The Savage

Nineteen

Rose and I were walking arm in arm, smiling, happy, and I heard my name called, a wonderful sound in my Papa's tongue. I turned, surprised, curious. Wind Runner was at the end of the street, stretching his hand out toward me, beyond him the wild open space of the prairie. The look in his eyes was distinctly yearning, pleading for an answer. Converging like a sea of hungry wolves, white men swarmed around the brave warrior, rifle barrels gleaming in the sunlight faces full of hate. Suddenly terrified I screamed warning, but my voice was gone, no sound coming from my straining throat. I moved to run to him but I felt my arm jerk, held fast in a tight grip.

"No, Jaynie," my sister's voice was sweet, persuasive, but her eyes were utterly flat, emotionless. Her features were stiff, unforgiving. "Let the savage die. You don't need him."

I fought against her, struggling to get free but her fingers dug into my arm, blood dripping from beneath her nails. Echoes of thunder cracked wretchedly loud in the stillness. Heart cold with despair I watched in horror as Wind Runner fell, his body shuddering wildly with each impact of rifle bullets. His expressive black eyes found mine, clinging to me as life faded from them, his body sagging to the ground. I started screaming.

"Let the savage die, Jaynie," Rose's voice was a hypnotic whisper in my ear, snaking unwanted apathy through my veins. "Let the savage die."

My eyes snapped open with a jolt of fear, my skin wet with cold sweat. My heart was racing, throat dry and I started to tremble. Beside me, sleeping deeply and undisturbed, was Rose. I sat up slowly, watching her as though she would suddenly transform into a viper and strike at me. I had been without the dreaded nightmare for months, and its return shattered the peace I'd known so briefly. Shaking, I got up and stepped over her to the ladder, climbing down.

"You okay?" Her voice made me jump and I whirled around to see Mamma in the doorway of her room.

"I had the dream."

"Honey," she came to me instantly, wrapping me in a comforting hug. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's always the same, Mamma," I tried to slow my rapid heartrate. "I just...it's been so long."

"Do you want me to stay up with you Jaynie?"

"No." pushing my hair back behind my ear, I met her eyes. "I'd like to take a walk."

"Jaynie-" her protest died although the worry in her features did not. "Be careful."

"I will. I'll return."

Taking a clean shawl from the hook near the ladder, I left the house moving out through the silver moonlit yard. The air was warm, crickets chirping happily in the brush. My bare feet were silent on the green grass.

"Miss Jaynie?"

Looking up with a gasp, I took a step back as Toby appeared from the shadows, blowing smoke from his lips. The tip of his cigarette glowed faintly in the dark. I wrinkled my nose at the scent as he rubbed it out. A common habit among all races, yet I did not care for it, and was grateful Frank had given it up soon after marrying Mamma.

"Where're you goin'?"

"For a walk." I paused, wrapping my shawl tighter around my shoulders. "I need the fresh air. Why are you up?"

"I like the night," he grinned easily. "You want comp'ny?"

"No, thank you." Glancing back at him once, I moved toward the small river and belt of trees with Toby's eyes following me, concerned. Instead of stopping at the banks of the waterway when I reached it, I hiked my sleeping gown up and crossed to the far side. Scarcely had I got there when I felt his presence, though I had not seen him yet.