by Basia Pike
“Ya three have this and get some food for ya’ll families.” He gave them each a few coins from his winnings.
We were headed back when a scream rang out through the warm night air.
“Sounds like halfwits are up to no good.”
Tom sprinted towards the screams.
“I’ll come with you,” I said, sprinting after him.
“It’ll be too dangerous for a banker,” he shouted, turning to me.
I revealed the gun on my belt. “I can look after myself.”
Tom looked a little taken aback. “Get the lead out or we’ll miss ‘em.”
I sped up with him. I could smell smoke in the air as we neared the source of the screaming. A huge plume was coming from a small house on the edge of town.
Chuck, the man who had threatened me, was standing laughing with his men as the young woman he’d been toying with earlier screamed. She had her head stuck out of upstairs window of the burning house.
“We’ve got to save her,” I said. I glanced at Tom, who had already taken off toward a bucket on the floor nearby. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and doused it in water.
I watched as he ran towards the house and leapt over the flames at the door.
Wow, that was quick!
“Walker! What ya think ya doing?” Chuck shouted after him. I stopped in front of the house and they approached me.
”What’s wrong? Ya worried because ya ain’t got Walker to save you this time?” he asked, poking me in the chest.
I snorted and grabbed Chuck’s arm, turning him around and pinning it against his back. He yelped in pain, and the faces of the two other men fell as they backed away.
“What were you saying?”
Chuck cried out in pain again, begging me to let go.
“That’s what I thought. Now get out of my sight.” I released him and watched as they scuttled away. The house was ablaze. I was nervous whether Tom would come out alive. I walked towards the smoke-filled opening. “Tom! Are you okay?” I shouted into the smoke, coughing as it caught in my throat.
Tom appeared a moment later with the lady in his arms and the handkerchief pressed against her face. Once clear of the threshold, he fell to his knees and placed her down gently on the floor.
“Should I fetch a doctor?” I asked. Tom was coughing violently, and nodded. I’d noticed the doctor’s practice on the way and ran back. I banged on the solid wooden door as hard as I could.
“Hello! Doctor! I need a doctor!” Finally, an gray haired, old man stuck his head out the window.
“What on earth is going on?” he asked.
“A lady and man have escaped a fire. The lady’s in bad shape.”
“Okay, hold on. I’ll be down in a minute,” he said, shutting the window and disappearing back into the house. After what felt like an age, the doctor appeared at the door carrying a bag.
“Where are they?” he asked.
“Around the corner, one minute walk.”
When we reached them Tom was still coughing, and the woman remained unconscious. The doctor pulled a stethoscope out of the little leather bag, placing the buds in his ears, and unbuttoned the top two buttons on her shirt. He pressed the other end against her chest and listened.
“She’s still breathing, but I’ll need to get her back to my office to supply her oxygen.” I stood and picked her up.
“What about Tom?” I asked.
“I can check him over at my place too.” Tom stood a little shakily on his feet. We entered the doctor’s office, where I placed the woman on the bed in the back room. I watched as the doctor lit candles.
He began to fiddle with a large cylinder in the corner of the room with a tube coming out of it.
“I’m not sure if this will work as it’s a new machine. I can try.” He began to pump air into her lungs slowly while he checked her breathing with the stethoscope. After a minute or so she came to.
“W-what happened? Where am I?” she asked frantically.
“Calm down, you are safe and need to rest,” I said, taking her hand. I felt guilty that I hadn’t done something back at the bar when Chuck was messing with her.
“Can you help Tom now?” I asked the doctor. Tom was slumped on a seat still coughing.
He gestured for Tom to join him. “Put this in your mouth,” the doctor ordered. “Now just breathe the oxygen in, it should clear the smoke from your lungs.”
Tom nodded and breathed it in. After a short while the coughing stopped.
“Y’all saved me.” the woman said to the two of them. “Thank you.”
“Ya in safe hands. There’s something I gotta do,” Tom said, turning and leaving the doctor’s office. I rushed after him.
