THE ROCK CREEK
ADVENTUROUS TALES, PART 1
The howling wind is sweeping down on the ranch located on the outskirts of Rock Creek. In the distance, the clattering of wind chimes can be slightly heard above the loud galloping of hooves coming from the dozen or so restless horses that are trapped within the corral fence.
A wooden plank engraved with the words The Kid & Buck Horse Ranch est. 1864, swings recklessly back and forth with a ghost town creaking noise coming from the rustic chains that hold the sign to the wooden posts. The view, after the sign, is of a ranch that has taken a few years of hard labor, from its owners, to make it the largest horse ranch within a few hundred miles. To the left of the sign is an enormous wood barn that has two corrals attached to it, and a third corral in the process of being built. The two corrals, that are already built, are located along the left side of the barn. Each corral has a set of large barn doors to allow easy entrance and departure for the many horses that reside inside. The partially built corral beyond the other two will be for wild horses that are not yet broke.
There are three homesteads located on the ranch. One home is the old Pony Express Waystation home where Rachel Dunne lived during the Pony Express days, and still does. After the Pony Express was laid to rest, Rachel and Marshall Teaspoon Hunter bought the home, to start their new lives as Mr. & Mrs. Hunter. The second home on the ranch is located adjacent to the barn, but about fifty feet away. It is a newly constructed home that was built by Kid, Buck Cross, Jimmy Hickok, and on occasion Teaspoon would lend a helping hand other than supervising. This home is occupied by one of the families that are co-owners of the ranch, Kid and Lou.
The outside of Kid and Louise's home is white with dark green shutters around the windows. Several rockers and a wood swing are scattered about on the porch. Many family members often retire to Kid and Lou's porch furniture after a long hard day of work on the ranch. The wind chimes that hang from the porch roof ledge chime soft tunes whenever a breeze whistles through them. Lou constructed the chimes from pieces of rustic pipes held together by rope. She then attached a round base of metal at the top of the chimes. There are a few hanging baskets of flowers hanging from the rafters of the porch. The flowers are in full bloom making everyone aware that summer has been in full swing for a couple of months now. The heavy breeze allows the fresh scent of the flowers to carry into the open windows of the house.
The last home on the ranch is located beyond Kid and Lou's home. Buck Cross the other owner of the horse ranch lives here. Buck's Pony Express family also built this home. The home is built along a harmonious flowing creek that also runs behind Kid and Lou's home, but a distance away from their backyard. The house is painted white with a deep blue color for the shutters surrounding the windows. The porch in front of the house extends the length of the home. Although there is a porch swing and several chairs on the porch, there are no flower baskets or anything else feminine that may lead one to believe that a woman lives here. Buck is a single man. He has yet to find a woman that can tolerate his Indian heritage. Upon Teaspoon's insistence that Buck will find a wife someday, he built a home large enough to accommodate a boundless family.
Across from Kid and Lou's home is the old bunkhouse where six boys and one young lady had called their home while they rode for the Pony Express six years ago. The bunkhouse had been turned into a one-man home for Buck where he stayed until his home was completed. After the Pony Express had finished its last mail run, Buck was lost as to where he actually fit in the world. Other members of his Pony Express family quickly found their fate. Ike and Noah had each lost their life. Ike, earlier that year, died protecting the woman he loved. Jesse's brother, Frank James, shot Noah just before the Pony Express closed. Cody had joined the army. He left before the Pony Express actually closed down, much to everyone's disbelief. He became a scout for the army. Kid and Lou were married. Kid decided he would go back home to Virginia and fight in the war. Louise would stay on in Rock Creek with Teaspoon and Rachel who were already planning to be married. Jimmy had scattered about the countryside looking for what direction in life he should take.
Teaspoon had sensed Buck's unhappiness at the family breaking up. Their family had been the first sense of security Buck and the rest of the boys, including Louise, had ever felt. Teaspoon had expressed to Buck back then, no matter how many miles we are all separated by, we will always be family to each other.
Teaspoon had offered Buck a deputy's job, hoping that he would stay on in Rock Creek. He had said good-bye to all the boys except Louise. He was hoping he could keep at least one of them by his side.
Buck wasn't sure. He thought maybe he'd try going home to his Kiowa family
before making a permanent decision about settling in Rock Creek. Teaspoon had
been understanding, but deeply saddened by Buck's decision. He had told Buck
that he hoped life would be different for him in the Indian village this time
around. Buck hoped so too, even though leaving Teaspoon and Rachel was one of
the hardest things he'd ever done
Teaspoon didn't voice his concern for Buck directly to him. That didn't seem
to matter, Buck sensed that Teaspoon was sure he would not be treated any better
than when he lived with the Kiowa tribe as a child. The day Buck left Rock Creek
he kept Teaspoon's final words to him, close to his heart. "Remember son,
if life there doesn't work out the way you hope for, please come back home to
us." Teaspoon had made Buck promise that he would. Teaspoon knew Buck would
never break a promise.
One year later in the autumn of 1862, Buck was home and wearing a deputy's badge. He was working alongside Teaspoon Hunter once again.
Working with Teaspoon certainly allowed Buck to stay on in Rock Creek. He hadn't really confided to Teaspoon about his treatment at his brother Red Bear's village in detail. Only that his Rock Creek family made him feel better about himself. He hadn't wanted the only family he ever had to vanish before his eyes, and coming back only proved how strong their ties to each other are.
Kid's idea about the horse ranch sealed Buck's fate to the people he cared about and loved the most in his life. A few years of hard work by the owners and other family members has established Kid and Buck their future in Rock Creek.
Along with running the horse ranch, Buck stayed on as Teaspoon's deputy. Buck rarely shows up at the Marshall's office on a daily basis though. When his services are required as deputy, Teaspoon calls on his help. Most of Buck's days are spent working on the ranch along side his best friend and co-owner, Kid. Both men have nurtured this ranch from its very beginning. Both men are proud of the long hours and hard work they put into the ranch to make it their future for themselves and their families. Their lives have never been without challenges though. They became a family made up of lost orphans trying to make it alone, but found each other along the way. They were brought together by one need. They all needed employment for one reason or another. Ever since that remarkable day, when their lives finally had some security in them, there have been some natural and unnatural forces trying to tear them apart.
