RDR II : The Tulip & the Willow (CANNON)

(Ch13 Pt4) -Horseshoe Overlook-

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Chapter 13 Pt. IV
"To Lose One's Bearings..."
("Exit Pursued By A Bruised Ego")

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Ticking and ticking, there was a click and a tick from somewhere.

The monotonous snick and click and tick became louder, Tulip was confused, her eyes only seeing the deep darkness. Tick-tock and Tulip couldn't tell where she was. For some strange reason, she felt like time was running out. She wanted to move, but she felt like...nothing. It didn't feel like Tulip was airborne, underwater, or even on flat ground. As the ticks echoed stronger, she began to wonder if she's just simply existing in the lonely dark.

In the vastness void, (click-tick,) she wanted to yell out, or say anything. Yet, despite all her efforts, nothing came. Tulip didn't feel muffled, she felt as if her mind couldn't process forming out words, the invisible clock running (tick-tock). It felt as if she never learned how to speak, it made her anxious.

Her nervousness churned sickly in her stomach, amazed on how she could even feel. Her throat was sore, it's as if she was holding back tears or any depressing emotion. All she wanted was one word from her mouth. Just one. Just one more. Any word, any letter, any syllable, anything. The more she struggled, the more the clock rang louder. Then as the click-clacks became so loud and unbearable, her eyes cracked open violently, followed by a burn and tiredness.

The clock sounds finally died down compared to her dream, she rubbed her eyes groggily, turned her head, and saw her silver pocket watch on top of her journal next to her. Tulip was relieved, far more relieved than she had expected. Taking a deep sigh, she quietly grabbed them and began reading her last entry, uncertain what she did last night:

" -O' Creagh's Run?- "

"It's late, but I wanted to write regardless. We had to take a trip to Valentine's general store, Uncle had a strange list. The lazy man also had a poor excuse, 'lumbago'? The rest of the ladies tagged along, even Sadie Adler herself - a fun trip it was. Hoped it helped on tearing her mind off of her husband. A man from Blackwater, going by the name Brooks, had recognized the lot of us. We became sloppy on our tracks. We became a bit too entranced by money and reputation.

Some time later, we've managed to grab even more curious eyes when Willow, Arthur, and I stumbled into the bigger bar of Valentine with Javier and Charles. I found it humorous how a drunken Charles Smith tried calling back the offended women. Bill, however, caused chaos - with the rest of us idiots dragged into it. Tommy. I felt sorry for him. He was almost killed in front of the entire town, I couldn't blame Arthur though. All of us were...filled with mixed feelings after that mess. I dread what'd happen if any of us were killed off.

Now I'm here, hunting with Hosea and the others. Just like back in those days when we haven't got the law breathing down our necks, or us anxious about the goddamn gallows. Should I tell them about the corpse? There's no use, they already know."

Tulip swallowed thickly, her dry throat making it hurt. She had crossed out the last few words knowing that Willow or any of them for that matter; would find out by simply reading her entries. They couldn't know about the map, not yet.

She closed her worn journal, her movements feeling a bit sluggish. Tulip was already secretly regretting staying up so late, but it was a feeling she had been used to for years: Tired. For once, she feels like sleeping more, the sky was a dull foggy gray.

"Mm..." She sat up nonetheless, she felt that time should never be wasted on such temporary luxury.

A few moments had passed when she neatly packed up some of her things, Hosea stretched and both prepared themselves for the next morning. "Ah, it's nice to not hear the gang's idiocy in the mornings, or Miss Grimshaw's threats towards everyone." He chuckled, Tulip smiling and agreeing with him. "Coffee?"