Jerimiah's Gold

Prologue

Frederick rolled me a cigarette as we sat beside the spring that cut through the middle of our camp in California. California, and this gang alike, have become my home. The Californian hills and valleys offered a magically different scenery than the Mexican desert I was born in. The Blaine's had taken me in as their own a long time ago, but today was the day I left the herd. I had spoken with a man in Belle Haven about a map that led to an extreme large amount of riches.

"It's dangerous," Frederick stated in a deep, gravely voice, "you have no clue about the legitimacy of the location, let alone the gold itself."

"I know it's dangerous," I said after I lit my cigarette, "but a thousand in gold is hard to talk down." My words allowed the smoke in my lungs to escape into the atmosphere.

Frederick took a long drag before saying, "When Deak and I went to get Caroline. It was hard, very, very hard to not think about y'all's safety at the camp. Leaving you and mother alone to fend for yourself for that long, I feel guilty for."

I put my hand on his shoulder and lightly caressed his back, "But we were fine," I reassured, "there were no problems, and besides, we had Davis and pa."

He snorted at that remark, and I understood his feelings. We both inhaled and exhaled smoke simultaneously before he stood to his feet and offered his hand out to help me to mine. I declined his offer and stood by myself. Frederick's eyes have become soft with his age. His lightly brown hair is now a mess of black and gray streaks, his face had become sunken, but it refrained from looking sickly, his eyes had become a mixture of soft tenderness and a bitter rage for the world. Frederick hadn't become the man I knew him to be, he instead grew into the man the whole gang needed.

"You'll be gone many days, possibly months. You'll be without shelter and a knowledge of security. You will be isolated, alone, afraid, and most of all vulnerable. If you're still confident that you'll find this myth, then there's no stopping your strength. Just, for all of us, be safe." He exhaled his smoke to the left of us so it wouldn't get in my face.

"I understand, and I'm confident that I'll be fine." I gave him a warm smile to ward off any negative emotions.

Caroline brought me my bags.

"Here they are!" She said excitedly.

"You seem happy about my departure." I joked with her.

"Well, since I can't come along, I gave you some things to remember me by." She exclaimed joyfully opening the bag she had packed. "I put as much salted, preservable meats I could, but I also gave you an arrangement of pictures and my favorite flowers."

I pulled out a clear plastic container that held a bundle of assorted orchids and roses, and daisy's, and tulips.

"They're all very beautiful, Caroline, thank you."

"Then I put in a picture of the whole family," she leaned in closely to whisper, "I scratched out Davis and pa's face so you didn't have to." She bit her tongue as she smiled to hold back a childish laughter.

"Caroline Blaine, you are something else." We laughed and shared an embrace before I put all the items back into the bag.

"I'd like to say goodbye to mother, Frederick." I said softer.

Frederick nodded his head and tossed his finished cigarette into a small puddle he used to dispose of all his cigarettes. He led me to mother's tent and a sense of sorrow had placed its weight upon my shoulders. We entered through the curtain that worked as a door. The smell of sickness flooded the air. Frederick removed his dirty straw hat upon entry.

"Mother," he spoke softly, "Klara would like to say goodbye."

Mothers eyes fell onto me and she attempted to sit up, but fell back into her bed. Frederick ran to her aid, and sat her up by propping the expensive pillows we had stolen for her. She breathed heavily for a short moment, before leading her eyes to my direction. She shooed a softened Frederick out of the tent, and he was not hesitant to follow the order.

She put her hand out to me as I sat in the uncomfortable wooden chair beside her bed. I took her hand and held it firmly, but generously. She inhaled to speak, coughed for a bit, then inhaled again.

"You are a wonderful woman, Klara," she said, my eyes now tearing up, "I've always held a lot of respect for you."

"I respect you immensely as well, mother."

"Please, call me Eshay." She put her hand up dismissively.

"Eshay? You've never told me your name before."

"There's a lot of things I haven't told anybody. One of those things is my love for this gang. It isn't a gang for me. You girls were chosen carefully, Caroline was saved from unfortunate events, you came to us in your darkest-"

"And you've all led me to the light." I smiled, her grip on my hand became tighter.

"Yes, well, you came to us in a very hard time for you. You have always been strong, generous, brave, and the smartest woman I've ever met." A tear rolled down her elderly cheek. "Each day, I age more and more. I'm aware of my sickness despite Freddy hiding it. One thing I want to go out with, is the fact that you're your own person. No one can hold you back, Klara Elizabeth." She said my biological name for the first time in years.

"No, Eshay, I'm a Blaine through and through." I kissed her hand and put it on her chest. "Thank you for taking me in, I will forever love this family." We shared a tearful, light, embrace.

I exited her tent after a few more sentiments. Wiona, my pure white Shire, was saddled up and my bags were strapped on her rear; along with my bedroll.

Frederick, Caroline, and I shared one last embrace. I threw my leg over my brute of a horse, and trotted away waving goodbye.