Discovering Time

Robert

I dreamed of a man carrying Anita far into the distance - crossing the dark, snake-infested field. The moon began to rise over the snow topped mountains that hung over like remnants to long-lost kings. 

Anita was cold, but completely unaware of how far she was going away from civilization and comfort. She left behind her cold in the empty absence of her body within my bed. 

I woke up with a start, rushing out of the bedroom to find the bed empty. The covers were strewn over, and the broken glass from the window littered the floor. 

I put on my boots, ran outside, and sounded my gun off in the trees. When that accomplished nothing more than scaring off a bunch of birds, I strode into the mayor's yard - a place I would never trespass except on certain occasions, and stole his horse. I kicked the horse, kicking him incrementally harder, as we raced up the hill. The horse reared and kicked in protest, but I managed to make him zig zag up the mountain to make sure he would not fall over the cliff, until we finally descended the top of the mountain. 

I dismounted the horse, allow him to graze the grass and rest, as I looked out over the cliff to the valley.

Looking over, I saw the remnants of arrows and fallen fruit heading towards the mountains. The wind moved hauntingly through the trees. 

I pulled the horse back around, going back down the hill towards the mayor's house. I saw his wife as she exited the house. 

"Robert? What's going on?" asked his wife, running up to me. 

I  dismounted the horse, tying it to the pole. 

"It's my wife. Mrs. Wentforth" I say.

"The half-Indian lady?"

"She was taken by the Nez Pearce."

"Well, isn't she half-Indian anyway? It might do her better to be around her own kind."

"I promised myself to protect her. Doesn't that matter?"

She stared hard at me, as if she guessed more than what I was saying. 

"Jim" she yelled, "It's Robert. His wife has been taken by the Indians."

The mayor came out. He was a much older  man with a mustache curling up around his jaw joints. He spit out his chewing tobacco, giving me a look of disapproval before taking his horse. Then he hoisted himself up on,  climbed over the mountain, and then came back while we were eating breakfast. 

"They moved her to Yellowstone. I reckon it was one of those situations where they wanted to take revenge on someone in town. They'll be back I reckon."

He put his hand on my back and looked at me. 

"It's best not to think of her son. You two couldn't get along as it is. The Chief will get over her, and she'll find her way back."

I wanted to believe him as I watched his calm countenance as he ate dinner, but I couldn't help feeling that there was something wrong in his confidence.