Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Bees and such were forgotten as I switched my mission from beekeeper to nurse. Granted, I wasn’t really qualified to do either, but I was sure going to give it my best try. I grabbed the sheet I’d brought to wrap around the skep once I’d enticed the bees inside and used it to staunch the flow of blood that ran down the cow’s side. I knew it had to hurt when I pressed my body weight against her, but the cut was long and I really needed to stop the blood. I started singing softly to her as if she could understand, but even if she didn’t, the songs helped me not to panic. I had no clue how she’d wound up in the woods, how long she’d been lying down, or what I was going to do next, but life had taught me to take it one step at a time.
When I could no longer see blood oozing, I chanced carefully moving back and after finishing the last line of the song, moved to squat at her head and give her a few pats, bloody hands be damned. Besides, they became semi-washed when I poured her handfuls of water until the thermos was empty.
“I’d give you something to eat, but I’m afraid I ate the last of the cookies. Do cows eat cookies?” She simply looked up at me with an expression that asked if bears did you-know-what in the woods. I giggled and then suggested, “I think it might be better if we don’t even think about bears, okay?” In fact, I was pretty sure I should be quiet in order to hear anything that might decide we’d make a tasty meal. Yep, shouldn’t have thought about that either!
When the first crack of thunder sounded, I jumped about two feet and when the rain started, I looked toward the heavens and shrugged before looking back at the momma-to-be. “Looks like we’re both going to get a free shower. It’ll be nice not to be so icky-sticky, right, girl?”
She mooed and I found the thermos and held it up. Might as well fill it while getting soaked to the skin. I was concentrating so hard on catching our next drink that I barely jumped when another rolling rumble sounded. However, as a flash of light split the air to our right, its accompanying crack had me dropping the thermos and slapping my hands over my ears. I wasn’t sure who jumped higher, me or my new friend. Though I couldn’t call what she did a jump. She lunged to her feet and without so much as a thank you, took off running, knocking me on my ass… again.
Chapter Three
Lincoln
Instinct was the only thing that saved me from being plowed into. Jumping off the log, I landed and immediately pivoted to my left to keep out of its path. Still, I grunted when something whipped across my shirt.
Rubbing my chest, I turned to watch as the apparition fled and when it suddenly separated itself from the running form and floated toward me, I batted it away.
I’d never heard of spirits dividing into parts before either. Nor was I aware of anyone ever being able to touch an actual phantom, much less hold one. The white settled to drape over my hand and my arm as well as swept against the ground. Correction, it wasn’t totally white. Dark splotches dotted the surface.
“Polka-dotted Casper-wannabes do not exist,” I stated firmly.
“Mooooooooo!”
Childhood beliefs evaporated as I realized the mass was the very cow I’d been searching for and that the “ghost” I had captured was actually a sheet. I turned to look in the direction the cow had come. Why would a sheet be in the middle of the woods? And who had been screaming? When another moo, this one sounding far more urgent was bellowed, I left stories behind to deal with reality.
Having left my lariat on the saddle horn, I twisted the sheet into a makeshift rope. It was far too thick to be used as a lead, but with a few light touches, worked to direct the expectant cow to the break in the fence. The long scratch down her side confirmed she’d run into the barbed wire taking this path. When the hole was again in sight, I could only hope that the wire I’d kicked aside had gone far enough away so as not to twist around her hooves. I held my breath until she was safely through, following close enough behind to keep her motivated but well out of kicking range in case she got tangled up again. The thought of us both on the ground bleeding wasn’t exactly the cherry on top of the day’s sundae I wanted to taste.
“Come on, girl, let’s get you home,” I said.