Hold me
And when I relax
Caress me in your arms
And I shall be yours
Take me to the meadow
On a sea of grass
And let me be yours
Forever
Lay me down
And when we are alone
Touch me
And let me express passion
Put me on a feather bed
And let me learn you
Like a schoolboy
Woman to man
Care for me
And when we are part of one another
Join our love and lives
As one
Tell me you love me
Without words
But with your body
Like a mason with his tools
Stand by me
And when I die
Share a kiss with me
For my last memory
Complete the final chapter
And end the book
Of our lives together
With a final breath
Kid folded the crinkled piece of paper back up, and slid it into his small cedar chest. Just days ago, Kid found the letter at the foot of his bed. Although there was no signature, Kid knew who it was from; Lou. He was overjoyed, because he wanted to take their relationship to the next level. He just didn't know how to say it…
As Katy and Lightning ran towards the race, Lou and Kid were all smiles. They had just spent an incredible day out for a ride to the meadow, like Lou had secretly asked. He also laid her down on a sea of grass, and went to school that day, learning one another inside and out, just as the letter suggested. Kid was a new person, and not a boy, but a man. For he had just experienced a new side of Lou, a more sexual, sensual, seductive side, and he wanted to know more about it.
"I had a wonderful time, Kid. I think today was just the break I needed. I feel free and alive, all because of you." Kid replied with a warm smile, and they went back to focusing on the trail. They kept an extra eye open for a murderer that was allegedly lurking around the area. He was what the townspeople would call a "Hell-Bent Bastard."
As the two were riding along, Kid noticed a strange buckskin horse, standing up on the ridge. He followed the horse's line of vision to a mysterious looking man, cutting branches off of a tree. As Kid turned to look away, the outsider made eye contact with him. Infused with hasty rage, the fellow drew his pistol, aimed, and fired for Kid. Fortunately, the man wasn't a very good shot, and missed him, but as Kid continued to ride, he noticed Lou was no longer behind him. He quickly looked back, and saw Lou, in all her glory, bleeding and heaving on the hard, dusty earth.
"Lou!" He found himself shouting aloud, not caring that the intruder was still nearby. Kid turned Katy around, jumped off, and ran to her side. As he came closer, he could assess the damage the stranger had done.
Every breath she drew in caused her to heave and shudder in pain. The outlaw had only fired one shot, which entered and exited her side. Although she had not been bleeding for long, the ground beneath her was already a dark, damp crimson. The injured rider twisted and turned her body, trying to avert the pain, but nothing helped.
"Kid-" She tried to speak, softly.
"Shhh," Kid instructed her. He slowly pushed the hair out of her eyes, and gently touched her cheek. Lou looked up into his eyes, and something told him that this was the end; No more tomorrows for them, no more rescues, no more adventures. Kid's eyes began to swell up with tears, and a sweet smile slowly formed on both of their faces. Lou began to speak again.
"Stand by me," Lou softly whispered, "And when I die, share a kiss with me for my last memory. Complete the final chapter, and end the book of our lives together with a final breath."
She looked up to Kid for conformation, and then, with the strength she had left, she leaned up to kiss Kid. Kid reacted almost immediately. The couple continued to kiss, until one pair of lips slowly went limp. Lou no longer had enough stamina to hold her own head up. As the space between breaths grew larger, Kid reached for her hand. He maneuvered his fingers around her wrist so he could feel her weak, slowing pulse. Kid sat on the ground in this fashion for what seemed like hours, but within a few minutes, Lou had used the last of her strength to pull Kid's head to her chest, where she let it rest gently. He felt each shallow breath as her body would rise and fall.
As Lou's eyelids began to flutter shut, Kid, again, began to cry like a little boy. Not because he was weak, but because the woman he loved would be leaving his life forever. Lou took a sharp breath.
"I love you, Kid."
"I love you, too." And no more than a moment's time later, Lou's body became stiff and lifeless. Kid carefully picked up the corpse, and placed it on Lightning's back. Before he mounted Katy, he looked at the letter one last time. Then, the lone rider galloped away, leaving what had happened behind him.