The Unbound Horizon

Ranch work

Evelyn couldn't sleep that night knowing that there was a Yankee also sleeping on their ranch. She had her gun by her bed in case she heard anything going on outside or inside. She was almost awake all night, but at about 2 a.m. her eyes betrayed her and she slept for a couple hours before getting up to milk the cows. She slipped on her jeans, buttoned up her shirt and put on her boots and hat, along with her holster and made her way to the barn. As she walked past her siblings cabins she noticed all the lamps were off except for the one at the end, the cabin that suppose to be hers whenever she got married, the one that the Yankee is now staying in. Why was his lamp on? she thought, it was unsettling to know that he was awake while everyone was sleeping, she wanted to spy on him, see what he was doing, but decided to just keep to her chores, she had her gun, and would just make sure to listen carefully while she was in the barn.

Colton

He couldn't sleep, even though the Johnson's had made him feel more at home than he had in awhile, he had a feeling that at any moment that little woman Evelyn would barge in and blow his head off, but he tried not to think about it. Instead he thought about what Alan had said was on the agenda for the day, and it sounded like a lot, but he was thankful to have a job and place to stay. he finally convinced himself to get out of bed, and get dressed, apparently he was to go milk the cows, and then feed the chickens, and he it was weird that he never offered to show him where anything was or the right way to do it. He was just going to be thrown into it. While he walked to the barn, he noticed there was light coming from it, well maybe Alan did come to show me the ropes, he thought.

"Hello?" he said as he walked into the barn.

"Hello?" Evelyn replied confused. She didn't know anyone else was up, except for the yank, dangit! why is he here?

"What do you want yank?" she asked.

"Oh, hey Evelyn." Colton replied. Really? out of the thousand people in this family she's the one milking cows today. "I'm here to milk the cows and feed the chickens?" he stated as a questions, he heard her sigh in frustration.

"Alright, grab a bucket, from the feed room and then come into the fourth stall on the right." she told him.

He was glad for the instruction, considering he had this whole conversation with her without actually seeing her, or knowing where her voice came from. He followed her instruction and grabbed a bucket, and went into the stall and saw a line of cows, and Evelyn at the end sitting on a small stool, in that funny hat she always wore. He was about to walk over to her, but she stopped him.

"Oh be careful!" she warned pointing to the cow he was about to walk behind, "she kicks."

"Oh, thank you." he said, and then walked in front of the kicking cow, there was another small stool, which he grabbed and sat next to Evelyn and immediately regretted it. She gave him a look like he was an idiot. She did this a lot.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Well, I was going to watch you." Colton stated.

"Have you milk a cow before?" She asked.

"When I was a kid, I just need a refresher."

"Fine," Evelyn sighed in frustration, "well we can't both milk the same cow, so go over to Bella, she's the one right next to me."

He obeyed her every instruction, and before to long got the hang of it, and as much as Evelyn hated him being there, she couldn't deny it was nice to be done earlier. She then showed him where the corn was for the chickens, and they quickly scattered the corn, and the. Went to the house to start on breakfast.

Evelyn started making grits, biscuits, and bacon and eggs.

"Do you need any help?" Colton asked.