Short Flight

Characters: Q G H CM

Synopsis: The Queen helps her enemy. Captain Grisham learns to fly.

The Queen rode hard and fast away from Santa Helena. Behind her, a man on a white horse rode just as fast and hard. His hat was flung behind him. The soldiers had given up long ago due to the moonless night. \\Only a fool rides like this at night, 2 fools// thought the Queen. \\Won’t he ever give up? //

They had been riding hard and both horses were tiring. The Queen knew this trail. It would make a bend to the right in a quarter mile. If one went straight, there was a small arroyo, just small enough for a rested horse to jump. She prayed that her horse had enough left in him. Closer, closer, closer, JUMP. The Queen bent low over the saddle and hung on. The shock of landing almost threw her off the horse but she held on.

Captain Grisham was intent on the chase, as he knew his quarry was losing ground fast. He urged his horse faster and faster. His mount was strong but he paid no attention to his horse’s needs and it needed to rest. The horse sensed the arroyo but did not know the distance to the other side. Being a sensible animal, the horse stopped at the edge. Captain Grisham did not. Captain Grisham flew over the horse’s head towards the other side of the arroyo. Unfortunately he landed short. He landed into the side of the arroyo with a thud. His unconscious body fell 15 feet to the bottom.

The Queen heard Grisham’s scream as he flew through the air and turned to see him not land on her side of the arroyo. She halted her ride and let Chico cool down. Cautiously she came back to the arroyo and looked down. Not a sound came from the sprawled unconscious captain. He may be a scoundrel, a crook and an arrogant bastard but he is a person in need of help Chico." She said to her horse. She urged Chico back and then jumped the arroyo again. She tied her rope to the saddle and rappelled down to the bottom. Grisham was alive but unconscious. The way he was laying indicated that he probably had some broken bones. Searching up and down the arroyo she found a slope that the horses could navigate. She retrieved the horses and led them to where Grisham lay. She found some stout tree limbs that she could use as a travois. She carefully stripped Grisham down to his long johns and used his pants and jacket. Then she rolled Grisham on the travois and tied him onto it. Then she tied the travois to Grisham’s horse.

Dawn was breaking as she arrived at Santa Helena. The Queen went to the back door of Doctor Helm’s office and entered. A blade to Doctor Helm’s neck awoke him. "So what do I owe this intrusion at this time of morning, your highness," said the doctor.

"I need your help," said the Queen. "Why do you always ask for help at the point of a blade?" Said the doctor. "I didn’t want to startle you." She replied. "Ah yes, a blade to the neck is an excellent way not to startle someone. Have you ever heard of knocking?" said Helm sarcastically. "Even a kiss would be less startling." "Sorry doctor this isn’t a social call, but I will remember what you said next time. This time I have a patient for you." "Someone you cut up no doubt. If you stopped slicing and dicing people, I wouldn’t have as many patients." Said Helm as he got out of bed.

The Queen blushed and quickly turned around. Doctor Helm slept in the nude. As Helm got up, the Queen realized that she was looking at a mirror and she was getting a show. There was nothing else to do and closing her eyes did not occur to her. "Have a nice view?" said Helm as he realized she was watching him. Her face was red and she had a lump in her throat. "I, I, I am sorry doctor but you really shouldn’t sleep in the nude, unless you are expecting someone." "I wasn’t expecting any visitors especially you. But if you want to join me sometime, I am sure that can be arranged." "In your dreams doctor," she replied \\And mine// she thought. "Now where is the patient?" asked Helm.

"You really surprise me your majesty. First you beat up and cut up a man and then you bring him to me to patch up. Now you bring me one of your worst enemies. What happened to him?" asked Helm. The Queen relayed the flight of Captain Grisham as she helped carry the travois to the office.

Suddenly there was a pounding on the front door and Montoya yelling "Doctor are you in there?" Helm looked around and saw he was alone. He opened the door. "I have a patient Colonel, please lower your voice." Said Helm.

Montoya was startled to see Grisham tied to the travois. "He has a broken arm, a couple of broken ribs, a head injury and he is lucky not to have a broken neck. I was told he tried to fly last night." "Why is he tied to that contraption and how did he get here?" asked Montoya. "A Good Samaritan brought him to me. He was tied so he would not fall off and it was probably the best thing that could have been done. He tried to jump an arroyo but his horse was smatter and stopped. Grisham didn’t." said Helm.

"Who is this Good Samaritan. I want to thank him personally." Said Montoya. "I doubt that she wants any thanks, especially personally, Colonel" "She?" said Montoya. "She" said Helm as he held up the Queen of Swords tarot card.

"Ai Carrumba," said Montoya. She pays off my soldiers and rescues my captain of the guards. What next will that diabla do?" said Montoya. "Let you live?" said Helm turning to work on his patient. But he was thinking \\Maybe next time your majesty it will be a social call//

The End