Horrible Harvest

Three days later, Douglas was ready to travel, but only barely. He forced himself out the bed and drank his fill of broth and nibbled on bread. I tried to convince him that he wasn’t near fit to ride with me, but he weren’t having it. He had this idea that once we was on the train to Sioux City, his aches would be shook out of him on the rails.

Before leaving, I pulled Virginia aside.

“I told Felix he’s in charge.”

She frowned.

“But you’re smart enough to know, you’re for true in charge.”

She fought a smile. “I want to go with you.”

“Gotta do this on my own.”

“Then why is Mr. Douglas going with you?”

I grunted out a laugh. “‘Cause I’m doing you a kindness. Trust me. He’s a pain in the ass, that one. I plan on leaving him on the trail soon as I can.”

“You’re lying.”

I give pause before saying, “Yeah, I reckon I am. The truth is I’m chasing down some ugly business. The job I do here for Bobby, you’ve seen a touch of it, and it ain’t earning me wings. You know that. This is different. I can’t say why. I just don’t want you near it. Understand? You’ve seen enough ugly in your life. I ain’t gonna serve you up no more.

“Now, ‘fore you get all sad on me, you know this. You’re gonna meet up with my momma at the end of your travels. She’ll teach you what I can’t because she’s seen more ugly than any reasonable person could stand, but she come out of it without giving ugly back. That’s what I want you to learn. I can’t teach you that. Lesson never took in me because I ain’t good, and I ain’t gonna get no better on this trip. Any of this making sense?”

“I ain’t good neither.”

“First off, don’t talk like me ‘cause that ain’t gonna get you nowheres. Speak your smarts. Second off, you’re good as they come. The fact you don’t know that just proves my point. I’ve steered you towards ugly. ‘Sides, you’re headed to Charleston where you can hunt down your family.”

“You don’t even think my family’s there.”

“That’s true enough, but the one thing I’m good at is being wrong – and if they ain’t there, then you’ve got Miss Gladys and Momma – You’ve got a whole group of folks to look after you.”

She run to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. “Promise me you’ll make it to Charleston.”

I cupped my hand around her head and curled into her, but I couldn’t give her the promise she wanted.

“Promise me you’ll make it to Charleston. Just say it. Lie to me.”

I took a deep breath before I found the courage to say, “I’ll make it to Charleston. I will. I promise.”

I give her a kiss on the forehead and climbed atop my pale mount. We shared one last wave before I steered my horse to Douglas sitting in the saddle of his midnight black pony. Gladys held a fist under her nose and sobbed, and Felix stood next to her, awkward and fidgety. Bobby and Bert stood on the porch of the farmhouse and watched us as if we was exhibits in a zoo. Evers and Yates stood just off the porch, with their backs straight and shoulders back.

“You clear on everything I told you?” I asked Felix.

He nodded. “I’m clear.”

“The money?”

“It goes to your momma. I know. Don’t let Bobby near it.”

Bobby grinned from the porch. “Sound advice.”

“And wherever Gladys is?”

“Virginia is.”

“And wherever Virginia is?”

“I am.”

“You stick to them like a tick. You understand me?”

“Understood.”

Evers stepped forward. “I know this ain’t gotta be said, but Ima say it anyway. You need us, boss, you just say the word and will saddle up and ride wi-cha. Yates and me, we ain’t exactly got the fondest memories of Mr. Miller neither.”

“I appreciate the offer, my friend, but this here is more a Tennyson thing than a Miller thing.”

He clicked his heels and stood at attention, raising his hand in a salute. “Godspeed, Corporal.”

I saluted back.