I packed my gear under the watchful eye of one of Benboy’s goonies. He wasn’t entirely helpful.
“You’re gonna bring coffee, right? Cause, like, I really like coffee.” The guy’s fingers were twitching as he fingered items from my room. He definitely looked like he had consumed some serious caffeine.
“You don’t say?” I muttered.
“Like, I mean, it’s not like I need it to survive or anything, but it really helps me get going, you know?”
“I bet it does.” I said, trying to stay neutral on this subject. I quickly shoved a spare shirt and pants into a saddlebag. I threw it at the guy. “Carry that.”
“Coffee?” He opened the flap, despite the fact he had just seen me throw clothes in there.
“No, not coffee.” I said. “I’ll grab some on the way down.”
“Oh, good.” He shakily redid the strap on the bag.
I flipped an ammo belt over my shoulder, then grabbed my jacket. I flung it on my shoulders, feeling its familiar weight. I stuffed some money in my pocket, and then shouldered my shotgun. “I’m ready.”
“You don’t have coffee yet.” The guy hurried to remind me.
“Yes.” I said. “You’re very perceptive.”
“Thanks, coffee helps with that.” He smiled, the corners of his mouth twitching.
We tramped back down the stairs. I ducked into the kitchen. All my help had hung up their aprons and left already, without cleaning up. Imagine that. I’d be coming home to a mess, best-case scenario. I grabbed a tin, and exited the kitchens back into the main room.
The guy eyed the tin. “Is that going to be enough?”
I eyed him straight back. “Probs not.” I dodged back in and grabbed a second. He offered to carry it, but I insisted I could manage.
We slipped through the swinging doors. My horse had been brought around front, and I headed straight for it. I walked straight up to its head, and looked it in the eyes. “I hope you’ve changed.”
I turned around to face the coffee-zombie. “Hey…uh, what’s your name?”
“Flash.”
“Nice. I’m Con. Can I have a new horse?”
He scrunched up his face. “What’s wrong with the one you got?”
“He has a higher opinion of himself than of me.”
“I think that comes standard with most hosses.” He shrugged.
“Oh well, it can’t be helped then.” I turned back around to face my fleabag. “Bear with me on this.” I held up my saddlebags. “These are the height of fashion for horses right now. You are privileged to have some nice leather bags. They are top of the line, hand-sewn, cow leather. I’m going to put them on you, and you’re not going to object. Got it?”
He shook his head no, but I tried it anyways. I threw the bags over his back. He stood stock-still for a few seconds, and then turned and looked at me with the most long-suffering, superior look it could muster.
I tightened them up, and continued to rig my horse up. Brian appeared at my elbow. “I’ve never ridden a horse. Think that’ll be a problem?”
“Oh yes, definitely.”
He nodded remorsefully. “That’s kind of what I figured.” He ambled off.
I finished gearing up, and then helped a few others get ready till the whole posse was mounted. I hopped aboard my horse, which groaned plaintively, and looked at me accusingly.
“Hey, fleabag, guess who weighs more? You or me?” I shot back at him.
I turned around to face the coffee-zombie. “Hey…uh, what’s your name?”
“Flash.”
“Nice. I’m Con. Can I have a new horse?”
He scrunched up his face. “What’s wrong with the one you got?”
“He has a higher opinion of himself than of me.”
“I think that comes standard with most hosses.” He shrugged.
“Oh well, it can’t be helped then.” I turned back around to face my fleabag. “Bear with me on this.” I held up my saddlebags. “These are the height of fashion for horses right now. You are privileged to have some nice leather bags. They are top of the line, hand-sewn, cow leather. I’m going to put them on you, and you’re not going to object. Got it?”
He shook his head no, but I tried it anyways. I threw the bags over his back. He stood stock-still for a few seconds, and then turned and looked at me with the most long-suffering, superior look it could muster.
I tightened them up, and continued to rig my horse up. Brian appeared at my elbow. “I’ve never ridden a horse. Think that’ll be a problem?”
“Oh yes, definitely.”
He nodded remorsefully. “That’s kind of what I figured.” He ambled off.
I finished gearing up, and then helped a few others get ready till the whole posse was mounted. I hopped aboard my horse, which groaned plaintively, and looked at me accusingly.
