A/N: This story was written for the Random Generator Challenge at the Ranch, the title, the original character names, and parts of the plot were all randomly generated.
The small village of Whisper Springs started to come into view and Noah couldn't wait to get off of his horse. He had been riding for four days straight on a special run for Teaspoon. As he drew closer he felt something was a little off about the town. Parts of it looked dilapidated and unkempt and there were very few people milling around. Something about this town made Noah think this place was lost in time. The one place in the town that seemed cared for was the cemetery. In fact, it seemed more than cared for. The graveyard was immaculately groomed with flowers, trees, and statuary. It was unlike anything Noah had ever seen outside a grand old city. It looked out of place here in the middle of nowhere.
Noah rode through town and straight to the sheriff's office. The looks he was getting convinced him it was the best course of action. His delivery was for the sheriff anyway, but the frightened and uncomfortable stares from the little of the town folk he could see told him he should wait until after meeting him to board his horse, get a room, and a decent meal. That was if he would even be allowed to stay the night in town.
As soon as he turned the corner down the main thoroughfare, Noah could see the setting sun reflect off of a large stately manor perched high on the hill overlooking the town. The manor looked as well kept up as the cemetery and Noah wondered if they were somehow connected. The further down the street Noah rode the more of the manor he could see. He felt the bile from his stomach inch up his throat as he recognized some of the outbuildings as slave quarters. On closer inspection he could see slaves milling about the manor engaged in their daily routine. Noah involuntarily put his hand on his vest pocket. Teaspoon had made sure he had papers on him proving him to be a free man. Noah at first didn't want to take them, but Teaspoon had insisted. He was being his usual stubborn self and right now he was kind of glad that Teaspoon had thrust the papers on him.
Noah dismounted his horse just outside the sheriff's office. He took another look around the town. The few people out and about on the warm June evening were all watching his every move, many of them with continued looks of disdain or distrust. Noah straightened his vest with a defiant snap that shook the trail dust from the last four days loose. After removing the small, thin package from his saddlebags, he tucked it inside his vest. He walked confidently up to the door, tinkling a bell as he opened it, and walked through. The sheriff was seated in a chair much like the one Teaspoon sat in. He was leaned back in it with his hat drawn over his face.
"Excuse me," Noah said loud enough to wake the sheriff from slumber.
The sheriff shifted in his chair at the sudden noise and nearly tipped over. At the last minute he righted himself and changed the chairs momentum forward until all four chair legs rested on the floor in front of him. The man looked up at Noah with a bit of shock, but quickly banished it from his gaze.
"You won't find asylum here, young man," the sheriff said looking Noah up and down. "It's best ya jest move along."
"I ain't here for no asylum," Noah said trying to keep his anger in check. "I'm a free man. I'm here to deliver a package to Sheriff Clayton Salters. Is that you?"
"Yeah, that's me," Salters answered. The man took an even more scrutinizing look at Noah. "What sort of package?"
Noah started to reach inside his vest for Teaspoon's package when the sheriff pulled a gun on him. "Keep your hands where I can see 'em, boy," the sheriff said.
Noah pulled his gloved hand out of his vest and raised the other hand as well. It wouldn't be the first time something like this had happened. It probably wouldn't be the last. The sheriff walked up to him and took the small package from the inside pocket of Noah's vest and looked at it.
"Who sent you?" the sheriff asked.
"I'm a rider for the Pony Express," Noah answered plainly. "Marshal Teaspoon Hunter in Rock Creek sent me."
"Well, thank him for me when you get back," Salters said almost disappointed. "You best be getting on your way home now."
"It seems to me," Noah said with hostility in his voice, "that someone riding four days straight to deliver a package ought to be able to get a room, a bath, and a nice hot meal before goin' on his way home."
"Boy, if you don't want to become a permanent resident at that house on the hill, I'd make myself scarce," Salters said. "Ain't nobody here gonna rent you a room, much less let you have a bath or a hot meal. You best be leavin'."
Noah narrowed his eyes in anger and hatred. Teaspoon said this man was a friend of his. Apparently Noah's color was a stronger motivator than Teaspoon's friendship.
"I won't be leaving until morning," Noah said defiantly tilting his chin. "Both my horse and I will be needing a rest. Till then you can find me under a tree near the cemetery."
