A young cowboy lives out the rest of his life alone over matters he could've controlled. That is until an unforseen fate turned his life around, much to his dismay.
When wandering the trail, what would happen if the end of the path proved fruitless?
Isaac, or "Ike" as he is commonly referred to as, is a run-of-the-mill young man with a past untold. He had a wonderful life growing up, until a sudden turn of events left him working day to day as a miserable cowboy of Northern New Mexico. Shutting himself from the rest of the world, but at the costly expense of prolonged loneliness. A true loner.
However, that all changed when Ike is sent to Equestria to rekindle the dying spark what remains of his hollow chest. Not only meeting new faces, but also the drawn faces of his forgotten creations.
Unbeknownst to the isolated frontiersman, a dark secret rests within this brand new world, waiting to bubble to the surface. What terrors will be found?
Rated teen for language, sexual themes, and messy business.
Note: The guest characters are mine so no copyright what so ever. But "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" is copyright of Hasbro.
Though limited due to the fact I have a life that needs attention. What with work, college, and many other side projects I sunk myself into. So I thought I'd get back to work on the Thoughts that Count. To be honest, I don't really care much for Vigorous discovery or Chaos in Session, no sure why but I just don't. My first story is all I think about and over the last two years, I have been having so many ideas, and thought provoking plot development, especially after I took a creative writing class over the Fall. Reading more intellectual literature, I feel like I can make this story better. Far better than what I had originally thought.
But as I said, this make take time so don't let me hear complain that this is taking so long. We Bronies have more important matters to attend to and I think you that pretty well.
Also, as you may have noticed, I'm scrapping the old chapters and replacing them with new ones. And maybe a new title picture as looking at this old one would kind of kill the overall mood of what I'm about to unleash. Art skills are brushing up, so I'm gonna go with a more realistic feel.
These sands were torturous. No matter which way he went, the young frontiersman never felt like himself. The cowboy from southern Wyoming just couldn’t shake away the thoughts that clouded his mind. He stood blithe over lush plains, in the middle of a wide open field; about as wide as a battlefield. Only no soldiers to spill blood.
“Why?” he questioned, “Why am I still here... in this barren land with just my lonesome self?” This was a matter he begged the world to answer for him.
From town to town, the loner cowboy traveled from hither and yon, and for what? To see the world? To help those in need? No. He wanted to be one with humanity, in this fiery hellhole of a world. Life has been all but merciful, and he had to endure the dreaded demons that plagued his soul, as they spread their deceit of dying alone. With no one to befriend, no one to be with till the end.
And no one to lend a tender embrace.
***
I closed the the front cover of the novel. Its powerful literature left me astonished as I laid the book on the night stand.
"Wow." I muttered. "Quite the story, I think I'll read more of it tomorrow."
I adjusted my recline on the bed frame, and sighed through my nostrils. The back of my head rested on the frame’s wooden surface as I sat there almost relaxed. It had been a long day of managing various errands, leaving me tired and sore in all muscle groups. Now I plainly lied on my bed thinking about the cowboy's ballad. Recently, I've been working like a beaver in the back parts of Chama. The work days were tough, but the pay was decent. Obviously, not enough to get me out of this hick town, but it was good enough for the essentials.
Several minutes went by that night and I was quickly becoming bored. Nothing left to do other than to just rest. I glanced at my alarm on the nightstand to my right; 10:15, almost 45 minutes until 11:00. Not too late in my book, but still. Besides, I had more work to do tomorrow and since it was getting late, it would've been best just to sleep for now in order to awake properly.
I was about to prepare for bed when my boss called for me.
"Ike! Git down here!" he shouted in a slightly strong Texas drawl. In my time working for that guy, the shrill bark of his voice was still intimidating on my behalf. Including his accent, for it was more than enough to send shivers up my spine.
As if by reflex, I hopped off my bed. “Coming Charlie!” I shouted from the second floor, as I fumbled towards the hallway. But before I made haste, I stopped by my mirror on the bedroom door to make sure I was presentable. My smooth brown hair wasn't too shabby so that was one benefit. The complexion didn't pause me either; some would say flawless skin goes a long way. Thank God my acne finally ceased. Everything facially checked out but the attire I wore was more rugged with just a plain white t-shirt and worn out jeans. A noticeable tear presented itself to me in the reflection around the lower half of my left pant leg. That was a first day I will never forget, and neither will the horse.
I nodded with approval at my reflection and ran downstairs to meet Charlie, sitting on the sofa in front of the cold empty fireplace. He was sitting on a two-seat couch with his eyes glued to the TV on top of the mantle. I wasn’t sure what he was watching and frankly I paid no mind. Something about the news I believe was showing, with yet another shooting and/or political scandal to wring this sympathetic sponge dry. Ah, America.
I approached the man. He was sporting a grimy Budweiser t-shirt still coated in dust, while outfitted with blue skinny jeans and light brown cowboy boots. His facial features consisted of a dark-brown, rugged beard to match his messy, almost greyish hair. He just reeked of redneck.
When I appeared in the room, he turned to me with the side of his face glowing against the light of the television.
"Howdy Ike," he said, almost nonchalant. "Can y'all do me a favor and check on the horses out back? Just wanna make sure they're fed before ya hit the hay."
“I thought I fed them this morning, Charlie.” I replied slightly confused.
He turned away from me. “Well, go feed ‘em again. Unless you want me to dock your pay down to a penny’s worth.” He might not know it, but to me his tone hammered hard on my self-esteem.
I opened my mouth for a moment but kept my trap shut in front of him, cooling down my growing anger. “Yes sir,” I said. Charlie never took his eyes off the TV.
Quite the charming type isn’t he?
I never liked that crusty old bastard anyway, not since I started working here. For a cattle rancher coming from West Texas, he was more like your run-of-the-mill old man who forced you to work after breaking one of his windows. He would even complain about my inadequate skills as a cowboy. I don’t blame him on that one, seeing as I was just an art student who never got the chance to graduate.
Discouraged enough to make me march back to bed, I forced myself to comply as I grabbed my jacket on the coat rack, glancing at Charlie as I gave him the finger behind his back. It felt purposeless, so I just brushed him off and made my way to the front door. Let’s hope he felt it slam shut.
It was still dark outside. I could hear crickets chirping and the wolves howling in the distance soothed my ears. The air was still warm due to the summer heat, but it was reasonably manageable. I was still tired from my desperation for sleep, but my senses were rejuvenated by the summer night’s warm, clean air, encouraging me to commence with my chore. Not exactly sure as to why I felt so content in weather conditions like this. Maybe it was the only time of the year where it wasn’t bitterly cold. Christ, those were some awful winters!
I soon found myself walking across the back yard; in the middle of scenic nowhere if I might add. New Mexico isn’t exactly the Maryland of the Southwest. Many towns are spread too far, dotting the regions with mere specks of civilization in a sea of dry sand to the south, and dense forests to the north.