“Hey, fleabag, guess who weighs more? You or me?” I shot back at him.
I turned around to face the coffee-zombie. “Hey…uh, what’s your name?”
“Flash.”
“Nice. I’m Con. Can I have a new horse?”
He scrunched up his face. “What’s wrong with the one you got?”
“He has a higher opinion of himself than of me.”
“I think that comes standard with most hosses.” He shrugged.
“Oh well, it can’t be helped then.” I turned back around to face my fleabag. “Bear with me on this.” I held up my saddlebags. “These are the height of fashion for horses right now. You are privileged to have some nice leather bags. They are top of the line, hand-sewn, cow leather. I’m going to put them on you, and you’re not going to object. Got it?”
He shook his head no, but I tried it anyways. I threw the bags over his back. He stood stock-still for a few seconds, and then turned and looked at me with the most long-suffering, superior look it could muster.
I tightened them up, and continued to rig my horse up. Brian appeared at my elbow. “I’ve never ridden a horse. Think that’ll be a problem?”
“Oh yes, definitely.”
He nodded remorsefully. “That’s kind of what I figured.” He ambled off.
I finished gearing up, and then helped a few others get ready till the whole posse was mounted. I hopped aboard my horse, which groaned plaintively, and looked at me accusingly.
“Hey, fleabag, guess who weighs more? You or me?” I shot back at him.
Post by LegoAgentFigure on Sept 5, 2018 2:46:36 GMT
Chapter V
Hours later, I set out towards Redbrick. It took me hours, but at last I made progress. I had passed through a large stretch of open, flat sandy earth. At last I made it to some more rocky hills, identical to the ones I had previously camped in. I dropped to the ground, exhausted. The sky was slowly getting lighter now with each passing minute. I took a sip of water and checked my supplies. Not much was left. I’d have to get to Redbrick before I ran out of water.
I had camped in the rocky hills and waited for the sun to pass its high point, then continued. I stumbled through some more hills, then looked at my surroundings. No one appeared nearby, so I continued onto a long stretch of ground. Redbrick was closer, but there was still a good day of travel left. I dropped to the ground for a while, exhausted. I sipped another bit of water, then realised what I had just drunk was all I had left. Almost all of my supplies were depleted. If I didn’t reach Redbrick soon, I could probably die. Maybe. I dunno, I’ve spent all my time in my cabin. I’ve never found out how long I can last without food and water.
Hours later, I set out towards Redbrick. It took me hours, but at last I made progress. I had passed through a large stretch of open, flat sandy earth. At last I made it to some more rocky hills, identical to the ones I had previously camped in. I dropped to the ground, exhausted. The sky was slowly getting lighter now with each passing minute. I took a sip of water and checked my supplies. Not much was left. I’d have to get to Redbrick before I ran out of water.
I had camped in the rocky hills and waited for the sun to pass its high point, then continued. I stumbled through some more hills, then looked at my surroundings. No one appeared nearby, so I continued onto a long stretch of ground. Redbrick was closer, but there was still a good day of travel left. I dropped to the ground for a while, exhausted. I sipped another bit of water, then realised what I had just drunk was all I had left. Almost all of my supplies were depleted. If I didn’t reach Redbrick soon, I could probably die. Maybe. I dunno, I’ve spent all my time in my cabin. I’ve never found out how long I can last without food and water.
Hours later, I set out towards Redbrick. It took me hours, but at last I made progress. I had passed through a large stretch of open, flat sandy earth. At last I made it to some more rocky hills, identical to the ones I had previously camped in. I dropped to the ground, exhausted. The sky was slowly getting lighter now with each passing minute. I took a sip of water and checked my supplies. Not much was left. I’d have to get to Redbrick before I ran out of water.
I had camped in the rocky hills and waited for the sun to pass its high point, then continued. I stumbled through some more hills, then looked at my surroundings. No one appeared nearby, so I continued onto a long stretch of ground. Redbrick was closer, but there was still a good day of travel left. I dropped to the ground for a while, exhausted. I sipped another bit of water, then realised what I had just drunk was all I had left. Almost all of my supplies were depleted. If I didn’t reach Redbrick soon, I could probably die. Maybe. I dunno, I’ve spent all my time in my cabin. I’ve never found out how long I can last without food and water.
