Lost in the Night by Linda

Chris was looking out from the window of his room in the boarding house, the sun was just starting to peek over the horizon. He turned and walked to the chair where he had laid his hat and duster. He picked up his hat and put it on his head, he grabbed his duster and threw it over his shoulder as he made his way to the door. Opening it he made his way out the hallway and walked the steps to the stairs. He started the down the stairs and toward the door. Opening it he walked out and turned to go toward the jail. He had told Judge Travis the he would meet him there. The boys were taking turns going to Silver Creek and he was leaving today to relieve Buck and Vin. The sheriff had been killed a few days ago and the Judge had not found a new one.

He opened the door the jail, the Judge was all ready there.

"Chris you shouldn't be there too long, I have a man coming from Sweet Water to take over the sheriff's job."

"So, what, maybe three days at the most."

"Shouldn't be more than that. He's coming straight to Silver Creek... and tell Vin to keep looking for the killer."

"See ya when I get back", said Chris as he mounted his horse.

He knew it would take a day to get there and he wasn't too thrilled with the long ride. He had been this way before so he was use to the trail. He felt as if he had been riding forever and he was getting tired, the sun was slowly starting to set. He would stop and rest awhile and then continue on but suddenly his horse, Charlie, started to dance around as if something was wrong and he was trying to rear as if something was bothering him. Chris did everything he could to keep him under control. He had been so distracted by Charlie that he had not heard the rattling sound through the bushes but then Charlie reared, and he couldn't hold on. He lost his grip and found himself falling off his horse but it was the last he knew.

Chris lay on the ground unconscious, the daylight slowly became the night, the howling of a wolf could be heard from a distance. The night grew darker as Chris lay there not moving, the sounds of the night were getting stronger.

Chris slowly moved to sit up, he didn't know how long he had been out but the pain from his head was unbelievable. He raised his hand to his head, he could feel something warm on the left side of his head. It felt warm and sticky but he couldn't think as the pain was that bad. He could feel the lightness in his ear. He tried to stand but he felt so lightheaded that he sat back down on the ground. As he laid down on the ground, unconsciousness took over again.

Laying there he thought he could hear Adam's voice calling him Pa.

As Chris lay there a small figure came closer, it was that of a small boy. He knelt down to touch the face of his Pa.

"Pa, I'm here to help you, it's not your time to die. I'm here to keep you company till someone finds you," replied the voice of Adam. "Pa, you can't die."

As Adam knelt down he slowly moved his hand toward his pa to touch his forehead. He could feel the pain he was suffering from the injury. He wanted to make the pain go away, but he didn't know how but there was a pain there that was much more. In that moment of a touch he could feel that his pa's pain and suffering was far more deeper than the wound from his head.

His hands moved slowly over Chris's face as he touched each curve and corner of his pa's face. He started to smile as he remembered the last time he had seen his pa, but as he moved his hands more, he felt that the pain was coming from his pa's heart. He could feel the tears as they slowly rolled down his cheek and then he heard a voice from a far, he looked up to see someone coming closer to him, he had seen him before and he knew not to be afraid.

"Adam, you must protect him and you need to help mend his broken heart," stated the ghostly figure.

"I could feel the pain in his heart, but why is it there?" Asked Adam.

"Because of what happened to you and your mother. He feels that it is his fault."

"But he didn't know it was going to happen to us."

"That's true Adam, but he doesn't realize that, and you must help him to get through it."

"How can I help him? I'm only a little boy."

"But you are his son, Adam, and that will help you."

Adam moved closer to his father as he lay on the ground. Hhe tried to see if he was awake but he was still unconscious. Sitting next to him, he could once again touch him and tell him that he loved NOW and forever and that his pa would always be in that little corner of his heart. He wanted to make a fire to keep him warm but he didn't know how. His pa always told him that he would show him how to do things, but he never got the chance.

Adam slowly moved back. He thought he could feel his pa moving just a little, just then he saw him move his head just a little. He was starting to come to and it scared Adam just a little. He don't know how his pa would react to seeing him but he couldn't leave.

Chris put his hand to his head. Hhe could feel the blood from the left side of his head. He tried to sit up but he was still a little lightheaded; he had to try and stay awake. He tried to move toward a large rock at least so he could lean against it. He tried to look around to see where he was but it was too dark for him to see anything. He was shivering from the cold so he tried to wrap his duster around him to keep warm. As he laid against the rock, he could feel the pain. He wanted to lay down but he was afraid that he would pass out again. He had to stay awake.

