‘Part Two: ‘Gideon’s Dilemma’
The sister of the one who seeks the little humans.
Wakinyan grew ever more distant, only a speck now, and then gone. I was hyperventilating when I opened my eyes, and my knuckles were white as I snatched the walker to find Jane and Iris folding clothes for their trip to research the Duendes.
Who was Secora James, and how could the two of us find Wakinyan – let alone help a mythical creature?
“Okay, girls, hold everything! I’m coming with you.” I panted and teetered stiffly. Jane rushed to steady me. “Just get me out of here, will you?”
“Change of heart?” asked Iris.
“You can hardly walk, brother, and your right arm is just about useless.”
My teeth clenched against a wave of pain. “I’m getting better. Listen, Iris, I need to talk to your sister. I’ll pay my way and cover any additional expenses. No interest.” That snagged their attention.
“Maybe Jimmy can come along to help me get around. I need help packing, Kyah can y…?”
Kyah and Jimmy were already silently standing by. “Kyah, road trip?”
“Ready.”
“Hetchetu aloh. One big happy family. So be it.” Jimmy smiled. I rolled my eyes at my unsought mentor and sighed. “Whatever.”
After we arrived in Bolivia, it was extremely difficult to find her. She must have been chased, attacked, and injured on several occasions, according to my visions. By then, I was thinking that not only Wakinyan needed her, but for some reason, so did I. I fretted until Jimmy and I got a lead on a church in LaPaz from a postcard that seemed like the one I’d seen in the most recent vision, which seemed more painful than the others.
My hand was shaking as I held up the postcard image of the church I’d envisioned and compared it to the stone edifice that towered before us in La Paz. The Basilica de San Francisco. It was dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. The beautiful cathedral, an example of Andean Baroque architecture, had been completed in 1758, or so the postcard said. I grinned. “This is the place where I will finally find Secora.”
However, my intuition hadn’t told me how long Jimmy and I would need to wait in the church courtyard. It had already been a couple of hours. It was time for the elusive Secora James to make her predicted appearance.
Half an hour later, I pointed. “That’s gotta be her.” The woman was wearing a tight white dress with broad brown stripes along the sides. We were sitting close enough to catch a bare whiff of her floral perfume, which we inhaled deeply.
I stood with my cane, stretched, then began a hobbling approach, wondering, at long last, how to introduce myself.
Jimmy grabbed my sleeve. “Hey, you sure? Doesn’t look much like the picture Iris gave us.”
I braced against the cane and responded impetuously. “Has to be her, Jimmy. Look around; no one else is even a candidate, and I know she’s here. I can feel it.”
Jimmy Lizardeye chuckled and said, “Remember how Iris laughed when she told us that Secora’s fashion statement was ‘huh?’.No sense of style. Fringe and boots, not tight dress and perfume.”
I faded into disappointment as we again sat on the bench to wait.
The plaza filled and emptied a few times. I could tell Jimmy was tired. He’d even taken off the beaded shoulder bag, which held the sacred pipe, and set it beside him. Jimmy grinned as a black car parked long enough to drop some people off.
I saw two men jump from the back seat and pull out someone, possibly a woman. When the vehicle left, they all looked around surreptitiously before moving down the steps toward the church. The cloaked person appeared to be limping badly. Jimmy asked, “What about that one?”
“The cripple? I can’t even tell if it’s a woman. At any rate, no fringe, and… okay, so there are boots. Darn. If that is Secora, who are the guys?”
The walk from the car looked rough. The suspected woman’s steps were hesitant, and she was panting- or was that weeping? The young man without a hat half-dragged her forward. She seemed to be drawing back and pleading with him. Jimmy hefted his beaded sacred pipe bag. “Maybe they’re trying to baptize her?”
I regarded Jimmy, my face twisted in consternation. “Or maybe they are abducting her.” I took a cleansing breath. “Man, I’m not even sure I want to mess with that.”
