Sorry it took so long to get this one published. I have been working on 3 different stories at the same time. Not sure that the others will work out. I took some of your comments to mind. I hope that you see the improvement as I mature into a good writer. For those of you who want to hide behind your anonymity, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything. Your ignorance shows.
Just for the record -- I do not condone incest. This is just a mind fuck.
*****
The cold biting wind was such that it was blowing my scarf off of my face, causing my breath to freeze across my nose and mouth. I had my hat tied down with a piece of rope around my chin. The force of the wind was pulling on the rope so hard, that it was choking me. The snow fall was such that it went from just above my ankles, when I first left on the hunt, to now above my knees. The frozen rope that is wrapped around my body, was cutting into my shoulder. The deer on the sled, now fully covered with snow, weighing heavily on my legs and back as I pull it towards the cabin. My fingers were cold and stiff inside the raw hide gloves, trying to keep a hold of the rope to pull it through the knee high deep snow.
The sun had set hours ago. I needed to travel several more miles then expected to find this deer. Tracking it for nearly 2 hours. Finding it amongst a stand of pine trees. Nestled amongst the pine needles. Because of the very cold temperature, it was nearly stationary trying to bed for the night. Leaning against a large pine tree, I took aim, and the rifle misfired. Ejecting that shell, the second round hit the deer in a kill spot. I was very fortunate that he did not run.
I have been walking for hours trying to get home. Then I saw the light of the cabin in the distance. My Lizzy lighting the way home. Breathing was difficult due to the cold. Each breath my lungs would sting from the cold.
'But I will make it home',
I kept repeating to myself
.
Legs starting to give out. A foot gets stuck in a deep hole. The deer pulling me backwards. '
I will make it home'.
I lean forward, pull my foot out. The pain shoots from my knee to my brain, I collapse to the ground in agony.
'I will make it home'.
Blackness comes to my eyes.
***********
"Lizzy you ready to go?" I call to her with a somewhat of an annoyed tone.
"Yes daddy. I just wanted to visit mothers grave one last time." The sadness in her voice was nearly dripping with the same tears that were running down her face.
My Abby past away just last month. We had already planned to move west at this time. Our small farm here in eastern Ohio was sold. We purchased two new horses, a wagon and all the supplies needed to make our journey. Then she fell ill just a couple of months before we were to leave. The pain in her stomach becoming more severe with each passing week. The town doctor was finally able to tell us what was ailing her. Stomach cancer. He told us that there was no cure. He gave us a bottle of Laudanum. She went through a bottle every few days. That lasted for the next 5 weeks. Then God took over and gave my Abby the relief she craved for. After services were completed, we placed a stone marker on her grave.
We said goodbye to the new owners and a few of our neighbors who came by. It was already late April. Both Lizzy and I climbed onto the wagon and we were off. We were finally leaving our home in Woodsfield Ohio. It was late morning when we finally left, so the distance that we traveled was not great. We did make about 12 miles before stopping for the night. I chopped some wood, Lizzy made dinner, and we settled in for the night.
We wanted to average about 20 miles per day, a few times we were able to do 25. At times we barely made 15. The spring storms would force us to stay a day or two to allow the water to drain off of the trail. Our original estimate of reaching St. Louis was 2 months. It might be longer if the rains get any stronger.
"Daddy, when do we get to St. Louis?" Excitement in Lizzy's voice.
"We left Ohio in late April as you know. We should be there sometime by the end of June or the beginning of July." Looking at a horses ass for the next couple of months did not sound like fun, for that long, but we were doing what we set out to do.
"After we get there, we will need to find a wagon train going over the Oregon trail. We will only be going as far as the eastern side of the big mountain range. Then we will head north by ourselves to the edge of the Oregon territory. That part of our journey will take another 4 months total." I tried to keep an upbeat tone to my voice as possible.
"So we could reach our new home by July of next year?" Surprise clearly in her voice.
"Well you have to remember that we will have to winter somewhere along the trail. But it is possible that we will need to winter in St. Louis because wagon trains leave in April. If you want, we could travel by ourselves, but if we break down or come under Indian attack, we are on our own." I did not want to give her the whole truth, but at least she now knows.
"We have plenty of time to make a decision Daddy. We can talk each night if you want to about this." I was surprised with the pleasant tone in her voice. She did not seem frightened.
********
I slowly came to my senses. The pain was gone somewhat, but the snow had soaked my pants legs. I moved both legs in turn and packed the snow to get a better footing. The pain in my knee brought tears to my eyes that quickly froze. I grabbed a hold of the rope, then I pushed off with my good knee. I felt pain immediately when I used my injured knee, but kept on going. The sled busted loose from the snow, and I was heading towards the light again. I kept repeating '