Silence

Silence. When he was younger, it would frighten him. He would lay in his bed, making excuses for why his Ma needed to stay just a little longer. He would ask her about her folks – they had passed long before he had been a twinkle in her eye, she would say. Her Pa was a war hero; he fought and died valiantly in the war against the Mexicans. He had been a strong man; and his strength was matched equally by his wit and quick tongue, something she – and now her son - had inherited. Yet in quick order, and with a kiss to the forehead, she would remind him that school came early and he still had chores to do in the morning. As she would walk out of the room, he would strain his ears to listen to her footsteps, to hear her go into his brother's room to equally say goodnight. He would then listen as she travelled to her own room to sleep. With the closing of her door, silence would envelope him like a blanket that was too tight; he would be unable to breathe, waiting for sleep to come, waiting for the dawn, waiting to hear her voice again.

As they leaned against the bar counter, they would casually glance out the saloon's window. The day had been dusty. They had taken a job at a local ranch, preparing the cattle for a drive. It wasn't a cover they liked, but it was a believable cover none the less.

As soon as they returned to town, they had cleaned up and made their way to have a drink at the local saloon.

Kid pulled on Heyes' elbow. "That her?"

Looking out the window, they saw a young lady cross the street. She was about mid-twenties, slender, but average height, her dark hair was pulled up in a tight bun.

"Yes."

With a slight nod, Kid meandered to a poker table and joined in a game, yet all the while having his eye on his partner at the bar.

As she approached the bar, Heyes took another sip of the beer in his hand. She was standing just to his right, the spot that had been vacated by his partner. She ordered a beer and let out a soft sigh as the amber liquid passed her lips.

"Hard day?" He asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She smiled.

"I've been up to my ears in cattle, would love to hear a more interesting tale."

"Try being up to your ears in 5 – 10 year olds." She chuckled. "I teach at the local school house."

"Name's Smith, Joshua Smith." He took a look around. "Things must have changed since I was younger, I don't recall seeing any of my teachers having a beer and they were most certainly not as pretty as you." He smiled devilishly as she turned towards him.

From across the room, Kid excused himself from the table and bellied up to the bar directly behind her.

"You would be surprised what teachers do when no one is watching."

"Perhaps you could tell me more, at dinner?"

She blushed, "Perhaps another night. I have to meet with the principal this evening. Apparently, one of my students didn't like being set in the corner today." She took a drag off the beer, followed by another satisfying sigh.

"What did he do to get such a punishment?"

"He put a tack in my chair."

Heyes let out a laugh that he quickly regretted. "My apologies, ma'am."

"No apologies needed. It was funny, I have to admit. But this little imp is determined to send me to an asylum. If it isn't tacks in chairs, he will tie shoes together, write profane things on the blackboard, one day he brought a bit of horse dung and put it in a little girl's desk!" She took another drink and laughed. "I'm not sure why I'm telling you this, it's just so frustrating."

"Sometimes we all need somebody to talk to; I'd be honored to be that somebody."

"Yes, well," She took the final swallow, "his parents have called a meeting this evening. So, I need to be the bearer of bad news that their little angel is anything but." She reached into her purse, not finding what she was looking for immediately; she pulled it closer, looking frantically. "Oh! Where is it?"

"Ma'am?" Heyes asked, innocently.

"My wallet, it's gone." She looked up. "Oh, I bet that little brat took it."

"Perhaps not. Maybe you just dropped it. Here," He pulled out a dollar and handed it to the bartender, "Both of ours, please."

"You don't have to do that." She blushed.

Pocketing the change, he smiled. "Maybe you can pay me back. Dinner? Tomorrow evening?" He asked.

"Very well. I'm staying at the boarding house; you can pick me up at six. Just ask for Kristin."

Tipping his hat, he watched as she walked away and down the street. Kid slid up next to him, from behind he pulled out a wallet. "I could have convinced her to go out tonight."

