Age of The Understatement

Part 5 - Seperate and Ever Deadly

Chiricahua Peak, AZ
Bright & Early

Pearl opened her eyes slowly, sunbeams shining directly onto her face between the leaves and branches above her. Her head was pounding and she didn't really remember how she got here the night before.

She pulled herself onto her elbows as she looked at the two men fast asleep next to her, their cowboy hats placed over top of their faces. Miles was snoring pretty loudly, making his hat move with every exhale. Pearl looked down at herself, horrified to see that she was only wearing her chemise and skirt, no blouse or corset. Pearl carefully sat up before pulling her shoes back on and making her way over to her horse, fairly curious to figure out what drunk her had decided was a good idea to pack, hoping there was at least a blouse in one of her satchels. She opened up one of her many satchels on the left side of her horse. She had four bags perfectly lined along one side, her side saddle stirrups placed onto the right. In satchel number one there was a pair of socks, another chemise, and thankfully a blouse. She quickly pulled it on, tucking it into her skirt before she moved onto the next bag. In this bag there was three flasks of whiskey, powdered soap in a small tin, a boar bristle hairbrush, and a few packs of matches. She opened up the next bag, hoping she had brought at least something to eat. There was a few fried beef sticks and a rather smashed loaf of bread, and a bottle of laudanum. (Like most people in this time, Pearl had an opium addiction.) Pearl quickly uncorked the tincture, placing a small dropper into her mouth before tucking it back into her satchel. Pearl tore a small piece of bread and stuffed it into her front skirt pocket before grabbing the tin of soap and one of her flasks, making her way over to the creek edge. She sat down and pulled out the bread, tearing off another small piece before popping it into her mouth. Miles was still snoring in the distance. She uncorked her flask and took a swig, her brows furrowing as she swallowed just before she took a few more bites of her piece of bread.

She stared out into the creek as she continued to gnaw on the piece of stale bread, watching tiny minnows swim against the gentle current, a few small crawfish trying to nab some of the slower swimmers. The weather was just perfect, only a slight breeze moving the fresh crisp air. Pearl felt herself start to tear up as she watched one of the minnows get caught, thinking of her husband. She honestly couldn't stand him. He was an abusive piece of shit, it was truly a good thing Miles killed him– but a part of her still missed him. Or maybe she missed the idea of him, how he used to be. She missed how he used to be so gentle, caring, seemingly harmless. Eventually he started to seem like he was growing tired of her and started lashing out, more frequently each day. Eventually, Pearl just started manipulating herself into thinking that their relationship was fine, normal even– that it couldn't get any better. On top of everything Pearl wasn't allowed to leave her house, she had been suffering bouts of 'female hysteria', at least that's what the doctor called  it ever since her husband caught her and the doctor sleeping together. Of course it was all Pearl's fault, nobody was about to listen to what a woman has to say in Tombstone. Since Since Miles killed her husband, she was technically free. He was no longer controlling her, but something inside her felt like she needed to avenge him, although if Miles hadn't killed him, who's to say she wouldn't have eventually. There wasn't anything left for her in Tombstone anyway, if she went back she would be known as the poor measly hysterical widow Pearl.
Pearl swallowed her last bite of bread before she opened up her tin of powdered soap. Really, she hadn't had a bath all that long ago but she felt ashamed, dirty. Two strangers seeing her in only a chemise, she felt like a whore. Maybe she was one, she always had difficulty controlling her 'urges', at least that's what the doctor told her when he prescribed her the laudanum. She rolled up her sleeves and placed a little powder on her hand before dropping a little bit of water into her palm, rubbing her hands together vigorously to create a lather before rubbing it all over her arms.

Alex sat up abruptly, a loud snort from Miles waking him up. Alex stretched out his arms and yawned, looking all around himself, slightly worried where Pearl had run off to. Soon after he finished his yawn he spotted her, vigorously rubbing her face with soap– hunched over the creek. Alex nudged Miles awake, Miles quickly tossing his hat off as he sat up, immediately asking what was wrong.

"Nothings wrong love.." Alex whispered as he ran his hand against Miles' back, keeping an eye on Pearl. "Good morning." Alex smiled at Miles, he looked so cute. His sleepy eyes, tangled hair, his puffy lips. Alex nodded in Pearl's direction. "Pearl has soap, look."

Miles turned his head, pushing his hair back with one of his hands. "I definitely need some of that." Miles said as he pulled himself upright, slipping his feet back into his boots.

"Good morning Pearl!" Miles shouted as he walked over to her, she jumped at his words, not expecting it.

"Oh, good mornin.." Pearl replied as she hurriedly dried her face off with her skirt. "I didn't want to wake you all."

"You didn't wake us, it was Miles damned snoring that woke me up." Alex said as he walked over to Pearl, pretty quickly joining Miles' side, the two of them standing above Pearl, looking down at her as they spoke.

"Mind if we borrow a little of that soap?" Alex asked.

"We'll buy you a new tin in the next town over, promise." Miles added as he sat down next to Pearl, looking up at Alex as if to ask him to sit down.

"Um, yeah sure." Pearl said, handing the tin to Miles who very quickly started to wash his hair.

"..what are y'all's names again?" Pearl carefully asked, still so used to how her husband would react to her every word.

"Im Alexander, but you can just call me Alex. It's easier, and thats Miles." He looked over at his lover who was scooping water onto his head, strenuously scrubbing his face and hair with the powdered soap Pearl had lended.

"You tried to kill me last night, hopefully we're getting on a better foot today?" Alex asked as he looked back over at Pearl who was still acting rather timid.

"We're good. I mean, I don't remember all that much of last night but I want to thank you for calming me down. You were right, killing you wouldn't bring my husband back." And I don't want him back. Pearl thought to herself.

Miles handed the tin to Alex, trading spots. "It might feel good in the moment–" Alex said as he started to dampen his hair and face. "But it's never worth it." Alex started to work the soap into his hair. "I mean, when necessary, but it's only necessary when it's self defense and you need to in order to keep yourself alive. But it's up to you if you think ending someone's life is necessary." Alex started to scrub his face.

"We've only been on the run for a few weeks now.. and I've.." Miles pushed his wet hair back, tucking it behind his ears as he sat back down on the edge of the creek. Pearl examined his expressions, she had quickly figured out it had to have been Miles who killed her husband. Pearls eyes started to unfocus a little as she felt the opium start to kick in, her body being washed in a wave of euphoria, quickly driving off from her invasive thoughts. Best she's felt in at least twenty four hours.

"Honestly I don't really want to talk about it." Miles said, looking away from Pearl who was staring at him a little too much for his liking. "Alex is the only saint here."

"I'm no saint." Alex said as he tossed his head back, his hair still dripping wet. "Miles just does what he thinks is necessary to protect us. I think it's pretty noble of him." Alex stood up, placing his hands on his hips, looking over at Pearl who had become oddly too quiet. "Now how does oatmeal sound?"