Arizona Territory

Chapter 5

I stayed with him until he finished the breakfast in record time acting like he haven't eaten in days. Now the both of us are just sitting on porch staring at the landscape, not knowing what to say to each other. I just said to hell with it and started asking yes no questions.

"Nice weather we're having here isn't it?" Nice weather, what kind of stupid question is that, I asked myself. He nodded to me and just kept staring out not glancing at me for a even a second, I know because I've been looking at him since I sat down here.

A Week Later

The both of us now got our own routine, I'll come out and give him and John there food and then we'll both sit on the porch stairs and just stare out. But today, today was different because Jack was nowhere to be seen. I checked everywhere for him and he wasn't present. I sort out John and saw him walking around slowing with a cane and decided to tease him.

"Hey Uncle John," I said with a laugh.

"Hey there sweetheart," he said with a big smile on his face.

"Where's Jack? I haven't seen him this morning and we sort of have an understanding."

"I haven't seen him and now that you mention it he's suppose to have a walk with me this morning. I wonder what he's doing. Come on let's go look for him."

"I've checked everywhere outside but he's not there perhaps he's inside? I suggested.
"Sleeping in?"

"Sleeping in you say, Jack never did. Come on let's go see if he's asleep still."
The both of them walked into the Sterling house and found Jack on his bed thrashing about.

"What is wrong with him?!" I exclaimed. Jack hurried over as fast as his leg and cane could take him to check on his friend.

"Come quick Ella he has a high fever."

"Fever, you need to get the doctor here. I'll try to take down his fever a little bit." I said while rushing back outside to get a bucket of water. As I was going up the stairs John was coming down.

"I'll get one of the ranch hands to ride into town quick and get the doctor." I nodded my head to answer him and race back up the stairs to take care of Jack for the time being.
I took a dry piece of cloth first and wiped the swear of off his head and chest. I dipped another piece of cloth in the water and rest it on top of his forehead. I wanted to get him out of his pants because it was getting damp with his swear but that was in proper. It's going to take a good hour to reach town or half hour if you really push it. John came back up a little while later and I instructed him to take of his pants and change it.

I heard a very low and scratchy voice call out for someone named Elise. I dropped the bucket of water on the floor because the voice startled me and it was coming from Jack. John looked on at his friend in horror like he knew what he was talking about.

"It's okay John, he's hallucinating, that happens when you have a very high fever." John started to swoon so I quickly caught him, and with a lot of difficulty I got him to sit in the chair.

"Hey what's wrong?" I said gently while resting my hand on his shoulder. He shook his head like he's coming out of a bad dream and said nothing. I didn't push it because well honestly it isn't any of my business.

I changed the cloth frequently on his forehead and the ranch hand and doctor was nowhere to be seen.

"He's getting worst John." Go see if he has any more linens and bring all, we have to let him sweat out the fever. He was quick to leave the room to do my bidding.

"Come on Jack," I said softly you can fight this, I know you can. John came back with the linens and the both if us covered him up and hoped for the best.

"Jack and I served together in the war." I turned my head and gave John my undivided attention, he was staring at my Jack and talking.

"We met at the sign up, eager boys to join the war. Little did we know what we were getting into. The first month I was there I saw so many people get killed I couldn't even keep up. Jack and I stayed friends always had each other backs. We wanted to get out of there so many times but something always held us back. Then something happened to Jack and that was the last straw. We signed out and never looked back. We bought this ranch together two years ago, and have been here ever since. I still get nightmares about it but not as frequently as when I know got out."

I didn't say anything because well honestly I didn't know what to say. It was a shocked to know that they both fought in the war and survived. People I know from my town they didn't come back. Mothers, children, they were all devastated.

"He's reliving a memory isn't he," I asked.

"Yeah a horrible one at that," whispered John.

"Where's that doctor when you need him?" We sat there for another ten minutes and still no sign of the doctor. Jack's hallucinating was getting worse, he was thrashing on the bed wilding and we had to get another ranch hand to help hold him down in case he hurts himself. The ranch hand was shocked to hear his boss speak, because well he never heard it in his life. It took both John and the ranch hand to hold him steadily down on the bed.

Then we heard it, the sound of hoves hitting the ground at a very fast pace. John and the Gary amma just call him Garry for the time being instead of ranch hand all the time. John and Gary raced down the stairs to greet the doctor at the door. I stayed upstairs with Jack because well I wanted to stay with him.

Ten minutes later the doctor was finished examining his patient and left specific instructions for John to do. The doctor gave him a sleeping medicine for him to sleep peaceful and after that I could finally breathe better.

I could see that John is doing a lot better now, he has relaxed on the chair closer to the bed Jack is laying on.

"You should get going Miss Ella, you don't want your brother getting the wrong idea and him storming over here to beat us,"John said.

"I'll go home in a while John and if Charlie do comes over don't worry I'll save you from him. Charlie is a lover not a fighter."

"You'll see Miss Ella that when it comes to his sister he'll surely be a fighter." I just smiled as my answer back to his statement. Secretly I was thinking about my brother fighting someone for me and it put a bigger smile on my face.

"I'll just stay a little while longer and make sure he's comfortable, then I'll go home."

"Alright Miss Ella, but if your brother do comes don't say I didn't warn you. Your the only woman in ranch full of cow boys. Your brother will never like that."

"I can assure you John that I can take care of myself very fine," I said with a smile on face.

"Am sure you can Miss Ella," replied John with a smile on his face.

The both of us sat by his bedside watching him sleep peacefully and me forgetting that I have to get home. The sound of hoves could be heard in the distance, John looked at me and barked out a very loud laugh.

"That'll be your brother Miss Ella." All I could think was oh shoots.