Chapter 1
✧・✢◌̥࿙࿚࿙࿚𓈒✢◌࿙࿚࿙࿚𓈒✢◌𓈒✢꒪✧・✢◌̥࿙࿚࿙࿚𓈒✢◌࿙࿚࿙࿚𓈒✢◌𓈒✢꒪
✧・✢◌̥࿙࿚࿙࿚𓈒✢◌࿙࿚࿙࿚𓈒✢◌𓈒✢꒪✧・✢◌̥࿙࿚࿙࿚𓈒✢◌࿙࿚࿙࿚𓈒✢◌𓈒✢꒪
Arid plains outstretch the region, as the summer heat engulfs every acre of land, unrelentless. Marie Anderson wipes the sweat off her brow using her sleeve, her other hand steadying her horses’ reigns. “Atta boy Reno”, she hums, fingers combing through chestnut locks. Reno is a fine brown-spotted stallion, spirited - akin to Marie. She values his companionship during times like this; just her, Reno and the vastness of the frontier.
Reno’s hooves scuff against the course dirt path as they make their approach. Eyes squinted Marie can start to make out the distinct silhouette of Deadman’s perch, a quaint town, welcoming to a range of unusual characters. A bit dangerous, perhaps - but conveniently close for when she needed a few supplies. A sanctuary for homesteaders and shady figures alike, no one cares for your past as long as you keep quiet and have good coin in your pocket.
The smell of hard liquor and gunpowder clings to the air as she strides through town. With no intention of staying long, Marie promptly dismounts in front of the general store, pulling out her pocket notebook. She walks inside, skimming her finger across the page, 50lbs flour, 100lbs oats, sugar. She lets out a preliminary sigh - there’s a long day ahead of her... and a whole lot of heavy lifting too.
Inside, painted wood shelves are lined with a variation of products, from tinned fish to imported coffee beans, filling the air with a rich aroma. The shopkeeper seated at the front is a stout old man, scrupulously flipping through the ledger at the front counter. One hand brushing against his beard, with a pen in the other, he writes with great concentration. Marie approaches, “Mornin’“, she chirps.
He lifts his head, “Ah, Miss Anderson, pardon’, didn’t notice you there. What’ll it be today?“. He sets his pen down, occupying his hand with a cloth instead, wiping monotonously against his spectacles.
“Just stocking up on a few things for the ranch; fifty pounds of flour, a hundred pounds of oats and some sugar.”
“Workin’ hard, aren’t you Miss Anderson?“, he chimes, as he starts to heave sacks behind the counter.
“Just doin’ my part. Ma and pa could do with the help around the ranch, can’t be sittin’ around bein ornamental all day”. She says, playing with her thumbs.
“Ain’t that the truth”, the shopkeeper drops the sacks onto the counter with a loud thump. “That’ll be three dollars”, he states.
She pays for her supplies, lugging the oats over her shoulder as she walks outside.
Reno’s ears perk as Marie approaches. “You’ve been a good boy I hope - haven’t been causin’ too much trouble whilst I’ve been away, hmm?“, she says pertly as she hoists the canvas sack onto his flank.
She retrieves the other goods, storing them on Reno - prompting a slight grunt from him.
Marie mounts her horse, turned towards the open range, they venture back towards the ranch. The weather is still sweltering but the dust of Deadman’s Perch settles gracefully behind them. Reno trots, saddlebags gently thumping against him, the soothing repetition drowning out the noontime bustle around them.
As the exit the fringe of town they pick up the pace, galloping along dirt paths lined with sagebush. It’s such a bizarre feeling for Marie - these rides were a purgatory of the mind. All these years, she’s felt so stagnant, trapped, almost. Her future is being mapped out on paper... marriage - with some wealthy businessman a town over. The ranch is her safe haven, it’s hard for her to imagine herself living a life without it. Her parents want this of her... she can’t let them down. Be a dutiful daughter... there’s no use fighting against that. She exhales sharply, gripping onto the reigns as she tussles with the conflict in her mind.
Reno stops in his tracks.
Marie instinctively bends over, “what’s up boy?“, she asks cautiously.
His glassy eyes narrow in front of the track. An abrasive rattle ascends from the brush. Her heart drops, “c’mon now, let’s keep moving”, she pats him in attempts to ease his nerves. A rattlesnake emerges, tightly coiled, prompting Reno to start moving in the opposite direction. She pats him, a rushed endeavor to facilitate him back on track. “You’re alright boy, let’s just get home”, she insists. The snake lunges forward, causing Reno to buck Marie off - bolting in the opposite direction. She rolls off, scraping against the ground. The pain being the least of her worries in this current moment meant she was standing up within a manner of seconds.
Just my luck.
The rattlesnake, still coiled is perked up threateningly, fangs on clear display. She musters the courage to stay silent, taking gradual steps backwards as she unholsters her pistol. Gun in hand she makes it a few more feet away. Her eyes, dilated, fix onto the snake, waiting for it to strike, mere seconds feels like an eternity.
Its fangs retract.
The snakes head meets with the ground, promptly slithering away into the wilderness.
Marie drops to the ground, clutching her pounding chest. Taking a moment to process the near-death experience, she returns to a state of consciousness - coming to the realization that she was stranded between town and the ranch with nothing but her two legs and a pistol.
She falls back, head hitting the ground as she stares at the sky. The heat taunts her as she gathers herself for the long walk ahead. “You better make it home you stupid horse”, she mutters under her breath. She squints as the sun reveals itself from behind the clouds.
Something - no, someone towers over her however. The sunlight highlights their silhouette, causing her to squint more in attempts to make out if the person in front of her was reality or an image conjured by early onset delirium.
“You’re blocking the path miss”, the stranger exclaims.
She sits up, eyes meeting with a tall man, in his early 20s perhaps. Dark hair neatly tucked under his stetson, his face embellished with slight facial hair gave him a rugged look - but there was a glint in his eye, a quiet, searching stillness as he scanned her. She stood up, face flushed, “I’m awful sorry - it’s just that my horse got a scare and, well...“.
He chuckles, “Well I’m sorry to hear that - you’ve found yourself in quite the predicament, haven’t you?“.
Marie laughs sheepishly, “I suppose so... I best be on my way now, I’m sure you have much to attend to”. She brushes at her blouse, moving backwards.
“You live far from here?“, he questions.
“Quite the walk I suppose... why?“, she steps back, cautiously. She keeps her guard up, understandably - knowing the characters that pass through parts like this, it’s only natural.
He mounts back on his horse, gesturing with his head for her to get on too.
So be it, then.
⊹₊‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧₊⊹
This is my first written piece I’ve posted on here! I hope you enjoyed it :). There will be more on the way so if anyone has any input/advice, please let me know in the comments!! Bye for now <3