The tiny bell above the door tinkled again as Noah forcibly pulled the door open and slammed it shut. He adjusted the whip and pistol on his belt and took in the town again. The people were once again eyeing him suspiciously. Honestly, Noah didn't like being in this town any more than any of the people seemed to want him here, but his pride won out. He wasn't going to let these people chase him away. He led his horse over near the cemetery at the edge of town. There was a hitching post out near it and a nice big tree. Staking his horse out so it could graze on cool grass, Noah unsaddled his trusty mount. He set the saddle under the tree, leaned on it and rested his achy muscles. He was tired of sleeping on the ground after having spent the last three nights sleeping under the stars, but he would be back in Rock Creek in another four days and he could rest on his bunk then.
A nice big full moon soon took over the sky and Noah noticed an almost unnatural stillness settle over the town. There was no one out on the boardwalks or wandering down the thoroughfare. If it weren't for the soft glow of oil lamps coming from the windows, he would have thought the town was abandoned. Every once and a while, Noah heard the click of a door lock echo through the town and he wondered why. It was as if the townsfolk were bolting their doors against something terrible. Noah wondered if it was for his benefit or if it was a nightly occurrence. Something in the casual way that it happened made Noah think that he wasn't special. This seemed routine somehow.
Noah felt a shiver down his spine as if someone was watching him. A fog rolled in and he wondered if the temperature had changed or if he was imagining things. Noah's horse whinnied nervously and when he rose to comfort him, he saw it. A figure veiled in white glided over the landscape of the cemetery and stopped at one of the graves. Noah held his breath as he watched the graceful spirit kneel at what looked like a recent grave. The stone looked clean and polished and the grass was still thin. Noah looked back at the town. There were faces in the windows watching what must seem to be a ghost. As he looked back to the grave, the moonlight seemed to make the figure glow. Noah was close enough to know the figure wasn't a ghost. It looked more like a woman to him.
As the veil was lowered, Noah's suspicions were confirmed. It was indeed a woman underneath the flowing white fabric. She held out her hand and traced a name on the marker in front of her. The name on the tombstone was Darryl Delaughter. The name felt like it should mean something to Noah and then he remembered. Nearly every business in town had the name 'Delaughter' in its title. Noah surmised that must be the name of the family that owned the house on the hill. He stepped back to give the woman some privacy and snapped a twig under his boot. Startled, the woman looked back at him.
"I'm sorry ma'am," Noah said as he looked into the face of what he could only think was an angel. The sight of her left him nearly speechless. If he had to guess, he would say due to the relative lightness of her skin and hair that the woman was mulatto. Her dark eyes seemed to look straight into his soul.
"It is dangerous for you to be here," she said pointedly. "Has no one told you this?"
Noah couldn't look away from her and felt his lips curl into a goofy grin. She kept looking at him expectantly and he found his voice. "Uh yeah," he said putting on an easy smile. "I just don't respond well to being told what to do."
The woman smiled and Noah quickly blushed. "I'm Noah Dixon."
"Chandra. I live up…"
"At the house on the hill," Noah completed with a playful smile.
"How did you know?" Chandra asked.
"That seems to be the only place our kind is allowed," Noah answered.
Chandra smiled. "Are you a runaway?"
"Nope," Noah said proudly. "I am a free man."
Chandra's eyes opened with awe. "Is it wonderful, being free?" she asked.
"I don't rightly know," Noah said honestly. He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand trying to make the conversation more comfortable. "I've never known the bonds of slavery. I was born free. I guess it has its own challenges."
"I see," Chandra said smiling. "This is the only time I feel free. People think I'm a ghost. I'm not really supposed to be out on my own."
"Why are you out?" Noah asked curiously. He moved closer to her. Her flawless caramel skin shimmered in the pale light.
Chandra looked back at the grave and bowed her head. "I come for him. It is my fault he is dead."
"Who is he?" Noah asked even though he thought he might have an idea.
"My master's son," Chandra replied, but Noah could feel she was holding something back.
Noah reached his hand over and dried a newly fallen tear. "I'm sure it's not your fault," he said comfortingly.
"No, it is true," Chandra said shaking her head. "We were in love or so I thought. We were never allowed to be alone together for as long as I could remember. The master had forbidden it. I never understood why he was so insistent. Not until…"
Chandra turned her head away in shame. "I don't know why I am telling you any of this…maybe because I will never see you again."
Noah looked at her again. The lightness of her skin made him wonder. "You are his sister, aren't you?" he asked gently.
"He didn't even know until the end," Chandra revealed. "He couldn't stand how my master treated me and they had a terrible fight. That's when my master told us both who we were. That's when he died and everything changed."