“What do you have to do?” I asked.
“Find that snake Chuck and challenge him. He’ll be in the saloon.”
Oh God, not a gunfight!
“What? That’s a bit dangerous, isn’t it? And won’t the saloon be shut?”
“Well, my job’s dangerous. And o’course not, it’s open all night.” I knew there would be no stopping him. If there was anything I’d learned from our short time together, he was pretty headstrong.
To my surprise, the saloon was livelier than earlier. Chuck was sitting at the back bragging about burning down the girl’s house. Tom burst through the swinging doors and stood with his legs far apart glaring at Chuck.
“Chuck, I challenge ya to a duel,” Tom said. The entire bar went silent as everyone’s eyes fell on Chuck. Tom’s fingers twitched against his gun in the holster on his belt.
The tension in the saloon was at an all-time high. It had been tense when I arrived, but this was on another level. Chuck stood up his legs shaking and nodded his head.
Tom turned and walked out the door into the dusty, dark street, lit by moonlight and candles. I watched Chuck slowly make his way out of the saloon. I had an odd feeling that he had no intention of actually going through with the duel. He was standing on the porch looking towards Tom, who was preparing his guns.
That’s when I noticed one of the men Chuck had been with earlier coming up on a horse, with another in tow.
Chuck’s eyes met mine and his face fell as he glanced at the man with the horse. Before I had a chance to alert Tom, he had taken off sprinting towards the horse.
“Tom, he’s taking off!” I shouted.
Tom’s face fell. “Lily-liver!” He ran after him at an unbelievable speed, but not quick enough as Chuck mounted his horse and bolted away. Tom threw his white hat down on the ground before marching back towards the saloon.
He walked straight past me in the direction of his house. “I’m gonna go after ‘im,” he said.
“What?” I spun around and followed.
“If I don’t go after ‘im, he’ll find another town to terrorize.”
“Look, hold on a second. I need to tell you why I’m here.”
Tom froze and turned to look at me, his eyebrows furrowed. “What do ya mean? I thought ya were passing through…”
“Yes, but I’m here to meet you.” I shuffled my weight from one foot to the other and fiddled with the gun on my belt nervously. Tom’s eyes narrowed.
“Why ya want to meet me?”
My mind was racing now. I’d blurted it out in a panic.
“Can I discuss it with you over some whiskey?”
“Ya can, after I catch Chuck.” Tom turned and carried on past his house. I sighed and followed him.
“Okay, I’m coming with you then,” I said.
Tom stopped in his tracks again. “I don’t need ya to come with me.”
“Well, I’m coming. Once we get back, you will need to hear me out though.”
Tom’s eyes narrowed. He stared for a while before nodding and carrying on towards the livery.
“You can take my friend’s horse. He won’t mind. He’s dead.” I gulped. I knew I wasn’t really suited to survive in the Old West, particularly without magic. I knew nothing about guns. The first
time I’d touched a gun was the moment Andre set one in my hand.
“This is my friend’s horse. Get him tacked up.” Was it expected for bankers to know how to tack a horse? I wasn’t sure. I watched Tom without being too obvious, and did everything he did, hoping he didn’t notice my studying him.
“Ya ready?” Tom asked, as he pulled himself up onto the horse. I nodded and attempted, rather poorly, to pull myself up.
Tom laughed. “Who gets onto a horse like that?”
I settled myself into the saddle and shrugged.
“Giddy up,” he said, spurring his horse on. I did the same and wobbled in the saddle as the horse bolted. This was only the second time I’d ever been on a horse. I held on so tightly my knuckles were white, and tried to keep pace with Tom, who was galloping at breakneck speed.
11
The overbearing sun beat down on us as, we continued our pursuit through the dusty deserts of Texas. I was exhausted and dehydrated.
Tom was tracking Chuck from his horse’s hoof prints, and I knew I was holding him up, but I couldn’t let him out of my sight. Tom was the only reason I was here in this godforsaken time.
