Walking Tall

The Spirit

Claire jumped out of her dream. She had seen the Spirit again. It was early in the morning and the sun had just began to peek over the horizon. She shoved her dress on and set out to find Rock.

After a small amount of searching she found him at his tent smoking a hand made pipe. When he saw her, his face was washed over with warmth and friendlyness.

"Cheif Rock! I need to ask you something."

"Ask away child."

Claire pulled the picture from her dress pocket. "What Spirit is this?"

His eyes were wide for a moment.

"It is hard to explain, but this spirit is the Great Creator's..helper so to speak. The Great Creator and its helper are of no actual gender, but they take on the gender the person they are trying to message is most comfortable with. This Spirit obviously has an easy connection and/or a need to contact you. I have only seen one other drawing. He entered his teepee before coming out soon after. He handed her his copy of the great spirit. His copy almost mirrored hers. He was beautiful in this drawing as the spirit was in hers.

"My fathers mother drew this drawing. My father learned his mother saw this spirit on a daily bases. My fathers mother was much like yourself. She was strong willed and wise. She too was a white women who married a Native American and they had two kids. My father and his sister although she ran off when she was able."

"Do you know if she ever had kids?"

Claire asked him.

"It was rumored she had two boys and lived in New Mexico."

Claire and Rock had heard screams from the others. They were running in the direction of her and Talls teepee. Some ran passed her new home and some went in. Claire bolted to her teepee. When she entered a few of the villagers scattered and made room for her. Tall had a deep cut on his lower stomach.

"Tall. Tall!" She yelled at him.

"Not so loud, Claire. I am in great pain."

Tears fell off her face and landed on his cheeks. "Oh thank god. I was worried you hit your head."

"No. I have simply been cut. It is not to deep, but I will need to see a doctor."

"Of course. Is there a car we can take?"

"There is one next to the office, but it has not been started in some months."

"Where are the keys?" Claire asked hurriedly.

"In the desk drawer."

"Are you able to walk?"

"Yes. I can make it there. Go make sure it will run first."

Claire gave him a quick kiss before taking of towards the small office.

Once she was inside and located the key she quickly ran to the truck. She jumped into the small truck. She turned the key and the truck began to idle.

"Come on. Come on!" She slammed her fist into the wheel. She jumped out and opened the hood. She reconized the minor problem. She fixed the small issue and started the truck.

"Yes!" She sang with victory at the sound of the truck running. She was then thankful for her insistance on having her brother teach her how to fix cars. She ran after Tall. When she entered the teepee Tall and the others were crying.

"Tall! Tall...what's going on?"

"Dances With Wolves has passed. He too was stapped."

"I am so sorry, Tall, but we must leave or you will die too." He nodded once. The others helped him to the truck. As soon as he was in safely, she backed out and began towards Lanchester.

"Tall who did this to you?" She had an idea who it was but it never hurts to ask.

"I did not get a good look at who it was."

She slammed a fist on the wheel.

"Dammit! How are we supposed to prove our case if we cant offically prove it?"

Tall grabbed her hand. "Claire. Trust in The Creator. He will deliver justice when the time is right. I promise you that."

He could see tears streaming down her face. He wiped away her tears.

"It will be ok, Claire."

"I just hate this whole situation," She sobbed. "First me and now you and the worst part is I cant even do anything about it."

"I know how you feel. Listen to me Galilahi, whomever is in charge of your fate has reason to believe you are strong enough to take this path. The Creator nevers allows you to face anything you will not be able to handle. You are a strong woman and The Creator and I both know you can do this."

Claire parked close to the ER doors and looked at Tall. "I love you."

"And I love you. Always and forever." Claire lit up on the inside. On the inside she felt like she was a little girl that just found out her mother had just bought her barbies only 20 times more. Claire hurried and grabbed a wheel chair. She helped Tall check in and soon they were in a small room.

After what seemed like a long while the doctor came in. He was the same one as Claires and he held a bunch of papers and a few supplies.

"Hello again. Let me just fix you up, Tall and then we will get to Claire."

Tall and Claire both nod. The doctor cleaned Talls stab wound then sewed it up.

He sighed and threw the used supplies in a bin.

"Alright, Claire," He said flipping threw the papers quickly."You have no STD's. Have you gone to the station and given them my evaluation?Good. I can tell you what kind of knife makes this cut,Tall, but it will be a while," The doctor sighs then looks at Claire.

"You have a good, solid case, Claire. You have proof, a motivation, he won't get away with what he has done. I can tell you that much."

The doctor wrote a subscription for some pain medicine and then set them free. Somehow Claire was going to figure out what this Spirit was trying to tell her and how she can put this bastard in jail. She was going to make it her lifes mission even if she had to die doing it.

Claire sighed and rolled Tall to the old truck. She eased him in as best as she could and went to get his perscription filled.

After a half hour she and Tall arrived back home. A place where she can relax,dance, and love the earth the way she always wanted. She could love and feel no need to hide it from anyone.

Home, she thought,This could be home.

After having help carrying him to the teepee that was now close to the fire for warmth at night, left them to be a lone. Tall and Claire shared small talk before she heard his faint snores. Despite being day she felt just as tired as he and soon closed her eyes and joined him in slumber.