It wasn’t perfect, but it had its own benefits. The mountains encompassed the valley of which the ranch sits within. Neither was it totally pitch black, at least enough to barely see the trees on the side of the mountains, as well as the weeds near the house. A rusted 1950’s Ford sat decaying just a few yards away, nearly being swallowed whole by the pesky plants. A few managed to crawl up from underneath the Ford and sprouted themselves from the hoodless engine. Boy, Charlie should really clean up this place.
But of course he won’t.
Not far from the back door, the barn slept cozily under the well lit full moon. Light peeked from the semi-opened doors. The loft was also exposed, with a little bit of moonlight casting shadows inside. I made my way to the light and opened the doors slightly before countering the blue light on my back with bright lamps on my front.
A wave of petrified horse manure unleashed itself as soon as those double wooden doors opened. I didn’t bother to cringe my nose, however. Working with livestock for a living tends to leave an immunity, or in my case, destroyed nostrils to where you can’t smell anything.
Instead, I adjusted my eyes to the dim lamp hanging just above the center of the barn. Rows of stalls sat parallel from each other, like I just walked into a livestock judging at the local state fair.
Tired. I was so tired, eager to just finish the task at hand and climb to bed. Sighing heavily, I proceeded inside. As I strolled right beside each horse in their designated stall, I studied halfheartedly at each trough that passed. All were filled with enough hay and water to make it through the night. I guess someone else took care of everything already before I got here.
Well, maybe not everything. Stopping directly in front of a lone quarter horse at the far corner of the barn, I glanced under the creature to notice his trough was empty.
Such laziness. I stood there with a bemused expression, shaking my head slightly. Soft snorting sounds, close enough to be audible, pulled my attention as I looked up to see the horse towering above my head by a foot. The horse leaned his head over the wooden divider, breathing softly against my chest. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Hey Cletus,” I spoke to the horse as I softly petted his muzzle. Some muscles tensed for a split second, but they eventually ceased as I repeatedly stroked. “How are you doing, buddy? You hungry? Did that ass-wad, Charlie, not give you enough nutrients to grow big and strong?” The tone in my voice began to switch to simple baby talk. Might’ve been demeaning to the horse, but what do I know? It’s not like Cletus can read old English scriptures with his monocle gawking pretentiously.
I nearly made myself laugh at the thought.
Looking down at the trough again, I walked over to the empty stall across from Cletus, where we keep the bales of hay. Charlie didn’t want to make a big fuss over storage space, so he had to make tough decisions and sell the horse who last occupied it. Once I chucked a bale in Cletus’ stall, I grabbed a bucket and filled it with clean water from the hose outside, then poured it all into the trough.
"There you go, Cletus," I said to the horse, who just stood there as I just kept talking. "Now eat slowly this time, I don't want you all hungry again tonight." I chuckled at those words. No response aside from the oblivious craning of the horse’s neck to take his first bite out of the hay I just poured.
“Ooookay, then...” I mumbled.
Finally, my task was done. It wasn’t as strenuous as I had misleadingly complained over, but I just wish Charlie would’ve asked nicely without making me want to burn down his estate. But that’s probably best saved for another day, if I can comply with my bitter instinct.
I sighed with mild relief, knowing all the livestock is taken care of, thus I can finally turn in for the night.
And yet, I didn’t.
The open loft in the back of the barn caught my attention as I inspected the place for more empty troughs. The second floor had two open windows; one in the front and one in the back. However, I liked the back window better, I always have.
It wasn’t that late, and feeding Cletus probably shaved a few minutes to where it must’ve been 10:30. My tired mind begged for rest, but my body had a better alternative. I made my way to one of the ladders built along the edge of the loft and started climbing. Barely peeking over the suspended wooden floor, I saw a large, but raggedly old, saddle blanket spread out in front of the window, illuminated under the full moon. It was mostly worn out with old striped patterns decoratively outlined, nearly faded and concealing a few tears. A clutter of straw was sprinkled across it, possibly from several nights of sitting.+
It’s shabby appearance didn’t faze me at the slightest however. I stepped foot onto the loft and just lazily sat on a snug spot crossed legged in front of the open window. Revealing a beautiful night sky over the vast New Mexico high desert.
The many bright stars kissed the pitch black sky, while a full moon had the alluring courtesy to shine brightly over the sands. Some of the locals refer it to as a “Rustler’s Moon”; where the titanic pearl would glow bright enough for bandits to see in the dark and snag a poor rancher’s livestock. Chama has had rare occasions of rustlers, or thievery for that matter, so the chances of getting entangled with a situation like that was astronomical. Worries aside, the moon would also neatly frame the distant mountains in a smooth silhouette. Top it all off with the crickets serenading their nightly tune, and the sight was just plain peaceful.
"Beautiful," I admitted softly.
"It is, isn't it?" asked a woman's voice from behind me.
Slightly startled, I turned around to see a woman; roughly in her thirties, standing on the ladder near the edge of the loft. Her silky blonde hair ran down her shoulders in beautiful curls, blanketing over a plaid button-up shirt.
"Hey, Ike," she said with a smile, of which I responded with my own.
"Evening, Mrs. Williamson," I replied, "what are you doing here?" I was not sure how I failed to notice her presence or the creaking sound of the barn doors when she came in.
Anyway, Mrs. Williamson - or Abbie as I've grown to call her - was Charlie's wife and assistant to the ranch. But unlike my cranky boss, she was more friendly and well-spirited. Ever since I came to the farm, she welcomed me with content hospitality.
“I just came back from the bar in town and I just happened to find the barn doors wide open.” she said as she smirked at me with that cute smile. “I thought that was you.”
A hollow laugh escaped my coy smile. “Sorry about that. I was just checking to see if the horses were fed.” I looked at the blonde with a smug look. “By the way, you missed one. You’re welcome.” I had a hunch she was the one who managed the horses. Why she didn’t notify Charlie about this, I will never know.
She lightly giggled before hoisting herself onto the loft with me.
“Oh, come on,” she said with humor behind her tone, “Cletus has the appetite of a wood chipper. It’s almost impossible fatting that horse on a daily basis. Give me some credit here.”
As she wandered over to the empty space beside me, I couldn't help but notice the subtle swaying of her hips in her traditional jeans. Seemed like denim was considered a fashion statement out here in the countryside.
Get your eyes off of her, you pig! She‘s looking right at you!
Thanks again, brain, you buzzkill...
Quickly redirecting my gaze back to the window before Abbie could notice, she sat right beside me.
“Mind if I sit here with you?” she asked in a friendly tone.
I shrugged. “I don’t see why not. I only came up here to relax a while, just to ease the frantic mind.”