I squinted, wondering if what I saw was real or a mirage. I was sure I could see a large town coming into view in the distance. The prospect of getting off this horse spurred me on, and I picked up the pace. We’d been riding for at least three hours at a steady trot, sometimes faster.
“What town is that?” I asked, glancing at Tom, who looked focused.
“That’s Fort Worth. ‘Bout three miles away,” he said.
“You think that’s where Chuck’s gone?” The look in Tom’s eyes gave away his irritation at my questions.
“Yeah, he won’t believe I followed him. I can’t wait to see the look on his face.”
“What do you intend to do to him?”
“Ensure he accepts my duel,” Tom said nonchalantly. “As I said, if I don’t keep these troublemakers in line, then no one will.”
I liked Tom. He was a strong and ruthless character. I had a feeling that Tom’s past may have been his driving force. I wondered if there was something about his family’s death that fueled his desire to help people who couldn’t protect themselves.
We slowed as we entered the town of Fort Worth, which seemed busier than Dallas. I steered my horse to the left; a livery was ahead. Tom jumped down from his horse effortlessly. While his back was turned, I decided to attempt to get down, and succeeded, with some difficulty. I hit the ground hard and scrambled to my feet before he noticed. Tom signaled for me to bring the horse forward and I handed the reins to the young man he had been speaking with.
Tom marched off without a word. I had to break into a short jog to catch up with him. The guy was clearly not used to teamwork.
“What’s the plan, then?”
He glared at me. “Why don’t ya go get a drink and I’ll find ya after.”
“No, I’m your backup,” I said. This guy’s attitude stank.
“Ah don’t need no backup. I’m a lone star ever since…” He trailed off. “I’m a gunslinger. Ya can come with me, but stay out of my way when time comes,” he said.
“Of course, I’ll be there for moral support,” I said.
Tom raised his eyebrows, sighing, and continued towards the saloon.
“You think he’ll be in there?” I asked.
“That’s the first place I would look for ‘im wherever I was.”
Tom burst through the swinging doors of the saloon and took a wide stance. I watched as he scanned the bar; his fingers tapped against the gun on his belt.
It didn’t take long for him to spot Chuck, who had his back to us. He was bragging about his winnings at a game of poker at a table of four men. His henchmen were nowhere to be seen, and he hadn’t noticed Tom standing in the doorway.
Tom advanced towards his table with his legs out unnaturally wide. Tom stood behind Chuck, who still hadn’t noticed him. “Chuck,” Tom said. He froze, dropping the chips in his hands. He turned, his face as white as a sheet. “I challenged ya to a duel, and ya accepted. Ya can’t run off like a yellowbelly.” Tom’s hand rested on the handle of his gun.
“B-but, I … how are ya here?” Chuck asked. The look on his face was priceless. Served him right.
“I tracked ya from Dallas.” The entire saloon had gone silent; everyone was watching them. From the fear he seemed to command even in another town, I got the feeling that Tom was a well-known gunslinger.
“No one terrorizes my burg and then runs like a lily-liver from a duel.”
Chuck seemed unsure what to do, and finally bowed his head. “Fine, I’ll fight ya,” Chuck said, holding his hands up in the air. Tom waited for him to stand, and then escorted him out into the dusty street.
I stood back, watching nervously. I was sure Tom would be able to beat him, but I was unsure whether Chuck would play by the rules ... if there even were rules to a gunfight. They stood about ten feet apart and stared each other down, each with a hand rested on their gun.
People watched from the buildings lining the street. I was sure I saw Chuck trembling with fear. The tension in the air was high. It was unbearable. I just hoped that once this was over I would still have a deputy left alive.
After spending a short time with Tom, I was sure he would be a good fit for the Verndarar. Teamwork wasn’t his forte, but I had a feeling that was rooted in his past. As soon as he joined I believed that would change. He had shown he was strong, valiant, and kind.
He had proven that not only by running into a burning building to save a woman, but also by chasing Chuck down through the desert—and now standing opposite a man, ready to risk his life to end his tyranny.
