The Lone Rider

Chapter 5

Chill from the fresh morning air pinched at his face. Kell yawned as he ran the brush along the side of his horse, who drank calmly from the small trough at the side of the cabin. He had trouble sleeping at night and spent most of his time staring at the ceiling and thinking about the future. Another reason he loathed thinking too much; he never got enough sleep, and so he was always tired.

What am I doing here? I knew I shouldn't have answered his call. It's happening again.

His body was sore from the fight the day before with Faundell. He still couldn't believe the old bastard lifted him off his feet and threw him through the window. Faundell never was one for taking it easy on anybody but he was typically the harshest on Kell. But, Kell couldn't blame the old man for that, being such a tough kid to teach. Sometimes you just had to beat it into him. Sometimes you just had to throw a kid through a window to teach him a lesson.

The door to the cabin opened and Kell turned to see Adaline sweeping her way around the corner. She still wore the same dress, which now looked better after washing it the night before and her skin gleamed in the sun after her bath in the spring. She smiled at him, and approached, putting a hand on his horse, and softly petting her. His horse turned her head back and nuzzled Adaline. She was a good horse, hearty and strong, but Kell always thought her too friendly. Neither said a word so Kell went back to preparing the horse for the ride they were taking this morning. Adaline stepped back as he returned the saddle over the horse's back.

"What's her name?" Adaline asked, watching him work.

"The horse?" Kell said, pulling a strap tight.

"Of course, who else?"

"I don't know."

Adaline smiled. "She's your horse, right?"

Kell shrugged. "She lets me ride her."

"And you've never given her a name?'

"Why give her a name when she already has one?"

"So what's her name then?"

Kell finished with the saddle and turned to her. "Told you already, I don't know."

"How do you not know?"

"She never told me."

That got a giggle out of the girl. "You're an odd one, aren't you?"

Kell glanced up at the sky.

The clouds are moving slow today.

"It's an odd place, isn't it?" Adaline asked.

Kell looked at her then around the area. "I suppose it is."

"I wonder who made it. And how long ago that was."

"We'll probably never know. Not that it matters..." Kell tied his pouches to the saddle and wiped his hands. "Should probably wake up Waylon. We'll be leaving soon."

"Okay..." She glanced off, seeming hesitant. "Do you think it's going to be okay?" she asked after a moment.

"Hard to say, but with the old man it's hard to predict anything. I wouldn't worry so much about it anyways. I'll make sure everything goes well."

"Why are you doing this? Helping me?"

Kell gave her a grimace. "You asked the old man that last night."

"I know. But I want to know why you're helping. Specifically. You don't seem to get along with Faundell, but you still listen to him. You say not to trust him but you're following his plan. So why are you here? What do you get out of it?"