Stories For the Damned

Alexanders - Ch 13

Joel was slowly but surely gaining weight. His ribs were barely visible yet I still felt like he was too weak to carry both me and Chase. "Sorry, feller," I whispered in his ear as I scratched under his chin. He gave a soft snort as I spoke again. "Gotta gain a little more."

I was waiting for Chase to tell me that she was ready to go. I would've thought she'd be ready before me but it seemed like Sadie wanted to give her some sort of talk first. They were on the other side of camp but I could still see Sadie drilling Chase about something.

I was able to leave Joel for a moment, steal a sugar cube from Charles, and make it back to him before I spotted Chase making her way over.

I hadn't been face to face with her today so I was pleasantly surprised to see that the shirt (which I thought looked familiar) was an old one that I hadn't seen her wear in forever. So she did have a spare...

Chase did this weird talking to herself thing just before she came in earshot of me. Perhaps she was nervous as well?

"Hey." She said when she was just before Joel. "How are you?"

"Good....yourself?"

She gave a nod before glancing at Joel. "He's good?"

I couldn't help but smile, finding some sort of amusement in her question. "Yes. Chase, he's good."

"Joel, right?" She reached out and tentatively gave a pat on his rump. "He eating good?"

"Yeah, well enough I guess."

"He ain't fixin' to buck you, is he?"

"No. No." I shook my head, "He's calm. Though, um, we should probably take yours. Don't wanna tire him out."

"Right, well...If you're ready..."

With a few last words to Joel and another scratch I agreed and followed Chase to her horse, noticing how she paused for a moment so that I walked by her side and not behind her. "You know the way?"

"Yeah," Chase said as she grabbed the reins and horn, putting her foot in the stirrup as she mounted up. She held out a hand to me and I grabbed it using her to help me get settled on the back of...Abby?

"Abby, right?" I said once we'd gotten settled. My hands rested lightly on Chase's gun belt, holding on so that I would not fall should the ride derail.

"Yep, Abby."

"Pretty name..."

"Thanks." was all she said as she rode at steady trot. I couldn't help but wish that she would talk to me instead of just sitting in silence as she seemed to do all to often nowadays.

But I didn't know what to say to her. Open-ended questions somehow resulted in one word answers. And she wouldn't ask me anything in turn.

I sighed, resting my cheek against the back of her shoulder. This entire ordeal was kind of draining. Who knew emotions were so hard to figure out? "You remember the time when we found that old woman in the woods?"

Chase was quiet for a moment before she bit the bullet and responded with a gruff "Where?"

"You don't remember? A little north of Strawberry? Kinda to the west."

Another beat of silence then, "Yeah."

"That was a good cabin. A fair enough ride to town but...still worth it. Peaceful." I laughed then, mostly to myself as I thought of how she yelled and hollered first for us, then at us. "She was so mad!" I mimicked her, "You two! You was supposed to come through two days ago!"

My heart gave a leap in my chest when I heard Chase chuckle. Chuckle! It encouraged me to keep going, wanting her to be pleased with me.

"She didn't even hesitate or try to verify who we were. " I switched to the lady's voice again, "Go 'head! Take what 'cha got. Put it in the cellar!"

"There was a shotgun in that cellar y'know."

"Really?"

"Yeah. In a case." Chase shifted in her saddle before sighing. "I took, uh...I think a box of shells and some revolver ammo. Left the gun. Didn't need it."

"Right. You've already got the double-barrel. I took some tonics when she wasn't lookin'. Though, by the time you came back up she was losing it."

Chase's voice was soft...kinder. " 'Course I remember. How could I forget?"

Smiling, I gave a quiet "Hmm." And even though I felt like I wanted to say something else, though what I don't know, I still felt at peace. Happy in a way and I sighed as I held onto Chase a little tighter. Maybe she'd let me give her a proper hug once we'd hashed out whatever was driving us apart.