"Pa, can I help you?" Came the little voice from the dark.

Chris looked up as he thought that he had heard a child's voice coming from the darkness, but he shook his head and thought it wasn't possible. He told himself that his injury was making him hear things.

Once again he heard the small voice as it came closer. He thought his mind was playing tricks on him but he wasn't sure.

As Adam moved closer, he could see the look on his pa's face.

Chris could see the small figure as he came closer. He didn't know if he could believe in what he was seeing. As he lay there he could feel the touch of a small hand but when he moved his hand to touch it, he could only feel his own hand but he could still feel the small hand on his hand.

Chris could feel the small hand move up his arm to his face, and as it slowly moved over his face. Once again he could hear the small voice talking to him.

"I can help you if you let me."

"Who's out there?" cried Chris. "I'm hurt and I need help. Can you go and get help?"

"I'm here to help you, if you'll let me."

"Can you come closer so I can see you?"

"Yes, but I don't know if I should."

"Please, maybe you can help make a fire, I'm cold and hurt."

"I don't know how, but maybe you can tell me how."

"You need to gather some branches and make a pile, and then light them."

Adam went about picking up the branches and after a while he made a small pile close to Chris.

"You have to start the fire, I'm too young to play with matches, my pa said so."

As Chris lit the fire, he added some more branches to keep it going.

"Come closer to the fire," stated Chris.

"I don't know if I should, I'm afraid that I might scare you."

"I'm not afraid of anyone, so you can come out."

"All right."

As Adam walked closer to the fire he could see the look on his pa's face, moving closer he knew that he was becoming the little boy that he once was. He could see the look and he knew that his pa didn't believe what he was seeing.

"Pa, it's me Adam. They sent me to help you and stay till someone comes."

"But you died three years ago with your mother. No, no, no. This can't be real."

"I'm as real as you want me to be."

Chris laid there against the rock. He looked at the small boy and he could feel that it was Adam but he still didn't know if it was real. But he wanted to be with Adam for one last chance, so he could tell him that he would always love him.

As he lay there he wanted to believe that he was looking at Adam. With all of his heart he wanted Adam to be real. He had a lot to say to Adam but he never got the chance and now here was that chance. But what would he say? He watched Adam as he moved around. But how do I explain everything? he thought.

Suddenly Adam could hear the voice as it came from above.

"You must talk to him. He still doesn't know if he wants to believe that you are here and there is the pain he is feeling from your death. He is still suffering. Go to him and help him".

"I have touched his heart and it's broken into several pieces and only I can help to heal it. He has changed. He is not the same person that I remember. He used to be a fun and warm hearted man, but now he has let his heart become sad. I understand now and I know what I must do."

He moved closer toward his pa. He could see that he had fallen asleep so he moved his hand to once again touch his heart. He could make the pain go away with his touch but he knew that his pa had to go through the pain one more time. He touched his face as Chris slowly started to wake up.

He had felt the touch of Adam's hand. He opened his eyes as he raised his hand to the side of his face. He could feel the small hand on his cheek. He didn't want the feeling to go away.

He turned to see Adam standing there. He was still holding the small hand, and he was afraid to let it go. He wanted to hold it forever.

"You are still feeling the pain and suffering, and I know that, but I can help you if you let me."

"But it's my fault what happened to you and your mother."

He could feel the tears start to well up in his eyes They started to slowly roll down his cheek, and he put his hand to his face to wipe away the tears but he felt the small on his hand.

"Don't wipe away the tears, pa, they will help you to heal. You have never really let yourself grieve for me, and the tears will help."

The tears continued to roll down his cheek as the memories of that day came back to him. He could remember riding back to his house to find it on fire and hear the screams as they came from the fire. He had tried to open the door but the fire was to intense for him. All he could do was move away from it. He felt Buck's hand on his arm as he tried once again to get into the house. He could hear Buck as he told him it was too late, and they were gone. The memories were so strong that he felt as if he was back there once again.

"You have to let go of the pain, pa. You have suffered enough. It wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was, I could of come back earlier. I didn't have to stay with Buck, and I should said no, but I didn't. I lost both of you that day and I've never forgotten it."

"Look what it did to you. Your not the same person. You let all that pain and suffering change you."

"Yes, I did so I can't be hurt again."

"But it's still inside of you, no matter what you do... till you let it go. I don't blame you."

