Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles Volume 3, by author Paul Lintern. It is set in 1831 and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of young people. This is the third in a three-book trilogy. Volume 1 was Amelia Changes Her Tune, while Volume II was Isaac and Wolf Paw Find Their Home.
Autumn had never felt more alone.
Everyone had run to Uncle John’s house, Isaac and Wolf Paw took off to look for Appleseed John, and she sat next to the oak tree, knees to her chin, sobbing quietly, listening to her heart pound in her chest.
Everyone was acting as though Amelia was still alive, but Autumn hadn’t see her move. Amelia was just limp in Uncle John’s arms.
I should go help. I should do something. I don’t know what to do.
She just sat and stared at the farmhouse in the distance. Finally, after no time in particular, Autumn decided she needed to go there. She pulled herself up and began walking toward the farmhouse, each step feeling as though someone else was walking. She trudged up the lane, but before she got to the door, she found herself walking around the house and into the pasture in back.
I can’t see her just lying there.
She found herself on a bench, next to another oak tree, her knees back up against her chin. She didn’t see she was rocking back and forth. She didn’t notice she wasn’t thinking about anything. She was just being sad.
She didn’t realize how long it had been, a few hours later, when Isaac and Wolf Paw came walking out to her. Without saying anything, they sat down next to her. She could tell they wanted to help, but didn’t know how.
Isaac slowly put his arm around her shoulder.
With one touch, Autumn felt the dam burst. She threw her arms around Isaac’s neck and began to sob and sob and sob. She felt like everything inside of her was spilling out — fear, sadness, guilt — everything she had thought about but had not identified while she sat there.
For several moments she cried. Deep down she was amazed that Isaac just sat there and let her, without pushing her away or making a joke or even crying himself.
Then, just as quickly as the dam had burst, all of a sudden the crying stopped. She was done. Suddenly she knew that Amelia needed her courage right now, and that she would be given the strength she needed. She felt a prayer had been answered; she didn’t hear a voice, just felt a strength.
She pulled herself away from Isaac, wiped her eyes with her apron, smiled a thank you at Isaac, took a deep breath and walked into the house.
Amelia needs me. To help her. To be with her.
For the rest of that day and night, and the next day and night, and into the following morning, Autumn stayed by Amelia’s side, holding her hand, talking to her and wiping her face with a cool rag as Aunt Elizabeth changed her dressing.
Appleseed John was there reading scriptures and applying his herb medicine.
And while there was plenty of time to talk about important life and death things, no one said a word. They just hummed and washed and sat and quietly prayed, while Amelia lay still, occasionally furrowing her brow and sometimes moving her lips as if to speak, but never opening her eyes.
Until the third day, when Autumn heard Amelia’s breathing change and saw her hand, the good hand, move, and suddenly was looking into her eyes.
She’s back!
Once again the farm burst into activity, this time a celebration as many friends came by to see Amelia and rejoice in her recovery. Aunt Elizabeth saw to it that Amelia would not be overtaxed, keeping a close eye on how long she was up and what she was doing.
The farm was alive with celebration, but Amelia was only allowed to participate a little bit.
She stayed at Uncle John’s house for most of a week, before being allowed to return to stay at the Inn. She did get to be carried there each day to sit and watch under the same oak tree that Autumn had sat by that awful day.
Autumn got to take Amelia for a walk each day, including one day when she just blurted out how sorry she was that she had not protected Amelia from the snakes.
Amelia looked surprised and said she was silly for not moving away from the snakes.
“But I should have grabbed you as soon as I saw a snake. If I had been thinking of both of us you wouldn’t have been bit.”
Then Autumn felt tears returning.
“All my life I’ve wanted a sister and now, this summer, God gave me one, and I almost let you die. Can you ever forgive me?”
Amelia just gave a concerned look at Autumn for a long moment, then said, “I’ve always wanted a sister, too, and God gave me you. It’s not your fault I am not smart enough to run away from a silly reptile with fangs.”
Amelia stuck out her front teeth like fangs. It made Autumn then Amelia giggle and fall into each others arms, carefully avoiding the wounded arm with its smelly herbal salve.
The two headed back to the Inn so that Aunt Elizabeth would not be too worried.
Autumn was being thankful for her sister.
She guessed that Amelia was thinking the same thing.
