Chapter 15

Josey

Josey woke the next morning to sunlight streaming in through a hole in the earth high above her. For a moment, she thought she was dead, but her body ached all over and she was thirsty. So thirsty that she could drink a whole lake. She knew she wasn’t dead. Death would have been easier and a lot less painful. Holding her hand up to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight, she could tell by the position of the sun that it was no longer morning. She had slept through the night and most of the day.

In a way, it was good that she had fallen into the hole. At least Austin wouldn’t be able to find her easily. But then again, neither could anyone else.

She tried to move, but she ached all over and thought better of it. Josey ran her hand over her stomach, afraid for the baby. Surprisingly, her stomach no longer hurt. Josey just hoped that the baby was okay and hadn’t died in the fall. Running a hand over her stomach, nothing felt out of the ordinary. She pushed the thought from her mind, deciding to go to a doctor to get checked out as soon as she got out of this hole.

If she got out.

But with being on the run, a doctor would be a luxury.

Josey looked around and wooden beams supported the earth high above her, becoming the only thing holding back tons of dirt and rock from dropping on her. But it had probably been there for a while, so her falling into it shouldn’t bring it down.

Another wave of fatigue washed over her again, so she slid out of sight and watched the clouds pass by overhead. For once, she wished it would rain. At least then she could get some water.

As the day wore on, she became hungry and even more thirsty, if that was possible, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. Finally, the day overtook her, and she fell back to sleep, too tired to move. Too tired to stand. Too tired to live. But she had to try… for her baby.

When she opened her eyes again, it was dark, and hunger was so strong that she thought she might eat anything if it passed by close enough. She grabbed the wall of the cavern and sat up. She placed a hand over her stomach, and it still wasn’t hurting. Although she didn’t have anything to compare it to, she felt that she hadn’t lost the baby in the fall. And luckily, she hadn’t broken anything, either. Even though she knew she should find her way out and start moving again, she was glad to have had the rest. At least in this hole, she could rest all she wanted.

No one knew she was there.

Her sanity finally started to return, and she realized she had to get out before she either died or a wild animal found her. As she looked around, it appeared that she was in a room, of sorts. From what she could tell, there was a hallway that led to the right. As she looked up and studied the beams, she wondered if this was an abandoned mine shaft. After all, she didn’t know the area and she didn’t know if either coal miners, or miners looking for gold, had come this way, but she was sure they had. The gold rush several years before had people hurrying to California. Why not here? But then again, it could have been an abandoned coal mine, too. After all, people needed coal to keep warm in the winter.

As she studied the room, she wondered why it had been abandoned. Maybe the coal ran out. But she decided not to think about it. She had more important things to think about... like staying alive.

Josey tried to stand but was too weak. She had to get help. But if she called out, Austin might find her. Then on the other hand, if no one knew she was there, she could die while hiding. For a moment, she thought that would be a better alternative than facing what Austin had planned for her.

Josey looked up through the hole in the ceiling to the stars, peeking through the darkness. Every once in a while, one would wink at her, as if letting her know that everything would be all right. She just hoped it was true.

As she watched, God came to mind. She wondered if He was with her. It had been a while, but she remembered that it said in the Bible that there were legions of angels at her disposal, if she only asked.

“God,” she began, her voice breaking from dryness. “I need your help. If not for me, then for my baby. I know that you’ll send legions of angels to protect me if I ask, but I’d be happy with just one. Please, don’t hold my sins or the sins of the baby’s father against him or her. But please protect him. You can let anything happen to me, but please, protect my baby. Let him or her live.”

Looking up at the sky, she didn’t know if her prayer had been heard. But she hoped that it had. After all, God would never forsake His people. Although it had been a while, she was definitely one of His people. If she and her baby came through this alive, she vowed to be more devout.

She looked down at her stomach and tears ran down her face as she ran a hand across her stomach again.

“Baby, none of this is your fault. I’m sorry that I’m bringing you into such a world, that you’re starting your life this way.” She bit her lower lip and continued, “But I promise that I’ll get us out of this… somehow.”

At that moment, she decided that she wanted to live. For the baby, if not anyone else. “Baby, I’ll get us out of this somehow. I promise.”

If she hung for the murder of Logan, she wondered if they would wait until after the baby was born to do it. But who would ever care for the child of an outlaw?

Then she thought of Daxton. Of course, he hadn’t known that the father of her baby had been a cold-blooded killer, but he had accepted that she was pregnant. She hoped that he would come looking for her. But she wouldn’t wish this mess she was in on anyone. No, she couldn’t let Daxton get involved. He had children to think about. But she couldn’t help but hope that he would be the one to find her.

Josey trusted him and she knew that he would do what was best. Not only for her, but for the baby. And if she was hanged for Logan’s murder, then she would entrust the care of her child with Daxton, if he’d take on the responsibility. Not only would Daxton love him, but he was also probably the only one capable enough to keep him safe.

But she quickly pushed the thought from her mind, knowing that Daxton finding her would be too much to ask. A miracle. What she needed was a miracle.

As she looked up at the stars, she thought about Daxton and Logan. Daxton was nothing like her late husband. In fact, before she met Daxton, she never realized that men could be so loving and unselfish. At that moment, she vowed that if she ever saw him again, she would tell him everything. About killing Logan in self-defense and let the chips fall where they may. She didn’t want to run anymore. And she didn’t want to keep any secrets from Daxton. No matter what happened. By telling Daxton, she knew he would protect her baby, if she were to hang. She would plead with him to wait until after the baby was born, at least. The baby deserved a chance to live... no matter what his or her parents did.

Looking up at the stars, she thought about Daxton and the children and realized that she already thought of them as her own. If only things could be different.

Then she realized that sitting there in the dark, waiting for salvation or persecution, wasn’t doing her or the baby any good. She wanted to see Daxton again. She had to tell him the truth.

“Daxton.” Her voice was merely a whisper at first, but then grew louder. “Daxton!” She cried over and again, hoping that he found her before Austin.