Luke Fellner
Jay Chapter 2: The Road
The sky was still grey from the storms last night, Ross was definitely nervous about my company, though he wasn’t going anywhere, I had some things he didn’t: a gun and a brain. Ross is the type of person that gets used, I’m sure he’ll continue to be used by others when I’m done. Though he’s not getting out of my grasp, I’m not in the charity business, unless you call putting people out of their misery charity. There were always people like Ross around the people I had to kill. These people were always poorly bathed, and their brains were always on the verge of snapping. Sometimes they were the ones who’d hire me. The wild type.
The golden grass shimmered as the clouds began to clear up. The clouds cast their shadows on grass in the distance making it seems almost like waves were rising and faling on the plains. We finally were at the bottom of the hill the R&R camp rest itself on. The Army kept camps out this far west to observe the railroad production as well as keep bandits and savages in check, Ross spoke to me, “Since we gon be travelin’ togetha, we oughta get to know eachotha.”
He paused a moment and looked at me idiotically gesturing I speak, “Well you know my profession, what do you do for a living, or what... did you do?”
This topic clearly was something he wasn’t stable about, “I never had me a job, no sir, papa was rich enough to give me a good lifestyle” he paused as if I was going to pat him on the back for being rich, “none of that there money is mine though. The bastard died, he left me outa the damned will!” Ross paused again and said something angrily under his breath, his bone structure was just right where his face looked like a skull when the light was correct. “Mah got some money, the rest went to damned charity” he seemed to cry a little under his breath, once again the shadows from his eye and cheek bones made a skull out of his face. “That bastard Saul” he quieted down, “no wonder Mary Ann wanted him dead” he came back to speaking volume, “gave me that map he got from some gambla. Me and Saul was thick as thieves growin up! I’d kill him thirty times for trying to run off on me!” He looked at me with insanity in his eyes, “What was you before killin’?”
I wasn’t afraid of Ross’ insanity, but it did tell me to keep an eye on him, which I was smart for doing, “I was enlisted, that was the only other job I ever had” Ross started laughing, I smiled and played along “What’s so funny?”
“You was an honorable man in the big bad army!” He mockingly made a tough pose on his horse, “Now you’s a killa for a livin’!”
I smiled at him and pointed my pistol, “Now I usually lie to men about where I came from, I’m trusting you with this, may I finish buddy?”
Ross looked at me afraid and nodded his head, I continued, “They used to put me in R&R camps and on the Navy ships to fish out traitors and spies. I’ve put more than a few men at the end of a noose for the Army, and then some for fun” I looked at Ross to let him know not to try and cross me, “They found out I started killing people for money on the side, when they sent someone to kill me off, I showed them why I’m the best.”
Ross asked, "Did you kill them?”
I didn’t answer his question, he seemed a bit too afraid to ask again. We had made quite a bit of distance between ourselves and the R&R camp. The road seemed to be used fairly often. A man was rushing down the road towards us from that direction. He was a stereotypical cowboy. A repeater on his back, six shooter and sawed off shotgun at his hips on either side. He had a flat brimmed hat clearly for practicality and not style, leather chaps over his jeans, and a leather vest over his plaid button down. It was surprising his cigar stayed in his mouth as his golden horse charged forward. He wasn’t well shaven, but wasn’t poorly kept. A bandana around his neck in case the cattle or anything kicked up too much dust. As he approached I could see he had dirty blonde hair and dark blue eyes, I don’t trust blondes.
The man slowed down next to us. He had a mean look in his eyes but not unwelcoming, “You mind if I ride along with you two?”
I never trusted people like him, “Depends on what brings you to us”
I kept my hand on my pistol as he looked at me and said, “You can take your hand off the gun, I’m just looking for some company. I’m a hunter out here on my own”
I took my hand off the pistol but kept it cocked, “Your outfit would suggest otherwise”
He could see I wasn’t buying this Hunter thing, “Well, I used to be a rancher, but that doesn’t matter. We should trust each other if we’re going to be riding side by side for the moment” he looked over his shoulders, “We don’t need to exchange names, I’m just sick of riding alone”
Ross spoke up, “Why’s you riding this way?”
“No particular reason, just got chased away from some buffalo by natives”
I yelled at him, “How do you know they’re not following you?!”
“I don’t, but you shouldn’t worry”
Spitefully, “Why shouldn’t I worry?”
He smiled at me, “Because it’s unhealthy to worry” while looking over his shoulders.
Ross looked at me, “I like this man Jay, he’s got a good head”
I looked angrily at Ross for saying my name, “So, how many bullets do you have in your pistol ‘Hunter’?”
He laughed a little, “At least two Jay, I’ll assume you’ve got at least one”
“That’s right Hunter”
Ross said, “Lighten up Jay, he said he won’t hurt us”
“He is leading some angry savages our way”
The Hunter said, “They may want my head, but I wouldn’t call them savages.”
I responded, “I would”
A moment of silence came over just as we started to pass the gate of a ranch. The Hunter pulled out his shotgun and I put my hand back on my pistol, “Jay take your hand off your pistol, Natives are coming, you go into that ranch and I’ll take care of this”
Ross went ahead and listened to the Hunter, I followed Ross. Six savages on horseback followed The Hunter. The savages dressed like civilized folk except they didn’t wear any hats. The Hunter shot both shots in their direction. One of the horses panicked and another rider fell bloody on the ground. The Hunter took off into the golden ocean of grass as Ross and I rode to the ranch house.