I noticed Chuck tighten his grip on his gun, and Tom did the same. Suddenly shots rang out. Five in total. Smoke filled the street.
I couldn’t see Tom or Chuck anymore from all the smoke. After what felt like forever the smoke began to clear, and there was Tom, standing in the same spot. His opponent was on the ground, two gun wounds clear, one through his stomach, and the other directly over his heart. Chuck wasn’t breathing or moving.
I rushed over to Tom to check that he was as unscathed as he appeared to be.
“Tom, are you okay?” I asked, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder. He jumped at the contact, his hand flying to the gun on his belt.
“Whoa, calm down, it’s just me.” He relaxed as our eyes met.
“Sorry, I’m on edge after a duel,” he said.
“I assume you’re unharmed?” I asked, looking him over.
“His bullets went wide. I knew he wasn’t the most accurate shooter.” Tom turned towards the saloon. “I need a drink,” he said, as he walked back up to the bar. Tom ordered us two glasses of whiskey and then sat in silence, his hand gripping the glass tightly.
“Are you alright?” I asked, after a long silence.
“Yeah, I’ll never get used to taking someone’s life, even a bulldozer like Chuck. It shouldn’t be like this. The sheriffs of these towns should be doin’ their job rather than taking criminals’ ballast and looking the other way.” I watched Tom, his shoulders tense, still gripping tightly onto his glass, the other hand balled into a fist.
“That’s true. It’s not your job to do these things, but you’re stepping up and saving innocent people,” I reassured him.
Tom gave me a small nod. He sipped on his whiskey quietly. “Wait,” Tom said. “Didn’t ya have something to tell me?” He was staring at me now with an untrusting look.
I’d been dreading the moment it would come up again. “Yeah, but I’d rather explain it back in Dallas.” I wished to delay the inevitable for as long as possible.
“Who are ya … really?” Tom asked, clearly not intending to let it go.
“I’m …” I paused for a moment, it was odd using my old name. “Elijah Abbott”
Tom looked at me expectantly. “What are ya doing here and what do ya want with me?”
“I came to find
you to see if you had the potential to join us.” How on earth was I supposed to start explaining the Verndarar to him? It had been difficult for me to wrap my head around it, and I was born about eighty years later and a witch.
“The truth is … I’ve been given the task of leading a group of people to save mankind from a threat…”
Tom looked at me blankly. I knew the best way to get through to him was to focus on the evil people rather than the paranormal elements.
“What kinda threat?” Tom asked.
I signaled to the barman for another two whiskeys and took a long gulp before carrying on. “There’s a place that exists in this world that we can travel to … unlike anywhere else. It allows us to travel through time. That’s how I’m speaking with you right now in 1868. I was born in 1931, sixty-three years from now, in Minnesota.”
Tom frowned. “Ya are joking, aren’t ya?”
“I’ve a way of proving it, a diary for 1952.”
I searched my pocket for my wife’s diary, which had the year 1952 embossed onto the leather cover. “Here it is.” I passed the red leather book to him and watched as he opened the first page, looking at the date.
“This doesn’t prove nuttin’. Ya could have had it made.” Tom handed the diary back.
“What reason would I have for lying to you, a complete stranger?” I asked.
“I don’t know. It seems off to me.” Tom took a long gulp of his drink and then stood.
“Where are you going?”
“Back t’ Dallas.” He grabbed his hat off the bar and took off. I jumped off my seat and caught up with him.
“Wait … I need you to agree to join us.” I hated how desperate I sounded. I stood in front of Tom, stopping him.
He crossed his arms, his legs wide apart. I’d seen that stance before. “How do I know ya don’t intend to bed me down?”
“Why would I have ridden from Dallas to Fort Worth with you? If I was intending to kill you, don’t you think I would have done it by now?”
“Where’s this place ya want to take me?” Tom asked.
“We could be there in a few minutes if you agree. However, we need to walk out of town so no one else sees. If you decide you don’t like it, you can come back.”