Chapter Five

The next day, the Aborigines showed Rapunzel and Eugene their culture. Even though neither one could understand each other, everyone learned something by watching. It was fascinating to see them intwining with the Aborigines.

The Aborigine men showed Eugene how to hunt. They showed him how to throw a spear, then let him try. Even though he was terrible, he still enjoyed getting to chuck the sharp stick and watch it fly through the air.

Next, they taught him how to get water out from the desert. They grabbed a hollowed out stick and wedged it into the ground. One of the men sucked on it like straw, then spit out the water. Eugene nodded his head, taking notes mentally.

In return, Eugene showed them a few of his tricks. "Now after you cut this strip out of this big piece of kangaroo..." Eugene explained, his eyes concentrated on cutting the meat just perfectly. The men gathered around, smiling and nodding their heads.

The Aborigine women made jewelry with Rapunzel. They took beads and made a gorgeous bracelet for her. One women gently took the bracelet and wrapped it around Rapunzel's wrist three times.

Rapunzel smiled, twisting her arm to get a good look at the pretty beads. She then leaned over and plucked one of the buttons from her dress off. "Here." She said, handing it to one of the women.

The woman grinned, pressing it against her heart. The speak to her people, clearly admiring the piece. Everyone leaned over, looking into the woman's hand and sighing in delight.

Eugene then taught the men how to lasso. He braided a few strands of leather and made it into a rope. He placed one of the men a few feet away. "Swing your arm. Roll your wrist. You gotta keep that loop open." Eugene explained as he showed them. "See how that loop stays open?" He asked.

When they didn't reply, Eugene kept talking. "And you look at what you're throwing at. Swing the rope and throw right at it."

The men laughed as the rope swung around the lone man. Eugene smiled, pulling the rope in. The man waddled over, the rope wrapped around his waist. Everyone was entertained.

Later in the day, the Aborigines danced for Eugene and Rapunzel. They showed them their traditional moves and had the instruments they used to make the music. But the entire time, Rapunzel couldn't stop glancing at Eugene. And he couldn't stop looking at her either.

In the evening, after everyone had finished eating and was beginning to lay down and rest, Eugene watched Rapunzel talking among the Aborigines. She reached out, gently running her hand over one of the children's heads as the mother grinned. Rapunzel laughed then stood up and walked over to Eugene's side.

"You just wait till you try this." Eugene said as he pulled his stick out of the fire. "But you gotta guess what it is."

Rapunzel smiled then sat down close to him. "That little girl is so darling." She said. She leaned on Eugene's shoulder and pointed at the child she was just talking with. The child saw her and gave a shy smile as she cuddled into her mother's arms.

"She sure is." Eugene said, a cigarette between his lips.

"Not as darling as Jack Junior." Rapunzel said, sitting closer to Eugene.

Eugene let out a sigh, shaking his head. "God Almighty, lady, not another Jack."

Rapunzel picked at her dress, clearly missing what Eugene had said. Compared to what the dress looked like a few days ago, it was shredded. It had lost all of its color and was basically a shell of itself.

Seeing that she was distracted, Eugene began to speak again. "Well, I don't know about you, but my stomach thinks my throat's been cut." He said as messed with the stick in the fire.

"Jack was hunting sage hens when the Comanches came." Rapunzel said, her eyes still glued to her dress. "I grabbed the baby and a pistol and I hid in the root cellar out back."

Eugene froze, looking at her. Usually, Rapunzel's rambles never made any sense. But for some reason, he could tell this time she was telling the truth. Maybe it was the way she stared off into the distance or how her hands trembled as she tied her dress in sloppy knots.

"The Indians tore up our sod house. And I was real quiet but then the baby started crying." She continued, her tying becoming faster. "I tried to shush him and suckle him but he just wouldn't stop. One Comanche, I remember, he acted real drunk and wore my green apron. He must of heard something. He started hollering and coming closer."

She furrowed her eyebrows, her story tumbling out of her mouth. "So I put my hand, gentle-like, over my baby's mouth. 'Don't cry. Daddy'll be home soon.'" She took a deep breath, rolling her shoulders. "The Indians found us but they just laughed. They was drunk, didn't wanna hurt anybody, and they rode away."

"Sundown, Jack came home. But I was still afraid to come out of the cellar." Suddenly, her words started getting caught in her throat. "I was afraid of what he'd do when he saw I'd smothered our son."

Eugene's stomach dropped at the words. This lady had accidentally killed her baby? It was no wonder why she wasn't right in the head sometimes. The unbearable burden of carrying that over your head would have drove anyone to madness. She had ended the life of her child while trying to save them.

"I ought to find some way to mend this petticoat." Rapunzel suddenly said, coming out of her story. "Look at that." She said, smiling at Eugene. But he just stared in sorrow.

A deep frown replaced the smile on her face. Tears pooled in her green eyes as she held back her sobs. "Jack..." She softly said. She shook her head, rapidly blinking her eyes. "He just buried the baby, put me in the wagon, and we went 70 miles to Galveston without stopping. He never said a word."

Her hands froze as her eyes stared at the fire. "Put me on the first ship he found. It was headed to Australia." She said, tilting her head to look at Eugene. Then she looked back at the fire. "Then he said, 'Don't want no woman that would kill my son to save herself.' And he turned and he walked away and he never looked back."

Eugene stared down at his feet, still listening to her tragic backstory. "I know, 'cause I watched to see if he would." She added. Eugene looked up, seeing her tugging on her dress. "This thing is just falling apart."

She sighed, shaking her head. "It's just..." She trailed as she ran her fingers through her golden hair. She was silent for the next minute, her green eyes gazing into the distance, her mind somewhere else. She began unbraiding her hair as a frown grew on her gentle face again. Then she smiled, looking at Eugene. "I'm tired." She said.

Without another word, she rose from her spot and wandered off, leaving Eugene alone. All night, all he could think about was what she had been through. What would he have done if he found his wife hiding in the cellar with their dead child in her arms? Would he have done the same as Jack? Ship her off so she could never reach him again? He hoped he never had to encounter that.

~~~~~~~~~~