{"id":13608,"date":"2012-01-19T02:45:01","date_gmt":"2012-01-19T07:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13608"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:25:03","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:25:03","slug":"adam-and-the-stagecoach-by-grimesgirl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13608","title":{"rendered":"Adam and the Stagecoach (by Grimesgirl)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 <\/strong>What could be so difficult in helping out a friend?<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (1,090 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam and the Stagecoach<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Adam groaned as the stagecoach once more slowed and stopped. This was the third time that day. At this rate it would be a week before they got to Virginia City.<\/p>\n

Adam opened the door and called to the driver. \u201cIs it that wheel again, Cal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d came the disgusted reply. \u201cI don\u2019t think that repair is going to last much longer. I keep tellin’ them they need to give us a spare wheel and spare nuts and bolts. Then we could put it under the coach, have it handy when we need to replace one, and cut down on these delays.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam sighed. He felt he should try to help. Although that certainly wasn\u2019t a part of a passenger\u2019s responsibility, helping Cal would make the time go faster.<\/p>\n

Cal was already kneeling beside the damaged wheel. Adam watched for a moment and then stepped to his side and offered his assistance. \u201cWhat can I do to help?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cal wasn\u2019t the spriest person anymore. The rough roads, enduring all kinds of weather, the long days, the short nights, fighting to control the four horse teams, aged a man quickly. Although he could certainly use the help, Cal shook his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t ask you to help, Adam. Tain\u2019t your job. I\u2019ll manage. Maybe you could hold the horses steady. Sure don\u2019t need to have them takin\u2019 off while I\u2019m workin\u2019 on this blasted wheel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded and walked to the lead team and grasped both bridles, talking quietly to the horses as he tried to watch Cal.<\/p>\n

There was a lot of soft mumblings and, no doubt curses, as Cal struggled to try to again tighten the nuts. It was obvious that all the bolts holding the wheel were stripped and the nuts would only keep working themselves loose when the wheel again started turning.<\/p>\n

Cal finally got stiffly to his feet, nodded to Adam and started to climb back into the driver\u2019s seat. Suddenly he bent double. Adam was at his side. Concerned, he asked what was wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know, just got a terrible pain in my belly. I\u2019ll be fine. Just give me a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several minutes passed and Cal was still bent over, seemingly growing paler by the moment. Adam finally made a decision. \u201cYou get inside. You\u2019re in no condition to drive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t let you do that, Adam. It\u2019s against regulations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHang the regulations. You need to take it easy. When we get outside of Virginia City, we\u2019ll stop and, if you\u2019re feeling up to it, you can drive into town. Now get in there and stretch out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cal reluctantly obeyed. With a hand from Adam, he made it into the coach and eased himself down and closed his eyes.<\/p>\n

Adam took his place atop the stage, gathered the reins and with a loud \u2018Yaaaah,\u2019 sent the team toward their destination.<\/p>\n

All seemed to be going well as the stage approached the long, winding drive up to the top of Sun<\/span> Mountain and Virginia City. Adam gave the horses another slap of the reins and leaned forward as though to help them make the arduous climb. As they came to a straight stretch, Adam looked out across the distance valley. He was always impressed with the views from this twisting road.<\/p>\n

Suddenly his attention was drawn back to the stage. He could hear that all too familiar squeaking. The wheel was again working itself loose. He pulled back on the reins, reversing his previous command. The horses started to slow, but it was too late. The momentum of the stage had worked the wheel completely loose and it went bouncing down the side of the mountain. The now wheel-less axle landed with a bone jarring thud, sparks flying from the metal striking large stones along the side of the road. Adam yelled to Cal to hang on. The stage was impossible to control. The horses seemed to become frightened from the unfamiliar pull of the heavy stage. They increased their speed, completely ignoring the commands Adam was trying to send them. One of the sharpest bends was just ahead. Adam knew if he didn\u2019t get the horses slowed down, the stage would never make the bend. It would be dashed against the side of the mountain and probably broken apart. Adam didn\u2019t feel he could jump as it would leave Cal alone on either a runaway stage or one that would be torn to pieces. And so, he stayed, still trying to slow the horses and, hopefully, avoid a catastrophe.<\/p>\n

