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jacksartan · 7 years

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Chapter 1

It was a crisp and lonely morning. The dew hadn’t fallen yet, nor had the sun risen. Its faint rays were just beginning to peak over the mountains in the distance. Long shadows formed and grew shorter while Fleet pounded on Gallatin’s door.

Gallatin loathed waking up early. He hated missing the sunrise even more.

“I’m up! I’m up I’m up I’m up!” Fleet listened. Fleet pounded some more. He’d been waking Gallatin up long enough to know he could hold a coherent conversation without gaining consciousness. Fleet kept knocking until the door opened. Once Gallatin was on his feet, he was up for the day. This morning was just a little different; there was a letter for Gallatin that had arrived the evening before so Fleet knew he had to give it to him now or it could be weeks before he remembered.

“What’s this?” Gallatin fumbled with the crinkly rectangle Fleet had thrust into his hand.

“Nothing. Ab-so-lutely nothing. Glad you’re finally up,” Fleet said as he made his way down the hall and the stairs at the end. He wondered if he should light the lamps this early, but decided the gas was too expensive. Downstairs, at the front desk, he’d have to light at least a candle anyway, might as well keep that peaceful loneliness for as long as possible. It makes getting his work done easier. Besides, the ranges were going in the kitchen and he wouldn’t want to ruin breakfast by burning the gas where it wouldn’t get any use.

In the kitchen, he stirred the pot of scrambled eggs so it wouldn’t burn and found a match rope to transfer the flame to his desk candle.

Gallatin stumbled down the stairs, bleary eyed and half asleep but ready for his day. He took some of Fleet’s tea from the desk with a grunt of approval and sat outside to watch the sunrise. It’s a daily ritual for Gallatin, wake up earlier than he wants to, be visibly grumpy about it, and then watch one of the most beautiful things he’s ever seen before. The tea and the sun peeking out around the mountains did their job and woke him up enough to remember he had a letter crushed in his hand. He heard Fleet lay out the breakfast he’d made for the other guests in the inn and smoothed out the envelope on his lap. He still had to squint to see in the dim morning light, but could make out the sender clearly enough. Gallatin groaned. His dad had written again, no doubt to ask how his writing is going since he never seems to get paid for the job he claims to have as a bounty hunter. Standing, he stretched and put the letter in his pocket.

Fleet looked up and blew out his candle. The sun was up and he couldn’t afford curtains or blinds, so there was light enough to see. No one else was stirring yet, but he knew that couldn’t last long. It never did. Gallatin walked in and looked a lot less grumpy, so much less grumpy that he slammed the door open and shut.

“Be quiet or I’ll start using your papers to light the stove,” Fleet threatened while Gallatin sat down at his usual spot against the window. A few minutes later, he set a plate down in front of Gallatin. It’ll get cold again. He never eats when he should. Fleet smiled to himself, wondering when he was going to start charging Gallatin for his room again. He appreciated the company, but couldn’t always make ends meet. Luckily, when Gallatin got paid, he offered up everything to help out, except for the little he saved for his fruitless hobby of being a ‘writer.’

Matthias always knocked gently before he walked in. This time was no different. He needed someone caught for once and figured he’d throw Gallatin a bone. Matthias thought Gallatin would go for this job, at the very least he would appreciate the name. A man named Grimm had been arrested for murdering and skinning sheep and dogs in town. Since he wasn’t violent towards humans and his trial was four towns over and two months in the future, Matthias had helped him make bail which saved the town money jailing him and was Matthias’s job. As a bail bondsman he put his faith in criminals to stick around, and it usually worked out. Occasionally one would flee, like Grimm, and he’d hire a bounty hunter who would get a cut of what the town paid him.

“I’ve got one for you, if you want it.”

“Mmhmm.” Gallatin didn’t even look up.

“Do you want the job?”

“Yeah, sure… maybe not, actually. I’m busy today.”

“Whatever you say, buddy. I’ll just leave this here then.” Matthias tucked the paper with the price and description of Grimm partway under the bottom of Gallatin’s pile. Then he nodded to Fleet and walked out the door.