He took the wallet and put it in his back pocket. "Sorry partner, you lost the toss."

The quiet of the early morning was what he liked best. His fear long past, he would keep his eyes closed, listening to life just outside his window. The early morning birds would land on the window pane, singing soft songs. His breathing was quiet, shallow, his heart beat steady. It was in the silence that he could think, think about days past, think about how things should have been, think about things he wished could be.

Her laughter was infectious. He smiled as she told her stories about her students. She continued on about the boy that had been in trouble the night before. He had been forced to write an apology letter to her, yet at the bottom he remained indignant, stating quite simply that he liked her zero point zero percent.

As they finished desert – apple pie – he took her hand in his. "Ma'am, I've quite enjoyed this evening. Would it be too soon to ask if I could see you again?"

She blushed. "Not too soon at all. Tomorrow, perhaps?"

"I would like that." He smiled.

Standing, he pulled out her chair as she stood. As they walked to the boarding house, she kept her arm around his. Once they arrived, he took her hand and placed the lightest kiss. "Till tomorrow."

She blushed again. "I look forward to it."

Coming into the hotel room, Kid stood at the window looking out into the street.

Heyes removed his gun belt and placed it over the headboard of his bed. "Any luck?"

"Nope."

Sitting on the bed, he worked to pull off his boots, "Did you look behind all the drawers and in the stove?"

Kid cast a glare in his partner's direction, "Heyes, I know how to search a room. They aren't there."

"She must have hid him somewhere else."

"Ya know Heyes, its insights like those that always make me glad we partnered up. 'Cause I'm not sure I could have figured that out all by myself."

"What's got you so proddy?" He asked, annoyed.

"I'm just thinking we ain't got too many days till Victor shows up."

"I can handle Victor."

"Oh? You been practicin' your fast draw?"

"Don't need to, I've got you for that." He smiled.

"Not with Victor you don't." He continued to look out into the street.

"What's wrong Kid, afraid he'll beat you to the draw?"

"Afraid I'll miss."

"Kid, you haven't missed in ten years."

"Afraid I'll miss and accidentally hit him in the heart."

"Maybe he won't show up."

"Heyes, the diamonds are worth $75,000. You think Victor isn't going to make a try for it?"

Heyes thought for a moment, "Maybe he won't." He smiled devilishly as he blew out the lantern and climbed into the bed, his partner still staring out the window.

The patter of feet outside his door woke him, disturbing the silence of the room. Why couldn't he just sleep? Why did people have to walk the halls at such an ungodly hour? Couldn't he just stay in that blissful slumber where all was right with the world? To sleep, to dream, to return to a simpler time when his greatest concern was hoping Ms. Tallen didn't see him passing the answers to his best friend. To go back, to forget about the horrors that came with war, to pretend – if just for a moment – that evil only existed in a book, he would give anything, his own life even, to just return to that time.

The dust caked their faces as they rode into town. The day had been rough, it was only with the quickest reactions did they manage not to be trampled when the bull broke through the fence and made his way to a heifer in season. As he stormed into the pasture, the cows ran. A large one, the "grandmother" of the herd, brushed past his horse, giving it such a fright that she reared and almost threw him. Wrangling cattle was no way to make a living, he had thought to himself.

As he stumbled up the steps at the hotel, Kid laughed, an action that spurred the dirtiest of looks from his partner. "And what's so funny?"

"I was just thinking there might not be enough soap in the hotel to get you cleaned up. I'd be more than happy to meet up with Ms. Kristin if you can't make it."

Opening the door to the hotel, "Will you let it go?"

"Heyes, I'm just saying. If we don't find those diamonds, Silky is gonna end up in jail."

"Kid, I get it." He turned around and attempted a smile. "You like romancing the ladies and I admit you're good at it. But this one is mine; you can have the next one."

"Alright Heyes, but if you need any pointers, you just let me know." He smiled and ignored the dark glare he received in return.

