Ch 1

Teaspoon walks in to find everyone sitting at the table ready for supper. Rachel's cooking was the best around and no one missed a meal. It would be a good time to get two volunteers he thinks as Rachel brings the food to the table. Cody is licking his lips from the smell of her food.

"It sure does smell good, Rachel. "says Cody with a big smile on his face.

She fixed the plates and sat down at the end of the table.

Teaspoon blessed the food and then not a word was said as they gobbled their groceries up. Teaspoon broke the silence.

"I need two volunteers for a ride to Fort Laramie. Cody and Buck, good men." Both boys contest Teaspoon's decision. "Now y'all can thank me later. It's a simple run. As a matter of fact, you'll have to take the wagon.

Cody jumps up. "That's a three day ride, Teaspoon."

"Settle down now, captain obvious. The army said they needed to move a crate to Sweetwater for pick up. You should not have any trouble. It will be a slow ride and y'all can take your time."

"Oh man." Cody says looking at Buck who was fine with a trip. Buck seldom had trouble doing what was asked.

"Y'all can head out in the morning before nine. It's settled." Teaspoon says.

"Have fun with that." Jimmy tells Buck.

"Yeah, this should be great."

The next morning Rachel packs the fellas food and they set out on their way.

Buck has the reins for the trip there. Cody agrees to bring them back. They ride in silence for most of the way there. Buck and Cody don't have much in common and that suits both of them. When Cody can't help but open his mouth, he whines about whatever crosses his mind and Buck looks at him and shakes his head in agreement to appease him. The trip goes by faster than they had anticipated arriving at Fort Laramie in record time. The gates flew open and they were escorted in. Once inside, they quickly realized that they were in a military world. The demeanor of the men was sarcastic at best. The Sergeant escorts them to the General's office.

"Morning men." the General says nonchalantly almost speaking out of habit instead of generosity. "I have a mission that is of grave importance. You must see to it that this package is delivered to Fort Lauderdale within six days."

"Sir, that's a five day ride on horseback across some of the most unforgiving landscape in the territory." Cody quickly informed the General.

"Teaspoon gave me his word that he was sending in the best of the best of his riders."

"Well sir, I appreciate his vote of confidence but that's going to be virtually impossible under the circumstances to achieve that goal." Cody replies.

"It's very crucial that package leave here immediately. I'll pray for your well being during the journey. Godspeed to you. Good day sir, your wagon should be loaded by now. Whatever happens do not open the box!"

Cody looks at Buck as they were forcefully removed and escorted back to the wagon. They were accompanied all the way to the gate.

"I wonder what's in the box?" Cody says to Buck. "It has to be extraordinary."

"Cody, you know that we can't open that crate."

"I know but who is going to know. Think about it. It's just you and me."

"No Cody, I'm not opening the crate."

Cody snaps the reins to take them on down the road. They stop at the same place that they had camped the second day of their trip. They make camp and cook what little food that they had left.

That night, Cody looks at the stars and wonders just how far they were from him. He wonders just how big the world was and what the moon was made off. He looks over to the wagon and back to Buck. Hell, he ain't going to know. I really should not open that box. He thinks as he closes his eyes.

The next morning Buck wakes to find that Cody has already packed up camp. Just his bedroll had to be rolled and put away. Cody and Buck climbs in the wagon and heads on down the dusty road. Buck looks over at Cody who seemed to be fine other than his hair. It was all a mess which was out of the ordinary for Mr. William F. Cody. Buck smiles and looks away. Everyone has a bad hair day. He thinks as they ride until they come to a big stand of trees.

"You want to stop for a quick stretch and drink of water?" Buck asked.

Buck walks around the back of the wagon to check on the crate. He saw one of the boards was coming up.

"Cody, did you mess with this box?"

"No Buck, I didn't touch it. I swear."

"One of the boards is coming undone. We need to knock it back down."

"Darn Buck, we don't have a hammer."

Cody looks around and grabs a decent sized rock and throws it to Buck who is standing in the back of the wagon. Buck draws his arm back and stops. He freezes in place.

"Buck, the rock hits the nail and the nail goes in the board." Cody says with a slight grin.

"I thought something moved in there."

"What?"