Abbie nodded in agreement. “I get ya,” she replied. “Sometimes we need a little rest after working hard all day. And hell, you picked a great way to take a load off.” Some form of chuckling slipped in her statement, as if she was surprised by my choice of relaxation. Granted, I’m not surprised that she’s surprised. “How was your day, by the way?” she asked.
She looked at me with neighborly curiosity, and I chose to look out into the darkened mountaintops in the distance.
“Same old, same old…” my voice dimmed. “I follow an assignment - from feeding the cows to property repair - and I get yelled at... again, by good old gambling man, Charlie.”
My sarcastic remark must’ve clicked inside Abbie’s head, because she shook her head confusedly, slightly taken aback with a raised brow.
“That bad?”
“Don’t believe me?” I glanced at her, “He tasked me to re-shoe one of the horses; a job he knew damn well I couldn’t handle. And as a result, I get kicked in the back of the shoulder, for not ‘holding the hoof properly’ as he puts it. I was holding him like he fucking told me!” The harsh tone in my voice increased, causing me to notice and sigh. “But… yeah. That’s what happened.” I muttered.
Abbie cringed. “Ouch! Does it still hurt?”
“It’s a bit sore, but it wasn’t painful. It was more like being thrown back by the recoil of a powerful gun.” The pulsating bruise over my shoulder blade would disagree. My hand reached over and held the spot in response as a silent inhale slithered sharply between my teeth.
“Are you okay?” she asked with concern. “Do you need me to rub it or something? My husband gets shoulder pains like that, and I give him a good back rub to help.”
“No, I’m fine. Thank you. I did all I could and this is what I get.”
At the corner of my eye, I saw Abbie hold up her hands in an effort to massage the pain, but she refrained from doing such. I just ignored the throbbing.
“Well, I’m sorry Charlie overworked you like that. But there really isn’t a reason to bad mouth about him behind his back.”
Great, now she thinks I’m a coward…
“Besides, you did alright. A lot better than most hired helpers we’ve had.” She smiled at me, even though half my eyesight caught it. I looked at her as she continued with the deepest of sincerity. “You did your best and had an accident. Everybody makes mistakes; we fuck up and move on. So don’t go beating yourself up over something you didn’t cause. And hey, just be glad that horse didn’t stomp your guts out, otherwise you’d be all black and blue.” She chuckled.
Uncomfortable with her sudden joking, I giggled nervously, and smiled bashfully as I absorbed Abbie’s words. She was right about letting things go, and me as her employee, I had the tendency to forget that notion. Time just keeps going no matter what. I just wish all people followed that logic.
“Yeah, but not Charlie. After I finished my chores for the day, he still wouldn’t talk to me. Like I just stole from him or something.” I shook my head. “He really has a hard time letting go.”
“That’s just Charlie being Charlie.” Abbie replied plainly, leaving me confused.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Well, he doesn’t really like to move forward in life, so to speak. You see, he’s been working here for over 10 years and has been doing the same thing everyday. He’s kinda close minded and...” Abbie struggled for a bit, trying to come up with an appropriate word.
“Living in the past?” I added.
“...Well, stuck is more like it. And it’s been that way ever since he dropped out of college.”
Taken aback, I looked at Abbie confusedly. “He went to college?” I questioned in surprise. I had known that man for seven months and not once had I known he was actually educated. I never snapped at any photos referencing his time in college, or any diplomas in the house.
Abbie looked at me just as confused. “Yeah? Don’t we all?” I shrugged in response. “The only reason Charlie dropped out is because he wasn’t just up for it. He just wanted to stay a cowboy. To this day, even I don’t rightly know. I mean you dropped out, right?”
A sudden pause came between us for a moment. She wasn’t wrong on that one, and I nodded while not looking at her in the eye.
“What was your reason?” I froze. Never had I predicted she was going to ask me that exact question, and I had feared she would.
“...I …” I hesitated, the blonde staring me down, “I don’t want to talk about it.” I retreated as I quickly faced away.
Abbie gave a short sigh, a hint of agitation behind it. “Even you won’t tell me,” she muttered to herself, pinching her nose before she spoke to me. “Look, I’m not trying to belittle you, I’m just trying to make a point here. Cause you’ve been bad mouthing Charlie ever since you two first met. Now please explain to me why you dropped out.” Her tone increased to what I assumed to be demanding.
“You made your point already, can we just-”
“I’m just looking out for my husband,” she interrupted, “he just gets very emotional.”
“I SAID I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT!” I shouted angrily. The pressure in the conversation was all too much for me to endure.
Abbie flinched, as if a vicious dog snarled at her, which from the twitchy look in my eye and sudden barking, would only add to that analogy. Her talking immediately came to a halt, the terrified expression on her face got to me as my insides churned with nauseating rue. I quickly realized what I had done and hastily spoke to her.
“I… I-I’m sorry…” I shakily apologized. “I didn’t mean to… I just-” The shocked face before me remained, forcing me no choice but to give a heavy sigh, brimming with deep regret.
An awkward pause lingered unforgivably, Abbie merely sat there completely dumbfounded by my explosive response. I just looked away, afraid to be judged in her eyes. However, a few words had slipped from my mouth, attempting to break the tension.
“Abbie,” I addressed her by nickname quietly, “I understand you are curious as to why I dropped out of college. But… there’s just…” Struggling to find the right words, I found my voice. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know yet, and what I did… in the past.”
The befuddled cowgirl seemed less frightened and continued to listen.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you like that. It’s just that… it’s a painful subject, and I don’t feel like I should discuss it with you or anyone else.”
Abbie collected her thoughts after they were scattered by my answer. “But… why not?” she cautiously asked.
Silence filled the air for another moment, before I gave my answer as best as I could.
“You said Charlie had it rough?” She nodded slowly. “Well I had it worse. And going back on that is just something I don’t want to even think about, let alone talk about.” I glanced to my peripheral, Abbie softened her hesitation. “I won’t explain, but let’s just say... I couldn’t handle life by myself.”
It took awhile, but eventually Abbie widen her eyes in surprise before they turned sympathetic. “Oh… I see.” she quietly replied. I can tell this was weighing down in her mind, and it left us both with closed mouths, thinking heavily before she finally spoke with a solemn voice.
“Well... for what’s it worth. I’m sorry.” I looked at her inquisitively. “I didn’t know that was a private matter, and I didn’t mean to... intergate you like that. And if it’s that personal, I can honestly respect that, you have my word.”
“You do?”
She smiled. “Absolutely.”
At sincerity of her honesty, a weight was finally lifted from my shoulders and her infectious smile had spread towards mine. She opened her arms, offering a comforting hug. I happily obliged, embracing to where her silky hair brushed my cheek.
But upon movement, caused something to fall out of my pocket. We broke the embrace as Abbie seemed to notice the parcel that fell.
"What's that?" She pointed at the floor.
