The Cowboy

Chapter 1

          This journey seemed never-ending. The endless plop of the horse hooves on the rocky dirt echoed in my ears. It's been two weeks since we set off from our hometown in search of a better place. The civil war took everything from us and whatever hope we had left, kept dwindling more and more each day on the road. I kept reminding myself not to let the image of a better life grow bleak, even through the hunger and the exhaustion. The look on my sister, Elizabeths, face grew more and more painful to look at. The fear for her unborn child was fairly obvious in her worried expression.
          Before setting out on the trip, Elizabeth's long, brunette hair was styled and curled all up and she wore a beautiful pink gown, as if she was to meet someone she wanted to impress. Now, her hair was just scattered randomly about her head and face and her gown had multiple dirt and grass stains and wasn't nearly as elegant. Further proof that no stop along the way had been easy for us.

          "We're gonna have to do a canteen stop soon. Waters almost out. And i have to pee." Elizabeth said, interrupting my thoughts. She didn't take her eyes off the canteen she was holding the whole time she spoke to me.

          Figuring a breath of fresh air after 3 days straight of barely leaving the carriage would be nice, i beat on the cab wall, yelling for Don to stop. Don was mine and Elizabeth's good friend since childhood. He's been super loyal and an amazing support system. He's basically like a brother to me. After Mac, Elizabeth's husband, died in battle alongside our father, Don agreed to do any and everything he can to help us and the soon-to-come baby through whatever trials were ahead. He really came through with that promise.
          After Don stopped, I immediately climbed out with the two canteens in hand. I grabbed Elizabeth's hands and helped her out. She reached her hand to grab a canteen from me.

          "No, It's alright. You just go do what you have to and come back to the carriage."

          "I drink the water too, sis, in fact, i use most of it." She insisted

          "Yeah but you have a lot more on your shoulders.....and your stomach..than us"

          "Andrea, I'm HAVING a child, I'm NOT the child." She rolled her eyes

          "Okay, but look at you. You're in no condition to strain yourself in any way or form. With the conditions we've been facing, the babys at risk enough as it is, SO for the rest of the trip, You need to take it as easy as possible. You've already done more than you should have anyway." I smiled as i finished my case. I just wanted her to know that i didn't think she was weak. I thought quite the opposite really. I just needed for her to be okay, and she clearly was not.

          "This isn't a trip. This is a.....well, I don't know what it is. We don't even know exactly where we're going. I know, up north was a good plan, but we were so stupid to think that it was going to just be that easy. Everywhere we stop, it's either too expensive or too post-war heavy. I don't even know how much this is all worth." She said. She looked at me with such regret and worry. Don came around the carriage with his usual determined expression.

          "We're going to get you somewhere safe, soon okay? We have a goal and we're gonna go until it's met. I'll die before i let this all be in vain" Don chimed in, keeping full, serious eye contact with Elizabeth.

          Elizabeth rubbed her belly, then looked back and forth between Don and I. She sighed then headed off into the thick bushes to pee. I took that chance to finally observe our surroundings. We were on a rocky dirt trail, surrounded by thick bushes and skinny trees. There was more sand and dirt than grass for as far as the eye could see. We were definitely towards the west.

          "Please look after her when she gets back until i return." I say to Don, turning to him.

          "Of course" He nodded. I turned to walk away.