The stage hit a protruding rock and one door was immediately torn away. Cal was calling to Adam to stop the team. Adam didn\u2019t bother to answer. As they entered the bend, the stage was slowing coming apart; a rear wheel broke apart leaving one side without wheels. The horses staggered as the stage was now nothing but a dead weight behind them. The tilt of the stage made it almost impossible for Adam to keep his seat. Jumping now was really not an option, as there was really no place to jump. Both sides of the road were strewn by huge rocks. Suddenly the stage tongue started to crack. Adam pulled on the reins, praying that the horses would obey. They did start to slow and finally completely stopped.<\/p>\n

Adam sat<\/span> slumped, his eyes closed in relief. He spent a few minutes letting his heart return to it\u2019s normal rhythm. His legs were trembling as he climbed down from the top of the stage. He made his way to the side of the stage to see how Cal had fared. Cal was on the floor of the stage holding on to the side of the damaged doorway. Adam softly called his name. At first, Cal seemed to be in another place, but finally his hands relaxed and he opened his eyes. Adam extended his hand and helped Cal out of the ruined stagecoach. Cal took in the widespread damage and shook his head. \u201cYou know, Adam, I think I\u2019m gonna recommend you as a driver. I don\u2019t know how you done it, boy, but, by golly, you did real good.\u201d Cal clapped Adam on the back. Adam gave him a grin and started to walk forward to examine the horses. Cal called after him, \u201cHey, you know what, son? I don\u2019t have that stomach pain no more. You even managed to cure that for me.\u201d Their laughter seemed to drive away all those previous horrible images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 What could be so difficult in helping out a friend?<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 (1,090 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8334,"featured_media":14921,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23],"tags":[14],"class_list":["post-13608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","tag-adam-cartwright","wpcat-23-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":887,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/stage-coach.jpg?fit=285%2C177&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7320,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7320","url_meta":{"origin":13608,"position":0},"title":"The Stagecoach Robbery (by Sibylle)","author":"Sibylle","date":"May 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Adam wonders what his brothers are doing downstairs in the big room .... Rated:\u00a0K+\u00a0 (595 words) Adam Vignette Series, links to all the stories within the series included.","rel":"","context":"In "Family"","block_context":{"text":"Family","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1008"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3896,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3896","url_meta":{"origin":13608,"position":1},"title":"Wrong Side of the Law (by chellek)","author":"chellek","date":"April 26, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0When their stagecoach comes under attack, Joe and Adam struggle to protect their fellow passengers. \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0T (10,710 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/adam-joe-c.jpg?fit=245%2C230&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5076,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5076","url_meta":{"origin":13608,"position":2},"title":"We’ll Be Home for Christmas (by Puchi Ann)","author":"Puchi Ann","date":"December 15, 2001","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0Having promised Pa that they will be home for Christmas, the three Cartwright brothers are ahead of schedule as they return from a late-season shopping trip in San Francisco. A sudden snowstorm in the Sierras, however, may make keeping that promise \u00ad or even staying alive \u00ad impossible. Rated:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49298,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=49298","url_meta":{"origin":13608,"position":3},"title":"The Price You Pay (by Linda Br)","author":"Preserving Their Legacy Author","date":"May 22, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"Synopsis:\u00a0Adam takes a 15 year old Joe to San Francisco on a business trip. On the way home, the journey goes terribly wrong, for both of them. 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Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (1,740 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Brothers"","block_context":{"text":"Brothers","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1009"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6801,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6801","url_meta":{"origin":13608,"position":5},"title":"My Brother’s Shadow (by pbeaking)","author":"pbeaking","date":"May 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Adam is leaving and Hoss finds an interesting way to express his feelings and fears about his departure Rating:\u00a0 K+ \u00a0WC 1150","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Hossb.jpg?fit=444%2C339&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8334"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13608"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13608\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}