Written for Steemit: A love story occurs during a time anomaly. A woman from today somehow steps into an anomaly and meets a cowboy asleep on his ranch, in his bed, in the 1850's. ©Jeff Kubitz 2016 - All Rights Reserved.

Birth - Chapter 2 - Song of Angels, Book II

Mindy Woczlewski courtesy of Nastya Muratokova

Table of Contents	Please read and vote for the previous chapters:
Song of Angels - Chapter 1	Book II Chapter 1

Sheriff’s Deputy James Smith decided to stay at home with the family on Sunday instead of travelling out to investigate the site where nothing at all had happened to a woman who walked out into the desert to reach the highway because her car broke down other than she was snowed in and trapped for a four days. Oh he wanted to investigate the Cyrus Weeks ruins just for personal observation because Cyrus Weeks died well more than a century ago and there had been no other people born with the name of Cyrus Weeks since that time. That the woman, Mindy Woczlewski, had survived at the ruins of his ranch and knew his name, knew all about him was a true mystery but was not a crime that needed to be investigated, merely something very curious and very odd.

On Sunday, James, called Jimmy by his wife and friends, thought there was still too much snow on the ground for what could be a great day off with his family. He thought the same for the next four days. It was Friday when he was sent by the Sheriff’s office to the hospital where Mindy Woczlewski stayed during her recovery to have her sign a release that she had not been assaulted or victimized in any way. The hospital was not that far from the Sheriff’s office. He thought it might be a short task, completed quickly.

When he went to her room, he knocked on the door, and he heard her say ‘Come In.’ He walked right in. He was taken aback by how much better she looked because sometimes the people that were rescued were dead, or required amputations for frostbite but she seemed to have a glow about her. He could tell that some of the skin on her face peeled but it was so minor compared to what he expected to see. He walked up to her bed and said, “I am Deputy James Smith, County Sheriff’s Department, How do you do?”

“I am doing much better, thank you. And thank you for saving me.” Mindy said with a voice that was almost melodious.

“You are welcome but I was not actually there with the helicopter. The command post was at your car and I was out on a snowmobile heading west. I did see the smoke though.”

“Again, thank you. I would rather be here than there, although, I am told I was quite delirious when picked up.”

“Yes, I heard and I would like to talk to you informally about that if you remember anything but I am actually here at the request of the D.A. and the Department to have you sign a couple of release forms so the official investigation can be terminated.”

“Question me informally?”

“Yes, I’ll explain after you sign these forms, you can read them?”

“Yes, I can read. I have read a book in the last day or so.”

Would you like me to put the rolling table over your bed?”

“Yes, that would be helpful.”

Jimmy walked around the bed and moved the table over Mindy, who had raised the back of her bed so she was sitting. He set the papers on the table. Mindy picked them up and began to read. Jimmy stood there waiting silently while she read the first set, it was about four pages.

“So this releases the Sheriff’s Department from any liability arising from my rescue?”

“Yes it does.”

“I don’t have a pen.”

“Oh, sorry, I should have handed you one.” Jimmy pulled a pen out of his clipboard and handed it to Mindy.

“That’s okay,” Mindy replied as she took the pen, “I am so glad to be rescued. Sign here?”

“Yes,” Jimmy answered and said, “And please write out the date below, it is the twenty-fifth of January. And I have to witness that you signed it on the line below.”

Mindy signed her name, dated the document, and passed it to Jimmy. She began to read the second document immediately, while Jimmy signed his name below hers. He put the signed document in his clipboard and waited.

This document was about eight pages and the wait was a bit longer. Mindy finished reading it and then asked, “So, this says I was not assaulted and I walked out there of my own free will in eight pages?”

“Yes, that is true.”

“So, I sign it here, and put in my other information, address, phone?”

“Yes, and then I must witness that too and I will give you two copies.” Mindy picked up the pen and did as she was told and then passed the papers to Jimmy.

“I thought I had met my true love but I guess I dreamed it…embarrassing.” Mindy said jokingly.

“Yes, I had heard that and originally we thought you might have been abducted and dumped out there to die but…that is what I wanted to talk to you about when I return with the copies if it is alright with you?”

“I suppose it is alright. Nothing is supposed to have happened when I was out there other than I built my fire with some dangerous weeds as tinder.” She laughed, “Like such a fool.”

“Yes, well, I have participated in rescues that did not turn out nearly as well as yours so...be right back?”

“Okay.” Mindy replied. Jimmy nodded and walked out of Mindy’s room. He turned down the hallway and walked to the nurses’ station where there was a copy machine. He knew the nurse, it was a small town,

“Eva can I use the copy machine?”

“I’ll do it for you.” Eva said, “Just hand me the papers.”

Jimmy handed her the papers and in a few minutes she handed them back, “How’s Sarah and the kids?”

“They’re all fine. How’s Roe?”

“Good.”

“I wanted to ask Mindy Woczlewski some questions, that’s alright isn’t it?”

“She is doing much better and could use a little company.”

“Thanks Eva.”

“Anything I don’t know about?”

“No, not really, but these questions are for Sarah, her genealogy studies, and apparently the man, Miss Woczlewski was talking about might have been one of Sarah’s distant relations.”

“Really?”

“I didn’t believe it either but she had it all written down, and we, well, I’ll tell you later, or Sarah can next time you see her.”

“Yeah, that’s something to talk about.”

“See ya Eva.” Jimmy walked back to Mindy’s room with a wave as Eva responded. He knocked on the door again. Mindy bid him welcome and he came and stood by the bed.

“You can use the chair over there if you want and pull it over.” Mindy said.

