Diablo
"Ride him, Thaddeus! Show him who's boss!"
The voices from the sidelines mere echoes to his ears as he grimaced in concentration, Thaddeus Jones struggled to remain astride a bucking stallion – the equine body black, sinewy, and sleek. The ex-outlaw whirled in the saddle as the direction demanded, lunging forward and back, side to side, to and fro, balancing his weight, holding on for dear life. Nostrils flaring, flanks glistening, the bronco's body flailed. Horse and rider moved as one for interminable moments, the rhythm rocking, yet somehow graceful in its brute force.
Cheered on by his partner, Hannibal Heyes, and several other onlookers, their shapes blurs in the background, the blond-haired man jerked a tad too far to the right. The dance ended. Thrown, landing hard against the corral fence, Kid Curry lay for a moment stunned, until he felt himself being hauled to his feet.
"Hey, you okay?" Heyes leaned over to pick up Curry's hat. He slapped it against his thigh to rid it of dust.
Breathing heavily, Kid could only nod.
"Good. That was some ride."
"Was it?" Curry gasped as he took the proffered hat. He regained his voice. "Felt like every bone in my body shook." He nodded toward the corral. "You next?"
"Nah. I'll leave that sorta thing to the ones with the hard heads." Heyes grinned. He draped an arm around his partner's shoulder. "That stubborn streak comes in mighty handy sometimes."
Weary blue eyes met brown. Kid asked, "Remind me whose idea this was?"
The dark-haired man did not hesitate. "Okay, so it was mine, but you want to eat, don't you?"
Curry rolled his eyes. As they strode slowly toward the bunkhouse, several ranch hands congratulated the fallen rider with back slaps and "Atta boy"s. Not wanting to be the center of attention at that moment, Kid half-smiled, but otherwise kept his head down.
The partners had taken the ranch job reluctantly when their usual sources of employment had dried up. Mindful of avoiding dirty and back-breaking work when they could, the two felt they had no choice but to sign on for ranch work at $40 a month and keep. They planned to stay on only long enough until something better came along or they had a stake to keep them going for a while. Besides, the food wasn't bad.
"Nice ride!" The ramrod caught up with the partners.
Curry raised an eyebrow.
"Longest I've seen anyone sit that stallion. Diablo's a tough one – a renegade. He lets us know who's boss. What's your experience with broncs?"
Kid shrugged. "Not much. Diablo, huh? Devil?"
"You could've fooled me! Yep, that horse has the devil in him. If that's what you can do with the toughest four-legged hombre on this spread, how about doin' it full time? Got more comin' in over the next month or so, right off the range. Pays more, too."
"How much?"
"Double – $80 a month."
The partners shared a look.
"Mind if I think it over?"
"Sure. Appreciate it if you'd let me know by mornin'. Lookin' to hire another buckaroo, and I'd hate to see you pass it up and then change your mind."
Curry nodded. "Okay." The pair watched the ramrod walk away before Kid spoke, "So what do ya think?"
Heyes shrugged. "It's your decision. Just have to figure if it's worth it."
The blond man sighed. "There's gotta be a better way, but double the pay is double the pay. We can be outta here sooner."
Brown eyes met blue. "Huh! You know that's music to my ears but at what cost? You're no good watching my back if you're laid up."
Curry understood. "Somethin' to think about."
Heyes slapped his partner's back as they continued toward the bunkhouse. "Let's get some lunch."
~ooOOoo~
That evening after dinner, the pair relaxed by the corral fence, watching the horses in the waning twilight. The black, Diablo, was obviously in charge, butting heads with the other stallions trying to get closer to the mares.
"Now there's a man who knows what he wants," Heyes mused.
"And how to take it," Curry noted.
Heyes kept his eyes on the horses. "So, you made up your mind?"
"Not yet. Think I'll sleep on it."
Heyes glanced at Curry. "What's there to think about? Earlier you thought it might be a good idea."
"Might still be." Kid met his partner's gaze. "But you're the one who said to think of the cost, and now I'm not sure even double the pay is worth playin' with the devil."
Heyes smirked. "Some would say we've been playing with the devil our whole lives." His expression evened. "But it is double the pay. And we could be out of here sooner."
"I know. But this was your idea, and a last resort at that. Back-breakin' work is never really part of the plan, especially when it's my back we're talkin' about."
The dark-haired man turned his gaze back to the corral. The other stallions had backed away from the black. "You're right, but double pay is nothing to sneeze at, either."
Curry sighed. "So ya think I should take it?"
"Not up to me, Kid. But if you're asking … Yes, I think you should take it."
Kid yawned. "Okay, but I'm still gonna sleep on it. And I think I'm gonna hit the hay."
"Guess I will, too." The pair stretched as they strolled back to the bunkhouse.
~oo00oo~
At breakfast, the ramrod took the seat opposite Curry and Heyes at the table.
"Mornin'. Hope you two slept good. Got a load of work waitin' on us today." He gulped back a mug of coffee and addressed Kid. "Made up your mind?"
Heyes made an audience of two. They waited as Curry chewed his bacon, put down his fork, looked from one to the other, raised a brow. Reaching for his mug, he sipped his coffee.
"Well?" came in unison.
Kid replaced the mug and picked up his fork, stabbing at scrambled eggs. He leisurely chewed.
Two sets of eyes watched his every move. His own focused on his breakfast and coffee.
