Ghost
of the Three Paths -- Story Three
Halloween
Challenge
by Lindabrit
Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program
"Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and
have been used without permission. No
copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.
Three witches are known in legend for the disaster they brought upon a house,
a loyal subject, and a king. Three witches who will now bring their lunacies
and prophecies upon a house in the new world and the West. The house of Barkley
and one loyal man
a Barkley son
will be the subject of their spells. That
Barkley son is
Jarrod
Counselor Jarrod Barkley was riding briskly along the path from Stockton to the
Barkley ranch on a hired horse. He was not expected home from San Francisco for
several more days, so there had been no Barkley horse awaiting him at the
livery stable in Stockton. The lawyer was tired, cold and hungry but deeply
content to be heading home, his last court case had been tedious and he was
glad the trial had finished early. He smiled into the gloom, thinking of the
warm welcome he would receive from his family soon, but the smile faded as he
peered ahead and saw a strange, eerie mist gathering on the path ahead of him.
Reining in the restive horse to a cautious pace, Jarrod approached the mist and
as he did so a figure emerged onto the path ahead of him. A tall straight
figure, on foot, wearing a long, dark rain slicker, his face partially obscured
by a black Stetson. The stranger stood facing Jarrod, feet planted slightly
apart, hands on hips. A frisson of fear made Jarrod shiver, the pose was so
familiar. He was still too far away to see the face of the stranger, but for a
second he wondered if it was Nick. Then the ghostly figure slowly raised its
head and Jarrod Barkley looked into the face of his dead father.
For long, agonizing seconds, the lawyer couldn't breathe, he could feel his
heart hammering in his chest and his blood roared in his ears. With a supreme
effort of will, Jarrod drew in a shaky breath and wiped the sweat that had
suddenly sprung to his brow, despite the chilly night air.
He tried to talk but at first no sound would come out, then he managed to
croak, "if this is a joke, it's in poor taste!"
Tom Barkley's unmistakable laugh boomed, "I guess I knew you'd be the
hardest to convince Counselor!"
Jarrod slid from his horse's back and walked slowly forward, his eyes still
narrowed in suspicion, but widening as he realized that there could be no
mistake, this was assuredly a ghost, but it was Tom Barkley's ghost without
doubt.
The lawyer struggled to regain his composure and forced a wry smile to his
face, "well, I guess it is Halloween."
Tom laughed and reached for his eldest son, hugging him briefly, "that
sounds more like my eldest boy!"
Jarrod was shaking his head in bewilderment, "I can't believe it's you, I
never thought I'd see you again."
Tom smiled, "our time together is short, I have been granted this one
chance to meet you again, to tell you something Son."
"Tell me what Father."
"You're a wonderful lawyer Jarrod, smart, dedicated and very successful,
yours is a career that any man would be proud of and others would envy. So tell
me Son, why is it that you torture yourself wondering if I approved of your
choices in life?"
Jarrod was shaken to the core to hear his secret and innermost fears, doubts he
had never shared with a living soul, voiced by the man most concerned in them.
"Father I..."
Tom held up a hand, "just listen Son, I don't have much longer. I want you
to know something and believe it Jarrod. I was proud and happy when you chose
the law, I never resented your choice or wished that you had followed me into
business or ranching."
Jarrod's eyes glistened with unshed tears, "truly Father?"
Tom Barkley cupped a hand to his eldest son's face, "Jarrod, I know you, I
know that truth and justice matter deeply to you, I was never going to stop you
fulfilling your destiny and I never wanted you to do or be anything other than
the man of honour and integrity that you are. Do you believe me Son?"
Jarrod's face worked, "I believe you Sir."
"Good!" Tom said and before Jarrod could blink, the ghost vanished
from sight. Trembling with emotion, Jarrod leaned against his patient horse,
sucking in air in an effort to calm his tumultuous feelings. Slowly, his
jangled nerves calmed and he shivered as the cold bit into his skin. When he
felt able, Jarrod re-mounted his horse and rode slowly forward. He searched his
senses and made a discovery, for the first time in his adult life, his whole
being was at peace. His father's assurance had laid to rest a matter that had
long tormented him and Jarrod didn't care to examine his weird experience any
more closely than that.
The three paths on which the Barkley brothers were travelling all lead to the
gate of the Barkley ranch and very late on this enchanted Halloween night, the
three riders approached the gate from their separate directions and came
together to ride the last half mile of their journey home. The three brothers
exchanged brief greetings with one another and headed for the Barkley mansion,
each glad of the solidly real company of the others.
Typically, it was Nick who broke the rather edgy silence, "anything happen
to you fellas on your ride home tonight?"
Nick's terse question hung in the air for a moment then Heath said, with
studied casualness, "not to me Nick, how about you?"
"Me? No, not a thing," declared Nick with too much emphasis. The two
ranchers looked at Jarrod.
"Not me Boys, I've had a nice quiet ride," said Jarrod.
Reveling in their companionship, the three liars rode home together.
Epilogue
The ghost that had been Tom Barkley, watched his sons ride away from him forever
and then he turned to find Queen Azaria at his elbow.
"You are content?"
"Yes mighty queen, I am content. I thank you."
Azaria smiled, "it is we who should thank you Steel Avenger, my sisters
and I, for you were our guard, for many long ages, before we released you into
the wilderness of western lands to pursue your earthly destiny. Your request to
meet once with the three sons of your earthly life is the least reward that
your loyalty deserves. Can your spirit now find the peace it desires?"
"It can mighty queen," Tom Barkley's shade flew from her on his words
and his spirit soared into the night, to scatter to earth like a shower of
sparkling rain and to become one with this valley that had meant so much to him
in life.
THE END