Red Cloud Rising (Story)

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It was a typical dusty hot afternoon as Johnny Red Cloud Rising stood waiting outside the hardware store for his Grandfather. Chief White Cloud was picking up grain and other supplies for the family's small ranch operation just outside Gallup New Mexico. The White Cloud family was not wealthy by white man standards but by the Apache standards they were better off than most. 2

Johnny leaned against the bed of the truck reaching in his back pocket to get his bandana to wipe the sweat from his brow. Out of the corner of his eye he caught the sight of another truck coming down the road, shielding his eye from the blazing sun he watched as the truck came down the road at a fast speed. 3

He tried to make out who was in such a rush to get to the Eagle's Roost hardware store. He saw his own brother's rusted green pick-up veer to the right and come sliding to within a half foot of his own truck. 4

'' Johnny! Johnny!'' Mike was yelling as he hopped out of his truck and ran around the bed you have to come quick! "Where is Grandfather?" Mike asked Johnny. 5

"He is in the store buying grain", Johnny replied. Johnny grabbed Mike by the shoulders, "tell me, what's wrong what’s going on"? 6

"It's Grandma Johnny, she is hurt, the women were at the stream when some men came up behind them. Grandmother stood up against them and they hurt her Johnny they hurt her bad," Mike explained. 7

A group of young rich spoiled rancher sons in that part of the state were up to no good while doing their fathers biddings.  Water is a precious commodity in the desert states and the white ranchers sons thought to drive the Indians from the area through intimidation and ruthless actions. On this day the white men knew that the indian men would not be around, soon they came across the women, while checking fence lines. The white men were riding quad runners in ever closing circles around the women. The old woman stood out in front of them waving her arms for them to go away and leave them alone, but the men continued to taunt and laugh until finally one hit the old woman, but not with intent to make physical contact they knew the law would consider that assault. 8

Roger Stanton was the man who hit the woman; his heart was cold and hated the Indians. Though he did not mean to hurt the old woman, and only meant to scare her and the other women he laughed a deep evil laugh anyway. There was no remorse only pleasure as he looked back over his shoulder and saw her lying there on the ground behind him bleeding.'' Old woman you should have stayed out of my way,'' he yelled and nodded to one of his buddies on the quad runner next to him they both laughed again as they all rode off. 9

Johnny told their Grandfather what had happened as he and the store owner came out to load the supplies. ''You will have to load up and drive the truck over to the county hospital, Grandmothers been hurt. Mike and I will go get her and meet you there.'' The old man looked like he might keel over in his tracks. But shook his head in agreement, as the storeowner told him he would hold the order till later. 10

“Just get on over to the hospital”, the storeowner said.  Jumping into the old green pick up truck, the boys lit out of the gravel and onto the pavement flying. 11

It was all that Grandfather could do, was to get to the hospital. Thoughts of his wife flooded his thoughts and his heart began to break. "If I lose her", he thought to himself, as tears began to run down his face shaking his head "what will I do". Grandfather arrived at the hospital about 20 minutes ahead of the boys. Grandmother was bleeding from a deep cut to her head and throat her face was badly bruised. The boys lifted her out of the truck carefully as she could barely move; some of her ribs had been broken from the collision with the front of the quad runner. 12

As soon as they entered the E.R., a young resident and two nurses helped to get her on a crash cart. The doctor was shouting orders to the nurses, to get her into the first available examination room. She had sustained a small but dangerous cut to a main blood vessel and was bleeding vigorously from it. The doctor tried to control the bleeding by putting a small towel to her neck and was holding it as tightly as he could without hurting her worse. He said in a lowered voice, to Johnny. ''Tell me how this happened?'' As Johnny related the story the best that he could, it was clear to all who were within earshot of the details that he was trying to control his anger. 13

Grandmother began to moan in pain. "Johnny I will talk with you again a little later and get the rest of the details from you," said Dr. James. The doctor and the nurses worked quickly on Grandmother to get the bleeding to stop. They were able to put in some stitches and wrapped up her broken ribs and bandaged her head. Grandfather sat at her side holding her hand and prayed as she laid there unconscious then quietly sang an Apache love song to her. Johnny and Mike talked with the doctor and the girls that were with her at the time of the accident. 14