"Well, I grew up in Austin. After the war ended, my folks took us to California. We'd lost my brother at Gettysburg and my pa had just seen too much. He wanted to get us as far away as he could. What about you?" She asked as they walked by the river, her arm lazily resting in his.

"Folks were killed during the border war; I grew up in an orphanage."

"Oh, that's terrible!"

He nodded affirmatively. "In the home the teachers weren't like you, they didn't care if you learned or not. I had a friend that struggled with reading, always turned his letters backwards, or he'd say the wrong word, he'd say 'house' instead of 'home' – things like that. The teachers would call him stupid and lazy. I'd work with him when I could; he could do arithmetic better than anyone I've ever known. He just couldn't read the questions in the book, no matter how hard he tried."

"I've had students like that." She looked out towards the horizon, mournfully. "They aren't stupid or lazy, they just learn differently. What happened to your friend?"

"Oh, I don't know. I ran away when I was sixteen. I think about him sometimes, wish I could have done more."

"You were just a child yourself."

"Maybe." He gave a half-hearted smile.

"So, do you like what you do now? Herding cattle, that is?"

"Its work, honest work."

"But do you like it?"

"Like it, no ma'am, I've thought about doing something else. I've even been saving up; hope to go back to school myself."

"What would you like to do?"

"I've thought about a few things. There are too many orphanages, I've thought about maybe getting a job at one of them. Teaching, maybe."

"Really?"

As he approached a tree, he leaned back on it, pulling her to him. "I hated how they treated my friend. I've always wanted to go and help someone else. Believe in them so they could believe in themselves."

"I bet you would make a great teacher."

"Perhaps, especially if I had you by my side."

He pulled her closer. Running his thumb over her bottom lip, he leaned down and lightly brushed his lips against hers.

Heyes smiled blissfully as he walked up the steps of the hotel, the light from inside casting shadows on the rocking chairs that sat on the porch. Kid's foot was resting peacefully on the railing as Heyes sat to his right. "How did it go?"

"Just fine." Heyes smiled.

"You any closer to her telling you where she hid those diamonds?"

"Kid, it takes time."

"Yeah, well time is the one thing we don't have. Victor's alias is on the hotel register."

His smile faded. "Since when?"

"I saw it when I came down about an hour ago."

"Has he seen you?"

"Not that I know of, but I haven't exactly seen him either."

"Should we pay him a visit? He's going to realize we're here sooner or later."

"I'd rather it be later."

"Kid…"

"He's in room 205."

"If we wait, he could tip off the Sheriff about us."

"Not if he has a bullet in his chest." Kid spoke softly.

"Kid, that's not funny."

"Who said I was joking?"

"I don't like him any more than you do, but getting' us hanged isn't gonna do nobody any good."

"He's wanted, hell, maybe I'll collect a reward."

"Not dead or alive, he ain't."

"Yeah Heyes, explain that to me. We rob a couple of banks and the law would be happy with just our bodies, he kills someone and they want him still breathin'?"

"Can't explain it, Kid. Guess the law figures stealing money is worse than killing someone that is crooked."

Kid stood up quickly, "Let's get this over with." Without waiting for a response, he proceeded into the hotel and up the stairs.

Heyes was right behind him as he pounded on the door to room 205.

From the other side came a low voice, "Yeah, what do you want?"

Kid looked back at Heyes, "Its room service, we were told you requested fresh towels."

A key went in the lock and the door opened. Behind the door stood a tall man of average build; his dark eyes peered out from under shaggy brown hair. His gun belt was low and tied down. "Didn't think I'd ever see you two again, come in."

He opened the door as Kid and Heyes walked in.

"Since you're in town for the same reason Heyes and I are, we figured we should get to an understanding."

"And what understanding would that be?"

"You stay out of our way; we'll stay out of yours." Heyes spoke, darkly.

"Just so you know, she doesn't have the diamonds. She must have hid them before she came to town." Kid added.

