Ó Starbright 1999

Chapter 10

Lou woke by the sound of girls splashing water in the room adjoining hers. It must be real early, Lou felt like she had hardly slept at all. It had become late last night before she was ready to go to bed. The thought that had haunted her had prevented her from falling asleep. She lay on the bed for a while, wondering what the boys were doing back at the waystation. Had Kid come back yet? When the thought trickled into her mind she swung her legs over the egde of the bed. Lindsay was already up and Lou felt she'd not be polite if she stayed in bed any longer. Hastily she put on the dress Lindsay had given her. It was blue and the fabric felt harsh against her skin. Rubbing her eyes she stepped out to join the girls in the morning wash. It felt nice to be with her own gender again, not having to hide who she really was. Now wait a minute Lou, she thought, that's not exactly true now is it. These girls don't know the truth you have to remember that and keep to your story! She smiled as one of the girls handed her a piece of soap. It had a rosy fragrance, when had she ever been able to use a soap like this while riding with the Pony Express? Then it hit her exactly when she had and the soap slid out of her hand, blushing she bowed to pick it up again. She had to stop thinking about her old days, these were her new days now.

The girls sure put her to work alright. The washing and the cleaning, the cooking and the sowing had her so tired she could hardly think any longer. All of the girls told her their own stories, all the new names had Lou's head swirling. They pampered her, while showing her how Pastor Allen wanted things done. They told her not to worry, he was strict but loving and they would all help her get into the routine of the house. Lou felt like she needed to sit down and take a breather but she never got the chance. That evening Louise fell asleep when her head touched the pillow.

Jimmy let the broom go as Katy and the Kid stormed in. Half a day too early. Jimmy's jaws were tightened, his anger had kept building while he waited, the sleepless night didn't make him feel any better. He watched Kid throw the poach to Ike and slow down. Jimmy waited for him at the barn door.

"Find her?" Kid asked the minute he slid down off Katy.

"You're early, skipped a station or two?" Jimmy sneered.

"Rode all night, any signs of Lou?"

"Don't think she wants to be found," Jimmy muttered through clenched teeth. Thinking about Lou's letter and the line that was imprinted in his mind, he fought the will to slam Kid up against the wall and yell at him.

"What do you mean, doesn't want to be found? I talked to the stationmanager at O'Shaunassey's, she was there two days ago! He told me she'd left the poach there for the next rider. What's goin' on? Why didn't you go look for her?"

Jimmy gritted his teeth and took the reins, without a word he turned to take Katy inside. Kid followed wearily, sensing Jimmy's anger but not knowing the reason behind it. Silently he awaited for his friend to explain what he had found out and what there was to be done about it.

Jimmy took the saddle off Katy and turned to walk away. Kid stepped up to free her of the bridle and cover her in a blanket before he gave the tired horse some water.

"What you say to her?" Jimmy spat out having placed himself at a secure distance from the Kid. Afraid his rage would take over he crossed his arms over his chest. "What the hell did you say to her that made her run away?"

Kid stopped in midstride while stepping out of Katy's stall. Had Noah told Jimmy about the harsh words in the barn? Was that why Jimmy looked ready to kill him? Kid felt his own rage rise as he thought about Jimmy meddling in things that didn't concern him. It had been between him and Lou and he had tried to excuse himself, Lou didn't seem to mind what he said or did any longer. Was he supposed to grovel when Lou didn't care at all? A wave of bitterness rolled over him and he took a deep ragged breath. Jimmy stared coldly at him and Kid decided to leave it be, he had better things to do than fight with Jimmy. Finding Lou was one of those things.

"I said nothing to make her run away, not a word."

He turned to get the water, trying to avoid Jimmy best he could. He was not in the mood for any discussion, he knew Jimmy wouldn't understand anyhow. Sighing he bent to take the sink of water and bring it to Katy.

Jimmy stepped up to stand in front of him. Kid groaned inwardly as he understood Jimmy wouldn't let up. He raised his head to meet his friend face to face and try and make him understand. Kid never saw it coming before Jimmy's fist landed hard on his jaw. Stumbling backwards he stared at his friend. Had he gone mad? The thought crossed his mind just as Jimmy threw another punch at him, connecting hard with his nose, making his eyes water from the intense pain, sending blood streaming down his chin. The pain blinding him momentarily, he stumbled backwards and fell to the hard packed dirt-floor.