Looking down, I saw a folded piece of paper and chuckled slightly. "I forgot about this!" I replied as I picked up the paper.
"What is it?" Abbie asked.
"Just an old picture I drew earlier. I got bored a while ago, so I just doodled a little before Charlie called me." I unfolded it into the lantern above us to show a black and white drawing of four cowboys. They were set in the middle of the picture aligned to face me and Abbie with challenging grins.
"Wow, Ike!" Abbie awed. "You certainly have skills other than breaking horses."
I smiled at her. “A guy can have more than one hobby, can’t he?” We chortled at that comment.
After showing her the drawing, I explained to Abbie about these fictional fellows. Talking about their names, their personalities, and their lives. Already planned out as if they were legitimate characters to a story. I did so by naming each character individually.
"That's Vince Gonzales." I pointed to a big mexican man with a bloated chin and sombrero on the left side of the paper. He wore a long-sleeved, button-up shirt with a bandolier wrapped over his shoulder. A shiny belt buckle with a cow skull glistened on his waist.
I moved on to the next person standing by the first. He was also big, but more buff looking, wearing a poncho over a black shirt. The sleeves were folded to expose his broad arms, and was also wearing a bandolier, just like Vince. A flat brimmed hat sat on top of his head. She might not know it, but his skin was supposed to be pink.
"Rufus Wells.”
The next person resided on the far right of the picture. He was pretty skinny for a cowboy, and had black, spiky hair underneath a gambler's hat. A vest and handkerchief complimented his build as he stood their with a smug expression.
"Robert Wood, or ‘Bobby Blackjack’ as he’s known for." Abbie giggled a little at the funny last name.
Finally, I pointed out the gentleman in the middle of the group. He too was skinny, but was rather slim compared to Bobby. A black hat, white shirt, and black suspenders were etched on his body. Glasses surrounded his large cartoon eyes, that gazed right at me as I scrutinized the design.
"And finally, John Everett."
"He looks just like you," Abbie commented.
The resemblance was meant to be, for when I drew these characters I wanted to portray myself as a western hero. Something I’ve wanted to imagine since I was a little kid.
"I call these guys, the Wild West Tech gang," I spoke with pride.
I further explained the premise of these frontiersmen. In my mind, they were basically a gang of cowboys, with an arsenal of superior technology that no other pioneer has ever seen before. Living their lives in the Wild West and battling zombies to protect their world.
Before working in Chama, I used to draw a lot, being that I was an artistic dropout. It was a skill I’ve obtained, which eventually evolved into a sort of passion. And if there's one thing I loved more than simple sketches, it was creating a story behind the art. Moreover, my mind just stuck with a western like element thrown into the mix. I don't know what it was I liked about the old west, but it's influence eventually rubbed off on me. And so far I share no complaints. Even the rancher's wife couldn't agree more.
Abbie looked deep into the picture and smiled with glee at my talents. “Again, Wow!” she exclaimed surprisedly. “This is actually pretty amazing, Ike. I like how well drawn these guys are, from their hats to their bodily features. How come you don’t want pursue this as a career instead of working here with us?"
“Hey, I never said I was gonna leave you guys in the dust. Although, Charlie would be an exception.” I grinned jokingly and Abbie chuckled. I continued to examine the drawing. “Besides, these are just rough sketches. It would be a great idea, but I'm alright with just working here."
There were nearly a million reasons as to why I’d quit this heinous job and move someplace else. The hardships of a farmer is just not my strongest suite. Maybe if I had the right amount of support, it would be a breeze, but instead I end up being stuck with a hillbilly curmudgeon. But honestly, where would I go? What am I going to do?
And… who would help me?
“Well, if you ever need any help,” Abbie snapped me out of my thoughts, “I’ll be right here.” She patted me on the back. “Speaking of which, I think it’s time we turn in for the night. We still need to herd the cattle out into pasture tomorrow and we can’t afford to sleep in late. You think you’re up for it?”
I kept my eyes on the picture. Old talents suddenly bring back old memories, when all was good in life. Folding the paper, I shove it down my pocket. “Ready when you are.” I replied, pepped with mild enthusiasm.
“Excellent!” she chirped before standing up and readied to climb down the ladder. I began to follow. But then, she stopped. Her head once again peeked over the ledge. “And, listen...” she said, still feeling guilty according to her hesitant gesture, “I’m sorry. About… you know.”
“Water under the bridge.” I said as I forgave with a wave of my hand. “What was it you implied minutes ago? ‘Shit happens?’” She might’ve milked her philosophy a little, but I understood the gist of it.
She smiled almost smugly. “That’s hitting it on the nail. But try to ease up on that attitude next time. You won’t get friends that way, you know?” Finishing off with those last words, she descended down the ladder. Leaving me with my short smile, extinguished.
Friends...
For what felt like a while, I stood over the edge of the loft, ignoring the blonde farmer that just walked out into the warm night. Thoughts burst open the flood gate in my mind, washing over into my chest with a sudden and sickening force. All the enthusiasm was gone, and Abbie didn’t even bother to notice.
I never had a lot of friends growing up and that limited circle of friends eventually dwindled. Leaving me all alone to combat the harshest of times. And so here I remain, in an isolated ranch in the middle of rural New Mexico, with nothing but fear and sadness left in this hopeless wanderer. Way to naively shoot me down like that, Abbie.
Now twice as tired than before, I lazily climbed down the ladder and proceeded to the barn doors. Not an ounce of energy surged through my body, which means that alluring bit of furniture I called a bed was calling me over. And I was born to answer that call.
As I strolled towards the exit, I counted each horse in each stall that passed my vision. All looked at me without a care in the world, while some fell fast asleep. I made a mental checklist as I continued my strut. That is until I halted dead in my tracks at the last stall at the far corner. A sort of shadowy figure in the shape of a horse, obviously. I thought my eyes were performing trickery, as I swore up and down that the mane of the lone animal flowed. Like, literally flowed… almost like it was made of smoke.
“What the…” My brain couldn’t make heads or tails as to what I was actually seeing right in front of me. It might’ve been the lack of sleep that was sabotaging my eyesight, but the only thing that boggled me the most was where the horse stood.
Didn’t Charlie sell that horse?
“Ike!” The sudden call of my name made me jump, and turn to Abbie from outside. “You coming to bed?”
“Uh, be right there!” I replied. Ignoring whatever mirage must’ve manifested in that stall, my groggy brain comprehended Abbie’s calling as I continued my exit. I closed the barn doors behind me as soon as I could feel fresh air penetrate my nostrils.
Rubbing my eyes of their dreary essence, I was too tired to even bother investigating. Besides, I wanted to wake up tomorrow with plenty of energy. The last thing I want is to fall asleep on the back of a horse, just waiting for a certain persnickety redneck to unleash hell through verbal abuse.
