Disclaimer: Ed Spielman created the characters of The Young Riders for television. The series aired on ABC TELEVISION from 1989 1992. Thanks to everyone who helped by being a beta. I couldn't have done this without you. This story takes the premise of my quick fic "The Thaw" and expands upon it.
Even the spring warmth couldn't help him. He was cold, and the sunshine did nothing to warm him. In fact, it just made him more aware of how cold he'd become since moving here.
Ike smiled as he remembered moving here - like he'd had a choice. He shook his head to clear away the thoughts that were threatening to overtake him. He didn't want to remember other spring days spent flying kites, running in the fields, playing with friends and family. He didn't want to remember strangers coming . . .
He was spared the memories as a group of younger children made the mistake of coming too close. He started to chase them. He made his face as ugly as possible and did his best to make it look like he wanted to catch them and hurt them. Their screams brought the nuns out of the convent and into the yard. Ike smiled and made his way to the animal pens where he could hide until he was summoned to load the wagons for the weekly trip to town.
The coldness that had overtaken him since his arrival here grew stronger. Ike realized that it just might become impossible to get rid of if he wasn't careful. It grew deeper, colder, and stronger the longer he stayed here. He contemplated how things had changed after the strangers had come and ruined his life. At first, he had been empty inside. He'd had a space that needed to be filled. The cold had started after he arrived here and the others didn't include him. They all feared him because of his strangeness - his baldness and his quietness. Even the nuns had been unsure of how to handle him. So, the coldness had taken root and grown until its total lack of feeling had replaced his once warm, loving heart. In a way, Ike was glad because it had allowed him to survive the past year.
Ike started when he realized that it had been a year since he came here. He'd made it through twelve months without his family or friends. He was surprised to discover that the pain of his loss was almost gone - replaced by the cold that now filled his being. He allowed the coldness to wrap itself around his heart again, to push away the memories of family, friends, and belonging.
Once it had frozen solid again he returned to the main yard where the others still waited to load the wagons for the outing to town. The disruption he had caused earlier had settled, and all the younger children were once again calm. A few of the nuns gave Ike a warning stare as he passed by on his way to where the boys his age gathered. Most of them drew back in fear and loathing as he approached. Only one stood his ground and even offered a slight smile.
On the ride into town they all left space, gave Ike room. He took the opportunity to contemplate his life since "the freeze", as he'd come to call his new feeling, had started to form. After his rather cool reception from the other children, Ike had done everything he could to push all others away. He denied himself contact with people who could make him care and then leave. He didn't want to face that pain again. So he embraced the cold and let it replace the pain.
Ike sighed as the wagons pulled to a stop in front of the general store. He quickly hopped off and went across the street to the stockyards. Here the cold went away just a little; animals were much more accepting than people.
He sat petting one of the donkeys and thought about his situation. He was alone, bald, voiceless, and trapped. He was too young to be allowed to leave the orphanage – besides where would he go? As bad as it was, the Our Lady of Mercy Mission School and Home for Orphans was better than any alternatives Ike could imagine.
A loud noise brought Ike out of his trance. He glanced around trying to locate the source. He was just about to give up when he saw them. Three men were pushing someone into the alley between the general store and the dressmaker's shop. Ike smiled – he always liked a good fight. He hopped off the rail and ran toward the action.
"I seen you look at her," the biggest man said as he threw the group's target to the ground.
The smile vanished from Ike's face when he saw who these men were fighting. It was the newest boy from the mission – the one boy who had smiled at him.
The boy managed to stand. "I didn't . . .," he tried to explain.
"You got no right looking at her that way," a second man said as he knocked the boy back to the ground and kicked him.
The boy glanced around for a weapon, a means of escape, anything. He made eye contact with Ike. He again struggled to a standing position to defend himself. Ike noticed the slight look of hope before their eyes lost contact.
The first man said, "What do you think you're doing? Stay down in the dirt where you belong." He moved to once more push the boy, but instead found himself fighting off some crazed creature that had jumped on his back. When his companions turned to see what was going on, Ike jumped off the man's back and joined the other boy. They now stood back to back awaiting the onslaught.
Later, when he woke up, Ike heard the nuns talking. "I told you there was a good person hidden inside him," one said.
"I'd never have believed it if I hadn't seen it," her companion commented. "If he'd been helping the men, it would make much more sense."
Ike tried to see who it was that defended him. He wanted to know which one to thank later. It also surprised him that anyone wasn't shocked by his actions. He certainly was. It wasn't something he would have expected himself to do – at least not since "the freeze".
As he moved to a sitting position, he noticed the other boy lying on the bed next to his. He wasn't moving, but he was breathing. Ike decided that was good. The pain he was in might be worth it if he'd actually done some good.
Ike smiled at this thought. He felt the coldness that surrounded his heart begin to soften. Each beat of his heart caused it to thaw some more. With the thaw came pain, but also hope that the caring person he'd been before was still there, no longer afraid to come out to try and offer his help.
Sister Regina, Ike's defender, came to his side. "You should be lying down," she said. "You need your rest. That was a very brave thing you did."
Ike smiled shyly at her and pointed to the other boy.
"Buck?" she asked. "You want to know how he is?"
Ike nodded slowly and carefully because each movement caused him pain and made it difficult to stay awake.
"About the same shape as you," she said with a smile. "Thanks to you he's still with us. I'm not sure he would be if you hadn't interfered. You feel up to eating? It's been almost 24 hours since you've had anything."
Ike slowly nodded once more.
"Why don't you lie back down and I'll see about getting some food brought over." As she moved back towards the other end of the room, Buck opened his eyes. He didn't move anything else as he checked his surroundings. When he saw Ike, he smiled.
"Thank you," he said.
Ike shrugged and then winced as the pain raced through his body. Sister Regina noticed the exchange. She came back to Ike's side. "You really need to lie back down," she said as she gently pushed him back onto the mattress. She then turned to Buck. "I was just going to get Ike some food. Would you like some?"
"Yes, please," Buck answered.
"Fine. I'll have something sent over for you both, but I want you both to stay lying down until it gets here. Understand?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Buck said.
Sister Regina turned to face Ike. "That goes for you too, Ike McSwain. Do you understand me?"
Ike nodded slowly. As soon as she left, Buck and Ike both struggled to a sitting position. Ike rested on his bed a few seconds and then moved to sit next to Buck. As he made himself comfortable, Buck asked, "You talk?"
Ike slowly shook his head.
"But you can hear me?"
Ike nodded wondering where this conversation was going.
"You want to learn to talk?" Buck asked.
Ike just stared at him. If it didn't hurt so much to move he would have hit Buck. What kind of mean joke was he trying to play?
Buck noticed the change in Ike's demeanor and the coldness returning to his stare.
"I can teach you," Buck said as he moved to sit so he was really facing Ike. He made a motion with his hands and said, "Friend."
When the realization of what he was being offered became clear, the last remnants of coldness from "the freeze" left his body. Ike said a quick prayer that it wouldn't return and smiled. Buck smiled back and repeated, "Friend" as he showed Ike how to speak using his hands.
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