! The unemployed deputy who
used to live at Freno! I remembered. “Well hello boy, haven’t seen you for a
while, getting yourself into trouble again I see.”
I ignored his rudeness “Hugh! Am I glad to see you, Mitch,
he was shot in the leg, and now Mitch, Andi, his sister, and Jenny are stuck in
the cabin up in the mountains a half a day's ride from here!” I quickly
explained.
Hugh’s face turned from a frown to a glare. “What didja say
boy?”
I was about to explain again, but Hugh pulled me into an
alleyway. “Who shot him?” he questioned.
“Two men!” I cried.
“Please we need to go find Mrs. Simmons the nurse,, I know where she lives,
Mitch is in trouble!”
Hugh smiled an evil grin.
“Oh sure boy, but first, we are going to find our horses and then I’ll
come with you to Mitch.” Hugh remarked.
“But shouldn’t we find more help? I questioned, confused.
“Nah, I’m coming with
you, but you can either come quietly or I’ll have to tie you up?”
I quickly realized
what Hugh was gabbling about. I quickly walked backwards and pulled the gun
from my back pocket, which I had stored earlier for safekeeping. “Actually, you
don’t have to do anything, I already have someone coming with me, thanks for
your help.” I dashed away from the alley but didn’t get far. I was jerked
backwards, and my gun was ripped away from me, and I quickly was zipped around
to face Hugh.
His face was bright red. “I guess you chose the hard way.”
Hugh dragged me towards my horse with a hand across my mouth.
But before Hugh could get a better grip, I twisted away from
his grasp. “HELP!” I cried, but that was all I could say before Hugh punched me
into darkness.
Present
Day
“Daddy this is scary” Celia cried covering her face.
Cory comforted Celia. “Really Celia, it’s okay, I made it!”
“Did that really happen to you?” She asked.
“Yes it did honey! Every word!” Cory winked.
“So, what happened after Hugh punched you?” Jenny asked
curiously.
“Well, I woke up and found myself on Flash, behind Hugh.
---------------------
I drearily woke up to the sound of horse hooves clopping in
rhythm and a horrible pounding headache. I glanced at my hands and immediately
noticed I was tied up and slung over Flash’s saddle. I struggled to look ahead
confused on where I was and why I was tied up. I observed a man holding the
lead rope and riding at a fast pace ahead of me.
Memories flooded back making me moan. Hugh glanced behind
him and grinned. “Welcome back boy, hope you learned a lesson today.”
I wheezed from the dust, and grimaced. “I sure have, never
trust a weasel like you!”
Hugh laughed and urged the horses into a gallop, which made
me, who couldn’t hold on since my hands were tied, stumbled off the horse.I
coughed and wiggled to get free, but sadly couldn’t before Hugh pounded over to
me.
He stopped and dismounted. “Since you can’t behave, I guess
I’ll have to gag you.” Hugh announced, hastily snatching his bandana and
wrapping it around my mouth.I couldn't get a good breath, my left eye felt
swollen shut , and my back was aching from the fall. Hugh lugged me into the saddle again, and
mounted his own steed.
Hugh chuckled. “Your friend and her brother are sure going
to be surprised when they see us coming in, this evening.”
My face burned with shame, since I had failed. The day
didn't go better for me, I was starving and Hugh didn’t look eager to share his
lunch as we rode. I drifted in and out of sleep during the day, hungry,
worried, and thirsty. I prayed someone would be there already taking care of
them, but knew that no one knew what had happened. I sadly thought.
“Get off the
horse.” commanded Hugh dragging me off Flash. I was thrown to the ground and
wiggled to sit up, but Hugh kicked me back down. “No trouble from you now, I’m
filling up my canteen, so no tricks ya hear?”
I nodded. Hugh ripped off my gag and walked towards the
river. I sucked in huge gulps of air immediately. I looked around and noticed a
brown leather bag next to him. I recognized it, my gunny sack, which the animal
had gobbled down my food. I grimaced. We were almost there, I thought. Hugh
came back, gagged me again to keep me quiet, and headed towards the cabin.
Present
day
Jenny stood up, “Alright Celia, let's get ready for your
nap.”
“Yes Mama, but when I'm ready, could I listen to the rest of
the story before I go?” Celia pleaded.
“Oh only if it’s okay with your Daddy.” Jenny explained.
Cory looked at his daughter’s pleading face and gave in.
“Fine with me!”
Celia whooped and dashed for her nightgown. Little later,
Celia came back in and slumped on their carpet, with Jenny, next to Cory.
“Where were we again?” Cory questioned.
“You made it to the
cabin!” Celia replied.
“Right Celia, thanks for remembering!” Cory replied ruffling
her hair. “So we made it to the cabin, but Hugh set me up next to it, outside
the door, that way they couldn’t see me. But instead of him hiding until dark,
he went straight to the door.
----------------------
I watched as the door opened, and Hugh found the girls.
Finally Hugh pulled me inside the cabin after confronting them. Andi and Jenny
tried to untie my ropes, while Mitch glared at Hugh. But before the girls could
untie me, or take off my gag. Hugh shoved them aside. “The boy has got to learn
his manners”
I stared at the girls as they looked at me. I knew what they
noticed. My black eye, my scrape on my cheek, and the dust and grit mixed in my
face.
“Where's the money?” Hugh questioned.
I was confused. But the girls knew what he was talking about
and brought in many bags from Fresno County’s bank that were stolen a week ago.
Finally, darkness came, and Hugh, the snake that he was,
tied us up, Mitch too. Thankfully he took off
my gag. Andi, Jenny and I made plans for what to do, so we could catch
him and return the money to the rightful owners. So once morning came, we put
the plan into action.
When Andi had to feed Hugh, she grabbed the rattlesnake and
flung it at him. I lunged for the gun, since he untied us all, and grabbed it,
but Hugh was too fast, and Andi was captured.
I laid the gun on the table, for fear of Andi’s safety, and
Andi was released. But before Hugh could snatch it, Jenny smacked Hugh with a
frying pan. I grabbed the gun, while Andi sawed the bonds off of Mitch, then I
gave the gun to him once he was free.
After the plan was finished, and Mitch kept Hugh contained,
Mitch sent me to get help again. So I headed out and this time brought back
help. Mrs. Simmons, and many men came willingly and quickly to help.
Ten days later, we got to go back home, and received prize
money for our courage and bravery, as well as recovering the bank money.
Present
day
“And that’s the story Celia!” Cory remarked.
“Thanks Daddy!” Celia
cried hugging him, then obediently skipped to her bedroom to take her nap, with
Jenny following.
Once Celia was sleeping, Jenny hurried to find Cory.
Finally, she found him in their own livery. She walked over to him. “Thanks for
the story Cory! I’m so glad I now know what happened, though I know it was a
hardship to get help!” Jenny remarked.
Cory laughed and put his arm around her. “You are worth it!”
He kindly complimented.
“Thanks Cory! I guess you could say your journey saved
Mitch's life, you know?”
Cory laughed “I suppose so, but I know that it was not me
who saved you all, it was God! With Him all things are possible! Even with some
minor setbacks, God works it out for good!!” Cory admitted!
Jenny nodded “Praise
Jesus for working all things out for good!”
she cried!
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