Author's note: Thank you very much for your constant help, Avoca. You made this year very special for me.
Apples
There once had been a time, when he thought he would never ever eat an apple again. Of all of fruits they used to grow on their farm, apples where the most reliable ones. They always grew, even if almost everything else was dried and parched or drowned.
They always had fresh apples from late summer 'till end of fall. They were part of the menu as puree, in pie, in stews and in every other variation one could think of. Throughout winter they had stored apples, that became smaller and more wrinkled, the longer the season lasted. In spring they were usually finished, but there still where slices of dried apples and jarred apples ... apples guided them through the whole year.
It wasn't an aversion, he had developed. It was just that he thought he had eaten enough apples to last a lifetime! And now he would be grateful if he had had at least one, no matter how bad it might look or taste...
Winter had come early this year and took the Devil's Hole gang by surprise. They had been about to part and leave for the next few months, but instead they were snowed-in in Devil's Hole and by this time they were running out of supplies. After four weeks their meals only consisted of beans with ... more beans.
A few weeks later, the morale of the gang hit rock bottom. Everyone was tense and angry. The Kid wasn't the first one who started to complain, but he was the worst. Wheat declared it never would have happened if he had been the leader of the gang and Lobo accused Kyle of having a secret store of beef jerky. Soon everybody was accusing everyone else of hiding food and fisticuffs became a regular part of the days. The slightest mistake escalated into verbal outbreaks and brawls, which became louder over time.
They were taking it in turn going hunting and sometimes one of the boys was lucky enough to shoot a rabbit, but that was becoming a rare occurrence. Heyes was the one trying his luck today.
The leader of the gang had been busy for the last few of days with some kind of secret project that he didn't share with anyone. Even he wasn't talkative anymore. He accused the gang of the methodical attempt to drive him crazy. However, when the Kid woke up this morning - asking nobody in particular if getting up for breakfast was worth the effort - he was already gone.
He was gone all that day and when Heyes didn't return when night fell, Kid Curry grew worried. Heavy snowfall and strong gusts made it impossible to follow his tracks.
Two days later Kid Curry was desperate and about to explode: meager meals, caged in, not knowing what happened to his partner and no chance of any action. Everybody fled from him and he was fine with that! His thoughts weren't on the present. They were out there in the white, frozen hell that had devoured his partner.
On the third day he became silent, deadly silent.
Heyes was lost for three days now.
Lost.
Lost...
Now it was Christmas eve and he still hadn't returned.
How Kid Curry wished he had had a damned apple! He wished he hadn't complained about food. He hadn't been mad at Heyes, hadn't blamed him for the fact that they hadn't left earlier...
He sat on the front porch of the leader's cabin. It was cold out there, but he did not feel it. Nothing compared with the cold inside him. Night was already falling again. He looked up to the stars and wished for nothing more, than his friend at his side.
With every heartbeat it was getting darker. Only the candle he had left on the window sill sent a small, warm ray of light out into the night: a silent salute for all that was gone ... and a silent guide for those who might return.
The world was still as if it was holding its breath. He could almost hear the snow falling – a crispy, crackling, tingling sound.
He frowned. It appeared to him that the sound was becoming louder.
It was definitely becoming louder!
And now it was accompanied by heavy panting!
In a blink the Kid was up and charging out into the darkness, while trying to peer through it.
And there he was – staggering out of the darkness, his breath condensing as a white cloud of steam in the cold of the night. It had settled down in sparkling frozen ice crystals on his brows and around the brim of his hat. He was exhausted, his face pale, but his dark eyes were outshining the stars.
He hadn't enough breath left to speak, but it wasn't necessary anyway. The bright beaming smile on his face said enough.
When he reached the yard his legs failed him, but he didn't hit the ground. The Kid was at his side and supported him.
Now he noticed that Heyes was dragging something behind him, some kind of makeshift sleigh, over loaded with sacks and packages!
"Kyle! Preach! Come out! I need your help!"
He tried to take Heyes in his arms, but something was interfering with that maneuver. A strange sort of frame was tied onto Heyes's feet.
The door of the bunkhouse clanged open as the curious boys streamed out of it.
"What's all this fuss about? Heyes!? Is that Heyes?" they talked across each other.
"Kyle, help me to get his boots off. Then take care of the load," the Kid ordered. "Hank, get me the old tub and bring hot water, a lot of it! Preacher, help me get him into the cabin and check on him!"
"You know, I'm the leader here," Heyes murmured.
"Yeah, and I am your partner! Now it's my turn!" Kid Curry growled.
"No, fuss. Just a little tired," Heyes slurred.
"Tired!? Halfway frozen, I'd say! If you weren't broken up already, I'd beat some common sense into your stupid head!"
A broad smile crossed Heyes's pale face. "Sorry, I messed up your plans..." Then he passed out.
Meanwhile Kyle had begun to unload the sleigh. Curiously he peeked into the load it carried. "You havta see that!" he yelled and laughed. "See all the goodies!"
The sleigh was fully loaded with cans and jars and salted meat and sacks of flour – and beans. The supplies wouldn't last forever, but would provide enough for several weeks.
It also contained a small amount of pastries, sweets and fine whisky, along with raisins, nuts and oranges and to top it all a huge turkey - everything that was necessary for a nice little Christmas party.
-o-o-o-
About an hour later Heyes was neatly tucked away in his bed. He was clean and warmed up again and filled with one of Preacher's unmentionable herbal teas. More of it was simmering on the stove and awaiting him.
The Kid sat on the edge of the bed and studied his partner.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" he asked him softly.
"You would have tried to talk me out of it," Heyes told him. "And then you would have insisted on coming with me. But I could only make one pair of snowshoes! I know how stubborn you are. You would have followed me anyway. You probably would have gotten yourself killed out there in that weather! At the very least you would have caught a cold and then I would have had to take care of you! I wasn't looking forward to that..."
"No, you were looking forward to all that yourself! Out there all alone!"
"Oh, no, Kid. I had a plan. And it worked out fine! I just hadn't thought it would take that much time. I was a little late..."
"Yeah, it worked so well, I could've waited for you until the day the cows come home..."
"Did you miss me?"
"I missed you like a pain in the neck!" the Kid grumbled.
Heyes didn't reply but smiled softly.
"Give me my coat, Kid, will you?" he asked instead.
"What for? You're not going anywhere!"
"Will you do what I ask just once?!"
Kid Curry rose, snapped the soaked coat and threw it on the bed.
Heyes started searching the pockets, pursed his lips and finally smiled briefly when he found what he was searching for. He fished a wax paper bag out of the front pocket and passed it to the Kid.
The blond accepted it curiously. Quickly he opened it and found candied walnuts and apple chips. He gave his friend a warm glance, trying unsuccessfully to look stern.
Heyes hid a look of satisfaction and raised his cup of tea. He sniffed it and grimaced. "You wouldn't happen to have some brandy handy?" he asked hopefully.
The Kid grabbed a bottle and poured a good amount of its content into Heyes's cup. "I hope you choke on it..."
Heyes beamed at him and raised his cup in a toast.
"I love you, too, Kid. Merry Christmas!"