“Yes, do you want me to put these papers in the top drawer there, while I do that?” Jimmy asked and Mindy agreed.

“I could use a little company, I don’t know anyone around here so, and there are no visitors except the Doctor and nurses. A man called a bishop came in here but I never heard of that religion, still he was nice.”

“Oh, good then if you like call me Jimmy, may I call you Mindy?”

“Go ahead Jimmy.”

“So, you are starting to get your energy back?”

“Yes, I am feeling much better, no more sedation but I bet I sleep at least fourteen hours a day and have a nap. Feel really cold still sometimes.”

“That’s good you are improving so fast Mindy, and once a person was as cold as you, it can take a while to get back to normal.”

“What did you need to know?”

“Mindy, after you were rescued, we began an investigation of the name of the man you were calling for –“

“You mean Cyrus Weeks? Yes, my hallucination.” Mindy laughed and held her hand to cover her eyes from embarrassment.

“Yes him. We tried to find him but no one had that name. And this is why I am asking the questions informally, I hope this does not make you uncomfortable. When I went home, I told my wife Sarah about the man we were searching for and even though we found nothing, she said she had heard that name.”
“Really,” Mindy said then asked, “So there is a man with that name?”

“Sort of, let me explain, my wife was doing her genealogy, the research of her ancestors. She told me she thought he might be one of her ancestors, and she had most of the information about him written down as a potential way back great grandparent.”

“How far back?” Mindy asked with interest.

“Well, he was supposed to have died, January 16th, 1856, at his ranch.”

“That is the man.” Mindy said matter of fact.

“That is the man?” Jimmy asked.

“Well, how can I explain this? They told me I hallucinated, but I swear I interacted with a widower who was in his house and at his ranch, and he said it was 1856. I remember it all. Oh do I remember it all.”

“What did he look like, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“He was very tall and strong with blond hair. He said he was thirty-five. He carried an Enfield rifle and the holster was sewn into his Mackintosh type coat. He wore a pistol and carried a Bowie knife.”

“Did he threaten you with these?”

“Only at first when I woke him up in his bed. He was asleep.”

“What bed?”

“The bed that was in the bedroom of his house.”

“There was no house there. There has been no house there for, who knows how long?”

“Well, there was a house when I walked up. It had a pot bellied wood stove, a kitchen counter with cabinets, a big soft chair, and a table with two chairs. Out back, down below there was a barn with cattle. There was also an outhouse and a tall but small shack where he hung a butchered beef.”

“Really?” Jimmy asked.

“Yes, and –“

“Hi Deputy.” Doctor Perry said as he walked into the room. “Mindy. Mindy, it looks to me like this questioning might be tiring you out a bit too much, too soon after your ordeal.”

“Hi Doc.” Mindy and Jimmy said together. Mindy continued when Doctor Perry nodded at her, “I am fine, really, it is good to talk to somebody about this.”

“It is a bit lonely in here, I know but are you sure you want to talk about your hallucinations to the Sheriff?”

“Well, it was a very vivid dream…” Mindy trailed off.

“I thought that might be your response.” Doctor Perry said. “Sheriff, Deputy, whatever she tells you must be kept in the strictest confidence for the sake of her reputation and remember she was dreaming. She is telling you a dream.”

“Yes, Doc. I was asking her for personal reasons, not official reasons because of my wife’s genealogical studies on her family history.”

“Even so, I think it is a bit too soon for my patient to reveal too much that was in her dream until she has more perspective on it and knows she dreamed it.”

“Right, Gotcha Doc. I’ll just say goodbye then Mindy and I was going to head out there later this afternoon.”

“Going out there, what for?” Doctor Perry asked. “There has been no crime. I assure you of that.”

“The search and rescue team thinks they left a very expensive first aid kit there when they left with Miss Woczlewski.”

“Oh yes, that happens in emergencies. I hope you find it then Deputy.” Doctor Perry said. “I have done it myself.”

“Good Luck on finding it Jimmy.” Mindy said. “And, nice to meet you.”

“Mindy, Miss Woczlewski, nice to meet you too.” Jimmy turned and left. Doctor Perry began to give Mindy her daily examination.

Jimmy headed off to the office to deliver the paperwork to the respective departments. After he was done with that, he took time off for lunch at home. He left a note for Sarah that he was heading out to the Weeks ruins and would be back for dinner, unless he called.

He walked outside, Jumped in his squad SUV, called an EPV, Emergency Police Vehicle. He notified dispatch he was on his way out to try to find the missing first aid kit he had been assigned to find at the Woczlewski rescue site. Then he was on his way.

The county was huge and the Weeks ruins were more than an hour away. He had GPS, even so, once he was on the road out in front of the Cementex, it took him awhile to find the jeep trail that headed west. The GPS and the radio stopped working as usual.

Most of the snow was melted but even so, the road he tried to find was nothing more than two tire tracks that was rarely ever used except for cattle roundups and maybe a hunter or a rock hound. There were several and he finally found the right one.

It was several miles down the road; he was on about the seventh mile when he saw the leafless trees off in the distance. There were three spread out far. Once he saw that, he knew he was getting close.

He did not drive too fast because, there were places where it was muddy and where there were snow drifts in the road that had not melted yet. When he was about a half mile away, he saw more leafless trees and he could have sworn that there was a thin trail of smoke rising like someone had a fire burning just ahead. But, his was the only vehicle that had passed through any of these snow drifts. The helicopter had landed but no other support was necessary to recover Mindy and they flew her out, off to the hospital.

Jimmy was less than a quarter mile away when he thought he saw the top of a roof ahead and smoke rising out of a chimney pipe.

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