“What does Wakinyan want?”
I could hear crying now. “Maybe we’re already too late.” I limped forward, slowly at first, psyching myself up for a confrontation. When I was only a few feet away, I froze, puzzled by a comment made by the man with the hat.
“We must get you out of sight now. Those people will not stop until you are dead.” The woman’s voice said. “This is crazy. Other people need you.” The curly-haired one said, “No, we’re in this together. What will be, will be.” She wobbled, grabbing for a bench. Then she pulled the hat and ruana away so she could see.
I hurriedly hobbled with my cane, coming up on the trio to confront the men, and managing to alarm everyone. The older man with the hat said, “Step away from her.”
I turned my eyes onto the unexpectedly attractive woman. “Are you Secora James?” She stared boldly back. “What do you want?” “I’m Gideon Yellow Thunder, and I’ve come through hell to find you.”
“I’m Guillermo, said the middle-aged man with the hat. He held his hand between Secora and me. Then, twisting his palm into an offer to shake, he said, “Sorry about the trip through infierno, son. She’s safe with me and my son, Diego.”
Secora’s mouth dropped open as she squinted at Guillermo.
“You’re kidding–he’s your son?” Guillermo nodded with a grin. Diego was also smiling and nodding. She told Jimmy and me that these men were healers, Kallawayas, who recently saved her from poisoning. I stammered, “What? That makes no sense. I’m supposed to be the one who saves you.”
Jimmy stepped between us and looked into Guillermo’s eyes. He turned to me. “Gideon, you can believe what he says. This man and his son are entirely dedicated to the service of the Great Mystery.”
I was in shock as I looked away, unsure how I felt about this whole thing. It was nothing like I’d expected. Diego suggested anxiously, “Perhaps we should rest inside the church to dodge prying eyes.” He took Secora by the arm and helped her to stand. As we crossed the plaza, she asked Jimmy, “So tell me, who are you?”
“Name’s Jimmy Lizzardeye, Wichasha Wakan from Pine Ridge at your service. And my momentarily speechless friend is Gideon Yellow Thunder, who is also from Pine Ridge, but he won’t admit it.”
“Really, Pine Ridge?” Secora’s smile could have lifted the clouds. “Very pleased to make your acquaintance, Wichasha Wakan, and you too, Gideon.” Still puzzled, I scratched my head. “This doesn’t feel right. I expected to rescue you, but my plans didn’t include dealing with two other heroes.”
Guillermo nodded. “Secora and my son Diego have become very close. It was a fabled love at first sight. Their souls recognized each other immediately.” Shaking my head, I said, “I just don’t get that. There was nothing about him, or you in my visions. I’m just trying to wrap my mind around everything.
“I imagine that would be very disturbing. We are taking her to our island to hide and protect her until we can figure out why she is being attacked. She is still quite weak, and we need to keep her out of sight.”
Diego turned to me. “So, who are you, Mr Yellow Thunder?”
“I am beginning to wonder about that, myself.” I snapped. I’ve been trying to find Secora for weeks to save her. Even though we have never met before. ”I slowly shook my head and tapped the cane by the kneeling bench. Diego stared at the cane. What happened to the leg?” “That was the lightning strike. But my friend thinks a sniper took a shot at me at the same time.”
“Those people must not like you very much.” The Kallawaya slid to the side to get a better look. “You should seriously change your lifestyle.”
I glanced sidelong at Jimmy. “So I’ve been told. Look, Diego, Secora and I were meant to be together. Wakinyan said she needs us, and we won’t survive without her.” Diego solemnly acknowledged, “So, I’m not sure who this Wakinyan is, but you’re saying it is your destiny to work with Secora?”
“More than that. I think we’re supposed to be together.” I paused.
“What if she decides she wants more from me?” Diego laughed, “Oh, so you like her? She is pretty, no?
You are most welcome to find out. I think she will do what she will do.
No matter what we wish . . .
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