Crescent Smile ~ John Marston Story

✽.✫☽𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟾☾✫.✽

(Unedited)
Word count: 3648
{Listen while you read?~I recommend Butcher Tongue by Hozier}

☽✫.✽✦✽.»»——⍟——««.✽✦✽.✫☾

After a few encounters with bandits and unfriendly individuals along the way, Dixie and Rusty finally arrived in Annesburg on the fourth day of their journey. Exhausted but determined, they went their separate ways to attend to their respective tasks.

Rusty, seeking familiarity, made his way to his old home in Annesburg. The memories of his past flooded his mind as he stepped through the door, finding solace in the familiarity of the place he once called his own.

Meanwhile, Dixie's heart raced with anticipation as she approached Jesse's family's house. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door, her hands trembling slightly. The door swung open, and standing before her was Renee, Jesse's sister.

"Dixie?"

Renee's eyes welled up with tears as she took in the sight of Dixie. Without a word, she pulled Dixie into a tight embrace, holding her for a long moment. The weight of their shared grief hung heavy in the air, and the embrace offered a temporary respite from the pain.

As they pulled away, Renee's eyes caught sight of the hat placed on Dixie's head. A mix of emotions flickered across her face as she recognized it as Jesse's hat—the hat he wore daily with pride and sorrow, the king of hearts playing card, his lucky card in every card game, concealing the bullet hole that revealed the tragic end of his life.

Tears streamed down Dixie's face as she saw the impact the hat had on Renee. It was a symbol of their shared loss, a reminder of Jesse's absence, and the burden they both carried. In that moment, no words were necessary—only the unspoken understanding of the pain they both endured.

With a heavy heart, Renee led Dixie into the house, where the presence of Jesse's memory loomed large. The room was filled with photographs, mementos, and the echoes of laughter from days long gone. Dixie knew that she had finally reached the place where she could say her final goodbyes to her beloved friend and find the closure she had sought for so long.

As the sun started to set Renee led Dixie to the familiar small house just outside of Annesbrug. Renee led Dixie through the threshold of the house she once shared with Jesse, a flood of memories washed over Dixie. The familiarity of the surroundings mixed with a lingering sense of nostalgia, reminding her of the dreams and plans they had made together.

Renee understood the weight of the moment and recognized that Dixie needed some time alone with her memories. With a gentle squeeze of Dixie's hand, she softly said, "I'll leave you to have some time here, Dixie. Take all the time you need. I'll be back in the morning."

Dixie nodded, her voice choked with gratitude, "Thank you, Renee. I appreciate it more than you know."

With that, Renee softly closed the door behind her, leaving Dixie to immerse herself in the echoes of the past. The house was filled with a bittersweet silence, and Dixie took a moment to absorb the weight of her surroundings.

Alone in the house, Dixie wandered from room to room, her fingers gently tracing the remnants of their life together. She ran her hand along the worn armrest of the couch, remembering the countless evenings they spent cuddled up, sharing stories and dreams. She stood in the kitchen, fingering the edge of the table where they once shared meals and laughter. Each corner of the house held memories that both comforted and pained her, some brought memories of another.