Chandra couldn't continue and Noah wrapped his arms tentatively around her shoulders and let her weep the tears she couldn't shed freely.
Chandra pulled away and dried her eyes. "I come here every night because it is my fault."
"You couldn't have known," Noah argued.
"No, but I disobeyed my master," she said. "I did not stay away from him like I was told. Now I am condemned to walk out here every night."
"Your master makes you?" Noah asked horrified.
"Yes, but even if he didn't, I would come," Chandra said. "I owe him that at least."
The mood was heavy and Noah could see a desire to be happy float in her eyes.
"You owe him peace, Girl," Noah said scolding her jovially. "How's he supposed to rest with you coming down here every night and disturbing him?"
The light ribbing had the desired effect as Chandra let out a small laugh. "I never thought of it that way."
Noah led Chandra over to the rail fence where they both sat and talked. There were so many things they wanted to know about each other's life experience that the conversation never truly died down until they ran out of questions to ask each other. Their eyes connected and Noah felt suddenly nervous. He lost himself in her eyes as he leaned in. It seemed like a natural thing to do and Chandra started to lean toward him in response. Their lips met tenderly at first and then they let their inhibitions down.
Noah lifted Chandra off the fence and set her on his bedroll under the tree. There they continued their sweet assault on their other's lips. They only noticed the time when dawn started to break.
"Oh, I need to get back to the house before…" Chandra said standing up suddenly. She started to fidget and shake with fear.
"What'll happen if you don't?" Noah asked raising an eyebrow.
"I can't be late, or I'll be…" she answered weakly.
"Don't go back," Noah offered. "Come with me."
"I can't," Chandra said reflexively. "I don't have permission."
"You don't need permission," Noah said. "I'll take you away from here."
"But if you don't leave by the time the sun comes up," Chandra argued, "They'll make you a slave. I can't let that happen to you."
"I can't let you go back," Noah said. "Not now. Not ever. I know this territory better than most. They won't find us."
Chandra looked at the house and then back to Noah. "Come back for me," she said with her eyes suddenly bright. "I can't leave now, there are too many things I must do first."
Noah looked at her and considered her compromise. It was true she was not prepared to leave at this moment. Her clothing would only hinder her escape. They didn't have any supplies. Noah couldn't get anyone to let him into a shop to purchase simple trail rations.
"Alright, I'll come back for you in eight days time," Noah agreed sternly but reluctantly, "and I'll meet you here that night." That would give him time to get back to Rock Creek and gather some money and supplies together. It would also give him time to bring friends to back his play. He had a feeling he would need them when he came back into this town again.
"Now, you must go and so must I," Chandra said.
As she turned to go, Noah grabbed her hand and pulled her into one last kiss. "Eight days," he said.
"Eight days," she repeated with a smile and ran off to the house on the hill.
The sun burned away all the mist and fog from the night as it climbed into the sky. Noah couldn't help but smile as he thought about Chandra's kiss. The memory of her beautiful smile, soft skin, and penetrating eyes, spurred him on. He didn't know exactly what he would do as soon as he arrived back at the station, but he had several days to figure it out. By the fourth day of hard riding, Noah couldn't think of anything but getting back to Whisper Springs as fast as he could and rescuing Chandra from her life. He knew he couldn't do it alone. He would need money and back up.
As quickly as Noah arrived back at the Pony Express station, he was set to leave by the next morning. After telling Teaspoon, Rachel, and the riders an edited version of his story over supper, they not only agreed beyond his expectations to help, but Cody and Jimmy offered to join him on his quest. Armed with supplies for the trip, money to buy Chandra's freedom if need be, and friends, Noah set out as quickly as he could. His focus was on getting to Chandra in the agreed time.
By late afternoon on the eighth day, Noah, Jimmy, and Cody rode into the outskirts of Whisper Springs.
"You weren't kidding when you said this town was a bit run down," Cody observed as they overlooked the town.
"That cemetery looks right out of place too," Jimmy added, "just like you said."
"I think it's best if I stay here and wait for nightfall," Noah said. "Chandra said she would meet me in the cemetery tonight."
"You mind if we have a look around?" Jimmy asked, "Maybe ask a few questions about the town."
"Go ahead, Jimmy," Noah answered. "These people ain't never gonna talk to the likes of me."
"Jimmy, I think it is time we introduced ourselves to the sheriff," Cody suggested. "Perhaps he'll be more hospitable to us."