"And I'm working her. If you try to move in, she'll get suspicious and run, again."

"So you expect me to just sit back and watch you two take the diamonds? Why? Because we're such good friends?" He chuckled before his eyes turned dark. "I still haven't forgiven you for trying to turn me in."

"And I haven't forgiven you for shooting our friend in the back." His eyes turned equally dark.

"He was on the wrong side of the law."

"Keith might have worn a badge, but if it weren't for him, all of Devil's Hole would be sitting in jail."

"He just didn't take to murderers, neither do we." Kid added.

Victor laughed as he walked to the water pitcher and poured himself a drink. "So, what is your plan? You two get the diamonds and leave me with nothing?"

"No, I'll keep working Kristin. When we find them, we can split the reward." Heyes said.

"Thirds? Not a bad deal." He thought about it as he leaned against the dresser, his legs crossed lazily at the ankles. "What about the bank? Maybe she put it in one of those lock boxes?"

"Silky sent them a certified letter. No one has made a deposit that matched its description. Plus, she hasn't stayed in one town for longer than a few days. That is, until a month ago, she settled here and took up a teaching position." Heyes paused, "Like Kid said, they aren't in her room, but they have to be close."

"Alright. There are a few places around town that they could be hidden. I'll work that angle while you work her." He took a moment to think, "You know, Heyes, this means were working together again."

"No, it means we've agreed to not kill you. If giving you a third of the reward money is the cost of us not going to the hangman, that's what we'll have to do." He smiled, darkly.

As they left the room, Heyes fought the urge to slam the door behind him.

"Ya know what Heyes, I'm starting to rethink our philosophy of not killing folks."

"Funny you should mention that."

"How's that?"

"I was thinking the same thing."

The silence was deafening, just how he liked it. It was still dark outside, peaceful. There were no gun shots, there were no men with guns drawn taking what wasn't theirs, and there was no fear. Just peace. Just quiet. Just... silence.

As he left the boarding house, he dreaded even talking to the Kid. It had been the fourth night he had taken her out and he was no closer to the diamonds than he had been when he started. Though he would never admit it, he was starting to wonder if he should have let the Kid work her.

At the bar, the Kid was sipping a whisky, cautiously watching the room.

Heyes took the whisky he had been handed and swallowed it in one fluid motion, barely feeling the burn in his throat. Word would have gotten out about the diamonds. Silky warned them that Victor would be on the hunt and who knew who else would be going for them as well.

"Still nothing?"

Heyes refused to look at him, his expression giving just as good an answer.

"You know what you are going to have to do?"

"I know." He spoke, tensely.

"Let her say it first."

"Kid, don't be telling me how to work a target."

"She'll get suspicious if you say it out right."

"Kid…"

Without another word, Kid downed the remainder of his whisky. "Heyes, word about that reward will have reached everybody that Silky trusts. He gave us a head start, but the longer we sit in this town, the more outlaws we're gonna have to deal with." He paused as he sipped on his fresh whisky, "If you can't get her to tell you where she hid them, we need her to move 'em."

"I'm seeing her again tomorrow. I'll do it then."

The sun was setting behind them as they sat on a grassy embankment near the river. He had brought a bottle of wine, a glass of which they both held. Placing a light kiss on her lips, he smiled. "This is nice."

"I agree." She smiled, with equal pleasure.

His smile faded, "You know, my job will be ending tomorrow."

"What does that mean?"

"Bedford will be starting the drive. I won't be joining him."

"Will you stay in town?"

Brushing a loose strand from her cheek, "I can't. I've looked around; there isn't any other work here. I have to find something."

She frowned. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." He paused, staring deep in her eyes. "I was thinking about heading back east. I told you that I've got some money saved up; I figure I have enough for at least a few of those classes. There's a Normal School in Massachusetts that I want to go to, I'm not sure how well I'll do, but I figure I can at least try."

