The Young Riders: Buck Cross Prompt 063 -- Summer
Title: One More River
Fandom: The Young Riders
Characters: Buck Cross, Teaspoon, Polly, Kid, Lou, Jeremiah, Theresa
Prompt: 063 -- Summer
Word Count: 497
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The Pony Express has ended, and the Civil War has torn the Express family apart. A few of them decide to strike out across the country to Oregon and a fresh start.
Author's Note: This is section 25 of a continuing story dealing with the journey from Rock Creek, Nebraska, to the West Coast via the Oregon Trail.
Summer was in full force, the heat almost visible, as they started west again.
Under normal circumstances, Buck wouldn’t have traveled in this heat. It was dangerous for the people and the animals; much better to wait for the cooler evening hours.
Of course, these weren’t normal circumstances - as he had reminded himself so often over the last few days.
Since they had been camped near the river for a couple of days, he figured the animals wouldn’t suffer too much in the heat. They’d had a chance to rest and to eat and drink their fill. And he certainly wasn’t planning to try and make a full day’s distance that afternoon.
He was more concerned with the people. No one had eaten or slept much in recent days, so the heat would take a greater toll.
But that camp had simply held too many memories, none of them good. And he really didn’t want to chance a repeat of Doris Hanlon’s attempt to be buried with her husband. That had shaken him, so he could only imagine how the woman’s daughters had felt.
Yes, some distance from that site was definitely a good idea.
Packing the wagon had actually gone very quickly. By the time he finished filling in the grave and piling some river rocks on top, the Hanlon girls had their mother somewhat sedated with the strong willow bark tea.
While Dottie stood watch to make sure Doris didn’t wake up and try anything else, Buck and Julie packed everything back into the wagon. The inside still smelled of death, but there was nothing more they could do right now except roll the sides of the wagon cover up a bit to allow more air in.
Dottie and Julie got Doris into the wagon while Buck hitched the oxen, and then they started out.
Buck had gotten the oxen moving, and then he watched as Julie and Dottie stood still, staring at their father’s grave. He knew they were saying goodbye, so he let them have their time. It wasn’t a problem as long as they didn’t try to stay.
Finally, he saw Julie take her sister’s arm and start forward. The sisters closed the distance, helping to drive the other animals along behind the wagon.
When they rolled over the next hill and the old camp was out of sight, Buck finally relaxed - a little. He knew those first steps were the hardest ones, just like the first days after Ike’s death had been hardest on him.
He turned his attention westward, looking ahead now. They still had a long way to go, and if Doris didn’t improve soon it would seem even longer.
With just a little luck they could make Ash Hollow today, and maybe even rest there for a day if the Hanlons seemed to approve.
Then it would be onward across the plains of Nebraska until they found a town where the three women could make a fresh start.
Fandom: The Young Riders
Characters: Buck Cross, Teaspoon, Polly, Kid, Lou, Jeremiah, Theresa
Prompt: 063 -- Summer
Word Count: 497
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The Pony Express has ended, and the Civil War has torn the Express family apart. A few of them decide to strike out across the country to Oregon and a fresh start.
Author's Note: This is section 25 of a continuing story dealing with the journey from Rock Creek, Nebraska, to the West Coast via the Oregon Trail.
Summer was in full force, the heat almost visible, as they started west again.
Under normal circumstances, Buck wouldn’t have traveled in this heat. It was dangerous for the people and the animals; much better to wait for the cooler evening hours.
Of course, these weren’t normal circumstances - as he had reminded himself so often over the last few days.
Since they had been camped near the river for a couple of days, he figured the animals wouldn’t suffer too much in the heat. They’d had a chance to rest and to eat and drink their fill. And he certainly wasn’t planning to try and make a full day’s distance that afternoon.
He was more concerned with the people. No one had eaten or slept much in recent days, so the heat would take a greater toll.
But that camp had simply held too many memories, none of them good. And he really didn’t want to chance a repeat of Doris Hanlon’s attempt to be buried with her husband. That had shaken him, so he could only imagine how the woman’s daughters had felt.
Yes, some distance from that site was definitely a good idea.
Packing the wagon had actually gone very quickly. By the time he finished filling in the grave and piling some river rocks on top, the Hanlon girls had their mother somewhat sedated with the strong willow bark tea.
While Dottie stood watch to make sure Doris didn’t wake up and try anything else, Buck and Julie packed everything back into the wagon. The inside still smelled of death, but there was nothing more they could do right now except roll the sides of the wagon cover up a bit to allow more air in.
Dottie and Julie got Doris into the wagon while Buck hitched the oxen, and then they started out.
Buck had gotten the oxen moving, and then he watched as Julie and Dottie stood still, staring at their father’s grave. He knew they were saying goodbye, so he let them have their time. It wasn’t a problem as long as they didn’t try to stay.
Finally, he saw Julie take her sister’s arm and start forward. The sisters closed the distance, helping to drive the other animals along behind the wagon.
When they rolled over the next hill and the old camp was out of sight, Buck finally relaxed - a little. He knew those first steps were the hardest ones, just like the first days after Ike’s death had been hardest on him.
He turned his attention westward, looking ahead now. They still had a long way to go, and if Doris didn’t improve soon it would seem even longer.
With just a little luck they could make Ash Hollow today, and maybe even rest there for a day if the Hanlons seemed to approve.
Then it would be onward across the plains of Nebraska until they found a town where the three women could make a fresh start.