"Johnny you know that I have to report this to the sheriff don't you?" said Dr. James. Johnny hung his head low and acknowledged the doctor. Johnny knew in his heart that this was not going to be the end of this, not with those white men, they have taunted the Red Cloud family for years ever since Johnny and Roger Stanton's sister Suzanne began to see one another a couple of years ago. 15

Johnny and Suzanne met in college and fell madly in love. They were inseparable well that is until Suzanne brought Johnny home to meet her parents. The Stanton's are a very prestigious family in Gallup owning much of the land and cattle in the area. The Stanton men would not see Suzanne with such a man as Johnny Red Cloud Rising. George Stanton, Suzanne's father sent her away to New York to finish her schooling there. Since then the Stanton's have badgered the Red Cloud family regularly trying to run them out of town and back to the reservation with the other Apaches. But Grandfather would not see of it, his people had been run off once and he was not going to be defeated again by the white man, especially these white men. 16

Grandfather refused to leave Grandmothers side, he had not slept nor had he eaten in two days. Time was wearing him down quickly. "Please Grandfather go home and eat get some rest I will stay here with her I promise", said Johnny "Mike will take you home and bring you back tomorrow." Reluctantly Grandfather went home with Mike. 17

Roger Stanton also had not been able to sleep for the last two days. Even though he laughed when he hit the old woman, he really had not meant to. Her face haunted him in his dreams causing him to wake up in a pool of sweat. He could remember her chanting an Apache song over and over in his dream as she walked closer to him with blood all over her face and then she grabs him by the throat. He sat in the darkness wondering what would happen to him if she were to die? Had he and his family taken this rivalry a little to far? He smirked to himself, "what NOW I have a conscious... perfect timing." Running his fingers through his hair he knew that he had to go and see her, to talk to her. Roger got dressed and headed for the hospital. 18

"Johnny I need for you to come out here and give your statement to the sheriff, your Grandmother will be alright," said Dr. James. Johnny met with sheriff Murphy and told him the story. 19

Roger walked down the hallway of the hospital; he found the old woman's room and peeked his head inside. No one was around and he let out a small sigh of relief. He sat in the chair next to her and looked at her closely looking at all the stitches and bruising on her face and neck. He hung his head down low and began to cry. "Old woman", he sobbed “I never meant any harm I just wanted to scare you a little bit that's all, like we have for years. If my daddy knew that I was here or showed any remorse I would be lying in the bed next to you. We have an image to keep up, we can't let folks like the Red Cloud's hang around and think that they are as good as we are now can we” ... my daddy would always say. "Please be all right woman please... I will never come around you again I promise, just be ok," he continued to sob. 20

Out of the darkness Roger felt someone touch him on his shoulder startled he jumped up quickly. "I didn't come here to fight, I was just checking on the woman that’s all..." Roger said stammering. 21

"I am not here to hurt you young man, I just want to be here with my wife that's all," said Chief Red Cloud. 22

"I am so sorry for what I have done sir... can you, will you ever forgive me?” begged Roger. 23

“All in due time son. Sit with me a while." Roger watched as the Chief took the hand of his wife and sang his soft Apache love song to her. As Roger sat there things happened that he could not describe he sat there in awe as he just watched. 24

Then they sat there in a silent reflection. Each were saying a silent private prayer to themselves. When there was a double tap on the door they both looked up to see deputy Murphy and Roger's father George standing at the threshold of the door. The deputy motioned for Roger to come over, as the deputy read him his rights and explained, ''I'm sorry, but I have a warrant for the arrest of one Roger Stanton for the assault and attempted murder on Mrs. Morningstar Red Cloud Rising, you'll have to come with me now". As he was placing the cuffs on Roger, Mr. Stanton started to protest it verbally. George did not see the necessity of the cuffs.  ''I'm just following basic procedure sir." the deputy stated. All the while Roger kept his eyes diverted from that of his father's. Chief Red Cloud walked over to where they were preparing to walk away and held out his hand to Mr. Stanton, Stanton just stood there. 25

George then told the chief, ''if this goes down wrong in court there's going to be hell to pay old man."  As he poked Chief Red Cloud in the chest. 26

"But we did nothing wrong,'' said the Chief. The deputy warned Stanton to refrain from comment and keep his hands to himself or he would have to arrest him as well. 27

Once again money talked louder than justice and Roger was released on bail. The judge talked to Roger and George Stanton more less suggesting that they go home and lie low until after they see how Mrs. Red Cloud recovered while also stating to expect nothing more than a slap on the wrist when Roger's day in court came, the same routine as they always endured when the Red Cloud's would file a complaint... that is if the old woman's condition did not worsen. 28