"When would you leave?"

"Well, the job ends tomorrow, after a good night's rest I'll ride on to Cody, catch a train east from there."

Sad, she stared into her the glass she held in front of her. "I hate to hear that. I've grown to care for you." She looked up him, sincerely.

"I've grown to care for you as well, a little more than I'd care to admit." He leaned down and placed another kiss on her lips. Placing his wine glass down, he took her hands in his. "Kristin, I know we just met, but… come with me."

"To Massachusetts?"

"It'd only be while I finished up my learnin'. We could find a nice preacher on the way. Once we're settled, I'm sure I could find some work so you won't have to. I don't want any woman of mine workin', that is, unless she wants to." He smiled.

"I, I don't know…" She stuttered.

"After I start teaching, we could get a house with a nice yard, maybe a dog or two."

She stood up. "I just, I can't." She leaned back down, sitting on her knees. "Joshua," she kissed him, passionately, "I love you, but I can't."

Without another word, she stood and made her own way back in to town.

"You got her to say it, and she still turned you down?"

"Will you shut up?" He was frustrated, and Kid's continued questioning wasn't helping. "She's not leaving town."

Kid sat on the chair next to their hotel door in deep thought. "There is another way."

"And what's that?"

"She has to know Silky would send someone after her."

"I suppose so."

"And surely she know Silky doesn't have the most gentlest of friends."

"I don't think I like where you are going with this."

"What if we let her know he's here?"

"Who?"

"Victor."

"You want to have Victor go after her?"

"All he has to do is frighten her. He may be a killer, but he's never hurt a woman."

"That we know of."

"I'll tell him what to do and make sure he does it. It might just be enough to get her to reconsider going east."

"Then we really would have to split the reward with him."

"A third of $7,000 is more than nothing."

"You think you could hand it over to him without trying to kill him first?"

"No. But I bet you can."

Heyes sat on the side of the bed. "Fine. Her class gets out at around two; we should finish up at Bedford's around three, you think you can get just sick enough to leave early?"

"I should be able to."

"Have him make his move when she leaves the schoolhouse."

When he woke, he kept his eyes closed. The light from the window was just too bright. Praying, he heard praying. At the sound of the Lord's name, he immediately tuned it out. Not that he had anything against someone reaching up to the Heavens for comfort, he just no longer felt inclined. A man can only see so much evil before he questions the existence of a loving God. If he were honest, which he hadn't been in as long as he could remember, he would admit that he missed his faith. He missed knowing that there was someone always watching out for him, he missed the idea that there was a loving Father that wanted what was best for His children. But the simple fact was if there was such a Man out there, he had no interest in meeting him, not after seeing the evil that He allowed. No, his faith had poured out one August morning. Just as the blood of his kin, it was left on the Kansas dirt, something that would be dusted over by time, something to be forgotten.

"Joshua!" She yelled out as he pulled his horse to the livery. She ran towards him in a rush.

"Kristin." He pulled her in a tight embrace. Pulling away, he ran his hands down her arms. He became concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking over what you said last night. Oh, I do love you and the idea of never seeing you again was so unbearable, I didn't sleep a wink. So, if the invitation is still open, I would love to come with you."

He smiled, genuinely, "The invitation is always open." He pulled her into a passionate embrace. "The ride to Cody should only take us a few hours. I'll rent a carriage; I don't want you to have to spend that much time in a saddle." He spoke, protectively. "We can leave first thing in the morning."

She thought for just a moment. "Oh, can we make it noon? I have a few loose ends here that I need to tie up."

"Noon, it is." He smiled.

As they rode down the trail, a shot rang out. Heyes pulled the horses to a stop, instinctively grabbing her arm protectively. He could sense her nervousness, her breathing became rapid, and she began to ring her hands as she looked around. "What was that?"

From the side, Kid Curry came out of the foliage. "Keep your hands where I can see them and step out of the carriage." He commanded as they did what they were told with their hands up.

