Chapter Twenty-Nine -
Smoke, Shots, and the Spirit of Mama
We hunkered down, taking turns sleeping.
Never more than half an hour.
Sleep came in fragments—like broken glass.
Sharp. Fleeting. Dangerous to hold too long.
The cave entrance was small and hidden,
but our fire sent smoke curling into the brush.
Keen eyes would spot it.
We didn’t know who was out there.
And that not-knowing was a weight on our chests.
“Were you in the main cave when the cougar killed the deer?”
I asked.
Their eyes flashed wide.
“What cougar? What do you mean?”
My eyebrows flew up. “You must not have stayed in the main cave for long.”
“No,” Bobby said. “We gathered what we needed, then moved here.
Figured if that guy got the best of you, he’d come for us.
We’d be better off here. Easier to defend.
You mean a cougar killed a deer near here?”
My mind fuzzed.
That cougar could’ve easily tracked the boys.
Could’ve followed the scent of fear.
“It killed it on the ledge in front of the cave.
Ate part of it. Walked through the cavern. Then left.
I think the smoke rolling out of the tunnel made it take off.”
Billy’s face paled.
He scooted closer to me, his little body trembling.
“Do you think it’ll track us here?”
“I’ve thought about that.”
I wrapped an arm around him.
“I don’t think it will right away. It’s not hungry.
It came back and dragged its kill off—hid it from the bear.”
Bobby stared into the fire.
“Dad and I hunted that old bear last year.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“He’s a wily one. Got away from us.
Wish we’d got him. He’s been killing our lambs.
Now a cougar to deal with.”
Billy frowned.
“I’ll bet that cougar’s been killing lambs too.
Something got after my pig, Buster, last week.”
We each told our animal story,
and for a moment, the tension eased.
The fire crackled.
The cave felt less like a tomb.
Then Bobby rubbed his arm, turned to me.
“Lizzy, we definitely heard two shots.
But I don’t think they sounded like pistol shots.”
He paused.
“They sounded like your mom’s shotgun.”
I nodded slowly.
“Yes… but how would she know to come up here looking for us?”
Then—
I realized.
She knew.
She’d always known.
She knew where I was when I was “lost.”
She knew I was living in this cave.
She knew when I was tied up, when I was afraid,
when I was praying in silence.
“How did she know?” I whispered.
Another chill ran up my spine.
I scooted closer to the fire.
Mama speaks inside my head like she’s watching.
She’s stayed with me the whole time.
The whole time.
Mama has been with me.
All. This. Time.
In my head.
How?
A twig snapped outside the opening.
Bear? Cougar? Criminal?
We hunched together near the wall.
Pressed into the stone.
Hearts pounding.
Breath shallow.
Another snap.
I couldn’t stand it.
Jumped to the opening—
and there…
A yearling deer stared me in the eyes.
Soft. Still.
Unaware of the chaos around it.
I nearly passed out.
I did cry then.
Big tears.
Hot and sudden.
I waved my arms.
“Get away!
There’s a cougar and a bear near here!”
The deer blinked.
Then vanished into the brush.
I turned back to the boys.
Bobby looked pale.
Billy’s cast had gone too soft.
“Listen, guys,” I pulled them close.
“We need to get you to the hospital.”
“You too, Lizzy,” Bobby said.
I nodded.
But first—I had to know.
Had to know who fired those shots.
“I’m going to sneak out.
See if I can learn anything.”
Bobby stood too fast.
Wobbled.
Sat down hard.
“Lizzy, I should do it.
But I realize I’m too far gone.”
I took his hand.
“Listen, Bobby. I’m going.
I’ll be careful.
You and Billy stay put.
Guard the entrance.”
I gave Billy a quick hug.
Pressed my forehead to his.
Then climbed through the entrance—
out into bright sunlight.
A wild mechanical buzz screamed overhead.
Helicopter.
They’ve finally come for him.
For the convict.
I wonder if they’ll spot him.
I knew they couldn’t see me.
Too much brush.
Too many trees.
They’d see the waterfall.
Maybe the wrecked car.
But only if they hovered right over it.
I listened.
Tried to follow its path in my mind.
It slowed.
Hovered.
They’d seen the car at the falls.
Bobby and Billy crawled from the cave,
laughing and shouting.
Waving their arms.
Trying to hail the men on board.
No luck.
But for a moment, we felt saved.
Like a life raft had been tossed to us in a storm.
Then it left.
In a storm of whop-whop-whopping blades.
Left us.
Unseen.
Under the brush.
Abandoned.
It took us a stunned moment to realize—
They thought we’d left the area long ago.
My heart sank.
So low I let the tears run.
Billy clung to me, sobbing.
“They left us here, Lizzy.
They left us here.”
I wrapped my arms around him.
Whispered into his hair.
“Billy, I need you to be brave.
Take care of Bobby.
He’s really sick.
I need to go find help.
Can you do that? Can you take care of him?”
I pulled his chin up.
Looked deep into his eyes.
“I have to be able to trust you this time.
Can I trust you?”
He wiped his nose.
Nodded.
“I’ll do it, Lizzy.
I promise.”
They headed back to the cave.
I turned toward the valley below.
Toward the old homestead house.
Toward the truth. Maybe toward hope.
I scrambled through the brush,
back toward the waterfall.
Hoping to find Mama there.
Why I thought she’d be waiting for me
was a puzzle I couldn’t solve.
“She kicked you out, Lizzy,”
my spirit voice boomed.
I jumped.
Looked around.
A bead of sweat ran down my forehead.
That one hadn’t spoken in a while.
“I thought I’d outgrown you,” I whispered.
Not amused.
“I’m not that timid little girl anymore.”
I crept through clumps of brambles,
keeping a close eye out for bear or cougar—
even though they’d probably bolted
for parts unknown
after the helicopter passed.
This chapter to be continued...call or text me to comment .