Tin Cup : Almost An Orphan by Delahay |
I soon realized that I should have tried t goet as much sleep as possible while I still could. It became quite elusive in a very short time. Who knew such a small creature could make so much noise? When I said as much to Helga, who looked as sleep deprived as I felt, she said rather sharply, “Well how else is she supposed to let us know something is wrong or that she needs something? It's not like she can talk.” I decided it would be better to just keep such observations to myself. After a few tense days,everyone's nerves seemed stretched pretty tight. But that changed drastically on the fourth day. I'd slept on the porch again, since Oota was staying close to Helga to help with the baby, each of them sleeping whenever they could. That morning Oota, looked much more worried than tired though. Her English may have been better than my mastery of her language, but conversations were still a mite garbled. She met me outside the cabin and and spoke in a hushed voice. “Miss Heel-ga, too hot. Sick, needs medicine.” Her words struck terror in my heart. Exhaustion and jangled nerves vanished as I stood frozen in fear. I'd heard of child bed fever. My Aunt Margaret had died from it when I was a boy. I remembered the look on my mother's drawn, tear-streaked face when she returned home after tending to her sister. Since then I'd heard of many other women who died of fever soon after giving birth. I was pulled from my thoughts by Oota tugging on my sleeve. She showed me a crude drawing she had made on a piece of bark. I was surprised to actually recognize the plant. My mother called it fever wort and had used it for many ailments. Then Oota said, “Have bark from trees at stream, for drink. You go. Need much snow.” I realized she was talking about the willow trees that grew by the stream. That was another thing I recalled my mother using. She would make tea from willow bark any time someone was feverish. I shuddered at the memory of how terrible it tasted. No amount of honey could make it better. I ran inside to see Helga before I left. She was sleeping restlessly so I tried not to wake her as I leaned over to kiss her forehead. Her skin was burning hot. I hurried back out to saddle my horse and set off as fast as I could. I'd seen a patch of the plants Oota showed me near the timberline the last time I went up the mountain to hunt for deer. I'd have to go a little higher if I wanted to find snow or ice. I saw Abe standing on the porch wringing his hands as I rode away. He looked much older to me somehow. After about an hour's ride I found the patch of fever wort. I had no idea how much was needed so I grabbed as much as I could stuff in a bag. I had to ride another four hours to reach the snowline. I compacted the snow as much as I could and wrapped it in pieces of sheepskin before putting it in my saddlebags. I'd put some straw in the bags before I left and hoped it would help keep the snow from melting before I got back. I also hoped the clouds hiding the sun and the shade of the trees would help. My horse was looking a little tuckered by this time but I didn't have time to give him a rest. I had no idea how long I had before the snow melted. Saddlebags full of water wouldn't be very useful. At least going down the mountain would be a lot easier than going up. I raced back to the cabin as fast as possible over the rocky ground. My horse shied suddenly as we approached the clearing around the cabin, nearly throwing me from the saddle. Leaving the treeline, I saw Oota standing in front of the cabin with a rifle in her hands, yelling words I could not understand. To my surprise, she raised the rifle and pointed it in my direction. My thoughts froze in horror as I waited for the shot, unable to understand why Oota would shoot at me. I managed to duck, a futile gesture I thought, as the report of the rifle filled my ears. Something hit me hard, but I could not understand why it felt as if I'd been struck from behind. My horse reared and I found myself on the ground, struggling to get out from beneath what I finally understood to be the body of a mountain lion Oota had killed as it pounced at me. I don't know how it could have happened, but I obviously must have dozed off because I woke to early morning sunshine. I was confused, why I was sitting in a chair instead of in bed with Helga? Then I remembered. I straightened with a gasp as my gaze went to Helga's sleeping form. I realized suddenly that Helga was doing exactly that, sleeping. Not thrashing around in delirium, but sleeping. I felt her forehead and was amazed and elated to find it cool. My knees gave way in relief as I thanked God for sparing her life.
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