"What is this about?" She asked.

"It's about a friend of ours, Silky O'Sullivan." Heyes stated, plainly as he pulled his gun from his holster.

She stared at him aghast. "Mr. O'Sullivan?"

"And the $75,000 worth of diamonds you stole from him."

Kid walked to her purse, emptying its contents on the carriage seat. "You were his secretary. Three weeks ago you left in the middle of the night, so did the diamonds." Searching through her purse, he found a black velvet drawstring bag. One look inside, he confirmed the contents and passed it to Heyes.

Her fear transformed to anger at the betrayal. "All this time, I was just your mark?"

"No ma'am. You stole these and put our friend in a mess of trouble." Heyes said.

"Ha!" She laughed. "Silky O'Sullivan in trouble, are you really going to tell me he doesn't deserve it?"

"Deserve it or not, he didn't steal these diamonds, we can't let him go to jail as if he did." Kid added.

"Do you know what he is?" She stopped for a moment and knowingly smiled. "Joshua Smith, but you are no more a Smith than I am a Jones, isn't that right?"

"Names don't matter."

"That's fine, because the name I gave him wasn't the truth either. My real name is Kristin Ragsdale. See, my father was a banker. Three years ago, he met Mr. O'Sullivan at a conference. He offered my father a deal of a lifetime. My mother told him it was too good to be true, turns out it was. My father invested his life's savings - $100,000, in a diamond mine. That was the last he ever saw of Mr. Sullivan, or his money. I stole three-fourths of what he took from my father. So, yes, it does matter whether or not he deserves it."

Kid hung his head, sadly, "Ma'am, we're real sorry to hear that. Not that it will change how you feel, but Silky hasn't pulled a job in almost a year."

"See, he was in the middle of one last Christmas, he was pulling a con on some doctors. The night before he was to close the deal, his chest started hurtin' something bad." Heyes continued.

"He passed out. When he come to, he swore he saw the Good Lord and heard His chorus of Angels."

"It was one of his marks that saved his life. He went straight that very evening."

"Ma'am, these diamonds aren't his. He's just holding them while a deal is worked out between the bank and one of those same doctors."

"Seems, neither of the men involved trust each other much, but they trust Silky." Heyes walked up closer to her. "He doesn't want to see you go to jail. That's why he sent us to find you. He just wanted the diamonds to be returned."

"He hasn't reported the theft. In fact, he wanted to leave it up to us whether or not we turn you in."

"And?" She asked.

"Stealing isn't the way to get even for your father. What happened to him was wrong, we don't deny that. But landing yourself in prison will just double the injustice." Heyes said. "We won't turn you in."

"Well, isn't that nice." Victor walked up behind them, his gun brandished. "You were willing to risk your own freedom to get me to the law, but you'll let this little thief go?"

"What are you doing here Victor? We agreed to meet you at Silky's." Heyes asked.

"Yeah, except after I thought about it I decided that splitting the reward isn't half as tempting as taking the $75,000 all for myself."

"You'd do that to Silky?" Kid asked. "I never did understand why he ever trusted you."

"He never told you?" Both outlaws shook their heads no. "He's my uncle. Who do you think taught me all my cons? Don't worry, after how many folks he swindled, he should see the irony." He pulled the hammer back on the revolver. "Now, hand 'em over."

Heyes' eyes darkened as he tossed the bag to Victor, who caught them with ease. Looking inside, he smiled.

"Now, if you two wouldn't mind tossing your guns over to those bushes?" They did as they were told. "Good. Now don't do anything stupid and follow me, 'cause if I have to fire my gun, I'll be aiming to kill. Don't forget, you kill me – it's the gallows. If I kill you," he laughed, "I get a reward."

Slowly backing out, he made his way back to his horse, jumped in the saddle, and rode off.

As Kid and Heyes holstered their recovered weapons, Kristin was fuming. "You two are going after him, aren't you?"

