a veil of tears, she watched him until he disappeared. When all she could see was an empty horizon, Journey picked up the two dogs and went inside. She shut the door without locking it and left the porch light on – just in case.
…The sun was still high enough in the sky to give good light. Reno was glad, he wanted to see where he was going. He wanted to look for clues to explain how he’d managed to make his way from one century to another. Around him the cactus and mesquite grew rampant and the great dome of granite lay straight ahead looking the same as always. If he hadn’t experienced this phenomenon for himself, Reno would think he was back in his own time. But now he knew what to look for – what to listen for. Staring into the vast sky, he searched for any movement until he saw the sun glint off something silver flying miles high. A jet airplane. Next, he cocked his head to listen and a few moments later he could distinguish the sound of a car or truck on the highway.
Scrunching his eyes tightly closed, Reno tried to stop the flow of useless thought. He didn’t want to be reminded of what he was walking away from; he couldn’t afford to give in to the pain he was feeling. He was a man with obligations that were more important than his own happiness. If he had no responsibilities other than to himself, Reno would have jumped at the chance to experience everything this new world had to offer. Especially the woman who seemed to care for him unconditionally. But he couldn’t. What had happened to him wasn’t meant to be, it was imperative that he get back to his own time.
Traveler kept up the pace and soon Reno found himself at the entrance to the box canyon. He tried to recreate in his mind how he’d felt when he was last here. What he’d seen. He’d been so intent on leading the men away from the children, he hadn’t taken note of his surroundings. Now, he remained still. Alert. His eyes moving over the walls of rock. First, he rode slowly through the canyon, observing the rock formations and the slabs of granite jutting up from the ground. The farther he went, the narrower the canyon became. When he reached the end, there was simply nowhere else to go. Reno dismounted to get closer, climbing up past boulders and crevices. If he hadn’t escaped through the mysterious opening, there were places where he could’ve found cover to defend himself from Kinsella and his raiders.
But that wasn’t what happened. There had been a passageway. An opening. Big enough for a horse and rider. Yet, only he and Traveler had come through. Why hadn’t the others followed? Climbing higher, he pressed his palms to the wall, testing for any weakness. He found none. Reno repeated this process in several areas, even using the toe of his boot to move rocks aside for closer examination. “Well, Traveler, I just don’t know.” The horse gave an answering whinny. “Maybe we should try a – what did Journey call it? A reenactment.” At the mention of her name from his own lips, he felt his heart tug in a poignant, uncomfortable way. “Dammit.”
Returning to the saddle, he rode out of the canyon and closed his eyes, feeling a faint breeze whisper across his skin. “All right. Let’s do this.” He tugged the reins to turn the horse, allowing his mind to call up the heated emotion of being chased. Bullets being fired at him. The desperation he felt to succeed. “Giddy-up.” He whistled and whipped the reins from one side of the stallion’s flanks to the other. “Go!” Traveler obeyed and took off through the canyon at a fast clip. He stared straight ahead at the wall, willing it to disappear. Mentally demanding that the rock open and allow him to ride through. Aiming straight for the end of the box canyon, he urged Traveler to keep the pace. Closer. Closer. Only seconds before impact, he allowed the horse to follow its instinct and rear up. “Sorry, boy. It was worth a try.” He let the stallion sidestep in place while he stared at the impenetrable granite. “What did I expect? Another miracle?” Lifting his hand, he examined it front and back. Yes, he was real. This world was real. Only time was playing tricks