Oscar's promise of returning in a few weeks would be broken, Oscar and Sam would not see each other for 7 months. Oscar would continue fleeing from the Mississippi to the reservation state of Sioux in Search of a way to redeem himself. While Oscar went in search of redemption, Sam went in search of more bloodshed, disregarding Oscar's promise to fuel his blood and money lust.
"$14.30 Mr?" The man behind the ticket stands words woke me up from a daydream, "$14.30 for a ticket two states away? Cow shit! It's Mr. Grainer, just get me my ticket." I snapped back to the ticket man, I didn't like the fake name 'Mr grainer' but it's better than getting hung. "I don't make the prices, here's your ticket." A piece Yellow monotone paper, what a luxury of the modern world. After one long trip in a tin can I was finally in Sioux. The air in Sioux was heavy with a mix of anticipation and tension as I stepped off the train. Whilst no one was looking I took a random horse tied near the station. I rode for a couple of miles to the reservation, I couldn't remember the name of the Indians living there but I'd find out, if my map was correct I wasn't too far from the reservation. The reservation sprawled before me, a patchwork of humble dwellings and weary faces. The weight of my past sins pressed upon my shoulders, but a glimmer of hope still burned within me. I knew I had to find a way to make amends, to bring some semblance of justice to the lives I had disrupted. As I made my way through the reservation, the eyes of the Indians bore into me, filled with both skepticism and a flicker of longing for a better future. Tall men whispered to pregnant women and little children, all of the skepticism of me. A large Indian man stopped me, "you shouldn't be here, we have enough trouble from army men." The man's words struck me but I wasn't deterred. "I mean no trouble, I would like to speak with an elder please." My words being as genuine as I could muster, "give me your guns and follow me." With some reluctance I handed over my double action and two rifles. I followed the tall man to a teepee, inside an older man sat near sick Indians. The two Indians began speaking in a tongue I couldn't understand, "my name is chief znedéthahă zho or broad tree in your tongue of the Omaha Ponca people, I apologize if my nephew's aggression but we've experienced long aggression from the army men." I stood before Chief Znedéthahă Zho, feeling the weight of my past sins pressing upon my shoulders. The reservation stretched out before me, a patchwork of humble dwellings and weary faces. The skepticism in the eyes of the Indians bore into me, a reminder of the trouble and aggression they had endured from the army men. I approached the chief, hoping to convey my genuine intentions. "Chief broad tree, I mean no trouble. My name is Oscar raynott-" the tall Indian interrupted me "you're the man that freed the men and women from the Pamunkey tribe, every reservation west of the Mississippi has heard of you. I'd like to talk after you're done." His voice now respectful and surprised, as he walked out of the teepee chief broad trees signaled to continue. "I come seeking redemption for the pain I have caused to my own people. I want to make amends." The chief's eyes held caution and curiosity as he listened to my words. I could sense the weight of history in the teepee, the struggles faced by his people. I continued, my voice filled with sincerity, "I have witnessed the horrors of bloodshed and greed, I am not a godly man worthy of anything but maybe even for men like me there is redemption." Chief broad trees nodded, acknowledging my sincerity. "Actions speak louder than words, Mr. Raynott. We have suffered greatly, but perhaps there is a way for you to contribute to my Ponca people, to help heal the wounds of the past." I listened intently, my gaze locked with the chief's. "I am willing to do whatever it takes, Chief." The chief leaned forward, his face etched with wisdom. "Very well, Mr. Raynott. We shall start with the ceremony of purification. It is a sacred ritual that will cleanse your spirit and set you on the path of redemption. Only then can we truly begin the journey towards healing." Hope surged within me as I realized this was the chance I had been waiting for. This was my opportunity to make things right. "Thank you, Chief broad trees. I am ready to tackle the ceremony and learn from your people." The chief stood before feeding the sick man a mushed bowl of herbs he was sitting next to, the man coughed and wheezed into a pillow like cloth around his mouth. "It's consumption," the chief said weakly. "The army men have stopped supplying medicines and drugs, our herbal medicines aren't working as well as the white man's medicine." He walked out sadly. as I followed and exited the teepee the tall Indian stopped me. "If the rumors are true then you can hold your own in a fight against the army men. My name is gthoshká tithé or as you'd say hawk arrives but please call me hawk, after your ceremony I will tell you my plan. On behalf of all tribes I thank you." Hawk walked off, disappearing into the tree line. As I left the reservation to set up camp nearby chief broad trees caught up to me. "Mr. Raynott! You forgot your guns." He rode up to me and passed me my guns, "thank you. I'll be back soon, I'd just like to set up camp 'round here." I appreciated the gesture of kindness but didn't expect his next words. "We have a free area near my teepee, if you'd like you could stay in the reserve with us." His words were so sincere it sounded like a family member said it to me. "Sure why not, when's my ceremony again?" As I passed my guns back to the chief he answered, "the ceremony will happen after a week of úwachigáxe or as you'd say dance, the dances will cleanse your spirit and will help you on your path to redemption." As he finished speaking the sounds of wagons and horses began ringing in the distance. Army wagons came bearing little medicine and herbs requested for the ceremony, "here you go chief," a tall army man yelled out to chief broad trees, "we have some medicine and as you 'needed' for your ceremony we bought some ginseng." The army man called to the chief "Thank you, our men hav-'' the chief was cut off, "don't bore me with your sick Indian lives, come get these supplies and