Red Dead Revelation I: A Good Thing (ArthurXEliza)

Chapter One: Eliza

The rattling bells of the alarm clock startled her to arise in the darkness. Reaching out into the black, she silences the noise and pulls the covers away from her. Her youthful body feels ages older as she lifts herself to a sitting position and places her feet on the cold floor.

    She sighs and gets up. She does not have time to relax. She has to make her living, despite being just an eighteen-year-old.

On her way to her wardrobe, she recognizes her reflection. Her long, chestnut hair flows down her shoulders, ending in wavy curls. Her freckles and brown eyes make her think of mud splatter on the wagons that go through the town. That is a regular occurrence living in the Deseret Territory. Well, it is no longer called that anymore, since the region just became a state last year. Just around her birthday, is how she remembers.

She lives in a decent settlement, in fact, it is becoming a prospering town. A town in a beautiful land that stretches between the Idaho Territory and California. She didn't find herself on common ground with the religious zealots, war veterans, and fortune-seekers that also occupied the territory, but she still lives her life by a code of ethics that was passed to her by her parents.

An orphan, Eliza Bloom has no nearby family. Even if her aunt and uncle had invited her to live with them out east, she would have refused. Her loyalty to all that she knows is stronger than anything else unseen to her.

She attempts to smile but finds no desire. She resigns to complete the task of dressing for the day.

After pinning her hair half up and dressing in a light blue cotton blouse and wool skirt, she puts on her hat and goes out the door. It is still rather cool out, even though summer is right around the corner.

Upon leaving her room, she locks the door and checks it twice. Living in a hotel has had its risks, considering her neighbors and the frequent strangers that have rented adjacent rooms. Her neighbors, working girls, have always been kind to her, but she wanted to do everything in her power to avoid being mistaken as a coworker.

Feeling confident in its security, she leaves.

Stepping out into the street, the cold air hits her. Despite the little sting, she takes a deep breath and eyes the rising sun. The restaurant will be opening soon, so she best be quick. She walks across the street, minding a man on horseback, and quickly steps up and into the establishment.

"G'morning, Eliza!" Bethy, a middle-aged woman waves to the young girl. Eliza smiles back at her and turns to flip the sign hanging on the door from CLOSED to OPEN. After hanging her hat, she walks over to Bethy, who holds out her apron for her.

"Thank you." Eliza takes it and begins to tie it around her small waist.

"Ready for another day?"

"Ready as I will ever be."  She smells the food cooking in the kitchen. "Smells like Clarence is here."

    "Oh, you know it! I sure wish that Joe would let him be more creative. One day he is going to get a wild hair and leave this town for good."

    "Is Joe here?"

    "Ha! No. Do you need to even ask that question?"

    "I suppose I was hoping that today would be different."

    "Why? Do you actually like having him around?"

    "He is the owner of this restaurant. It would be nice to see him show some genuine enthusiasm once in a while. Sometimes I feel like he is only coming here to put on a show."

    Just then, the sound of the back door slams. Eliza would recognize that sound anywhere. She hurriedly locates the drawer where the pencils and paper tablets are and slips one of each into her apron pocket. Joe puts out his cigar on a nearby ashtray. "Good morning, ladies." The words hardly match the tone of his voice.