Bonanza - Book 9 - " 'The Crucible' - the aftermath "

" 'The Crucible' - the aftermath "

 Adam wouldn't have been able to tell you if three days, or three weeks, had gone by. In the searing heat of the near desert, he only knew that he had run out of food and water some time ago...

He continued stumbling along, hauling the travois that carried Peter Kane. As morning turned into afternoon, of yet another day, the lack of food and water was bringing him into a state of near delirium. He thought, as well as he could, how strange it was, and if this was to be how it would all end : Dragging along a man that had first been his savior - then his apparent master - treating him as little more than a slave, in a constant battle of wits, and an apparent contest of ' who was the better man'... Adam felt the last of his strength leave him, as he fell out of the travois harness. He crawled along the sandy, dry ground, then finally collapsed into near unconsciousness.

Then he heard a voice... "Adam ! Adam !", and someone grabbed him. For a moment, he tried to struggle, and fight that person off - running on pure adrenalin - not knowing who it was, or what would perhaps happen to him, if he surrendered to that 'grab'. Then he opened his dirt encrusted eyes, to look into his own Pa's face. "Oh, Pa..." A loud sob escaped his throat, as his Father swept him up into his embrace. He was aware of two other men there, and suddenly heard their voices. " He was dragging a dead man, Pa.." then " He's been through some kind of hell.." His own brothers' voices... Another loud sob escaped him, and he felt cool water being poured on his lips, and he drank it in. Then he felt his Pa hold him again, and Adam just closed his eyes, and sobbed once more, glad that his ordeal was finally over. All the emotions of the moment, then sheer exhaustion, suddenly over took him, and he slept...

When he awoke, some time later, in the sparse shade of a straggly, stunted tree, he looked over to see his brothers digging a shallow grave, with two flat rocks. He realized that his head was resting in his Pa's lap. He went to sit up, and just fell back, and his Pa caught him. "Easy, Adam. You're not strong enough yet. Here, son, have some more water." His Pa held the canteen for him, as he steadied it against his lips, and he drank it gratefully. " Not too much, son. You don't want to get sick." Adam looked to his brothers again, laboring away in the sun. " Kane - is he dead?" Ben nodded. "Yes, son. Been dead for some time, by the look of him.." Adam just gazed off, and watched as his brothers lowered Kane's body into the shallow grave, then covered him with sand, and, finally, rocks. Adam set his jaw, and felt a sudden single tear run down his cheek. "No cross, Pa. He doesn't deserve it." He looked up into his Pa's face, and could see a look of pain, mixed with relief, as Ben nodded his head in agreement - they could just as easily have been burying two men that day...

Once the final rock was placed, Hoss and Joe walked back to where Ben and Adam were, and Hoss smiled down at him.  " Well, big brother, how about getting you back home?" Adam just nodded in agreement, and Hoss reached down to him, and pulled him gently to his feet. With Hoss on one side of him, and his Pa on the other, for support, they helped him to Ben's horse. Between the three of them, they managed to get Adam up into thesaddle, then Ben mounted up behind him. Ben reached one gentle arm around him, to steady him - despite his age, Adam was still 'his boy', after all - then Ben lifted Buck's reins, with his other hand, and the four Cartwrights rode off.

By the time they got to the nearest town, it was practically nightfall. They dismounted wearily, and headed for a small rooming house on the main, dusty street. The man at the registry desk probably wondered just who these four men were - one of them dressed in little more than rags. Ben signed them in, and they were handed their keys. Ben looked to his youngest son. " Joe, get the horses to the livery, then see if you can get something for Adam to wear." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out some cash, which he handed to his son. " Right, Pa." Adam half smiled to his youngest brother, and his dimples deepened in his grimy cheeks, as he leaned on his Pa and Hoss. " Anything, Joe, so long as it's black..." Then he winked. Joe grinned in reply. " I'll see what I can do, brother."

Ben and Hoss helped Adam up the stairs, and ordered a bath to be filled in their room, then called for a razor. A short while later, they helped Adam strip off what remained of his ragged clothes. Ben was shocked to see how thin his son had gotten - he looked ten pounds lighter, as he stepped into the tub, supported by Hoss. Hoss lowered him gently, as he submerged into the warm water. Adam smiled.       " This feels good .I didn't think I was ever going to see a bathtub again." Ben grinned. If his son could make a joke, he thought he must be feeling a little better. "I'll go downstairs, and get us something to eat." Hoss stayed with Adam, as he bathed and shaved, as he was still a little shaky on his feet. By the time Hoss had helped him out of the tub again, and Adam had dried off, Joe had returned with the new clothes : right down to socks and underwear. All black, just like Adam had requested. As Adam pulled on the black jeans and black shirt, he felt more like himself again.

The room's door suddenly opened, and Ben entered the room, carrying a tray of drinks. The man from the registry desk followed him in, carrying a stack of four covered serving dishes. The four Cartwrights were soon sitting around the room, quietly eating their meals.

To Adam, it was the most special meal they'd ever shared together...                                                                   A feeling they all shared.... 

                                                                                               The End