He nodded.
Heyes slapped his back hard enough for Curry to choke in mid-chew. "Whoa, Thaddeus, don't get so choked up over the decision."
The ramrod's expression changed from expectation to delight. "Good. We'll get started right after breakfast."
~ooOOoo~
At the corral, the ramrod discussed the horses with the assembled hands. He wanted the three stallions and four mares currently in the corral gentled before new ones came in the following week. They would be followed by a new group every seven days or so over the coming month. The buckaroos would alternate with each other, giving each an opportunity to rest and catch his breath. Heyes was assigned to help wrangle.
Over the next few days, Kid broke two of the stallions, and possibly, he swore, a rib. He left the mares to the other cowboy and concentrated on the black. Heyes watched his partner's skills with admiration, and also winced sympathetically each time the blond man was thrown.
~ooOOoo~
As the sun set on yet another tiring day in the saddle, Heyes startled his partner by touching the blond man's shoulder from behind. "You're losing your touch, Kid. It's just me."
"Just thinkin'."
"That's my job." Heyes smiled knowingly. "He's not just on your mind; under your skin, too."
Kid winced. "And on it."
Both watched the black prance proudly, daring Curry to try again.
"I'll say, with those bruises all over you. That rib might not be broken, but it is bruised. Maybe bind it up tighter tomorrow."
"Maybe …"
Heyes paused before continuing. "What's really on your mind, Kid?"
Curry and the black locked eyes, mesmerized. Kid finally broke the gaze, shaking his head. "I don't know. He might or might not have the devil in him. He's spirited, sure. But, maybe … maybe he just needs not to be fenced in."
Heyes glanced at his partner. "Now I know you've been thinkin' too much."
Curry returned the gaze. "No, Heyes, hear me out. It's like he's just fightin' to stay free, like us tryin' to stay away from the law."
"Maybe you have a point, but just try not to fall on your head again." The dark-haired partner now met the black's eyes. "I'll say one thing, though – you're a good match, because he's just as stubborn as you."
Kid chuckled. "Probably just a matter of who out-stubborns who."
Heyes did not return the levity. "Maybe. But it only takes a split second for a man to break his neck.
Curry smiled. "Aw, Heyes, you're worried about me."
~oo00oo~
Heyes had a restless night, awaking to the sound of the door latch. Pulling on his pants, he noticed Curry's empty bunk. Grabbing his boots, he padded outside in his stockinged feet. Dawn's first faint light lent just enough illumination to outline a lone figure at the corral fence.
Heyes approached. "What's up?"
Kid shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."
Heyes sighed. "You gotta get this job done or quit it and let the other guy have a go."
"Can't. He's mine."
"Damn it, Kid, he's not yours! It's just a horse you signed on to break."
"I'm givin' it my best shot."
"Are you? Or are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Curry regarded his partner. "What are ya sayin', Heyes?"
The dark-haired man sighed, his voice almost beseeching. "I don't know … It's like an obsession with you now. You're living and breathing that devil horse. Almost like he's got a hold of you, instead of the other way around."
Kid spoke as he turned. "Just got a job to do. That's all."
Heyes grabbed him by the arm. "Is it just a job, Kid? Who's breaking who?"
Curry pulled his arm away roughly. The gunfighter stare bored through Heyes before the blond man steamily strode away.
~oo00oo~
The tedium at the corral continued much as it had since Curry had taken the buckaroo job. Heyes and the other wranglers managed to get a blindfold over the black and line him up at the fence long enough for Kid to slip into the saddle. Then, as the wranglers let go, Curry guided Diablo in a walk to the center of the corral. The stallion stood still for several long seconds. Kid removed the blindfold. This day, however, the black remained still. The blond cowboy cautiously reined a few steps right; the horse cooperated. Now they moved a few steps to the left. Curry grinned at his partner. Heyes gave him a thumbs-up.
Kid signalled to the fence, then around the inside perimeter. Diablo whinnied, shaking his head vigorously up and down, but complied. Again, the black acceded to Curry's gestures as they circled in the opposite direction.
However, as suddenly as congratulatory cheers began, gasps and shouts of "Watch out" sounded. Heyes could only stare in horror, his own mount frozen. Diablo bucked violently. Curry grimaced as he struggled to maintain his tenuous balance.
Rider still astride, Diablo kicked at the fence. Within seconds, the top board gave way. The instant the black splintered the second rung, he gracefully vaulted the enclosure, throwing Curry into the fence. The cowboy's fall broke the bottom plank. Dazed, he watched the stallion fade into the distance.
~oo00oo~
Thaddeus?"
The voice swam in his thoughts. Curry shook his head to regain his senses. He awoke to worried brown eyes.
"You okay?"
Kid winced, his voice weary. "Yeah."
Heyes and the ramrod helped the blond man to his feet. Curry steadied himself.
The ramrod spoke. "You gave him a good run, Jones."
Curry nodded through the pounding in his head, glancing in the direction the stallion had escaped. "We gonna go after him?"
"Nope. You were right – that one wasn't meant to be gentled. Just a renegade. Leave him be." The ramrod walked away.
Now alone in an empty corral, Heyes draped a protective arm around his partner's shoulder.
"Like us, Heyes?"
"Huh?"
"Can we be gentled?"
The dark-haired man sighed. "That, Kid, remains to be seen."