Yet… I still felt empty. Like an empty cave, with just a small fire to keep the walls as warm as possible. No doubt sleep was going to be a problem.
***
…
“Is that him?” I thought to myself. “Certainly that mustn’t be him… I-I thought for sure that…” Panic briefly filled my mind. “No! Don’t blame yourself. If this is who I was lead to… then it must be true.”
As I watched the… whatever it was, vacate the premises, I couldn’t help but give my sympathy towards him. His emotional energy surged from his temperament as well as his solitary behavior. But why? What is about this creature am I to unveil?
…
I must discover this for myself. After all, dreams must still occur from every sentient being.
“Because you need the money, that’s why. Don’t you want to go back to school? Have a future?”
“Yes, but… at what cost?”
Within my groggy brain, an anguishing feeling buzzed like a swarm of angry hornets, banging against the walls just begging to be released. And the longer they thrashed, the more painful I felt, almost developing into a rising headache.
As soon as Abbie and I came inside the house, Charlie was already preparing for bed. Soon she joined him, leaving me with a quick goodnight before I went to my room. I thought I had craved sleep once all of my chores were done, but it turns out I couldn’t sleep. Not with so many nettlesome thoughts to keep me up all night. It must’ve been close to 11:30 last time I checked.
The couple I lived with must’ve already been fast asleep. Half an hour after I crawled into bed, the walls couldn’t hold back their conversation or most likely an argument given there were a few muffled exclamations. I wasn’t sure if they were talking about me, but I decided to not overthink upon the idea.
After some time, there was nothing but silence. The entire house was dead quiet, giving indication that everyone was asleep. All except me, of course. No matter how much I would toss and turn, I just couldn’t get comfortable. All I could think about was what Abbie said back in the barn.
And it left me wondering…
What exactly happened to my friends? Have they moved on, same as me, yet keeping me close to their hearts? Or have they forgotten and left me to wither alone? Do they not care about me anymore?
I would’ve resolved my overthinking by texting a message or two on some old numbers on my iPhone. But I suddenly recalled the last messages I sent about two years ago. Still no response to this day. So I left my phone alone and tried to force myself asleep.
“Maybe… maybe they… don’t really care anymore?”
At that moment, my heart began to sink until my shoulders followed suite. Sadness consumed me, like the sudden collapse of an empty cave. Yeah, I know it sounds a tad cliche to wallow over being a total loner, but walk enough miles in my shoes and you’ll see that having too much time to yourself can almost be deadly. The only difference is that I haven’t died, at least not on the outside.
I turned to my side, where my cheek made subtle contact with the pillow. The window beside me gave a crystal clear view of the luminescent moon peeking behind the curtains. Beautiful, but not helpful. It was only a matter of time before I grew more depressed to the point where I could actually sleep.
So this is what dying on the inside must feel like. Doesn’t surprise me. After all, you kind of get used to it.
Like a euthanasia, I slowly drifted off into sleep with another heavy heart.
***
White.
All I could see was white. Wind howled furiously, with every gust delivering another chilling sensation. It was snowing in the form of a blizzard, wave after wave of flurry snow raised itself from the ground to coincide with the wind. I’d appreciate the dancing airborne swirls if it weren’t for my chattering teeth.
I found myself struggling to keep my balance as I trudged heavily through the deep snow. No more than six inches to prevent me from expanding my stride. I could barely see the trees rustling at my side, shaking the powder loose from their branches. Yeah, it was that cold. Thankfully, I wore a thick wool coat, though hardly thick enough to keep my upper body warm.
A full moon shined in the murky storm. Winter at night is never an assuring sign, I felt like I was about to freeze mid-step at any minute. Just kill me now before I die in the cold.
Continuing to walk in shin-high snow, a light glowed faintly in the distance - or at least it felt distant. I squinted my eyes past the incoming snowflakes pelting wetly against my face. Please tell me it was what I thought it was: a fire, shelter, anything to get me out of this cold!
Almost blindly approaching the mysterious light source, I started to hear muffled laughter. Followed by meager bits of conversation, somewhat hidden behind layered walls.
Hobbling forward, I was greeted by a small cabin in the middle of the woods.
“Oh, thank God!” I shook with relief, my breath visible. My legs full of adrenaline to push through the snow towards the front door.
I knocked as hard as I could, my gloved hand bashing against the wooden surface in hopes someone will hear it. No response came, and so I knocked again. The laughter inside roared loud, oblivious to my even louder plea.
“Hello?” I repeatedly knocked. “Guys! I’m freezing my ass off out here!!”
No use trying the door. Might as well use the window instead. I walked to the brightened glass to my right and glanced inside to find a group of people socializing at a table not far from the door.
I tapped on the window, and they still ignored me.
“Guys!!! Hey, look outside!!!” They didn’t even turn there heads. As if I was not there.
The interior looked like any old cabin - taking the time to hastily review the house - with its comfy furniture and blazing fireplace that made me yearn deeply for its warmth. The group was sitting in circle, surrounding a small table whilst drinking beer, laughing at each other’s jokes and talking about their lives.
How on earth could they not see or hear me?!
Resuming my feeble attempts to get their attention, I stopped with my fist inches away from the glass. At the corner of my eye, there was another person. A man with the hood of his sweater draped over his head, I could not see his face. He sat on a lonely arm chair near the corner of the room ten feet from the rest of the party.
Noticing there was a free chair at the table, I quickly wondered why he just didn’t walk right up and sit down with the rest of the group. In truth, he made me feel uneasy, as if he was planning something. That proved correct when the mysterious man stood up, his back slightly hunched.
The snow outside must’ve been furious enough to blur my vision, as I noticed he was holding something with a shimmer. Looking down at his hand, I prayed my vision was off.
A large knife, gripped tightly no doubt by anger. Oh, God!
I banged against the window some more. “Guys!! Behind you!!” My pleas barely reached them. Without warning, the blade-wielding madman approached from behind a woman in the group. I couldn’t watch, but at the same time I couldn’t look away.
In one swift move, the man yanked the girl by her hair and slit her throat.
“NOOOOO!!!” I could feel my hands clench in rage. The glass would not give way at my frantic punching.
Blood flowed from her neck, splattering her friends in a fountain of red. The hooded killer quickly swiped his blade, cutting a man by his face before launching himself and stabbing him in the eyes. One by one, I saw everyone in the cabin being slaughtered. I could feel my insides churning in disgust, my legs quivered at the sight of blood.
Before I knew it… everyone was dead. I had no words, other than fearful breaths fog up the window. Those lifeless eyes blankly staring, unaware their lifeforce was gone.
The butcherer stood amongst his victims with his dark sweater coated in thick red splatters, his knife dripping into a puddle. Suddenly, he faced the window I was looking through.
