The Love we wrote

Chapter I

1895 - Johns POV

A light wind was brushing over my face, as I watched the sun slowly set in the distance. The book that Dutch had given me to read, lay long forgotten in my lap as my thoughts trailed of to somewhere else. I've been riding with Dutch for about 10 years now and our family really had been growing a lot over the past few years. We were mostly about 18 people in our camp, if you don't count the strange magician guy, who sometimes appeares in camp and then dissappeares again for days without any explanation. The camp is a lot more crowded now than it was when I first met Dutch and the others, which is good in one way so we have more people for robbery jobs, but it also means a lot more mouths to fill. At the moment though, we're just laying low. Trying to gather enough food fo everyone. It is more difficult to move now with as many people as we are, so we're trying not to draw too much attention to ourselves. 

"How's it going with the reading, son?", a familiar voice called out next to me. I looked up and saw Dutch standing right beside me, watching the setting sun like I had some seconds ago. "It's a good book", I sighed, looking at the first page of which I hadn't read a single word yet. I closed it and stood up next to Dutch, not knowing what to say now. "You know, I'm a bit.. sad, that you don't share the same passion for reading as I do, but maybe you'd like to assist me with some other business". While speaking, Dutch had turned his gaze away from the horizon and was now eyeing me,  as he lit himself a cigar. 

"Depends on what business you need my help for"

"Oh just some small business"; "Meaning?", I closed my lips around a cigarette and lit a match on the tree trunk beside me. "We need some food for the camp", Dutch's view was fixed on the darkening horizon again as he spoke, "There is a small farm near Brooksville. They have some beautiful animals there and probably some grain or potatoes. I was thinking about getting some of it for the camp, so that we have some diversity in our meals". I was silent for some moments. Farm robberies weren't really my favourite activity, but I guess better than staying in camp all day and letting boredom devour me. "Unless you wanna stay here and look after the camp. I could also give you another book to read if you like-"; "I'll come with you", I said quickly. I had no intention in babysitting the camp or I might would have to listen to another one of Uncles storys from his youth, or Pearsons complains about the lack of discipline in camp. 

"Good", Dutch gave me a pleased smile and gently patted my shoulder before he turned and slowly walked away. "We'll meet at dawn so get some rest, son". And with that, he vanished out of my sight between the tents.