A Life Of 'Shine - Lem Fike

42

"Keep quiet will ya." Nora hissed, crouching down behind a few barrels in an old house somewhere in big valley. Lem rolled his eyes although she didn't noticed, too busy looking through the gaps in wood to keep a watch on the road by them.

A few lanterns passed and she noticed the shadows of revenue agents pass by, but they had failed too consider checking the homestead near by.

Nora forgot how long they had been hiding for but judging by the darkened sky she had left camp hours before.

"How did we end up in this mess anyway?" Lem cried, frowning slightly from his seat. She let out a long sigh, dropping her head down. How had he forgotten the revenue agents who were littered about Blackwater and beyond and Fike was no unknown name, nor was he unrecognisable, so all it took was for one lawman to look at him and realise just who was busy socialising with the locals of Blackwater. Now they were hiding away, waiting until the revenue agents had grown tired of searching and retreated back to town or wherever else they had to go.

"You got spotted, Lemuel and then they decided to drag both us down."

"Yeah, but they'd know y-you from all those innocent revenue agents you killed."

"Innocent? I simply was defending myself and protecting you."

"Not how they s-see it."

She narrowed her eyes, looking at him with scowl. "What's with this attitude I'm receiving?"

He remained silent, crossing his arms and looking away as if he were a child having a strop. Not wanting to press matters further she decided to drop the subject completely and returned to watching the roads outside.

"Look- I'm just,, I don't know..."

She looked behind her, leaning against the wall as she listened to the other person in the room with her.

"I'm confused over everything and nothing. G-Guess I'm being silly because I still love you a-and yet I know that what I d-did really upset you and that I don't u-understand how you could forgive me so e-easily where as I know I probably wouldn't have if the situation was reversed." He paused to breathe, looking down at the floor in shame. "Honestly, I don't know where I'm g-going with this. Guess that's w-why I keep snapping a-at you, there's no proper reason."

He forced a small chuckle, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand as if he were crying, which he probably was.

"Yeah, you are being silly." Although she was admittedly annoyed by him she couldn't help but crack a smile, rising to move and sit closer to him. He noticed of course and looked at her with an expression close to confusion which turned to shock once her hand and entwined with his and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I live by forgive and forget, there is no use on lingering on something and well, you're a loyal man Lemuel Fike and I know very well you meant no harm in leaving, neither you nor your aunt did."

He could only nod, having no words to say in response to what she had said. All he could do however, was rest his own head on top of hers, squeezing her hand gently as he did so.

"I'd say if we wait 'til mornin' we should be safe to leave, how's that sound?" She asked, moving to a stand as she walked back over to the spot where she had been keeping an eye on the road before. He was disappointed in the loss of contact but chose not to voice it, instead opting to shrug which she couldn't see or hear.

"Sounds fair." He replied after a little while, from where he sat behind her he noticed her nod at his answer in the dim light. She began too sit on the ground, leaning against the wall as she wiggled for comfort which was something hard to come by when hiding in an abandoned house. He copied soon after, moving to lean against a few boxes instead before closing his eyes and waiting for sleep.