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 authors. The ideas expressed in this story are copywrited by the author.

There’s a Hero (A songfic)- by Buckaroo

 

 

There’s a flower in the smallest garden

Reaching for the light

There’s a candle in the darkest corner

Conquering the night

~Billy Gilman

The six-year-old toiled long hours, scrambling in and out of the mine, setting charges in those places no grown man could reach. For a nickel a day he put aside his fears so that he, his mother and Hannah would have food on the table. It wasn’t much but at least he was doing something to contribute to their income. Exiting the mine in the mid-afternoon sun, Heath Thompson squinted against the harsh sunlight. The school bell rang across the street and shading his eyes, he watched as children poured out of the schoolhouse. He dropped his head as he recalled his own brief experience with school. He remembered how anxious he was to finally get a chance at real learnin’, but his dreams were shattered when he entered the schoolroom amidst the teasing and taunting of his classmates. From the moment he walked in, the teacher tormented him, making it perfectly clear his kind was unwelcome in her classroom. He left that first day and never went back.

Being denied school was like a final blow and his mother found him crying on the back porch that afternoon and with one look she understood. That day was a harsh reminder of his lot in life. His mother didn’t bother trying to sooth away the insults or the evilness of supposedly good Christians. Instead she found words that he remembered long after the hurt went away that day.

The harsh words were none he hadn’t heard before, but it didn’t make them any less painful. The townspeople, including his aunt and uncle, had made sure he knew what he was. His mother had made a mistake in loving a married man and afraid she would lose her pride and joy had refused to tell him anything regarding his father. They lived on the edge of sustenance and even at six he took his responsibility as breadwinner seriously. His nickel often made the difference between a full belly and an empty one.

As he stood watching the other children play and wrestle as they made their way towards home, he shook his head, envious of the carefree innocence of youth that was lost to him forever. Squaring his small shoulders, he lifted his head proudly, knowing he was making a difference in the lives of his extended family. It wasn’t much and he hated the work, but his mama had always shown him nothing but love and her words were always there to comfort him in the darkness of the mines.

There is amazing strength in a willing hand

There are victories that are never planned

There’s a hero in everybody’s heart

********************

"I told you a week ago I needed a couple days," huffed Heath.

"Yeah well, I forgot. We’re too damn busy for you to go traipsing around the countryside. What’s so all fired important it can’t wait a couple weeks for brandin’ to end?"

Setting his glass on the table, Heath looked his older brother right in the eye and said solemnly, "Tomorrow is the day my Mama died." He turned abruptly, leaving Nick kicking himself for being so harsh.

 

There’s a fire inside of everybody

Burning clear and bright

There’s a power in the faintest heartbeat

That cannot be denied

The next morning as Heath entered the barn to leave for Strawberry, he found Nick waitin’ on him. In no mood for Nick’s wrath, Heath’s anger resurfaced, "I’m goin’ Nick, so yer wastin’ yer breath."

Nick’s response startled him, "I’m just waitin’ on you to mount up so we can go."

Heath looked at him oddly, "Ain’t you too busy to be traipsing around the countryside?"

Nick winced at his own words being thrown back in his face. He shook his head and told his brother, "I figure a couple days won’t make a difference. Thought you might like some company."

"Ya don’t gotta go Nick. I can manage just fine."

"I want to go Heath." His voice reflected both his remorse and his need to be there for his brother, his best friend. Grabbing Coco’s reins he followed Heath and Charger out of the barn.

Heath turned to Nick after mounting, "Thanks, Nick."

Now as he sat at his mother’s gravesite he thought how much his life had turned around in the two years since her passing. He’d found a family and a whole new way of life, all because he’d never let life’s circumstances drag him under. He smiled warmly at her gravestone and recalled the number of times she repeated those same words she told him that day so long ago when a fragile five-year-old couldn’t see how he’d ever amount to much without schooling.

Go on and trust yourself

You can ride the wind

You’re gonna take your dreams

Where they’ve never been

There’s a hero in everybody’s heart

He dropped his head in silent prayer and whispered, "Thank you Mama. You was always my hero." Heath could hear Nick’s nervous pacing with the jingle of his spurs and he shook his head with a lop-sided grin, "Reckon I got me another one now, Mama."