Roger went home with his father. The next day he went into town and he rented a small apartment just above the post office then he went home and went upstairs and packed his things. This upset George Stanton to no end. He was right on the heels of his son, "You leave here, do not plan on coming back, your on your own... how can you do this after all that I have done for you? Is this your way of telling me that you actually feel sorry for that old woman, Roger, she is an Indian... she is nothing, now put your things back upstairs and let's get cleaned up for dinner". 29

"No Dad," Roger snapped back. "We cannot go on and treat these people like they are nothing, because they are someone. I watch her husband as he sat there and held her hand and sang to her, while he choked back the tears. His love for her was so strong like nothing I have ever seen or felt. The part that truly touched and changed my heart was that he invited me to sit with him when he knew, Dad he KNEW that I was the one that did this to his beloved wife, there was no anger or hatred there was only kindness." With that Roger turned with his things and walked out the door. 30

While arriving to his new apartment Roger saw Johnny Red Cloud coming out of the general store. "Johnny!" Roger shouted. "Please can I talk with you?" Johnny looked at Roger hard then came across the street to meet him. "Johnny how is your Grandmother?" Roger asked. 31

Johnny looked down at the ground and his voice cracked balling his hands into fists. Roger backed away a little. "She passed away this morning Roger, is that what you wanted to hear, one last Indian to pollute your little town, tell me Roger IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO HEAR?" Johnny stated now screaming. Roger just stood there he did not know what to say or what to do. 32

"Johnny... I am sor," 33

"I do not want to hear anything from you Roger, you and your whole family has hated us ever since we left the reservation, the part that got to you the most is that your sister and I fell in love. Your father sent the only good thing in my life away, far away. What you don't know is we still love one another, and she will come back to me one day." 34

"Johnny please listen to me," Roger begged. "I am really sorry to hear about your Grandmother if there was someway to take it all back I would, I know that you do not believe me but it is true. I have changed since the accident I swear, look here is all of my things I have moved out from my father's home and have rented the apartment above the post office, I want to live my life differently. I watched the way your Grandfather cared for your Grandmother he exposed his soul right there in front of me, as your Grandfather sang to her the room filled with a beautiful brightness of a light a light that I have never seen before and probably will never see again... It was like God came right into the room with us... Johnny I changed right then and there I have never witnessed anything like it." Johnny looked deep into Rogers tear filled eyes and knew that he was somehow different. Johnny reached out and touched Roger's shoulder and then turned and walked away without saying a word. 35

It was not long after Mrs. Red Cloud died that Sheriff Murphy collected Roger and took him to the jailhouse. Roger stood trial it seemed that everyone in Gallup had showed up. George Stanton and his wife Cynthia showed though they stayed in the back of the courtroom. The trial had barely started when the doors to the courtroom opened. Everyone turned to look to see who made the late entrance, it was Suzanne Stanton, Roger began to stand up at the sight of his sister but the judge slammed his gavel for him to sit and to get back the focus in the court to the matter at hand. Suzanne looked over at her father and mother then combed the room until she found Johnny. Quickly moving through the crowd she stood at his side, taking his hand into hers, tears now filled his eyes and hers too, she softly kissed his hand and held it to her heart. 36

When the time came for sentencing Chief Red Cloud put his hand upon Roger's shoulder and all he said was " I forgive you." 37

The judge looked at Roger and sentenced him with involuntary manslaughter and sentenced him to 10 to 20 years with the option for parole in 5 years. Suzanne grabbed her brother and hugged him hard. "Oh Roger," Suzanne managed to get out through the tears. "I love you." George and Cynthia Stanton left the courtroom without saying a word. Roger looked at Johnny and then hung his head low as the guard lead him through the side doors. 38

"Suzanne what are you doing here? How did you know," Johnny said looking into her beautiful green eyes. 39

"Roger called me and told me what he had done and how he had changed and how I needed to come back, not for this, but for you, oh Johnny I love you so much, that has never changed if anything the distance made my love for you grow even stronger," Suzanne said in a loving tone. 40

"Marry me Suzanne, I will show you a love like no other, I do not want to you to leave my life again I could not bear it," Johnny said as he dropped to one knee. 41

"Yes my darling, of course I will marry you." Johnny held her in his arms and began to sing her the Apache love song...42