After the water boiled Seth took it and washed the wound once more then sparingly poured hydrogen peroxide over it. Afterward he poured alcohol on the injury. The old man moaned and writhed when he did that. Seth next took a good antibacterial cream and rubbed it onto the wound then covered it with a clean dry bandage. Almost the whole right leg from the ankle to mid thigh was scraped and torn on the outside. The knee was swollen badly.
After the man was bandaged Seth moved him from the table to his recliner. He was drifting in and out of consciousness. There was a large bruise on the side of his head and Seth decided that was the problem. He turned back to the table and saw the younger woman cleaning it with soapy water. He sat in his table chair and watched while the women finished the meal. It was just soup but it smelled wonderful. Seth looked over at the younger woman and said, “I’m Seth. Seth Connors. How the hell did the old man get hurt like that and how did you get him here?”
The young woman looked over at the older one and stared at Seth for a moment. The older woman said, “Tell him. I think this is a good man. He has helped us and we are at his mercy.”
The young woman said, “I am Tasha Donner. These are my grandparents Morning Song and Long hunter. We had been living on my parents land in Wyoming. The bank took the land and we had no work and no place to live. My parents could not face the shame and killed themselves. We took grandfather’s old truck and began moving back to the reservation in New Mexico. Our truck died and we began walking. Some drunks decided to have fun with the Indians. They wanted me and wanted to hurt my grandparents. We ran into the woods and got away from them. While we were running grandfather fell and slid down a long rock. We have been carrying him now for two days trying to find someplace to get food and help. We hoped to stay in the old building until grandfather was better.”
While Tasha was talking she and the old woman finished the meal. Tasha served Seth then got herself a bowl. The old woman took a cup of soup and held it for the old man to drink. She kept at it until he drank almost a coffee mug of soup. He went back to sleep and she got herself a cup of soup and had her meal. Tasha and her grandmother waited until Seth stopped eating then they finished the whole pot of soup they had made with the exception of one more cup of broth they saved for her Grandfather.
Seth leaned back in his chair and looked outside. It was fully dark. He said, “Ladies I am tired and need to go to bed. I am going to the stream for my bath. If you want I will let you use my soap and towels afterward.” He laughed and continued, “I’m afraid there’s no hot water but at least you will be clean.”
Seth took a change of clothes, soap and towel and walked off carrying a kerosene lantern. He took a quick bath in the cold water then returned to the office. He handed the soap and lantern to Tasha and said, “Just follow the path if you want to wash up. You may sleep in here if you want.”
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