please. I need you to stay strong and healthy.
“Only if you’ll do the same.”
Journey giggled through a haze of tears. “You tricked me there, didn’t you?”
“Do you promise?”
“I do.”
He squeezed her even tighter. “I’m counting on it, sweetheart. I’ll lay in my bed every night and think of you. If you remember, look up at the moon at ten each evening and I’ll do the same. We’ll know what the other one is doing, and it’ll be like we’re together.”
“All right. I love that idea. Ten, it is. Every night.”
“Five minutes, guys,” Lou spoke up.
Journey realized that she’d given them every second she could.
“One more kiss,” Reno whispered as he claimed his lips. “I love you, Journey. God, I love you. Be waiting for me when I return.”
“Always, my love. Always.”
With one final goodbye, he mounted his horse and rode out of the canyon. Journey clasped her arms across her breast, trying desperately to keep her heart in place.
Kota lay down his drum and came to stand at the mouth of the canyon. He held up his hand like a man about to start a race. “Tell me thirty seconds before the deadline, Lou.”
“Yes, sir.”
The thirty seconds was the longest time Journey had ever experienced. Like someone about to die, images of her years loving Reno passed through her mind. How did it all come to this moment? She knotted her hands together, her whole body shaking with a grief so tremendous, she fought to stay on her feet.
“Now, Kota,” Lou announced it was time.
“Ride, Reno! Ride!” Kota brought his hand down as he gave the signal.
Lou came to stand beside Journey as Reno rode by at a full gallop. As he passed, his gaze locked with Journey’s for one last, burning moment. She gasped with pain as she watched him go. They all turned to face the back of the canyon as he rode at it, full tilt. To their amazement the wind picked up, whistling through the cracks and crevices of the canyon like a banshee. A swirling fog rose deep in the canyon, whether it was made of water droplets or dust – they could not tell. All around them the walls of the canyon began to glow an unearthly greenish gold.
Reno watched ahead of him as the solid wall seemed to dissolve in front of his eyes. Where one moment there was nothing but rock, now he could see the stars of the night sky on the other side. “Giddy-up, Traveler, let’s go on through.”
From Journey’s perspective, she could see it all happening as if in slow motion. The swirling cloud, the ghostly glow, the sight of Reno moving toward what should’ve been a collision with the rock wall of the canyon. The closer he drew, the fainter he became in her sight. Finally, she stood it as long as humanly possible. “No! Reno!” Unable to contain her emotions, Journey tore away from Lou and dashed into the canyon. “Wait! Wait for me!”
So near to the portal, all Reno could hear was a dull roar. Like before, his skin tingled with what he now knew to be electricity. Since he knew what was happening this time, Reno realized the air was not only vibrating, but it felt heavier. Denser. He held tight to the reins, if he didn’t, Reno feared he’d be pulled off and flung God knows where. As he neared the end of the canyon, Traveler jumped in the air as if clearing a hurdle – and he was through.
Behind him, Journey managed to run about halfway down the canyon before Kota caught her, holding her still with surprising strength. “This is not your time, little one.”
Journey screamed at the top of her lungs. “Reno! Come back!”
But he could not. Reno was there one moment and gone the next. Vanished into thin air.
Lou stood there with mouth agape. Even though she’d believed her theory, seeing it with her own eyes was incredible.
Kota stood stock still also, his arms tight around a trembling, weeping Journey. “It’s okay. He made it. He’s through the portal.” As they looked to the end of the canyon, the opening was closed once more. As if it had never been.
“Come, let’s go home.” Lou came to put a comforting arm around Journey.
She shook her head. “No, I want to stay a little while.” This was as close to him as she could be.
“Okay, honey.” Lou looked to Kota. “We’ll be okay. Why don’t you go tell Myra what’s happened?”
“I shall.”