"Why?" Heyes asked.

"He has the diamonds!" She insisted.

Kid smiled, "You mean these?" From under her purse, he pulled out a bag; identical to the one Victor had just taken.

"Silky hasn't trusted Victor in years. He knew that if he heard about the reward and found the diamonds, he'd keep them for himself."

"Victor is now the proud owner of about $20 worth of very pretty glass."

She smiled. "Who are you, really?"

As Kid walked to his horse, to give the two privacy, Heyes pulled her into his arms. "I'm someone that enjoyed spending time with you, someone that wishes I could have met you under different circumstances." Leaning down, he pulled her into a passionate embrace. As they parted, he tucked an errant strand behind her ear. "Find a nice town to teach. Once there, find someone that can take care of you so that you won't have to take care of yourself." Leading her to the carriage, he helped her climb onboard. "Don't forget me."

"I won't."

With a look of sadness, he watched as she rode away.

As Kid walked up behind his partner, he pondered, "You alright?"

"Fine." He lied.

"Look on the bright side."

"What's that?"

"Keeping Silky out of jail and all, we should be able to call in a favor or two, if we need."

"Kid, with any luck, we won't need to."

"Right Heyes, we'd be that lucky."

Jumping on the shared horse, they rode back into town, back to a train station that would take them to their old friend.

The silence enveloped him like a warm blanket, blocking out the cold. For so long it had frightened him, yet now, he welcomed it like an old friend. With silence, there was no anger, no fear, just quiet. With silence, he could enter his own thoughts, undisturbed by those around him. He felt his breathing shallow, his heart rate slow. He felt every sensation, the clothes lightly touching his skin, the cushion on his back. The air was warm, the sun on his hands even warmer. He had blocked out all sound, deep in his own thoughts. Behind him, his silence was disturbed, the sound of heels on a wooden floor. For a moment, he recalled his Ma, but quickly put that thought away and focused on the silence. "Only when it is quiet can we truly be honest with ourselves." She used to say. How wrong she had been…

"Ma'am, what about this one?" The nurse stood outside the hospital room. She was new to the ward and was becoming acquainted with all of her charges. On her tiptoes, she looked inside the small window.

A dark haired boy sat in a chair, facing the window. He stared out; his expression - blank, his eyes – glassed over; his breathing so shallow that it was almost imperceptible. He wore the standard hospital attire, a white gown. His feet were bare, his hands sat lazily on his lap.

"Oh, that is young Mr. Hannibal." The older nurse walked up and looked into the room, a sad expression etched across her brow.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Physically, nothing. The doctors say it's a disease of the mind. Do you remember last year, the murders over in Lawrence?"

"Quantrill, wasn't it?" The older nurse nodded affirmatively. "I heard the stories, terrible."

"Yes, well, this poor thing saw it all; his ma, his pa, his whole family was murdered. When they found him, he was sitting by his best friend, covered in his blood. They say he tried to stop the bleedin' after the raiders left, the poor boy had been dead a good half a day, at least."

"How did he manage…?"

"He didn't. The bastards… pardon my language, wanted a witness. They let him live so that he could tell the world what he saw. He did just that." A tear came to her eye. "He hasn't spoken a word since."

"What will happen to him?"

"Only God knows that. The doctors can't find anything wrong with him. Fit as a fiddle, they say. He'll eat after lights out and only moves when nobody is watching. He spends his days just sitting there, staring out the window. I can only imagine what is going on in that mind of his, maybe nothing. We just do what we can. Every couple of days, Brother Larry visits and prays for him. So, if you are the believing type, maybe you can add yours to his as well."

"And you?"

"After what I saw in that war... well, my faith isn't as strong as it once was. But for this boy's sake, yes, I add mine as well." As she wiped her tears, she pulled the nurse down the hall. "Now, the kid down here is as mean as a snake, you'll do well to never go in his room alone…."