The Thunderstormby Oksanatranslated by Olga |
5A week passed. Due to the almost paternal care Mason was getting he was recovering quickly. Brian came. He happened to be Mason's peer. In a recent accident he had lost the left arm from the elbow down, but he was very cheerful and lively. Mason unwittingly got infected with this buoyancy. He got sad only when he remembered he was now a man without a past.Once a storm broke out, and Mason dreamt he was falling. He was screaming out loud in his sleep. Jake ran to him. Mason was tossing about in his bed and rambling, "Victoria!.. No!... Tori!!!". He was shaking all over, he was all wet with cold sweat. Jake had to stir Mason to wake him up, "It's all right. It's okay. You are here…" "I am cold," Mason mumbled. Jake changed Mason's shirt, gave him a sedative and never left him till Mason was sound asleep. However in the morning Mason could remember nothing. Even the name of Victoria rang no bell to him. Mason was getting stronger every day, and soon Jake allowed him to get up. It was a great day when Mason, still shaky with weakness, left the house. A warm breeze from the hills touched his cheek tenderly, ruffled his hair. Mason looked up at the blue sky and sighed deeply. When he saw a few horses Mason could not keep his eyes off them, as if charmed. "How beautiful they are," he whispered with admiration. "Can you ride a horse?" Jake asked him. "I don't know…" "If you can't I'll teach you," Brian promised. "Later," Jake interrupted. "Matt is too weak for a ride." But Mason was really recovering rather rapidly. Soon Mason could saddle. He did not know how to do it but his body seemed to remember it better. "You have got a good training," Brian praised him. In a while Mason started helping Jake and Brian around the house. Under Brian's direction he became a real cowboy. Mason felt quite happy, and when Jake brought up the idea of looking for his family Mason tried to avoid the conversation. He was content, and the unknown only frightened him. |