Blood-Born

Chapter VIII - Strangers on a Train

"Worry gives a small thing a big shadow."

- Swedish Proverb

Somewhere on the Plains of Nebraska

While Kilgore had criticized his choice of detail within the unpublished manuscript, his estimation of time and reality for Pennington was almost as dead on as far as the railroad had allowed.

The unnerving part of the trip had proven to be his silent cabin mate in their exclusive first class accommodations.

Suitably arranged with comfortable beds cater-cornered at opposite ends with no curtain of privacy between, Delilah spent her waking hours seated neat and proper just behind the window near hers intently watching him on the couch and table at the center of the train car as he worked or sat and watched the scenery while in thought.

Her clothing of choice continued to be that of a man in gold vested three-piece black tailed suit with bowler while he had been somewhat surprised to have seen the butts of twin pistols on each hip as if worn by a gunslinger.

It was not that Delilah had watched him; it was how still she sat while doing so that grated and finally broke him.

"Why is it that you have to do ... that?" He pointedly asked while the train crossed through the flat plains of Nebraska.

Before she answered directly she rose to her feet and moved to sit across from him with the work table between them, although the twin black onyx that he found best described her eyes did not waver from him while she moved.

"My father taught me to study by the use of extreme focus." She replied with that weird lack of emotion that she seemed to favor.

The olive complexion of her skin made him assume that she would be more pale if she were a vampire and he had seen her walk in sunlight first hand, so that was not a worry as of yet.

Having bothered to look at her neck for bolt marks made him realize that he really needed to reel in his more whimsically creative side.

"I normally use busts and statues, but they were not equitable for our current travel plans."

He nodded in appreciation of her honesty.

"I was told you were a bit of a recluse, if you don't mind my saying."

"Yes, you are correct that I live alone." She confirmed, "For many reasons that few would probably understand ... nor appreciate in my experience."

Now that she had finally been pulled from her apparent shell, he felt compelled to ask other questions that had continued to bother him.

"I notice that you've brought weapons, do I need to ... find some of those when we get to where we're going?"

He indicated the butts of her pistols with a glance.

"No." She replied evenly. "You definitely will not as these will be the only kind of actual ... protection that we will need."

She proceeded to extract a slender piece of what looked like hard white cloth of some sort from her breast pocket.

"You will also have me as hired body guard to cover my presence with you."

He looked at the white cloth without having quite understood what it was for.

"Remove your tie." She directed. "Please."

It suddenly dawned on him as he loosened his tie what it was that Delilah had reminded him of – an undertaker; always having appeared calm cool and direct under most all circumstances.