My heart lurched into my throat, my feet frozen to the ground - both figuratively and almost literally with the storm getting progressively worse.
I would’ve assumed I was next, but he didn’t even move. He instead gazed at me, possibly with daggers for eyes, before he pulled open his hood.
My God…
The snow froze me in place when I was facing eye-to-eye with myself. I was the man that killed those innocent people.
Finally, I unfroze myself and ran away from the window, straight into the woods. I didn’t even bother to look behind me when I heard a door slam open.
“Oh, shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!” I breathed heavy as I struggled to run in the deep snow. The wind howled, pushing against my side. “Come on, Ike! Push it!” Adrenaline forced itself into my legs, shoveling tons of powder into the air in a frantic matter.
The killer, no doubt following the same idea as I glanced behind me for a second. The wind grew more murky as I ran farther and farther away from the cabin. The trees could easily be mistaken for shadows before they vanished behind the snowstorm.
No way of hiding or any clear direction for me to run towards, and it felt like the snow on the ground was only getting deeper and deeper. Until suddenly, I tripped over something, possibly a tree branch hidden under the snow. My face all wet and cold, running down my neck and into my coat. I quickly stood up, the killer closing in on me past the curtain of white. I was about to keep running but…
What the? I can’t move!
My foot was stuck in the snow, lodged in the branched I stumbled into. I tried to pull my foot free, but it was no use. The ground began to quake all of a sudden, and I started to feel like I was sinking.
The snow quickly sunk into a forming hole, dragging me down as well. Panicking, I clawed into the surrounding earth, desperately trying to find any solid surface. The hole grew, pulling the snow into a chasm. I slid down, scratching the dirt under the now fallen snow until I quickly saw a protruding branch and grabbed it, stopping me just inches away from the edge of the abyss.
I hung onto that branch for dear life, nearly hyperventilating as I gazed behind me into the chasm. The wind bellowed louder, but that was soon overlapped by crunching snow, like footsteps. Looking up, already quivering, I saw myself staring menacingly down at me. No words flowed out of his mouth, except for a deadly smile growing across his face.
“Please, don’t!” I begged. But he only raised the bloodied knife. My eyes widened.
“THOU SHALT NOT HARM!!”
A thundering voice roared. I literally looked at myself as the grin on my doppelganger's face shrank promptly into a grimace, covering his ears over the abrupt noise.
Lightning cracked, blinding me and my pursuer. He backed away from me, right before a bolt of glowing blue light penetrated his torso, causing him to scream to the heavens. It only intensified as more light shot right through him. Multiple beams riddled him with holes like swiss cheese before he dissipated into black smoke, a blood-curdling scream echoed afterwards.
I had no time to be awe stricken as the edge crumbled beneath me. Clutching with all my might on the root, I was now dangling over a pitch black canyon. I tried to climb up the root, but in the midst of the blinding blizzard, I saw something looking down at me. A shadow, not of the murderer… but something else.
It looked like… a horse. With a large horn. A unicorn? Unlikely, when I saw two large wings extend at full length. I stammered completely dumbfounded.
The root in my grip began to weaken. Being pulled from the ground before it broke, I was about to fall until I felt something clutch onto my wrist, preventing my immediate death from occurring. It almost felt like something was grabbing me and so I looked up, only to find some sort of blue energy engulfing my entire hand.
“Hold on!” the woman’s voice wailed, a forceful tug lifted me from the hole. In fact, it catapulted me no more than ten feet from the edge.
I landed directly on my arm, my side quickly aching from the impact as I groaned.
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!” I opened my cringed eyes, the snow virtually covering the surrounding area so that I couldn’t see.
“It’s fine,” I ached slightly as I started to sit up, with my forearms supporting me. “Thank you for saving... me…” I couldn’t tell if the bitter cold finally tightened it’s grip to the point where I froze on the spot. But really, I was astonished by my rescuer.
Emerging out of the murky white wind came a dark blue horse with blue smoke for a mane, the night sky literally imprinted in its mane. A horn protruded from the center of its forehead, along with a set of wings folded against its sides.
“Are you going to be alright, little creature?” I shook my head in shock as my eyes widened. The horse actually talked!
“Umm… yeah.” I hesitated while squinting my eyes directly at her own, tilting my head in confusion. “But… what are you?”
She didn’t respond. A brief silence only followed as the overpowering wind blocked all sound. Instead, as I sat in front of her waiting for an answer, she closed her eyes, before opening them again. Revealing dark slits where her pupils used to be, much like a vicious predator. Sharp teeth began growing out of her muzzle, a chilling smile stretched her face.
I was blanched, unable to move.
“Your worst nightmare,” she hissed in an evil manner. At that moment, it felt like I was being scrutinized by a hungry lion.
She then lurched at me in a jolting scream, her jaw wide open with sharpened teeth.
***
I awoke gasping, my eyes flashed open in panic. Every muscle briefly tensed with enough shock to jumpstart a dead elephant.
“What the ever-loving hell!” I rasped, breathing heavily over the dream.
A dream. It was all just a dream, albeit one that would haunt me for a few minutes. Starting off with only a few seconds of analyzing my room, the walls were brightly lit under the rising sun. Laying on my side facing said wall, I already knew that the morning had arrived, and what a morning it was.
My erratic breathing began to slow down, as my eyes shifting at every corner of the room. I sat up with my back grazing the pillow, scrunching my shirt slightly and stretched with my arms raised high. My spine realigning itself after another uncomfortable slumber, as a constipated yawn followed after.
“Charlie really needs to think about buying new mattresses one of these days,” I mumbled in disapproval.
I looked at the top of my night stand to see that it was ten past 8:00 on the alarm clock. I don’t start work until 10:00. Shame, I was looking forward to sleeping in all day. Of course that won’t happen, what with so much to do according to the man I’m forced to work with. All the more reason to just say “fuck it”, and plop my head back on that pillow.
Guess I should enjoy my morning while I can. Yet, my groggy brain could only recollect back to that dream. A few bits and pieces was the only thing I seem to remember, reimagining the snow, the cabin, and the lunatic about to cut me down. As I said, that only haunted me for a few short minutes so not much was clear.
There was something else, but I couldn’t quite remember what it was. A horse that talked, with wings I think. And a-
A knock on my bedroom door startled me.
“Ike!” I recognized that harsh voice anywhere. “Time to git up! We gotta herd the girls out to pasture.”
I sighed, being cautious not to groan loudly. “Be right out, Charlie. Just let me get dressed!” I heard footsteps leave my door. “You fucking asswipe,” I mumbled under my breath as I rubbed my eyes.
And here I thought I was gonna kick back before doing any sort of work around the ranch. Had I known I was gonna help out on one my most despised jobs, maybe I wouldn’t feel the urge to jump out the window. Maybe deliberately break a leg just to stay inside for a week or two.