"You made her leave!" Jimmy hollered and lifted him up from the ground, holding his collar in a tight grip, barking in his face. Kid was too shocked to react. "It's all your fault, everything's your fault!"

When Jimmy slammed him up against the wall Kid finally reacted. Without thinking he sent out a fist toward Jimmy's face, not even aiming, just trying to get him away. Jimmy took two steps back to collect himself, then he lunged anew and Kid felt his hard fists connect with his ribs. The pain enraged the Kid enough to answer with the same measure. Both throwing punches they ended up rolling on the ground, desperately trying to get a hold of the other one and win the match. Rolling around in the dirt, slamming each other up against the walls, hitting various body parts on protruding objects, they took the anger out on each other with fierce blows. Jimmy was the first to slow down, his anger blew over before Kid's did. And Kid was tired and beat, with a last menacing growl Jimmy pinned Kid to the ground, securing his hold on him with a knee on his chest.

"Ok you win, it's all my fault," Kid snarled angrily between heavy breaths, seeing he was beat. Jimmy was too tired to let him go. Panting he held him to his place, if Kid regained his stance now Jimmy would not have anything to answer with. They remained staring at each other menacingly before Jimmy finally broke the contest.

"Oh God, Kid I'm sorry!" Jimmy let go and had to lie down, every muscle in his body protesting. Why'd he start this fight with Kid, he outta have known the pain it would cause. Wouldn't he ever learn? He wiped his nose and moaned, disgusted as he found blood leaking out of it.

Kid sat himself up and Jimmy looked at him. He sure was a sorry sight, he had bruises all over the face and the nose still bled profoundly. He looked like he wanted to throw up.

"One punch would have been enough Jimmy, you didn't have to keep on going like that! I already got it you're mad at me!" Kid slurred. While he talked he had to spit out blood that trickled into his mouth. He was such a sorry sight. Jimmy rose to help him. As he did he felt an acute ache in his left eye, feeling it with his hand he sensed it was already swelling. Trying to open it fully he found he just couldn't.

"Look at what you did," he muttered in Kid's direction, pointing to his own eye. Kid grinned scornfully just to lean over and moan as the cheekbone sent out a gut wrenching pain. As he bent over Jimmy saw the blood dripping onto his pants.

"Goddammit it Kid, Rachel will kill us both." Searching in his pocket he found a paper that he handed the Kid. "Don't go bleedin' all over the place. Is it broken? Lemme see!"

Kid muttered something that Jimmy had no wish to comment on before he took the paper and held it to his nose. Wiping his nose with it he made a wry face, it felt like a log contacted with his already sore nose. Disgusted he watched the paper in his hand. Trust Jimmy to have you wipe your nose on a wanted poster. His heart stopped as pastor Allen's eyes glared at him. With widened eyes he unfolded the paper that had been lodged in Jimmy's pocket. The writing told him the man was wanted for murder and something else that had been made illegible by the blood smeared over it. His hand shaking he kept on reading. The man was wanted in Minnesota for the suspected murder of several young girls. Kid wanted to throw up.

Jimmy looked puzzled at Kid's odd behavior. He seemed to have seen a ghost on the paper. Sprawled on the dirt he stared at the paper with blood running from the nose. Jimmy was appalled at the sight of him.

"What's wrong? Would you stop bleedin' all over the place already!"

Kid turned the paper back as it was when he had recognized the man and shoved the paper under Jimmy's nose.

"Anyone you know?"

Jimmy looked at the poster. With only the eyes visible there was no question about who the man was, or at least resembled remarkably. The beard and the hair had fooled him at first. Now pastor Allen's eyes stared calmly at him from the Wanted poster. Folding it up he read the award; 100 dollars!

"What you say Kid, need some increase in the pay?"

"Tonight?" Kid asked incredulously while still carefully wiping the bleeding nose.

Jimmy sighed at the sight of his friend. Rising to stand on his shaking legs he looked around, finding a cloth they used to dry the horses off with. He immersed it in the bucket of cold water that miraculously had been saved. He took it to Katy before he turned to the Kid still sitting on the ground looking at him with suspicious eyes.

