Turning a New Leaf

by Caitlyn B.

Memory Creek Ranch 1887
At the kitchen table

I flipped through the thin pages of my journal. Morning sun glinted brightly through the glass windows; a sweet smell of apple pie came from the oven. I smiled at my beautiful new home, yet still missing the circle C ranch house. Just then, I bent my head, Jotting more words into my journal--

Bang bang!!

I rose from the wooden chair slowly. I was extra careful about my baby. I have heard stories of people being careless and... 

The unfinished thought made me feel bitter. I knew the end of my thought.  I fumbled for the door knob. “H-hello?” I shaded my eyes.

“C'mon Andi you locked the door.” Riley chuckled the chuckle that made me turn red. He laughed louder at my burning face. Wiping his eyes with the shirt sleeve he said, “ Oh I am sorry Andi.” 

“No problem Riley.” I rolled my eyes and went inside. I was suddenly alert. Was the pie ready? “One way to find out,” I whispered in such a way where if I was in a fight, the others would back down. I opened the hot oven, pulled the apple pie out, and dropped it on the small table. It clattered for a bit. I was busy finding a knife. “Riley, do you want to cut the pie?” I asked cheerfully.

“I would be delighted Mrs. Prescott.” Riley smiled. After Riley cut the pie and tasted it, he said: “This is good!”  

Really?I took a bite. “It is!” I dropped my fork and clapped my hands. I did it! I really did it.

The happiness lasted less then fifteen minutes. I really just clapped my hands for myself and smiled. Anyways, around dinner-time, Riley did not come home. Instead, someone knocked at the door. "The door is unlocked, Riley." 

I remembered this morning where I unlocked the bolts. “Riley this is not a joke,” I whispered under my breath, yet still going to the door. I only found two strangers with a gun. I gulped. “W-who are you?” I asked worriedly. 

“Never mind who we are,” said a masked face. 

“Yea and don't gimme' any funny business,” added the other masked face. 

I shivered. My stomach fluttered. “What do you want?” I suddenly asked. 

“We need to be hidden... And we are hungry,” they said.

I thought it was pretty silly but when someone has a gun pointed at you . . . well, you know what I mean. “Come in.” I said. 

They did not want dinner apparently. But they did want my pie! I was mad. I made that yummy pie. I was planning to have it again. But no. They wolfed it down. “Where is Riley?” I asked alarmed. 

“Dead,” answered one. 

“No he is--” The other did not finish. The first one hit him and muttered things . . . bad things.  

I had a jim-dandy idea. “I need to go upstairs.” 

“No problem, little lady.”  Little lady... Little lady.... Now where had I heard that name? Oh-oh, no! No it cannot be! NO! I said nothing. I took the stairs two at a time. When I was finally up in my safe room. I screamed in my pillow and ran my small fingers through my thick hair. “It's Jed.”

I knew what to do. I was a crack shot now. I went to Riley's side of the bed and picked up his rifle. It was loaded. I walked downstairs and quickly shot three bullets. Jed went down, and so did the other one. I went outside to saddle Shasta to find Riley. I went sixteen miles north and finally found him... 

He greeted me. “Howdy Andi . . . those skunks.” He blew out a breath. I knew what he meant. We both rode home silently, but a peaceful silence. I smiled. 

“It could have been a lot worse,” said Riley. 

“I agree.”

After a nice warm bath, I went to the bed. Riley took the (hopefully) dead bodies out of our house. Then a horrible thought came to my mind. What if I did NOT kill them? What if they are still alive? I shivered under the warm blanket. Riley came up soon after. “What if they are alive but unconscious?” I asked, still alarmed. 

“Andi, it's fine. They are GONE,” Riley answered. 

“Sure... like I could believe that,” I whispered under my breath. Yet, I still went to sleep peacefully.
 

***

The next day, I stood by the kitchen table. Trembling. I was afraid, afraid of what the day might bring. Would Jed and his 'pal' come back? But my fear quickly vanished as I remembered that mother was coming to dinner along with Chad and Ellie, and Mitch and Libby. Oh yes, I forgot, Libby Flanders was ENGAGED to Mitch! 

Anyways Justin and Lucy were coming too. Chad and Ellie lived with Mother. Even though it was morning, I thought I should start right away! But... just as I thought. Jed returned. He banged his way in and said, “Howdy little lady.” He greeted me in a deep tone. 

I did NOT fall for that. I reacted right away! Grabbing the gun I had leaned on the wall, I pointed the gun barrel at Jed and he immediately reacted as well. Pulling a VERY expensive gun out on me. He probably stole it.

“I wouldn't try that, little lady. I really wouldn't,” he warned, but then added, “You killed my pal.“ Nevertheless, I kept the gun steady. He took the hint. But of course he had to block me. Jed moved his gun and missed on purpose, to scare me, to show he was not joking. (If you are playing chess and make a wrong move. The game is most likely OVER FOR YOU. It depends on how bad that move could be.) 

I screamed. “RILEY!”  

He ran downstairs. “Andi, I told--” His eyes widened. 

Jed ran for the door, but at the door he stopped. “This is it. No more.” After all that happened he actually asked, “Jesus helps you, doesn't he?” he said in defeat.  

“Y-yes Jed.” I answered. 

He smiled. “Thank you.” 

I was shocked. He almost murdered me. Jed went out the door. 

“All's well that ends well,” said Riley.

I nodded, dumbfounded.


TWO YEARS LATER

Jared Riley Prescott was a year and a half old and always picking in my carpet. I always picked him off it. But he kept trying to eat things on the floor. He almost succeeded yesterday. I Grabbed him quick! 

Jed had been in jail. After his release, he visited me and Riley and Jared. “Hello Mrs....”  

"Prescott,” I said to him. 

“Right. Mrs. Prescott, I was wondering about the Bible. I do not quite understand it.” 

WOW, HE MIGHT BE A CHRISTIAN SOON.  I hiked Jared up my shoulder and said, “If you have questions, go to the church.” I pasted a smile on my face. 

"Thank you, Mrs. Prescott.” He tipped his hat and went out the door. 

“Riley--” 

Riley knew. “I know, Andi.” 

I made a stew that day.  And again, it was good. Oh yes, if you were wondering... Mother and everyone else came the day after Jed asked a question about Jesus.

END NOTE
 

I have had many adventures. And this is the end of one. But that does not mean that I am all done. It is just the beginning of my new adventure.

Psalms 119:105
Your word is a light to my feet and a light to my path.