Breakfast had been over and cleaned up for a couple of hours before Fleet saw anything change in his lobby. He was leaning back in his chair, feet on the guestbook, very nearly asleep when a young woman blew through the door and sat down at a table. Right behind her was a man, about the same age, who looked like he’d much rather be somewhere else. Anywhere else but there. The girl started whispering and the boy nodded, clearly not listening at all. Fleet sat up in his chair, leaning in attentively. He considered offering help with whatever they were doing to alleviate his boredom. Looking over to Gallatin, Fleet saw no change. Gallatin hadn’t noticed the door open at all. He listened across the room.

“I’m telling you, we have to go east. That’s where the trail’s been heading so far, why do you want to turn back now?”

“Jibble, I didn’t want to come in the first place. Remember how excited I was to be back at school? They’re never going to let me back in, you know.”

“But it’s an adventure!”

“Yeah, that’s your thing, not mine.”

“Whatever. I’m going east after I clean myself a little bit. That’s where they’ve been taking them.”

“Who have they been taking? You haven’t given me a solid answer on that yet!”

Gallatin noticed some unwelcome noise coming from somewhere behind him as the newcomers’ voices began to get higher. He stood up and went outside, thinking maybe getting his blood moving and the much less distinct sounds there would help him get going on his story.

Earlier, while Gallatin and Fleet were getting their breakfasts, Lucy sprinted across the sand. Irwin and Rick followed. They didn’t have a particular time they needed to capture Lucy by, they just needed another person to bring back to Roland. Emily’s orders, go out and capture people. Capture weak willed ones, easy to brainwash and manipulate. And then bring them back to Roland so he can make them into more of you. Lucy fit the bill, alright. She’d been part of the group they captured the night before and followed every instruction from the get-go. Every instruction, that is, before an old man had cut her free and told her to run. She’d followed that one too. And now here they were, chasing her across the sand as the sun rose.

The sun beat down on Lucy in her flight. The day kept going and she could see no end in sight. That was partly because she was watching the ground so she wouldn’t trip, giving the men behind her a slightly easier chance to catch her. Lucy looked up. She should’ve done this sooner; a town had appeared in front of her. An end was in sight, a town meant people and people meant help.

“Why are we taking so long to get her? We could’ve caught up hours ago and bagged her easily,” Rick asked Irwin. Irwin glared at Rick. And then he cracked a smile.

“Don’t be so eager, you know how nasty this can get. I’m just enjoying the ride.”

“Why not be eager? Isn’t this awesome!? We’re in charge and they can’t do nothing about it!”

“And that’s how everyone knows you’re new at this. Learn to calm down, I’ll like you more.”

Lucy made it into the town. She didn’t slow up any, the street was empty and she needed help. She saw a man with a gun walk out of the inn, staring into space, and shouted at him.

“Hey! Hey, Mister! Help me!”

Gallatin looked towards the only thing on the street making noise. The same distinct sounds he had just walked outside trying to escape. He sighed. Fleet and the two strangers heard the shout too and rushed to the window, curious about who needed help with what. Looking beyond the shouting woman, he saw two riders slowly gaining ground on her. Gallatin ran out into the street and grabbed her.

“What’s wrong? Who are you?” Gallatin asked repeatedly, not giving her time to answer.

“Really? She’s gotten help?” Irwin looked towards Rick. Dealing with his enthusiasm was going to be a pain, especially because it could get them killed.

“She has help! This is gonna be awesome, we might get to kill a guy!”

“Rick. Shut up. This is not good, not good at all. I think we should probably just let her go.”

The horses screeched to a halt right by Gallatin and Lucy. Lucy pointed at the riders a slumped to the ground, unsure of what to do. Gallatin looked at them, curious of who to address and why they were chasing the poor girl leaning against his legs. There was an older one, smile lines creased deep into his face which was definitely not smiling now. And there was a younger one, beaming and just a little too excited to be in charge.

“Excuse me, umm…,” Gallatin gestured to Lucy, the riders, and Lucy again, “what?” He was looking at Irwin, the older one. The excitement of the younger one was unnerving, especially when the fresh dog skins they had draped about were taken into account.

Irwin answered the question. “We’re just trying to keep my boy here’s lady friend safe. She had a nightmare last night and took off running, so we thought we’d let her tire out and then bring her back.”