"You do that," Noah agreed. "I got the feeling that man knows more than he's telling."
"You gonna be alright here, Noah?" Cody asked as he and Jimmy prepared to ride into town.
"I'll be alright when Chandra is in my arms," he said with a nod to his friends.
Noah unpacked his horse and set up camp. He hated waiting, but he wouldn't really have to wait that long. Not in the grand scheme of things. It would be dark in a few hours and then he could see his angel again. He could touch her and taste her again.
The sight of wild flowers in the meadow spurred an idea in Noah. He gathered a small bunch of colorful blooms and placed them in his camping coffee cup full of water. The goofy grin he'd been sporting for more than a week returned to his lips as he daydreamed about how his clandestine meeting in the cemetery tonight would go. Noah jumped up and started to pace. Would she be as excited as he was? Would she have trouble getting her things together and sneaking them out? A thought occurred to Noah and his grin faded. What if she changed her mind? What if she didn't want to go with him after all?
As Noah started to panic, he heard the hoof beats of horses coming nearer and nearer. He unhooked his whip and let it unfurl on the ground. He was ready if it was anyone but Cody and Jimmy.
"I thought I made it clear that you weren't welcome here, Boy," Sheriff Clayton Salters remarked as he came into view.
"My bein' here don't got nothing to do with you, Salters," Noah said brazenly. "I'm a free man and I come and go as I please."
"Not from here you won't," Salters said. "This place has a way of keeping people. You shouldn't linger."
"I'll go when I'm good and ready," Noah said defiantly.
"Suit yerself," the sheriff said. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
As Sheriff Salters headed back to town, Cody and Jimmy came around the corner and Noah let out a sigh of relief. He smiled and was about to say something clever when he noticed the concern and confusion etched in their faces.
"What's wrong?" Noah asked reflexively. The look exchanged between his friends quickened his pulse. The pounding of his heart was the only thing Noah could hear.
"Noah, are you sure this was the town you were at a week ago?" Jimmy asked.
"I'm positive, why?" Noah replied. The silent communication between Cody and Jimmy had him alarmed. He started to feel sick.
"There's nobody here, Noah," Cody said confused.
"What do you mean there's nobody here? The sheriff just left."
"Just what Cody said," Jimmy confirmed. "It's a ghost town."
"It don't look like anyone has lived here in years," Cody added.
"That can't be," Noah mumbled. He vaulted onto his horse and the trio rode back to the heart of Whisper Springs.
A few tumbleweeds slowly bounced down the main thoroughfare as a broken shutter banged against the outer wall of an abandoned dressmaker's shop. Most of the windows were free of glass and if they had glass, it was broken or cracked. Noah stopped his horse and looked around in disbelief. This was and wasn't the same town he had been in just a week ago.
"I don't understand," Noah said shaking his head. "I was here and it wasn't like this."
As they turned the corner Noah gasped at the sight of the manor house on the hill. The entire estate was in ruins. It looked like a fire had long ago burned the house and the outbuildings to the ground. He felt his heart drop into his stomach.
"This can't be," Noah said softly. "She was real and she lived up there."
Noah could feel Jimmy and Cody appraise him. He knew they must be questioning his sanity by now. "I was here and this was all different," he said adamantly. "I can prove it."
Noah rode up to the sheriff's office and dismounted. The rusted bell over the door broke off and skidded across the floor as it came in contact with the opening door.
"Salters!" Noah called out. "I know you're here! Show yourself!"
Jimmy and Cody looked at each other and then back to Noah.
"He was here," Noah said. "He came to the campsite and talked to me just before you came back from town."
He walked up to the desk and picked up an unopened package. There was no dust on it. Noah looked up at Jimmy and Cody. They both looked at him with concern.
"Maybe we should head out," Cody suggested. "If we hurry we can reach River Bend before it gets too dark."
"No," Noah said angrily. "She was real and I'm going to meet her in the cemetery tonight. We're staying."
Noah bolted outside to catch his breath. Everything about this town was wrong and it was making him dizzy. How could this be? He didn't believe in stuff like this. Adults tell children stories like this to scare them into being good. Things like this weren't real, were they? Noah heard Jimmy and Cody's footsteps on the boardwalk outside the sheriff's office and he turned around.
"I've come this far," Noah explained. "I have to see it through."
Jimmy looked over at Cody and they both nodded. "Let's finish setting up camp and make some dinner," Cody said. "I'm starved."
