A Life Of 'Shine - Lem Fike

24

Harry slept for nearly the equivalent of a full day after Nora had rescued him the day before, she didn't mind the company it was just having to pay the fool's bounty so he wouldn't get hunted while she was away and unable to help him out that irritated her.

"What the hell happened?" Harry's eyes were dark, his hair a mess due to just waking up. Nora offered a small smile, handing over a cup of coffee for an extra bit of energy in the afternoon.

"Drinking, the usual. I managed to pick you up before sheriff did, you're lucky I was in town." Harry held a sheepish look, sipping his coffee without saying anything so not to annoy his older sister.

"Lem's agreed to take you to the moonshine shack, keep an eye on you to make sure you don't go drinking. There's some people I need to visit in Saint Denis, do be a good boy and not irritate him for me."

"What is he to you?"

"Excuse me?"

"You been acting awful funny. Holdin' hands, fooling around. That's not necessarily friends, is it?"

"Why do you care?"

Harry chuckled, placing the now empty cup of what was coffee onto the table so he no longer cradled it in his hands. He leant forward, using this elbows to rest on the table.

"I care, because I'm your brother." He offered a false smile, his teeth showing from behind the beard.

"Well, me and Lem courting is none of your concern."

"So you are?"

"I'm not ashamed to admit that we are, but I fail to see how this is of your concern." Harry chuckled, a grin spread on his face as his suspicions had been confirmed. Nora awkwardly smiled along but failed to recognise what the other was smiling for, she forced the grin like she forced how comfortable she was with this conversation.

"Well, as long as you're happy. Just, make sure to not forget to tell your dear brothers about anything else in the future, like marriage or children." Nora rolled her eyes at the response, pushing herself from the table so she could leave for her trip seemingly across country to visit her friends in Saint Denis.

"Lem's at the baths, wait here for him to return. He said he should be home after buying some food and medicine so he shouldn't be too long now, please just listen Harold and I'll buy you a tin of biscuits." She was bribing him and he knew it, usually he would refuse and walk out but having caused her enough grief and having stayed in a warm house for the night he felt obligated to nod in agreement. Besides, Biscuits would be a damn good treat anyway.

She thanked him, a smile signifying gratitude was passed his way just before she walked out of the house. Usually, she would ride on Beanz to the city but today she just couldn't be bothered for the harsh journey. She had counted what little money her and Lem had left after paying rent for the house, scraping a few pennies to the side for food before being satisfied with what little she had; knowing it to be enough for the journey to Saint Denis and back via train.

Funnily enough, Nora had never properly been on a train before. Sure she had gotten on a couple of times, that was either to shoot at some people who needed shooting or too flee the law after a bank heist that led to her being trapped in the graveyard. But never had she willing bought a ticket to sit in a carriage and ride to the town.

She was excited to put it lightly, sitting on her own in the carriage watching the world fly pass at the speed the train was going. Unfortunately, due to Harry's late waking up the sky had already began to darken meaning she was going to have to put off meeting her friends until the following morning.

Like most other passengers on the train, Nora was getting ready to sleep to skip time but a harsh jolt from the train had disturbed what little sleep she could've gotten and now she was left awake, the train stopped in the middle of nowhere and having no horse she had no choice but to stay on while waiting for whatever distraction to pass through. But it didn't.

She heard the gunshots from a few carriages ahead and the screams from passengers were sour in her ears. She looked around at the other worried faces the passengers gave to eachother and a few more gunshots getting closer had forced her into action; even though she had no idea what she was doing.

She removed the revolver from the off-hand holster, creeping closer to the door so whoever was to walk into her carriage next wouldn't see her as she hid strategically behind it. It offered her enough protection to move and point the weapon at the robber, which was exactly what happened with a breeze. She just hadn't accounted for the gruff voice and cold metal from behind her, the same weapon being pointed at her own skull.

"What's a pretty thing like you pointing guns at fella's with friends?" His face was obscured but once the man she had previously held at gunpoint had turned around and began talking she recognised him almost instantly, now she had wished she pulled the trigger when she had the chance.

Having been a regular at their camp, he recognised her too. One drunken evening he spoke too fondly of her with the men, saying she had an unforgettable face he would've loved to see more often but more privately.

"Micah." She spat, slowly turning around to see the soft blue eyes of Arthur behind her. There was a look of shock which flashed across his face, but it was gone almost as soon as it appeared. Knowing she could also get into trouble for putting the gun away and acting all friendly he opted for the next best trick.

The last thing Nora did see was the butt of the gun before her vision went black.