"Might be gone tomorrow," Jimmy stated and drew the moaning Kid up on his feet, "If it makes you feel any better, we'll take the buckboard!" Without another word the shoved the cloth onto Kid's nose. "Here, this outta help!"

Kid let out pitiful moans as Jimmy pressed the cloth to his nose, he could hear him say something under the cloth that normally would have had Jimmy throw him back to the ground. But under the present circumstances Jimmy decided to let it slip.

Both standing on unsteady legs they had to hold on to each other not to fall down. Kid made a wry face at Jimmy's panting while he was torturing him further with a damned piece of dirty linen. Jimmy looked like he'd fall down if Kid let go and now he wanted to go hunt criminals. Kid searched for a reason to stop the foolishness, they ought to be looking for Lou instead of acting as bounty hunters. He started to protest when Jimmy finally let go off the cloth he was tormenting him with. Kid had to bend over and curse him again.

"Well Kid, done complainin' now? Ready to finally do some good, like a man's work?" Jimmy asked with a voice that clearly indicated that if Kid bailed out now he'd have to regret it forever.

"Shouldn't we tell Teaspoon?" Kid began when he let go of Jimmy, not totally secure he'd be able to stand on his own legs. "Ain't it safer to..."

"Kid, Teaspoon ain't here, don't try to bail out on me now!"

"I know I'm gonna regret this," Kid wheezed while he followed Jimmy out to hitch a horse.

"You OK?" Jimmy asked for the millionth time as they slowly drove towards the True Believers' homestead. Kid had been very quiet, holding his nose and casting accusatory glances at him. "I told you I'm sorry!"

"Not as sorry as my nose is," Kid mumbled. "Tell me Jimmy, do you have a plan or ar'ya intendin' on wanderin' in and just shoot the man if he don't come along just like that. If he even is the man?"

"Listen to you, it was you who told me he is the one. And I know I had a hunch as soon as I saw that poster, just couldn't connect the picture to the man. We'll just see..."

"With one eye?" Kid asked sarcastically with a meaning look at Jimmy's left one that was swollen completely shut.

"Don't start Kid," Jimmy warned, shifting uneasy on the drivers seat, his body felt like it had been run over by a wagon. "Let's just check the place out, see what's goin' on."

"Jimmy, you've been there, didn't you see anything strange at all while you were choppin' wood?"

"Maybe I didn't look," Jimmy wheezed angrily just to groan at the pain of one simple jaw movement. Kid noticed his wry face and leered at him. "Don't rub it in Kid, or I'll have to take measures." Poking a finger in Kid's ribs Jimmy noticed with amusement a moan slip out of his friend before he effortlessly swatted his hand away. "Got you good didn't she?"

"Yeah yeah, spread the words," Kid muttered, "I just hope you'll be able to after we visit the pastor. If he really is the man he ain't somebody to fool around with Jimmy. Maybe we should..."

"Gettin' second thoughts?" Jimmy cut him off, "didn't know you were yellow Kid."

"Heck, I had second thoughts to begin with, what I'm gettin' now is third and fourth thoughts."

Jimmy had to chuckle even though it provoked him to moan forlornly.

"Jimmy!" Kid grabbed his arm, "listen!"

Jimmy raised his head and looked at his friend, what was he on to now? "I hope you ain't..."

Kid hushed Jimmy and listened into the dark. Jimmy wrinkled his brow at his antics, then he heard it too. It sounded like somebody was running towards them. There were trees and shrubbery covering the side of the trail and somebody seemed to run flat out in the dark. Jimmy squinted his eye in the direction, cursing the Kid for having left him with only one good eye. Jimmy stopped the horse. With the wagon still they both listened intently.

"It's a girl," Kid whispered and pointed further down the trail. In the pale moonlight Jimmy saw nothing at first, then he got a glimpse of a blue dress between the tree stems. The girl moved very fast, seemingly trying to stay out of sight. Jimmy didn't know if she had spotted them. With a glance on each other Jimmy and Kid jumped down from the buckboard to stop the girl, both knowing that running like that in the dark meant only one thing. The girl was frightened out of her wits.