Shifters in the Shadows

by Deveaux, Poppy

  “This was the first thing I built. At first I thought about having my house in the middle of town but then I didn't want everyone to think I was lording it over them. That's why I've stayed out of the local politics and things. You asked me before if I was the mayor but I'm not, I'm just a man who wanted to build a town and did it, and now I get to live here and enjoy it day by day. Now, enough about me, let's get you inside and out of those dirty clothes. Oh...,” a thoughtful look came over his face, then he went over to the driver and gave him a wad of cash to go into town and buy some new clothes. “I'm sure that I have a few spare things that Jim can wear but I'm not in the habit of keeping your kind of garments handy!” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

  Jill was about to say something, then thought better of it. She followed him into the house, hefting up her skirts as she walked over the threshold of the door, then marveled at what awaited her. It was a far cry from the ranch she used to live on. The rooms were kept immaculately, and it seemed to be far bigger a house than just one man needed. He hadn't been lying when he said that he had enough room for them. In the lounge there were books and a number of comfortable chairs, along with a liquor cabinet. There was a dining room and a kitchen, and Jill was almost afraid to venture into them because she knew that she didn't belong in a house like this. She was just a simple girl who had married a simple man, and they were living their simple life together when disaster struck. It also gave some context to Brandon's wealth. When he told her that he was rich she hadn't really been able to comprehend it because money, for her, had always been something that was difficult to come by, and it was never in your hands for very long before it was needed to buy stuff like supplies and food and clothes, so to have enough of it to spend on this house was astonishing, and to have enough to build a town and still be able to afford a house like this was almost incomprehensible, but it endeared Brandon to her anyway, for a man like that certainly didn't need to go out of his way to come to the aid of two strangers and yet he had done exactly that.

  Somehow being in a house alone with this man who, a matter of hours ago had been unknown to her, was not a frightening prospect. He gave her a glass of water and showed her a spare room that she could use to rest and get ready. He also showed her the bathroom, where she could freshen up. By now her hair was matted to her head and her clothes were sticking to her because of all the dirt and dusty sweat, and the thought of cool water against her skin was heavenly.

  In fact it was so desirable that she couldn't wait for the clothes to be brought to her, so she took the towel that was left for her and drew a bath herself, knowing that she would be unable to rest until she had cleaned herself, and until Jim was again by her side and well. The water filled the wooden bathtub and the soap smelled fresh; a luxury she had not known for a long time. As the bath filled up she let the door swing shut behind her and slipped her torn, ragged clothes off. Her skin was covered with scratches, but as she looked at her naked body her hand ran down to her stomach, and for a moment sadness overwhelmed her. Then, she raised one leg and tentatively dipped her foot into the water, which had turned out to be warmer than she intended because she knew she would need a good scrub to get all the dirt off her skin. She winced a little at the heat, then gradually submerged all of herself in the water, until it reached her neck. Then, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and dunked her head below the surface, enjoying the feeling of being lost in a world far away from her real life.

  When she emerged the water splashed over the edge of the tub and dripped by the side. Jill lay back in the bathtub and let the warm water soothe her aching muscles. She scrubbed herself and watched the layers of dirt disappear from her soft, pale flesh. Slowly but surely she began to return to the Jill she knew, the one that hadn't been lost in the desert, but there was still an overwhelming feeling of melancholy in her heart and that was one thing she didn't see disappearing anytime soon. However, as long as she was in the bath it felt like a safe haven from her feelings.

  Meanwhile, Brandon had been downstairs waiting for the driver to return with the clothes. When he did, Brandon was excited. Without wasting any time he bound up the stairs and knocked gently on Jill's door. The door was ajar so it swung open, and he was puzzled to see that she was not inside. But then he heard the soft splashing of water and turned to the bathroom. He walked up, intending to announce his presence when, through the crack of the open door he saw one leg being stretched and raised. Water dripped off it and splashed down. The milky skin glistened as it dipped back into the water. Against the edge of the tub her head rested. Jill sat up and ran her fingers through her long, thick hair. As she moved her lithe body and washed herself Brandon's breath caught in his throat for her was taken by her beauty, by the way her slender neck melted into her shoulders, and her breasts swelled with two small pink nipples pointing out. All at once he felt aroused and guilty for he knew that he should not have been staring at her, and yet it was a struggle to pull himself away.

  She was another man's husband and yet she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, and it was so long since he had been this close to another woman that she was impossible to resist. He stood there, watching her bathe herself, eyes roving over her naked skin as his mind became alive with vivid fantasies. In truth he had known it when their eyes first met. Even though she had been covered in dirt and on the brink of death there had still been something about her; a light in her eyes that enchanted him. But she was devoted to her husband, that was clear, and Jim, well, Brandon still had not had a chance to meet the man properly.

  Part of him was tempted to stride into the room and kneel beside the bath, to take her wet hand in his and gaze into her eyes, then climb into the bath with her. However, she had lived a sheltered life and was probably not used to such aggressive moves, and since he couldn't be sure if it would be wanted anyway he left the clothes by the door and returned downstairs, where the memory of her exposed flesh lingered on his mind, and warmed him.

