Epilog

A few miles south of Dadelos a river drops in close to the hillside banks and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. On one side of the river the beautiful slopes of the Hidden Mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees. Rabbits come out of the brush to sit on the sand in the evening, and the amp flats are covered with the night tracks of 'coons, and with the spread pleads of dogs from the ranches, and with the split wedge track of deer come to drink in the dark. There is a path through the willows and among the sycamores, a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps that come wearily down from the highway in the evening to jungle-up near water. In front of the low horizontal limb of a giant sycamore there is an ash pile made by many fires; the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it.
A place very much like the one a few miles south of Soledad, almost identical if fact, had it not been for the trees that lined the river, for the age of the willows and sycamores through which the path leads, a path that has not been used for a very long time, or for the moss that has grown on the limb because of an absence of men who sit on it. where the willows of Soledad were fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter's flooding, and where the sycamores had mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool, here the willows branches where hanging low, weighed down by time, and the leaves, that have darkened by age, block all light from reaching the ground. Here the sycamores' limbs and branches that arch over the pool, have grown darker, and are just a hair breath away from touching the water, blocking what could have been a spectacular few of the Hidden Mountains.

Evening of an oppressing hot day started the little wind to moving among the leaves. The shade climbed up the hills. On the sand banks the rabbits sat as quietly as little gray, sculptures in the shade of the willows. And then from the direction of the state highway came the sound of footsteps on crisp sycamore leaves. The rabbits hurried noiselessly for cover. A stilted heron labored up into the air and pounded down the river. For a moment the place previously almost lifeless, became completely lifeless, and then two men emerged from the path and came into the opening by the green pool.
They had walked in a single file down the path, but once they reached the clearing they walked side by side. Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. One wore a shapeless hat, the other's jet black hair was bare to the sun's rays. The first man was of average height, though when one saw him for the first time one would describe him as anything except of average height. Both his torso and arms where packed with muscles, muscles gained by heavy work, not the bulky things gained with weights, creating an image of a huge man. With short hair and sharp, watchful eyes, both a peculiar light brown color this was not a man one could easily forget. Where the first was light, the other was dark. His jet black hair reached passed his shoulders, held together in his neck by a leather tread. His eyes, a dark brown that looked black rather than dark brown, looked at the world with indifference, while at the same time had such depth that one could get lost in them without ever finding their way back. He was of average height, just as tall as the first, but with a presence less intimidating. Both walked with the ease of travelers, long since gotten used to days of walking, with little or no rest.

The first man stopped short in the clearing, dropped his baggage on the mushy ground and sat down on the limb covered with moss and took of his hat and seeing that his companion was walking towards the water, threw his water bottle to his companion. "Hé James, mind checking if the water is any good, and gett'n me some?" he asked. "shees, Drake, if I didn't know any better, I would think that you were using me to do all your stupid chores!" James joked. "Luckily for you, I'm only using you as my errands boy" with that Drake mockingly waved James over to the water. "now move, I've waited long enough!" without checking on the water James scooped up some water, walked back to Drake and emptied the bottle over James' head. After that a playful struggle started, and had someone else been in that struggle, that someone would have walked away with quite a bit more than a few bruises, but as it was, Drake and James ended up on the riverbanks and finally managed to get that refreshing drink they both wanted and needed. Once the thirst was quenched Drake moved back to the limb and James began to roll out his blankets, and lay down. After some twitching this way and that, James finally found the right spot without those irritatingly hard bobbles and looked at Drake.
"So, how much further do you think it is?"
" 'bout 2 hours I think, with a little luck and the right timing we might meet someone who's going the same way, and we could hitch a ride."
"You think? In this middle-of-nowhere long forgotten piece of land?"
"Yeah, well that's what the lady said." Drake was halfway through rolling out his blanket when he stopped and looked around.
"I'll be damned, where on earth did my stash of tobacco go? I rolled it in with my blankets this morning" Drake looked around the clearing that was getting dark fast with the disappearance of the sun, an almost desperate look in his light eyes.
"I don't see it anywhere here, and besides it just doesn't fall out like that."
James rolled from his back to his side, clearly trying to find a better position.
"It must have been that stupid brat that was fumbling with our packing…"
James rolled over to his other side.
"I told you to look after our packs while I was asking directions! "Don't worry Drake," he says "that lad doesn't have a bad bone in his body, I can tell" well, surprise James! Apparently he has some bad bones!" Drake's face was getting red with anger
"Drake…" James said.
Drake ignored him. "Now what am I supposed to do" Drake asked "I could of course ask once we get to the ranch, but that just gives a wrong impression"
"Drake…" James tried again, getting slightly irritated and rolling once more to his back.
"Besides," Drake said, almost hysterical. "I can't wait that long. I want my smoke, and need it now!"
"Drake!" James shouted
"What?" Drake shouted back
"Shut up! I'm trying to sleep"
"Oh…" Drake finally seemed to realize that it had gotten dark during his little episode, and calmed down a little. A bit of angry mumbling later, Drake too lay down and soon the only sound to be heard was the deep breath of sleep of men and a soft sound of leafs as the last of the forest creatures settled down for the night as well.

Drake and James didn't have much luck; they ended up walking the whole way, which took twice as long as they thought, and when they finally reached the ranch it was well past midday. The ranch existed of a little house, two barns, some trees, and a couple of acres of land. The house itself was nothing spectacular; big enough to house 4 to 5 people, it was an image of a practical, no-nonsense building, build to be a working office, turned into a home years ago. In the surrounding fields closest to the house cows grazed and from the back of the house the snoring and squealing sounds of pigs could be heard. In a far corner there were white rabbits in cages bigger than was normal, giving the animals plenty of space to hop around and enjoy the sunlight the surrounding trees and barn couldn't block.

When they were halfway to the house, they were met by and middle aged man. He was small and quick, with restless eyes, eyes that had a shadow of the past ever present. After sort introductions, and verification of identities on Drake and James side, the three men moved to the veranda, sharing a bottle of whiskey. The Boss didn't waste time on small talk. He told Drake and James what was expected of them, gave them a short layout of the everyday schedule and send them on their way.
"Why don't you get settled down, get some rest, and then you can start tomorrow." With that he turned around and left.
"So what do you think?" James asked.
"He looks like he used to be one of us, so that's good" Drake said thoughtful "like the ranch too; it's got a curtain atmosphere about it."
"You noticed that to? I think we might actually have found a place we could stay for more than a month" James half joked, but neither could hide the hopeful look in their eyes form the other. With the sun already starting to set both men once more prepared for the night.

Outside the Boss sat on a well worn porch looking to the mountains, and seeing the sun disappear behind them as he had for many years now.
"Look" he said into the growing darkness "we did it Lennie, me an' you."
A single tear made its way down his cheek as the sun disappeared behind the mountains