The Ongoing Tale at Brother’s Campfire Volume 2, Chapter 11 Walter Berengar

Join me as I spin a tale!

Dad, Mom, Uncle Walter, Aunt Betty, cousins Jabez, Jacob, and Melonie were all at the house when I lifted the latch to our door and went inside after my Wilderness trip assigned by the Preacher Man. 

They were amazed and hush hush, as though I were one risen from the dead or something. 

The first thing I said was, 

“I’m sure thankful to my parents and the rest of you for getting all the chores done without me during this trip.”

Mom started crying. She cried when she was happy and sad, so there was no telling what it was. Maybe she was sick and tired of doing more than her share of the chores. 

Nope. That wasn’t it.

I found out that I lost track of time and had been out in the Wilderness for thirty-nine days and not the thirty discussed. So, having given me up for dead, they had contacted the Preacher man and were considering a funeral. Chores just weren’t something considered at the moment. 

Well, everyone from the “backwoods Berengar” clan came by to see the “young man who went to the wilderness.”

It was frustrating because I was trying to separate myself for church studies and instead became a local celebrity. 

I was all tired and ready for supper, which everyone forgot about in the excitement of my return when I realized I had to be in Northwich to speak in front of the Congregation to complete the seminar homework.

I looked at the moon and compared it to our calendar and discovered I was supposed to be in Northwich in the morning! 

“gaaa!” I exclaimed. “I have to be at Northwich tomorrow! “

Dad, Mom, Uncle Walter, Aunt Betty, and cousins Jabez, Jacob, and Melonie were upset that I had to go and knew it should be, but there was also not enough time to get there. 

I was so disappointed that I cried, right in front of everyone. 

Jacob, Jabez’s brother, started crying as well. 

I stopped crying almighty fast because Jacob was a lunatic, mostly mute, and was as big as a barn. We needed to keep him calm. 

Well, he picked up my rucksack in one arm and me in the other and started running. 

Despite carrying me and my ruck, Jacob was so fast that Dad and Jabez couldn’t catch him. 

I was too dehydrated, hungry, and weak from all the fasting and outdoor living to fight, even if I tried. 

“Jacob! Put me down! You can’t take me all the way to Northwich! 

Jacob did not listen and we were going the wrong way. 

With all the bouncing up and down, I felt a bit sick and fainted. 

I awoke to the smell of manure, urine, and straw; I was in a barn. 

Sitting up, 

I also smelled the horrible breath of my cousin Jacob, for he was inches in front of my face. 

With one arm, Jacob scooped me up and threw me on top of one of the largest horses I had ever seen. 

Leading us out of the barn, Jacob smacked that horse on its rump, and off it ran. 

Now, I rode a donkey once when I was a child, and several times a horse, but we used ours for plowing and such.

I had never ridden this fast let alone seen a horse this size. 

Trying to get comfortable, I noticed the saddle felt strange. It had a raised cantle and pommel area and stirrups making it nearly intentional to be unseated.

The horse knew the trail and liked to run, and in a blur of half-alert delusion, I wanted to sleep, eat a light meal, and take a bath. Most of all, I wanted to be off of the horse as I was unaccustomed to riding. 

Seeing the lights of Northwich in the distance, there was a long way to go, but some hope. 

Daybreak brought renewed spirit to the mount and he intermittently galloped full speed at his choosing. He moved freely as if I did not encumber him. 

Thinking ahead about what I would say without notes, I looked in the saddlebags to see Jacob had packed my ruck, so I was good to go. 

Lunatic or no, Jacob had done me a big favor. 

Suddenly, I found out what the motivation for travel was all about. With a whinney, the stallion galloped over to a mare he must have remembered.

Gathering my things, I dismounted a little awkwardly and headed to the Northwich Church.

I had some notes to present.