"Only you could eat at a time like this," Noah muttered.
At the camp, Noah stared down at the makeshift vase of flowers he had picked while Jimmy and Cody got a fire started to cook dinner. Noah tried not to lose all hope. He had to believe Chandra was real. Maybe he was going crazy. The whole town seemed intent on proving itself a figment of his imagination, but he knew what he saw. There was something he was missing. There had to be.
"Whoa," Cody said suddenly. "That's weird."
"Hurry up, Cody," Jimmy demanded. "Don't you have that can of beans open yet?"
"Is that?" Cody mumbled. "Nah, I'm just seeing things."
"What are you blathering on about now, Cody?" Jimmy grumbled as he threw another small log on the fire. "For someone who was 'starving' you sure are taking you sweet time with the food."
"You gotta see this, Jimmy," Cody said in disbelief. "It don't make no sense."
Noah heard Jimmy growl and go over to where Cody was set up. "What don't make no sense, Cody?" he heard Jimmy ask.
"That right there, Hickok," Cody said pointing. "You ever see anything like that?"
"Well, there's gotta be a reasonable explanation for that," Jimmy said. "Noah, what do you think?"
Jimmy's question brought Noah out of his musings of Chandra. He stood and walked over to where Jimmy and Cody stood. He looked out into the town of Whisper Springs and saw the lamp lights warming the windows of the town. A little bit of slightly off key piano music could be heard from the saloon and the house on the hill was standing and in pristine condition once again.
"I think it's time for me to go wait for Chandra in the cemetery," Noah said getting up. He was starting to feel the nerves and muscles in his stomach knot up. Grabbing the nosegay of flowers from his coffee cup, Noah started for the cemetery. The dew was gathering on the long grass and it quickly cleaning the trail dust from his boots as he walked on. A few crickets began to chirp and Noah was pretty sure he heard the hoot of an owl nearby. The whole area began to spring alive. Walking up to the grave of Darryl Delaughter, Noah felt almost like he was being followed. A small squirrel revealed itself and Noah smiled. The changes in the town had him on edge. He hoped when Chandra arrived, she would be able to explain what was happening with this place.
Noah crouched by the fence and waited. It wasn't that he was hiding, but he was keeping himself concealed because he was nervous about meeting Chandra and he also didn't want any more run ins with Sheriff Salters. Noah's leg was just starting to cramp when he heard footsteps. Just like before, the form of a veiled woman seemingly floated across the landscape and knelt at the headstone of Darryl Delaughter.
Chandra's dress was the same as Noah remembered. It seemed to glow in the light of the moon. Somehow the moon only being a half moon made no difference in the intensity of the shimmer. Noah felt the nerves bubble in his stomach as he carefully revealed himself and walked over to the grave.
"Chandra?" Noah said softly.
Chandra looked up at him and smiled. "I didn't think you'd really come back," she said. "I hoped…"
Noah knelt beside her and looked her in the eyes. "I couldn't stay away," he said. Noah caressed her face and knew she was real. Their eyes met and Noah couldn't hold himself back. He leaned in and tenderly captured Chandra's lips with his own. She eagerly returned the kiss knocking Noah's hat down his back. Noah was sure it was the first of many kisses that would last their lifetime.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked when the kiss broke.
Chandra looked back to the house on the hill. "I don't think I can go, Noah," she said. "He'll hunt me down. I'll never be free. Why don't you stay here?"
"I can take you away," Noah said trying to convince her. "I don't think that man exists anymore. There's something strange about this town. You must know about it."
"It's best not to speak of it," Chandra whispered.
Noah studied Chandra. He didn't understand her reluctance to talk about the oddness of the town.
"You do know that during the day, the manor house is in ruins, right?" Noah asked gently stroking her hair. "Where do you go?"
"I sleep during the day," Chandra answered. "I go back to the manor house at the end of the night and I go to sleep in my room."
"You know that doesn't make any sense," Noah said confused.
Chandra looked away and softly shook. "You should leave," she said, her voice betraying her sadness.
"I'm sorry if I upset you," Noah said moving his hand to her shoulder.
Chandra turned, buried her face into his chest, and sobbed. "I was selfish," she said. "I feel so alone and I just want be around people again."
"I'm offering you a way out," Noah said. "Please, let me take you away from here. I promise I won't let anyone come after you."
"You can't promise me that," Chandra said. "If it isn't my master, it will be someone else. I am a slave. People will always hunt me."