Buck did not say a word back to Cody. He just looked into the darkness. He seemed to be lost, frozen in place.

"Buck, stop goofing and nail the box shut."

Buck blinks and swings his arm. The whole wagon rocks forward. Buck and Cody run back from the commotion.

"What was that?" Cody asked. "What did you see...speak man." Cody said as he shook Buck by the shoulders.

"I don't know."

"You don't know." Cody says taking his hat off. "What was that? It moved the whole wagon. I saw it!"

They stand there waiting side by side in anticipation but the wagon does not move again.

"We need to go."

The boys slowly walk back to the wagon. Cody slings a rock at the crate. Nothing happened. He picks up a bigger rock, he draws back ...

Two days later they pull into the station yard. Teaspoon was waiting for them like he always does anticipating the return of a rider from a multi-day trip.

"Hey boys. How did it go?"

"It went that's for sure." Cody says as he sat close to Buck.

"What did you have to do?" Teaspoon pried.

"To take a box to Blue Creek." Buck says.

"Blue Creek? That's only ten miles from the fort. They asked for two riders to take a wagon all the way there? To take a letter ten miles down the road. Of all the half minded things to do!" Teaspoon had raised his voice at this point. He drew Rachel's and all the rest of the rider's attention to the porch.

"Teaspoon, that's the government for you." Cody says jumping down followed by Buck.

Rachel came over to Buck and Cody. Y'all" okay boys?"

"We haven't had water in two days but other than that, we are well." Buck says.

Rachel pushed Cody and Buck inside out of the hot sun and fixed them some water.

"Y'all hungry?" she asked waiting on Cody to insist that he have some of her food.

Cody looked at Buck. They looked for a few moments before they both declined her offer.

"Oh okay. Y'all go rest. I'm sure that y'all are exhausted from all that travel."

"No, we are fine. Thanks for offering, Rachel." Cody said.

They walk outside and head to the barn. Rachel stops and watches them suspiciously from the kitchen window. They had stopped halfway across the yard and faced each other. She walked back to the close line and continued her daily chores. She stayed busy for the most part of the day cleaning and washing the boys clothes. She was always doing something. A short time later, Kid came to get a brush that he had left in the house.

"Rachel, have you seen my brush? I left it laying around and now I can't find it."

She points to the corner where it laid. He picked it up and headed to the stable to brush Katy down. Walking in the door, he hear footsteps in the loft. He commenced brushing down Katy and talking to her like she was the love of his life. Ike walked in and signed to Kid if he had seen Buck. Kid replied that he had not seen Buck but he heard some footsteps in the loft that maybe he was up there. Ike smiled and nodded walking over to the steps. He proceeded up the steps in pursuit of Buck.

Reaching the summit of the staircase, he finds Buck and Cody standing toe to toe staring at each other. Buck does not make a sound as he watches intently. Cody turns his head and stares directly in Ike's face. Ike flies down the steps drawing Kid's attention as he trips over his own two feet .

Kid rushes over and dusts Ike off while asking if he was ok. Ike dismissed Kid and walked out the barn.

"Was he okay?" Buck asked as Cody followed him down the steps.

"Yes, I think so. He tripped on the last step, I guess. He looked confused and ran out the barn."

"He was probably just embarrassed is all." Cody chimed in. "I hate making an ass out of myself."

Kid agreed and went back to brush Katy. That night Cody and Buck sat beside each other drinking their water and stirring around in their plate.

"Ike, you okay son?" Teaspoon asked as Ike looked away from Buck.

He vigorously nodded his head. Supper was done. Everyone had made their way to the bunkhouse to find that Buck's bunk had been moved close to Cody's. Right next to it to be exact.

Jimmy shakes his head as he said, "Did y'all cook up some kinda romance out there boys?" slapping Kid on the back.

"Don't talk about what happens out there!" Cody screamed until his face turned blood red with anger with hatred behind those eyes.

Buck stood up and walked over to the window. "Jimmy, you ever wondered how far away the land behind the sun was?"

Cody still glaring at Jimmy said, "His mind would not accept the truth, Buck."

Cody's face turns back to it's normal complexion. They lay down in their bunks and stare at the ceiling. Not another word was spoke that night.