“Come on, Ike.” I thought to myself in smugness. “You’re not desperate. Crazy, but not desperate.”
***
The morning was rough. Like really rough. Rough enough to be compared to sandpaper on stucco, if Abbie didn’t prepare me some coffee before we left the house on horseback. Even she knows the struggle without a daily fix of caffeine. Sadly, I only took like five sips before Charlie realized we were on a tight schedule, so I barely had enough caffeine to perk me up, let alone keep me awake.
It was a bright and sunny day out in rural Chama. The pine trees were practically sparkling in their morning dew. I might’ve lived under misery every day, but at I guess it was worth it if it means I get to be close to nature. Just looking at the environment around me, as I bobbed in the saddle, was even better than sleeping in all day.
“Ike!”
I snapped out my trance. “W-What?”
“You alright over there?” a man in a plaid button-up shirt said with concern in his voice.
I looked at him for a moment before shaking my head slightly. “Uh, yeah. I’m okay. Just… in deep thought.”
“I know the sight is pretty to see, but we need you to stay focused.” He gestured to my right. “Go an’ herd that straggler back with the rest. Don’t let ‘em get too far.” I glanced to one of the cows wandering off from the rest of the herd as the man urged his horse.
“Come on, Cletus.” I tapped my heels against my horse’s sides.
Herding cattle was never my strongest suite. Seven months and only four attempts. Neither of which have I proved to be an actual cowboy to Charlie and the other frontiersmen living next door. Although, I could argue that I was doing okay as I have yet to hear complaints about one cow short after every round-up. That or Abbie somehow did most of the work just to help me out a bit.
Maneuvering Cletus with a tug of the reins, I was able to guide the bovine back to the herd. The other men that had accompanied us, shouted behind the chorus of mooing, forcing the cattle to move forward. Charlie led the entire herd like he was a professional shepherd, erecting his posture from his horse like a true cowboy.
“Half way there, fellas!” he bellowed, his men nodding their heads as they held their position. They galloped along the sides of the herd while me and Abbie were riding behind the herd, trying to keep the cows contained in an invisible box.
This job was atrocious for a “city-boy” like myself, as I was given that nickname from most Chama farmers. But I was more content just being beside Abbie. Most of the time when I’m tasked with herding cattle, I’m always riding alongside her dick-head husband. It was a nice change of pace to finally talk to someone who isn’t entirely focused on walking beef.
Abbie and I trotted from behind the herd, exchanging smiles and admiring the forest of which we trekked across. We didn’t talk much, making the moment somewhat awkward. I didn’t feel like talking anyway on account I was still tired, practically longing for a nap. She was always first to start a conversation.
“Beautiful day,” Abbie commented, “isn’t it?”
“A little hot, but yeah,” I replied, squinting my eyes at the rising sun.
“Well, that’s why we wear the hats outside. Wouldn’t want to get a sunburn, no would we?”
I tipped my Stetson as I maintained my grip with one hand on the reins. I don’t know why, but I’ve always considered myself a hat-person, and growing up in the countryside always requires that I should wear one to cover my neck in the blistering heat. Luckily, the Williamsons provided me with a spare cowboy hat for just the occasion. Added with faded jeans and cowboy boots, I was ready to take on the wilderness.
That and a rucksack full of the essentials should the corralling turn into Man vs. Wild.
“Did you sleep well?” Abbie asked.
I groaned.
“So I’m guessing no?”
“Ding-ding,” I grinned goofily before shifting back into a frown.
Abbie giggled slightly. “Relax, we’re almost done. Just another mile and we can head back.”
“And do what? More work?”
“No. Charlie’s probably gonna be tired after all this, so you and him can relax once we’re done herding the cows.”
All the more comforting to hear as I sighed with relief.
“Come on, don’t you like being outside?” She asked.
“If I was on my own,” I added. “But with Charlie, no.”
Abbie groaned herself. “Again with this? I thought we discussed this last night.”
“Well, how am I supposed to enjoy the outdoors on a beautiful morning if Charlie can’t appreciate what I do for him? Even if it’s marginally good, he won’t even look my way. ”
“He does appreciate the things that you do.” Abbie evoked. “You just don’t see it.”
I gave a hollow chuckle, shaking my head in mere disbelief.
Abbie did the same, but more disapproving in my direction. “Just be patient, okay?” She said, bobbing against the trotting horse underneath. “One of these days, you’ll be sorry for doubting my husband.”
I laugh. “That’ll be the day.”
Abbie shot me a sour face before commanding her horse to trot faster. I stayed behind, already hating myself for hurting her feelings.
But why should I feel sorry for Charlie if all I get from that man is criticism? I’d be performing at maximum efficiency if I wasn’t yearning for an extra hour of sleep, but trying to keep my composer without any coffee was like being forced to compliment while being compressed against a semi truck.
I don’t know why I’ve been feeling so tired lately. All I could think about was relaxing in my air-conditioned room, reading while sipping on a cold soda. Although, I was enjoying the lush mountain forests as I let the horse follow his buddies. What I’d kill for a rest next to one of the trees, letting the sunshine shower over the grass and leaves.
The clip-clop against the ground provided a rhythm. I could almost hum along to it.
“Ike! Look out!” The rhythm quickly vanished as one of the cowboys bellowed abruptly.
I shook my head, but before I could have a chance to react, my horse whinnied loudly and lifted his front hooves off the ground. I jolted back, trying to hold onto the saddle as best as I could. Amongst the frantic cries, I could almost hear a maraca rattling softly.
“Woah! Cletus!” I shouted, tugging on the reins forcefully. I immediately regretted doing that.
With an unexpected thrust of the back legs, I was bucked off. Using my forearms to brace the landing, I hissed in pain. Speaking of hissing, I started to see why Cletus was startled.
I looked up to see a rattlesnake, coiled with his tail shaking loudly. Its head was pulled back as its forked tongue wriggled out the mouth as if it was about to bite my face, which was almost inches away.
I didn’t want to move. All I could do was look at the snake cautiously.
Suddenly, the snake was shot dead, producing a very loud gunshot that nearly gave me a heart attack. I yelped as my arms covered my head in dismay. After a few seconds, the echo dissipated and I looked up to see Charlie mounted on his horse against the sun, holding a large smoking revolver in his hand.
“Ike!” I heard Abbie cry. Followed by rapid footsteps before I felt her try to pick me up by my left arm.
“Goddamnit!” Charlie cussed as he holstered his gun. I looked around to find that the herd of cows got spooked by the gunshot and were now starting to run away in droves. Cletus was long gone, judging by the sounds of galloping leaving the area.
Charlie looked around in a panic state. He shifted his head towards the other cowboys, who looked just as startled as he was.
“Henry! Jack!” He barked in a commander tone of voice. “Roundup them cows! Make sure they don’t git too far!”
