Counting the Miles

Sunflower Seeds

SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Maybe the police only posted signs in Virginia. Hopefully. I need to face my fear of people. Talking to them is the only way to find help. And right now we need help. I need money and food and water. My brain fills with the things I need or want desperately. I want a huge hamburger with some fries. And a tall cold ice tea. But I need some water and maybe some healthier food.

My stomach spins and I hug it attempting to tame it. Davis turns in his saddle and looks at me. I look at him back. “I’m fine. Let’s keep moving.” Right as the words came out of my mouth I hear the rattling of a train on tracks. It makes the earth vibrate like an earthquake. Something draws me closer to the sound. I want to see it. I kick Montoya’s sides and she starts off toward the tracks. Once I first see them I get excited and thoughts start running through my head. If we leave behind the horses we could jump on the train and catch a ride to somewhere other than right here. Horses originated in the wild anyways right? They could easily survive.

I tell Davis my ingenious idea. He replies, “We can’t just leave the horses for dead! And we have to find the person who killed your parents. We can’t just jump on a train. Do you even know how?”

“Davis, we don’t know where we are going! This could take us far away.” I jump off Montoya and start running. I hear Davis running after me.

“Charlie!” He grabs me by the arm and pulls me back. “You know you can’t do that.” He looks at the train. “Do you see how fast it’s moving? Only an idiot would jump on that.”

“What else are we going to do?” Davis doesn’t answer. I feel a lump form in my throat. We’re lost and hungry and even though I have Davis and the horses, I feel more alone as ever. I lean into his arms and he increases his strength on my waist. I contemplate whether I should keep doing this, or just give up and go home. But something in my heart, maybe it’s Davis or maybe it’s the wind of the rushing train, tells me I should keep moving forward. It’s time to go. I slip out of the safety of Davis’ arms and jump on Montoya’s back.

“Let’s go find your uncle,” I say. Davis just nods his head.

We walk for miles, just following the tracks. At one point we rest and take their bridals and saddles off the horses so they can eat grass and drink from the stream running on the other side of the railroad. It looks clean enough, so I take some too.

“You’re an idiot,” Davis spits.

“What?”

“That water is disgusting! Do you know what kind of animals could have done the same thing you’re doing right now?”

“Davis, it’s a running stream…the rocks filter it out. Throw my one of your protein bars.” I lift up my hand to catch it.

“Last one,” He says throwing it.

“Sorry!” I stick out my tongue.

“Fine…but I’m riding my poor horse away from this nasty stuff.” He jumps on Jasper’s bare back, grabbing on to his long black mane. He kicks the horse into a gallop through the trees. Davis looks back smiling wanting me to follow. So I stand up from my squat and step on a log next to Montoya and jump on, unsure about the muscle in my legs. They are so sore after all of this riding. Ignoring the pain, I clench my legs against my horse’s white and sweaty sides. She goes racing off towards Davis and Jasper. Sensing my stress and racing heartbeat, she slows her pace down to a canter.  I take a deep breath to communicate my comfort and press her forward.

Eventually I can see Davis and Jasper again. I stop when I see Davis slowly slide off Jaspers side. Immediately when his feet touch the ground he collapses on the grass.

“Davis!” I jump off Montoya and run to him as fast as I can. I kneel down next to his body looking for any signs of injury or any wounds. I don’t find anything. I look at his face; it’s all pale. He’s dehydrated. I leave him on the ground and hopped on my horse and galloped back to the stream. Ignoring Davis’s statements about the water before I grabbed an empty wattle bottle from his bag and scooped out some water from the stream. I close the bottle and run back to Davis.

Feeling the wind and the newly forming rain fall in my hair and face. And suddenly the whole world slows its pace. I start to think about Earth and the plants and animals and humans. The sense of life overcomes me and I count my heartbeats and slow my breathing. I feel, in my body, every time Montoya’s hooves hit the ground. I keep increasing pressure on her sides, pushing her beyond her limits. My head starts spinning, but I have to ignore it. I slide off and run; trying my best to stay in a straight line; leaning on the trees as I move along. The water bottle in hand, I reach Davis. I don’t know if I should force him to drink or just wait until he wakes. If I wait then all of that running was a complete waste.

I decide to wait. I set the water down on top of a huge rock. I look at Davis and kiss his sweaty forehead. I place my head on his chest and squeeze my eyes closed pushing back the tears. I find my body shaking from the cold rain that drops down from the sky. I just want to be home. I want to be in the bakery stealing cookies from the shelves. I want to be in the barn sitting on those old and creaky steps. I want to be in my room looking out my window at Davis sitting on that beautiful willow tree.

 

+++

 

I don’t know when I fell asleep, but I woke up right as Davis tries to move me off him. His face is still pale, but looking at the empty water bottle, he’s had something to drink. I look up into his eyes.

“I told you to drink.”

“I didn’t think.” He turns his head away from me. I brush my fingers through his sopping wet hair.