A Life Of 'Shine - Lem Fike

57

"Tumbleweed. That's where we'll go!" Cripps cried, the bottle in hand being lifted in a motion as he expressed his plan.

Lem raised his brow, the idea of Tumbleweed perhaps being a bit too ambitious. He shook his head after a moment of thinking it over. "We'll never make it that far.. it's a good few day's the journey and there's no telling when Nora'll wake."

"She'll wake soon, Lemuel. Don't you fret."

"That's wishful thinkin' I hate this just as much as you all do.. but it ain't lookin' so good for her, for us either." He sighed.

Kieran looked on, his eyes trailing towards the cot where Nora still lay.

It had been days since their move to Saint Denis and even longer since the shooting that put her into this state. However there was some developments, shall he say, in Nora.. sometimes her expression would subtly change and her face would contort from peace to pain. But never did she wake up or make a sudden movement such as a twitch in her finger, or a movement of her arm or leg.

There was progress, she was getting better.. but never had he seen someone so damaged from an explosion. He didn't realise how close she was, didn't want to think back on it in reality. All he wanted now was for his friend, the person who saved him when he needed it, to be safe and wake up before them.

Kieran let out an irritated groan, both through his impatience in waiting for Nora to wake up and the frustration as well as disappointment he felt with himself for allowing such a think to happen to Nora. They all should have realised that the revenue men had thrown that dynamite over, at least then they could have prevented such a disaster from happening.

"Our Nora's a fighter. Just you wait an' see, she'll be back in no time." Cripps went on, taking his bottle from hand and giving it to the floor. Lem scowled and shook his head all in one motion, while he would have wanted to think positively, had it not been a situation where they were all currently on the run, he found his thoughts become more negative and darker as the day's went on.

He tried being positive for it was the woman he loved currently in this state, but no matter what he tried, no matter how hard he tried being positive, his thoughts alway's turned sour.

"I need-a go for a-a walk.. clear m-my head." He announced as he stood up from the chair he had been seated. The other's didn't say a word and instead watched as he left their temporary lodging.

All he needed was to let himself get some fresh air to calm his nerves, his worries. He left quickly, not wanting to linger within that cramped space anymore but still not wanting to travel too far.

The train tracks were not far at all, very close by and perhaps too close for any of their liking. Sure any other time he would curse being so close to the railway, but right now he knew that nobody else would go travel by them and that it would offer just the correct amount of quiet he needed.

Unfortunately, he still needed to make it through the city without anyone recognising the poor fool. All it would take was for one person to realise Lemuel Fike was walking amongst them for himself as well as the other's to all get thrown into the county jail or worse.. shipped off to Sisika.

He could see the penitentiary from where he stood currently as he made his way through the slums. The building standing high and proud off in the distance, as he watched he saw the faintest of shadow's move against it's brick walls and as he stood, fascinated by this he failed to realise the shouting of law men telling him to move away from the road as he was blocking the wagon's from passing by.

He startled when a hand was placed on his shoulder and felt his stomach drop when he came face to face with one of the men lawmen of Saint Denis.

"Hey ain't you that Lem Fike fella?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.