The two men nodded their heads and rode after the fleeing stampede.
I was up on my feet by the time all hell broke loose. Unfortunately, it only got worse, as Charlie looked down at me practically, fuming with rage.
“What the hell were you doing?!” He shouted at me.
“I-I just… I didn’t…” My words floundered out of my mouth.
“Didn’t you see the snake in the grass?! Cause of that, the fucking herd ran off! Do you have any idea how hard it is to rustle up spooked cattle?!”
I stood there in silence, not knowing what to say to defuse the situation.
Abbie stepped up, grasping my shoulder. “It wasn’t his fault, honey! None of us saw it, he was just-”
“Not right now, Abs!” Charlie barked, his face colored red and wrinkled. “I saw the whole damn thing. Damn idiot was too busy gawkin’ and didn’t pay attention.” I wish I could reply, but unfriendly thoughts boiled in me as my fists had already tightened. Nothing pleasant could be said, so I kept my trap shut. “Now I gotta go find Cletus before he gets lost. Damn anxious nag…” He mumbled to himself, looking out into the trees where my horse ran through.
Abbie tried to comfort him, but Charlie swiftly ignored her as he tapped the sides of his horse, urging post-haste to go after Cletus.
“Wait!” she called out, causing Charlie to tug on the reins and stop to turn around. “What about Ike? How’s he gonna get back home?”
“Screw him!” I could feel his hatred hit me like a bus, that bellowing voice could almost freeze a man in place. If only I could’ve thrown him off his horse and stomped his brains out. “That kid can find his way back on his own. He’s always braggin’ to ‘get closer to nature’, then let’s see if he can survive in nature.”
“Charlie!” Abbie retorted in shock.
“I’ll be right back.” Out of ignorance, the man urged his horse before riding off into the woods. He simultaneously called out for Cletus, leaving me and Abbie all alone in the clearing.
There was nothing but the subtle chirping of the birds. Too bad they couldn’t be heard as I screamed at the top of my lungs in a fit of rage. Kicking my rucksack that had fallen off my back after falling from the horse. Abbie couldn’t help but witness me franticly blaring. I eventually stopped, panting while my face resembled a sweaty tomato. An echo had fallen, scaring off any of the local wildlife within range that might’ve heard me.
“Ike?” said Abbie, her trembling voice indicating her surprise at my little release. “Are you okay?”
“No! I’m far from alright.” I replied, still steaming. “I told you I wasn’t up for herding cattle this early in the morning with that walking sack of shit!” I viciously pointed at where Charlie once was.
“Hey! That ‘sack of… crap’, just saved your life.” she fumbled. Abbie was never the kind of country girl who swears often. At least not harshly. “Show some gratitude why don’t you.”
“Well, I...I…” I began to soften my tone, finger raised but quickly crumbled soon after.
She was right. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve been dead in record time from rattlesnake poison, especially since we were miles from the nearest hospital. Yet another perk of living in the countryside when medical attention is all but convenient.
Abbie looked at me with distressed eyes.
I groaned harshly. “I don’t know why you put up with that guy.” I said with hands on my hip. “He drinks like he works at a brewery, thinks he’s better than everyone, and barely gives me any slack. He’s just... “
“He’s not better than everyone else, and he knows it.”
“Then why does he treat people from the city like shit?” There were other applicants from most major cities who applied for the job. All of which didn’t do so well under Charlie’s crooked wing.
“He just gets stressed out. It’s pretty hard training let alone working with someone from places like Santa Fe or Albuquerque.”
“Stressed out?” I raise a brow. “If that’s the case, then he is just terrible at coping with it. I can’t work with someone who is constantly ‘stressed out’.”
Abbie furrowed her eyebrows. “Would you prefer it if you quit right now?”
Silence was all I could produce. I sighed in defeat, looking at the grass below us. Obviously, I couldn’t quit, for my own reasons. The kind of reasons not suited for personal discussion.
“Look, Ike.” she said, approaching me softly with a hand resting on my left shoulder. “I know you can’t get along with him. But if you can’t, at least do it for me.”
I looked up into her caring eyes. Abbie was my only friend, and if I were to quit at that moment, I would lose her entirely. She gave me no choice but to nod in agreement. “What do you see in him that I can’t?” I asked.
It took her a while to say anything, yet she had a crack in her smile. “Something I’m sure you’ll understand one day.” she replied. “He’s in pain. He’s always in pain, and that’s all I can really say about him. I’m just here to help him.”
I gave her a confused look as she lifted her hand from my shoulder. Abbie walked towards her horse after she had dismounted to tend to me. She opened the saddle bag and reached in for an odd-looking wooden box.
“Here,” she said as she walked up to hand me the box. “I wanted to give you this. You worked hard these past seven months and this made me think of you.”
I held the box up, it glossed in the sunlight from the varnish while a few scratches showed that it was used. Opening it, I was greeted with an old west revolver with a walnut grip. The Colt company logo engraved on a brass stamp on the side of the grip. I could hardly contain my excitement as I pulled out the gun with my finger off the trigger.
“This is… this is a colt 45!” I stuttered.
“1873.” Abbie followed. “A true classic.”
“Where’d you get it?”
“In my attic. My granddaddy had it for years before he died, and it’s been collecting dust ever since. I know how much of a gun nut you are and I thought it’d be perfect for you. Especially after that picture you showed me last night.” My smile began to stretch itself to the limit, but I didn’t forget about the still-present issue.
“Thank you.” I said with noticeable regret. “Really, and… I’m sorry for…”
“It’s alright.” she raised a hand. “Just give it time, and you’ll see why he needs me. Cause someday, you’ll be the same as him.”
“Heh.” I rolled my eyes.
Abbie walked over to the saddle bag again. “You’ll also need this.” She threw a belt with a holster on it, ammunition still in each individual strap. “It’s a long way back to the ranch, and I could give you a ride if you want.” Abbie offered as she straddled her horse.
I would take her offer, but the last thing I needed after that whole fiasco is Charlie lecturing me, no doubt still torn over the whole snake-in-the-grass thing. All I wanted to do was enjoy my time outside.
Outside…
I looked around me at the towering pine trees. The wind rolled over the mountains in a gentle breeze to where you could almost hear it whistling. Birds chirping their little tune in almost perfect unison. I was much too enamored by the beauty to say yes.
“You know what, Abbie?” I smiled at her as I gave her an empty box. “I think I’ll walk. Like the big guy said, I wanted to feel close to nature. Besides, I know the way back.”
“If you says so.” She gripped her reins. “Just don’t wind up lost in there, okay?”
With a tap at the sides, Abbie rode into the foliage to catch up with Charlie.
Now it was just me standing in that open clearing. I looked at the gun in my hand, the smooth texture of the grip caressing my palm right before I gripped it tight.
“What I’d give to shoot that man dead in the face.”