  *

  Jill enjoyed the soothing warmth of the bath and was reluctant to leave, but the skin on her fingers and toes wrinkled, and she knew that it was time to get out. With a sigh she emerged, the water from her body falling all around her, and her thoughts were on her husband. She had left Jim in the hands of a strange doctor and this was the first time they had been apart since, well, for as long as she could remember. As she wrapped the towel around her and closed her eyes she could almost imagine that she was back on their ranch, with Jim outside working in the sun, while she remained indoors to tend to the house. But then a tear rolled down her cheek, and she pushed the memories aside.

  When she turned and saw that the door was open and clothes had been left, she felt a flush of embarrassment. Had Brandon seen her in the bath? Jim was the only man she had ever been with yet she couldn't help but admit that Brandon was handsome in every sense of the word, and although she wasn't properly aware of it at the time she felt a sudden thrill at the possibility of him watching her bathe. She leaned down and carried the clothes back to her room where she examined them properly. They were soft and fine, unlike the rough fabrics she had been used to. They were also beautiful, and where before she had worn clothes that were practical for a housewife, these were made to be worn as a luxury, and she almost felt guilty for putting them on. When she looked in the mirror she barely recognized herself. Now that she was bathed and dressed she was a new woman with a new life, and the past had to be left behind.

  Jill walked downstairs and joined Brandon, who was sitting in his lounge with a book open on his lap. He glanced up to greet her and when he saw her in her new clothes his eyes almost popped out of his head, but he quickly composed himself and looked away. Jill's cheeks flushed red. Neither of them mentioned the fact that Brandon had seen her in the bath, and while at first conversation was stilted they soon fell into a rhythm again, and although the two of them came from very different backgrounds they got on rather well.

  “I'm still amazed at this h
ouse,” she said, gazing in awe at the books surrounding them.

  “This is nothing, you should have seen the house I grew up in. It took hours to get from one end of the house to the other! Feel free to read any of the books while you're here by the way, everything in this house is yours to use as you see fit.”

  “Oh, well thank you Brandon, but I really don't think we'll be staying all that long. I'd hate for us to be an imposition. I think once Jim has recovered we'll be trying to get on our way.”

  “You're not an imposition at all. I actually like the company. I don't seem to get much of it around here...” he said, turning his eyes away from her.

  “But you have a whole town filled with people. Aren't they grateful that you have given them a place to live? I would have thought that any of them would welcome you as a friend.”

  “You would think that wouldn't you, but unfortunately human nature is not so straightforward. Sadly many people are not on good terms with me.”

  “Why ever not? You seem like a kind soul to me, I couldn't imagine anyone having a bad opinion of you.”

  “That is a lovely thing for you to say, but no, I think perhaps some of them resent the fact that they have to work to make the town viable while I sit in my house and don't have a job, but what they don't understand is all the work that went into building this city up in the first place. I am simply trying to enjoy the fruits of my labors but the reality, I have to admit, is not as good as I thought it would be,” he said with a heavy sigh.

  “In what way?”

  “I thought I would be more celebrated, that I would be hosting parties here on a weekly basis but the house is emptier than I expected.”

  “I don't mean to pry,” Jill began somewhat tentatively, “but why is that? I'd have thought a man in your position would have women lining up to be your wife.”

  “There's a difference between having a wife and loving a wife, but the truth is that I put so much time and effort into building this town that I somewhat neglected my own needs, and it became more difficult to find someone who could put up with all my quirks. Unfortunately I haven't been as lucky as you and Jim have been to find each other. How did the two of you meet?”

  Just the thought of it was enough to make Jill smile. “Now that's a story from a long time ago. We both grew up in Red Rock, well, he had the ranch with his family outside and I was in the town. My mother was a schoolteacher and she always warned me about the boys on the ranch because their daddy never wanted them to come to school, so they spent all their time working on the land and from a young age I was intrigued by them. They'd come into town and they looked so mysterious. One day we started to chatting, we only said hello. I think I was wearing a yellow ribbon and Jim seemed to like it, but just as soon as we started both our parents came over and pulled as apart. Seemed his daddy didn't like him talking with the likes of me just as much as my mother didn't like me talking with the likes of him, and well, after that I couldn't get the boy off my mind. I started to dream of a life where we'd run away together and whenever he'd come into town we'd wave, but we'd never get to talk because of our parents. My mother kept on saying bad things about him though; that they were savages and that education was what you needed to get ahead in the world.

  Anyway, as I got older I started being allowed to go for walks by myself, and I used to go with a book and read by the creek. Well, one day I heard a noise and at first my heart started hammering because I thought it was some kind of wild animal, I have to admit that my imagination was quite fierce as a child, and I looked around wide-eyed, ready to run, when who should come out but Jim! At first I didn't know what to do because by that point I was on the way to becoming a woman and it's a much different proposition meeting a man than it is to meet a boy, but he waved at me just as he did when we had been kids, and that made everything alright. He walked up and sat beside me and I remember how he smelled of the earth, and he looked at my book and asked me what I was reading. I showed it to him and the poor boy could barely read. I asked him if he ever had books and he shook his head, so from then on I taught him and we'd meet and I'd read to him and get him to read to me and we'd all snuggle up until it was time for one of us to go.

