The Red Horizon

Chapter 1

"Of course," she heard Duncan reply.

He was a dear man. It was obvious that he was in love with Cora, but she wasn't sure what her sister's feelings were. Never one to wear her heart on her sleeve, Cora was reserved when it came to revealing matters of an intimate and personal nature. She was sure that Duncan must have proposed, but since there had been no announcement of an engagement, Cora had either turned him down or agreed to at least consider his offer. Either way, Alice wouldn't ask about it, confident that her sibling would tell her what she'd decided, whatever the outcome, when she was ready.

Upon her request, Duncan rode slightly ahead and called to the native who was leading their party as a scout. She'd caught glimpses of him as they'd left Albany, frightened by his outward appearance. He was a fearsome man, something eerie in the way he'd looked at her as they'd departed having caused a chill to run through her veins. He'd masked it quickly, making her wonder if she'd only imagined it but that gander had made her wary of him. He looked cold and uncompromising and although he spoke to Duncan and the other officers readily enough, she couldn't help but think that often times he seemed to be mocking them. But she couldn't be sure and honestly, what did she know about the nature of men? At sixteen she'd only had a few suitors, and quite frankly, there was no commonality between an English gentleman and an Indian savage. Ergo, she was in no way qualified to comment on the ferocious man's demeanor.

Unceremoniously jolted from her thoughts by the echoing sound of gunfire, her horse reared in fright and pitched her backward dangerously. In vain, she reached for Cora's outstretched hand, but it was too late. She fell to the ground, the voluminous skirts of her light pink riding habit softening her landing somewhat, before she scrambled away from the trampling hooves of the skittish animal.

Shocked by the rapidness at which the peace of a few moments before had been shattered, she stared in mute horror as hordes of Indian men descended upon them, their high pitched shrieks causing her blood to run cold. Panic-stricken, she was unable to stop herself from watching as the soldiers were attacked, their screams of pain and torment lifting high into the sky as one after the other was brutally dispatched. She was vaguely aware of Cora reaching her side and pulling her back, turning her away from the savagery unfolding around them, her mind numb and frozen in disbelief.

The gunshots grew louder as the inconceivable madness made its way towards them. Clutching at Cora, she buried her face in her sister's lap, hysterical sobs wracking her body. They were going to die. Here, in this harsh and uncompromising part of the world, without ever having seen their father again. Her adventure, meant to add some excitement to her otherwise predictable existence, had turned into a nightmare, one she was afraid she'd never wake from.

She knew Duncan was still at their side, trying to protect them. She also knew that his efforts would be for nothing. She'd seen the barbarity with which the red men fought and knew that within minutes they would all be dead. Silently she prayed for a clean shot through the heart, begging God for a swift ending. That would surely be preferable to being hacked to pieces or worse, having one or more of those beasts force themselves upon her. Shuddering at the horrifying thought, she burrowed deeper into her sister's lap.

Terrified, but resolved, she waited.

"No, Duncan," Cora called suddenly.

There was a pause and then a man spoke, "In case your aim's any worse than your judgement."

Her heart beating wildly against her ribs, she lifted her head and peeped beneath the protective arm Cora had curled around her. There was a man walking away from Duncan, his clothing suggesting he was one of the Indians inhabiting this untamed frontier. Further away she could see an older man, pulling a dangerous looking weapon from the back of one of the red skins he'd just killed and yet another man following close behind, slightly hidden from her view.