we'll be on our way." The army man's words were filled with uncaring disrespect; I would have said something but hawk stood up before I could, "why torment us you dirty white men!" His words rang through the reservation. Before anything bad could happen, chief broad trees quickly said this to the army man. "My apologies sir, my nephew is quick to anger. Please forgive his comment." The army man scoffed and stayed quiet, after all the supplies were delivered the army rode off to who knows where. Once again after the men were gone the chief and hawk began yelling and arguing in their language, though I don't understand Ponca language I could tell both of them were very mad. After a minute or so hawk stormed off and yelled a couple of words I didn't understand before turning to me, "we're leaving, my people don't have much and we're not going to sit around and be picked at Mr. raynott. Ride with me or stay with my uncle." I was conflicted, the chief's eyes begged me not to do whatever hawk was planning but I didn't want hawk to get hurt or worse for his anger, so I slowly loaded onto my horse and rode with hawk. I hoped this decision would pan out decently. After ten or so minutes riding I began loading a rifle I picked up after I left Sam behind. "We're not using any guns, put it away Mr. raynott." Hawk said to me, still focused on the trail, "then what are we using?" His response wasn't in any words, he just passed me a spare bow and twenty or so arrows. "Hawk, I don't really know how to use a bow." I could tell he was frustrated but he still told me this. "Pull back and let go, it's like aiming your gun just more effort with holding." As the band of Indians began speeding up towards a small city I knew I would have to confront my demons again. "Stay close, everyone," Hawk whispered, his voice barely audible. "We need to move swiftly and quietly. Only shoot an arrow if necessary."
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "I'm ready, Hawk. Let's do this." Under the cover of the night, we stealthily approached the medicine store. Hawk and his fellow tribesmen moved with the grace of shadows, their years of hardship evident in their every step. I, on the other hand, felt a mix of fear and determination coursing through my veins, though I've robbed bigger things than a medicine store I was worried for the men I was with. Hawk motioned for me to stay by the entrance, his eyes filled with trust. "Raynott, keep watch here. We'll handle the inside." I nodded cautiously. "Be careful, Hawk. We need that medicine. I'll have the horses ready."
Moments later, a loud explosion rocked the building, causing chaos and confusion throughout the city. The distraction was a stroke of unexpected luck, giving us the opportunity to escape unnoticed. The sounds of smashing glass echoed in the burning city, I could hear lawmen's bells ringing in the distance, I signaled to hawk that it was time to leave. As we made our swift escape from the city, I caught a glimpse of Sam, with a sinister smile on his face. He seemed to revel in the chaos, mercilessly taking the lives of lawmen who stood in his way, yet he wasn't alone; many men followed behind him, blowing up doors and looting quickly. In only seven months he had formed a whole gang. "Sam!" I called out, my voice filled with desperation. "Stop this madness! There's another way!" He turned to me, his eyes filled with anger and defiance. "You've chosen the wrong side, Raynott," he spat. "There's no turning back now." That smile that followed us for two years began etching across his face now focused on me, but before he could turn his bloodshed on me, hawk shot an arrow into his leg and another into his right shooting arm. He screamed and fell to the floor, not dead but still horribly wounded his smile still remained yet losing its original claimed purpose to protect me and sam. With a heavy heart, I turned away from Sam and ran alongside Hawk and the Indians, retracing our steps out of the city. Fear and adrenaline coursed through my veins, but my mind raced with thoughts of the lives and relationships shattered by the violence that consumed this land. An hour or so later, we found ourselves back at the reservation, our hearts heavy with a sense of both triumph and the weight of our actions. Chief Broad Tree greeted us with a mix of relief and concern, sensing the gravity of what we had just experienced. "Welcome back, my friends," Chief Broad Tree said, his voice filled with a mixture of relief and concern. "You've returned safely."
Hawk nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "We did what we had to do, Chief. The medicine is here." The chief glared at hawk before ordering him to stay in his teepee. Chief Broad Tree's gaze shifted to me, his eyes filled with wisdom. "And what of you, Raynott? How do you feel?"
I took a deep breath, my voice filled with sincerity. "Chief, I've seen the consequences of violence and the pain it brings. I want to make amends, to contribute to the healing of your people." My admittance was genuine. "Mr. raynott are you alright? Your eyes are down." I was worried about telling him but I fessed, "I used to ride with a man named Sam Marlin, I saw him in the city running and looting the burning buildings. Hawk arrives shot him and I left him, he's not a good man but neither am I, I feel guilty." The chief paused before responding, "you're just a kid Mr. raynott, you've done bad things, but don't let others' bad actions make you feel guilty." He reassured me this before walking off to help with the ceremony setting up. The days of dancing happened and were quite fun, hawk and the other men weren't at the ceremony probably because the chief was still mad at them. But the last thing I remember from that night is the chief cutting up some mushrooms, mixing it with some snake venom and blowing it into my nose, and I woke up hours later sweating with a horrible pain in my face. The chief told me that my spirit was cleansed and redemption was soon.
YOU ARE READING
El viento de Texas ( the west Texas wind )
Historical Fiction1882 - 1889, 23 year old Oscar "Manó" raynott rides across America with his friend sam marlin; to the state of cascadia. With thousands of dollar bounties in each state, all east of the Mississippi River and in multiple other states, the newly tamed...