"I blame myself. I let my past come back to hurt you and I'm sorry for that, Adam".

Sitting there he could feel his heart start to mend as the pain was lifted from it. He looked down to see that he was holding Adam in his arms, and he could see that he was asleep. He kissed him on the forehead as he told him that he would always love him, then he laid back against the rock and closed his eyes.

Chris slowly started to move as he opened his eyes; he didn't know how long he had been asleep. He quickly looked down and found that he was still holding Adam. He didn't know long it would last but he didn't want it to end. He just wanted to sit here forever just the way he was but he knew it wasn't possible.

I just want to hold him a little longer please.

He found himself looking up at the night sky as he made his wish. As he sat there he could feel that something was different. He no longer felt the pain or suffering; he knew that it had been lifted from his heart. He had been able to say goodbye to his son and to hold him one last time.

He closed his eyes to sleep.

Mary walked out the door of the Clarion and crossed the street to the jail. A telegram had come for the Judge from Vin. He opened it and read it out loud.

"Judge, sending this to let you know that Chris has not arrived in Silver Creek. I have been looking but cannot find him. Suggest someone from Four Corners take the route he was riding and I'll look from this way again."

"Who wants to make the trip?"

"I will," said Josiah.

"I'll go with him. Chris maybe out there hurt and may not be able to cry for help," added Nathan.

"You need to leave now and make sure you look carefully. Anything could of happened to him," stated the Judge.

Nathan and Josiah mounted their horses and rode out of town.

"Do you think they will find him?" Asked Mary.

"If he's out there, they will find him... I hope," he replied as he looked at Mary.

Nathan and Josiah were riding the same trail that Chris had taken only a day ago but they had found no signs of him or even his horse.

"Nathan, have you seen signs of him, like the remains of a fire."

"No, Josiah, and it's not like Chris to not send word if something had happen but what if he were hurt and couldn't."

"We have to keep looking. He's got to be out here somewhere."

Chris looked up. Hhe could see that the sun was starting to rise and the night slowly fading away. He didn't want it to end but he knew that couldn't stop it. He looked down and saw that Adam was gone. He was starting to feel the loneliness when heard Adam's voice call out to him.

"I'm still here, pa, but not for long. Your friends know that you are missing and they have started looking for you."

Chris looked to see the face of his son as he looked up.

"I won't forget you, Adam, and I'll always remember this night for the rest of my life."

"Your friends are getting closer, I can hear them talking. They have found your horse, Charlie, and the one called Josiah is starting to feel my presence. He is telling the other person named Nathan that you are here close by but that you are not alone. He believes in us but he's not sure either." Adam knelt down beside his pa. "I have to go now but I will always be you in here.

He moved his small hand to touch his pa's face. He slowly moved down to touch his heart and he could feel that it had been healed.

Chris moved his hand down to touch Adam's hand one last time. He would always have him in his heart. He could only watch as Adam started to slowly move away. He watched him until he could no longer see him. He looked up to see Nathan coming closer to him and then he saw Josiah who was smiling.

"How did you find me down here?"

"I'm not too sure. We were riding along and then we saw what looked like a small boy in the road, and then he turned to look down. We had no choice but to stop and look down here," replied Nathan.

"The boy looked very familiar like I had seen a picture of him before." He wasn't sure but Josiah couldn't shake that feeling.

"The little boy was my son, Adam, he came to stay with me so that I wouldn't be alone."

"Chris, are you sure of that. We found you unconscious down here," said Nathan as he looked at him.

"That's not possible, I've been awake most of time and I talked to him."

Chris touched his shirt where only moments before Adam's hand had been there. That's when he felt something in the pocket of his shirt. He reached in and pulled out a picture of Adam. But how did this get there? The last time he had seen it, it was on the table of his house, and he had lost in the fire.

As he put it back in the pocket he could hear a voice and he listened.

"So you wouldn't forget."

He sat up on the side of the bed and started to get dressed and Nathan yelled at him to get back in bed but he had someplace to be right now.

As he rode out of town he had only one place to be. As he got down off his horse, he walked the few steps toward what was left of his home. He walked on passed it to the area surrounded by the white picket fence. He laid the flowers on Sarah and Adam's grave and walked out of the gate and stood in front of the fence. As he stood there he looked down to see that he was holding the small hand of Adam as he stood beside him.

"I told you that I would be with you, Pa."

THE END