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 1, Song of Angels Book II

Mindy Woczlewski courtesy of Nastya Muratokova

For the first week in the hospital, Mindy did little more than sleep. She was kept sedated but not to the point that she could not walk to the toilet or after the first day, take a shower.

There were several talks with Doctor Perry during those days. He explained to her she had built a fire with some plants with very peculiar properties. He showed her the pictures of the plants from a book and explained that was why she was sedated, in addition to the extreme cold and physical shocks she had just survived, and he emphasized the word survived, she had inhaled some mild hallucinogens from the smoke of the desert plants and they would wear off soon.

“So, then Cyrus Weeks was just a dream and nothing more than that?” Mindy asked Doctor Perry.

“It is more complicated than that Mindy, you were slowly dying, you were trapped in a very tiny area by the snow for days, and you saw what you wanted, a man to rescue you, and a husband, and this is what kept you alive. Did you know it was at least twenty below zero on two of those nights?” Doctor Perry asked.

“I often felt cold in Cyrus’s house, very cold in fact, but I tended the fire, and…”

“Yes, I am sure your dream or more like a living vision helped you to survive in those very harsh conditions, and maybe the plants you accidentally picked as well. You are very lucky to be here. Mindy, you were very lucky to be found and largely untouched, or with just minor, cold injuries. We have seen people after less time lost come in here in much worse shape than you.”

“Will I be all right? I feel so tired, so worn, Doctor.”

“Mindy, you are doing just fine. Remember, I am sedating you so that the hallucinogens can pass through your body naturally. It should only take a day and a half but everyone is a little different. Soon, you’ll be just fine and know for certain that Cyrus Weeks is not a real person.”

“He did, he still does seem very real to me in my dreams.”

“That is fine and nothing to worry about. Those plants you burned and breathed the smoke are the reason for these vivid dreams, and so is the amount of cold you survived. All will be well soon. Now, this is most likely taxing you and are you already tired again?” Doctor Perry asked.

Mindy nodded.

“I thought so, just try to eat when your meals come and your strength will improve very quickly. And don’t worry about resting too much. You do need to rest. Are you through eating?”

Mindy nodded and looked drowsy.

“Good, get some rest. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Mindy did not remember closing her eyes or falling asleep, all she knew was that she awoke in Cyrus’s arms in their bed but the bedroom was no longer cold. For some reason, the whole house seemed warm and comfortable. Maybe she was now used to the colder temperatures, so everything seemed so much warmer? She did not know. She only knew she was with her Cyrus and he desired her like she did not know was possible. On the second day, one of Cyrus’s brothers, a Jack Mereweather showed up.

---

In the time that passed, with the weekend off, Sheriff James Smith a deputy with his wife Sarah visited the county recorder’s to do research. They found out through their research that the property had indeed been owned by a Cyrus Weeks and Claire Mereweather Weeks. The woman he had married when she was sixteen and he was twenty.

Claire had died in childbirth ten months later. The baby died also. Cyrus Weeks was a very young widower. “It must have been a very sad life for him.” James observed to Sarah.

“I am interested in whether or not he actually is one of my ancestors and the father of Samuel Peeples.” Sarah said.

“Dear there is no way to prove that.”

“But it is very interesting, very interesting indeed that a pipe saleswoman on her first trip out here from Chicago, was talking to him, or thinks she was, or even knows his and Claire’s name.”

“Oh that is unbelievable. Even more unbelievable is that I talked to the D.A. and that there is no evidence she was assaulted in any way.”

“No assault or kidnapping, she just walked out there?”

“It has been pieced together, her car would not start. She heard some singing off in the distance and thought she could make it to help but, she never found who was singing. Then it snowed deep. No one is suspect. No charges are to be filed.”

“Creepy. And she knows the name of Cyrus Weeks and learned that name at the ruins of his property he has not inhabited for what a hundred and fifty years?”

“One hundred and fifty-six years to the day he was recorded as dead.”

“Let go to church tomorrow.” Sarah said.

“I would like to go out there to the property and look around some more. What if we actually met this Cyrus Weeks and he was no ghost?”

“What if we meet him, Jimmy, and he is a ghost?” Sarah asked then asked before he could answer, “Are we prepared for that?”

“If he truly is some sort of ghost he did not hurt Mindy Woczlewski?”

“You don’t know that, why didn’t she leave? What really drew her out there to very nearly die?” Sarah speculated.

“I don’t recall anyone ever meeting a ghost in person that I have heard. I haven’t, have you Sarah?”

“I have not and have no desire to do it.”

“Remember, she may have been approached by someone who found her, talked to her, and left her to die, even though she does not remember it and there is no proof.”

“That really is a much more likely possibility than a ghost, but that would be horrible to do to someone and who would do that and also know about Cyrus Weeks?”

“I don’t know but I suggest we go out there tomorrow and find out.”

“After church. And, I have the children to take care of Jimmy. This does not sound like a family outing to me.”

“Fine. We head to church and afterwards, I head out to the Weeks ruins and see what else I can see. You wait at home until I get back.”

“That I will happily do. Let’s get copies of all these records, including the map, and then head home. You do need some rest, you know.”

“Sounds good. You want me to warm up the truck while you get the copies?” Sarah nodded in response and James turned to go.

Follow me: @jeff-kubitz Please upvote and resteem