Out Of Time

The Hunt

Sam was helping lift what little food they had from the wagon into the shack while others set to work. She even helped Mr. Pearson get a fire going for a stew. Then she helped set up some beds for Arthur and Dutch. During that part, she was introduced to women named Tilly, Mary-Beth, and Karen. They were an absolute delight to be around, to say the least, but the more Sam got to working, the more faith she lost that this was all some weird dream.

"So where are you from, Miss Burke?" Tilly asked Sam.

"I'm from Minnesota," Sam replied with a sigh.

"Wow. That's a long way up north. How'd you end up down here?"

Sam paused as she was laying a blanket on Arthur's bed. "I...well..."

What was she supposed to say? She had to come up with something, didn't she? No, she could just tell them to mind their damn business, but that would be rude.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, Miss Burke," Tilly said. "We understand."

Sam turned to face the girl. "You do?" she said with surprise coating her voice.

"Yes. Not everyone wants to talk about their past."

"Oh."

Well, she could fake that, at least. She had a good past, actually. Nothing too traumatic except the death of her mother, but by that time Sam had been a self-sufficient adult. She'd never known her father, unfortunately. He'd died before she was born, but it didn't affect her much. In her musings, she didn't hear the girls leaving as there was a commotion outside. The door opened and Sam walked out of Arthur's room to see Dutch and some woman walking in.

"Ah, Miss Burke," Dutch said to Sam. "We haven't been properly introduced. My name is Dutch Van der Linde."

Sam bowed her head a little. "Sam Burke."

"Sam, huh? Is that short for somethin'?"

"Samantha."

"Ah. Well, if you'll excuse me, dear, I need some shut eye. I haven't slept in three days. We'll discuss your, uh, situation in the morning."

"Of course."

"Molly, which room are we in?"

"This one, Dutch," Molly said, pointing to the room on the left.

Sam noticed the woman was Irish and she shrugged. She went to the door but it opened and she backed up, seeing Arthur. "Oh, excuse me, Miss Burke," he said.

"You're excused," Sam answered.

"So, you still think you're dreamin'?"

"Yes."

Arthur chortled and jerked his head to the side. "Well, I guess for your sake, I hope you wake up."

Sam scoffed in amusement and pointed to the room on the right. "That's your room back there, I believe."

Arthur nodded. "Do you know where you'll be sleepin'?"

"Um, I guess the big shack with the others?"

"Well, maybe I'll see you in the mornin', then."

"I hope not." Arthur blinked at her words and Sam sighed, closing her eyes. "Sorry, I only meant-"

"Ah, it's alright. I know what you meant, Miss Burke." Arthur tipped his hat to her. "Well, good night, Miss Burke."

"Good night, Mr. Morgan."

Arthur walked passed and she turned to watch him go. As his spurs clanked against the wooden floor, Sam realized this man was a bonafide cowboy. Now, what kind of dream was this for a cowboy to be in it? Strange. Everything about this was so strange. She left the building and ambled through the snow to the main shack. As she walked in, she almost ran into Hosea.