that will be useful for us. See how Texas is doing. Then I’ll come back home. I’m guessing a year, year and a half. It’s a long time to wait, I know, and I have no right to ask it of you, so I won’t ask it. If you’re still here when I get back, we’ll see how we feel then.”
They arrived at the outskirts of Fort Brazos and were spotted by villagers. A cheer went up when they saw that Adrian was back. A small crowd quickly gathered. Adrian stopped. Still partially supported by Linda, he announced, “Rex is dead. The threat is over. There will be others, I imagine, but this one is gone.” The cheering drew more people, and soon it seemed that the entire village was crowded around the couple.
Linda said, “Adrian is hurt and needs medical attention. Please, let’s get him to the hospital.” Within seconds, two of the larger men had picked Adrian up carefully and were carrying him to the hospital over his loud protests. When they arrived, Jennifer was waiting, having been forewarned. Adrian explained about the paralysis drug and the dehydration. The doctor quickly checked him over, put a salve on his face, and pronounced him fit enough for home bedrest for a few days until his strength returned. She said, “Sarah can give you the kind of treatment you need better than I can. The paralysis drug will have some lingering effects, but those will dissipate with time.”
Despite his continuing protests, the two men carried Adrian to Roman’s house with Linda walking beside them. The village had formed a line on either side of him, as though he were the center of a parade, cheering as he was carried by. Roman and Sarah were waiting at the house with big grins. The men deposited Adrian on the sofa and made mock bowing motions as they backed their way out of the room, smiling as they went. Linda, Bollinger, John, Isaac, Perry, Matt, and Tim all crowded around him, smiling and giving one another high fives as Adrian sat on the couch in embarrassment.
After a few minutes of this, Roman took control and said, “Look, folks, we all want to hear the story, but right now it looks like he needs rest more than anything. Let’s all meet here again tomorrow at lunchtime, and if he is feeling up to it, he can tell the story then. Okay?”
They all took the hint and left, except for Linda. She sat next to Adrian, holding his hand. Sarah gave Linda a knowing look and said, “Linda, why don’t you bring your son and that wolf pup over and spend the night? I could use some help, especially with all those men coming back for lunch tomorrow. My guess is they’ll be here at breakfast instead of lunch.”
Linda replied, “Be right back, Sarah.” She took off almost running and was back quickly, Scott and Bear in tow. Bear sniffed Adrian over carefully and then curled up on his lap.
Sarah smiled and said, “You’ve got some explaining to do, young lady!” They went into the kitchen, made tea, and sat at the table talking until late that night. Roman was run out of the kitchen the one time he tried to come in to listen. “This is girl talk, old man. You just go on to bed,” Sarah scolded him. Roman, pretending to have hurt feelings, turned and left.
APRIL 6, DAWN
Adrian awoke with the sun the next morning. Smelling bacon frying brought him out of a deep sleep, his stomach growling. He was famished. He dressed and walked into the kitchen. Sarah’s prediction had been right: the men started to come in soon after. Sarah and Linda had prepared the night before, and it was an easy matter to feed them all. Adrian was pestered with good natured ribbing and questions while he ate. Finally, after he had finished off a large platter of bacon, eggs, and cornbread muffins, he laid his fork down and began telling the story of his encounter with Rex.
As he began, he found himself falling into a natural storyteller’s rhythm, and everyone listened with acute attention. He watched the expressions on their faces and worked the story. He slowly built tension as he went along, enjoying storytelling for the first time. As he went on, Adrian realized that not only was he actually good at this, but that storytelling could be an invaluable tool in the future. When he got