  This went on for a while until one day we stayed out until the sun was setting, and we both knew that we'd get in trouble for staying out so late but somehow it seemed worth it. We held hands and we kissed for the first time, and we both left with stupid grins on our faces. My mother hollered at me when I got back but I didn't care, I was just floating on air, and although she tried to keep us apart there was nothing that could, and soon enough she gave up. I told her that he was the man I was going to marry and she could either get used to the idea or she could stay angry for the rest of her life. Thankfully she chose the former. When we were old enough we got married and that was that really, I guess it's a typical story but when I first saw him I knew there was something special about him.”

  “I look forward to meeting him properly. I hope he won't mind that I've taken his wife home with me.” The joke was almost inappropriate and Jill laughed nervously. “But seriously, the two of you seem to care for each other a lot, and I admire the fact that the two of you have stayed together for so long and are traveling to this new world all by yourselves.”

  “We didn't have much choice really, we couldn't stay in Red Rock after what happened.” That same haunted look that had come over her face back when she had seen the broken wagon appeared now, and there were a few moments of silence.

  “Listen, I know you probably don't want to talk about what happened but I saved something from the wagon that I thought you might want.”

  “There was nothing for me there.”

  “That may be, but just look at this a moment. You might want to keep it,” he said, and pulled out the photograph he had been keeping in his pocket. As he handed it over to Jill their fingertips touched. She looked down at the photo and the color drained from her face.

  “You shouldn't have taken this. You should have left it there in the desert where it belonged. It should be with everything else we left behind.” And with that she stood up, let the picture fall to floor, and moments later Brandon heard a door slam shut.

  Five

  The following morning Jill acted as though nothing had happened, and Brandon didn't dare broach the subject of the photograph again. They had a little breakfast, albeit rushed, for Jill wanted to get into town as quickly as possible to be by her husband's side, so as soon as they finished eating the two of them left the large house and made their way into town.

  Given that it was the morning it was less busy than it had been the previous day. Brandon tried to greet people with a friendly wave and smile, but most of them were only cordial in reply, and they looked upon Jill with suspicion, wary of a newcomer to the town. At one point Brandon noticed how uncomfortable Jill seemed in her garments. When he commented on it she said that she wasn't used to wearing such nice clothes, and when he told her that they suited her she blushed and bowed her head in a shy manner.

  It wasn't long before they reached Doc Brown's, and when they saw that Jim was sitting up in bed Jill rushed to him and flung her arms around her, squeezing him tightly before she heard him wince and remembered that he had suffered quite severe injuries.

  “Your man here is a fighter, he pulled through. I'm not gonna lie, at one point I thought he was done for but now that he's awake he should make a full recovery in time. He's got a few broken bones so he's going to have to take it easy for a while, but other than that, well, he's all yours,” the Doc said to Brandon. Brandon nodded and watching Jill and Jim have their little reunion. She peppered him with kisses, forgetting that she was in the presence of others. The doctor turned away, allowing the couple a moment's privacy, but Brandon watched intently.

  “I thought you were going to be taken from me,” Jill said.

  Jim smiled and brought her hands to his lips, pressing them into a kiss, “I promised I'd never leave you, no matter what,
and I intend to keep that promise,” he said. But the effort of talking seemed to tire him and he fell back onto the bed, closing his eyes. Brandon was astounded at the determination of the man. Jim had carried the weight of sadness on his back and driven himself and his wife to pastures new, when other men would have crumbled under the strain, and now he was still striving not to show any glimpse of pain to Jill. However, Brandon could see Jim properly, and understood that he was struggling to maintain the image that Jill had of him, to be the husband that would never fail her, to be the man that would always be there to protect Jill and love her. This was something that Brandon had never had, but he had always wanted to explore.

  After he allowed them a few moments alone Brandon walked over and shook Jim's hand, while simultaneously placing his hand on Jim's shoulder.

  “Thank you for saving us sir, we owe you our lives. If you hadn't found us, well, I don't want to think about what would have happened.”

  “Please, call me Brandon, and I just did what any good citizen would do.”

  They talked for a little more before the Doctor made it clear that he would like the space back, for he only worked and lived in a small building and with the three of them there they were taking up most of the room. Brandon and Jill helped Jim stagger to his feet, and slowly they walked back through town to a cart, where they rode back to Brandon's house. Before they got in the cart, however, people looked upon them with curiosity as they moved through town, and Jill felt their stares on her back as she passed them by. For the most part all she was concerned about was Jim's well-being but she couldn't help but feel as though she didn't belong. And in truth she knew that she was an outsider but it was still a difficult feeling for her to experience as for all of her life she had been part of a community; everyone in Red Rock had known her and her mother, and they all treated her with respect and love. Here though she was tethered to the way people felt about Brandon, and although he had shown her kindness there was still a lot of mystery about the man.