“I really don’t believe you, ya know,” Gallatin said eyeing their guns and watching their hands.

Jibble whispered, “I wish I could hear what they’re saying more clearly. This is so exciting! I can’t believe I was right. Those guys look like the ones reported in those other towns. They’re totally trying to kidnap her and turn her into one of them.”

“Shhh! If you kept your trap shut, we could hear them. Besides, it looks like Gallatin there might actually have to do something. It’s been a while since he’s had a wrench thrown in his routine.”

“Gallatin? What kind of a name is that? I’m Jack, by the way.” Jibble’s companion shook Fleet’s hand.

“And I’m Jibble. Jack’s my brother.” She shook Fleet’s hand as well.

“Look!” Gallatin had been motionless while talking to Irwin and Rick, but he leaned forward. Fleet knew what this meant and didn’t want Jack and Jibble to miss it. Gallatin’s arm shot up and there was a loud crack.

Irwin noticed he wasn’t sitting on his horse anymore when his leg snapped while landing. Rick was still on his, but the horse had fallen instead. The round had killed it instantly and it fell straight down. Irwin’s hadn’t died, but it would need to be put down. Its front hoof was still on the ground where it had been standing, but in bucking and trying to run it seemed to have left the hoof behind.

Rick scrambled out from under his animal and ran over to Irwin. He picked him up and helped him hobble back where they came from as quickly as they could.

Gallatin picked Lucy up and kicked the leftover hoof to the side of the street. He carried her inside and set her down on an empty table while Jack, Jibble, and Fleet hurried back to their spots to try and act nonchalant. After making sure she was unhurt, Gallatin went to Fleet’s kitchen and made lunch for the five of them. He handed everyone a plate and sat back down at his stack of paper to continue trying to write his story. Instead of grabbing his pen and staring at it motionless, he picked up the paper Matthias had left for him earlier. He’d read it already, but something about the men he’d just scared away seemed familiar and he wanted to make sure.

Jibble set her plate down on the table next to Gallatin and sat herself down on the bench right there too. She had an idea.

“Say, that was pretty neat what you just did there.”

“I suppose you could say that.”

“My brother Jack and I are on an adventure, a quest of sorts, to stop the people those guys work for. You should totally join us.”

“No.”

“We’ll stick around for a day or two, for when you change your mind.”

Gallatin turned to the stack of paper. He’d decided it was time to write his father back. What was he going to say, though? More of the same didn’t seem like an acceptable option. ‘Hey Dad, I’ve got another alive contract. The book is the same as it’s always been, empty. From, Gal’ just didn’t cut it. Gallatin wrote about how he’d managed to save a girl that morning from a couple of shifty looking riders instead. He even included some context to make it more satisfying for his father. The rest of the day passed in relative silence, Fleet snoozing at the desk or cooking dinner for the guests at the inn, Jack waiting for time to pass so he could finally go back to school and stop worrying about his sister, Jibble daydreaming about the next steps in her adventure, and Gallatin carefully composing a letter.

Fleet was in the kitchen checking on his casserole when he heard the door open once, then a second time. He chuckled to himself. Gallatin was going through his usual routine of watching the sunset before he ate then went to bed and Jibble must have followed. Jack had seemed annoyed with literally everything that day, so Fleet was sure he’d stayed in the lobby. He’d probably stay there all night if nothing better popped up.

Gallatin walked around the building. One of the perks of living on the edge of a small town was the view from everywhere, and he never had to go far to get an unobstructed one. On the back side, he could face west and watch the sun go down. He lived his days with the sun because it gave him a sense of rhythm and purpose in life.

“Whatcha doin?”

Gallatin jumped, he hadn’t heard Jibble follow him out. Or Jack. He looked at one, then the other and repeated the motion with a glare. Then he sat down and leaned against the building. They followed suit.

“I’m watching the sunset, just like I do every day.”

“Why do you do that every day?”

“Two reasons. One, it makes me feel like I’m not just wasting away, frozen here.”

“And two?”

“And two, I think it’s one of the most beautiful things this world has to offer and there’s no harm in appreciating something beautiful.”

#gallatin #writing #stories #story #chapter 1 #books

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