Valley Paradise

Valley Paradise

         The little house in the valley had stood in that very spot for over one hundred years. It had undergone many changes over those years, from a one room shack to a four bedroom farmhouse and many things in between.  All four generations that were born and raised in that house prospered greatly. Even though large mountains framed three sides of the valley, every crop planted reaped bountiful harvests and all animals bred for meat fattened three times as large as those on other ranges. While the valley’s occupants often marveled at their good fortune, they did not want to question it too hard for fear it would all come to an end.
         Trevor Collins inherited the thriving valley from his father three years ago. His mother, God rest her soul, had died five years ago and, though his father had remained the owner of the property, he just did not have the heart to work it any longer. Finally, after two years of hard grieving, husband and wife were reunited and Trevor took full control.
         Trevor’s new bride, Sarah, had been to the valley paradise numerous times while he was courting her so it’s isolation was not as distressing to her as it had been to Trevor’s great-grandmother. According to family lore, his great-grandparents were married within a week of meeting. Margaret Peavey Collins got her first glimpse of the one room shack she was to call home when it was too late to change her mind. Despite that inauspicious beginning, Trevor’s great-grandparents flourished in the valley.  Trevor was not sure he had the same luck as his great-grand-sire and did not want to risk surprising his bride into leaving so he brought Sarah out here several times. The isolation never seemed to bother her so he asked for her hand and, to his surprise she said yes.
         It had only been a short six months since he had made Sarah his wife and things couldn’t be better. Sarah was already pregnant with their first child and the fertile valley was as generous as ever. Trevor was plowing the south field when he heard hoofs beating a frantic staccato from the west. He stopped the plow and walked to the road.
         James Bingham, the son of the nearest neighbor, was riding hell for leather. He fell off the horse when he got close. Trevor ran to his side and cradled the boy’s head in his lap.
                   “Bandits…are… coming,” James said breathily. He was struggling to find enough breath to speak.
                   “Don’t talk. Let’s get you to the house.” Trevor began to get James up but the boy grabbed his shoulder with a bloody hand and forced him back down.
                   “It’s… too…late. Save…Sarah.” James coughed, choking on his own blood.
         Trevor hesitated. He did not want to just leave him there.
                   “Go. Go!” James feebly shoved at Trevor as another coughing fit racked his body.
         With one last, mournful look at James, Trevor took off at a dead sprint toward the house.  He took the stairs two at a time and threw the screen door open so hard it ripped off the hinges.
                   “Sarah! Sarah! We’ve got to go, now!” Trevor sailed into the kitchen and grabbed Sarah by the arm.
                   “Trevor, what is it? What’s wrong?” He all but dragged her toward the front door.
                   “Bandits are coming. They killed James Bingham.  We’ve got to hide.” He could see that she was frightened and confused.
                   “What? What about Robert and Helen?”
                   “I don’t know but we don’t have time to think on it.” Without letting go of her hand, and headed straight at the eastern most mountains.
                   “Where are we going?
         Trevor knew he was pushing her hard, harder than he should in her condition but he didn’t have a choice. If they didn’t get to safety soon her condition would be dead and so would the baby.
                   “This isn’t just a mountain, Sarah. It’s an extinct volcano.” He let go of her hand and scrambled up to the nearest small plateau then reached for Sarah’s hand to pull her up beside him.
                   “My great-great-grandfather found this valley nearly two hundred years ago. He was exploring this mountain when he found the caves.” He scrambled a bit higher as he spoke, helping Sarah along the way.
                   “How did he know it was a volcano?” She asked, somewhat breathlessly as they reached the next plateau.
                   “Supposedly he explored the caves extensively. Something within them led him to that conclusion. Either way, the secret of the caves has passed from father to son ever since.” Trevor walked up to a rather large boulder. He moved it just enough to allow them entrance into the mouth of the cave.
                   “Oh my God,” Sarah exclaimed.
                   “Yeah, if you didn’t know it was here you could climb all over this mountain and never find it.” He ushered her into the cave and replaced the boulder from the inside. “Evidently there are a few more of these well-concealed entrances on the mountain. I have ever only known about this one.”
         He was quite breathless from his exertions with the rock and took a moment, bent at the waist with his hands on his knees, to catch it. Sarah walked up to him and put her hand on his back.
                   “How long can we last here?” She asked at last, looking around at her surroundings.
                   “There are enough provisions here to last about a month.” When her eyes widened in shock he let out a light laugh. “Don’t worry; we won’t have to stay here that long. When the bandits don’t find anyone there, they will take what they want and move on. We’ll stay for a day or two then I’ll go check.”
         For now, Sarah and the baby were safe, and that was all that mattered. Sarah laid her head on his shoulder and Trevor kissed her head gently as they walked deeper into the caves.