"They say President Lincoln will end slavery," Noah reasoned. "If that happens no one will ever hunt you again."
"President who?" Chandra asked.
"Lincoln," Noah answered. "He was just elected."
"I thought elections were held every four years," Chandra remarked curiously. "The last election was just half a year ago."
"Yes," Noah said confused, "it was."
"Then how can this Lincoln be president when we just elected James Madison?" Chandra asked.
"James Madison?" Noah said shocked. He looked over at the grave of Darryl Delaughter. The grass was still as new as he'd seen it the last time he was here.
Chandra looked at Noah. Her eyes mirrored the confusion he was feeling. Something was off.
"When did he die?" Noah asked nodding his head at Darryl's grave.
Tears filled Chandra's eyes. "Just a couple of months ago," she said sadly.
Noah shifted Chandra away from the headstone and saw what he feared. Un-obscured the stone had a date on it of April 12, 1809. Noah gasped. "I don't understand."
"What don't you understand?" Chandra asked as the teardrops from her eyes slid down her perfect skin.
"Chandra, it's 1861," Noah said as gently as he could. "It's been over fifty years since Darryl died."
"That can't be," Chandra said paling.
Noah started to look around at other things. The dress Chandra wore didn't look like any of the dresses Lou or Rachel would wear. He really didn't know anything about fashion but it definitely looked out of place now. Maybe she was from another time, but if she was how did she get here?
"Noah, you need to leave," Chandra said suddenly. Her eyes were wide as if she just came to a horrifying conclusion. "If you stay, I fear you won't be able to get away. You'll be stuck here forever."
Noah hugged her tightly. "That ain't gonna happen," he said. "I'll be alright."
"She ain't lying," a voice said from beyond the cemetery fence. "I tried to leave this place twenty years ago. It can't be done."
A twig snapped as Sheriff Clayton Salters came into view. His gun was drawn.
"What do you want now, Salters?" Noah asked angrily as he raised his hands. "I thought I told you I'd go when I was good and ready."
"It's too late for that, Boy!" Salters said laughing. "She's got you ensnared just like she did me."
"She don't got me ensnared," Noah protested. "I'm helping her leave this place behind."
"The first time I tried to leave I found myself back in the sheriff's office with my feet up on the desk," Salters said. "After that I tried to leave every night for a month. I just got on my horse and rode as fast and as far as I could. I'd pick a different direction every night. I'd wake up every morning in that damned chair like I'd never left."
"Clayton?" Chandra asked as if recognizing an old friend. "What are you doing here?"
"You know him?" Noah asked her.
"Yes," Chandra said.
"I tried to find any other reason I couldn't leave, but it just kept coming back to her," Salters said. He slowly cocked his gun as his eyes bored into her. "After a while she was the only thing keeping me from joining her brother."
Noah turned and shielded Chandra from the sheriff. "Why don't you go back to town," he said. "This don't concern you."
"The hell it doesn't!" Sheriff Salters yelled. "This is my town and you're not welcome."
"Why don't you put that gun down and we can talk," Noah suggested.
"This is all my fault," Chandra said so softly Noah almost didn't hear it. "Everything that happens here…it is my fault."
Noah turned to her and wiped a tear from her face. "It's not your fault. You said your master makes you come here every night, right?"
Chandra nodded. "He cursed me before…"
"Cursed you before, what?" Noah asked trying to figure out the mystery.
Chandra turned away and walked toward the gravestone. "He'd really angry when he found out that the two of us had become lovers. He came after me and he was going to kill me, but Darryl stepped in and tried to stop it. It all happened so fast. The shot rang out and I thought for sure I was going to die. I didn't feel anything and when I opened my eyes, Darryl was lying on the floor with a red stain on his shirt about the size and color of a fully bloomed rose. I tried to help him, but he was dead."
"Go on and tell him what happened next!" the sheriff demanded. "Tell it just how you told it to me."
"He didn't mean to kill his son," Chandra said. "If I hadn't backed away, he'd have killed me and everything would have been fine, but he went mad instead. He started to throw things around the house and he hit one of the kerosene lamps and knocked it over. The whole place started on fire. He told me to take Darryl's body out of the house and bury it. I was to take care of his grave for the rest of my life because I was to blame."
"Keep going," the sheriff said. "Tell him how you kept me here."
"I come out to the cemetery every night," Chandra said tearfully. "I am very lonely and one night Clayton came by."
Noah looked at Chandra and then back to Clayton Salters.
"He told me he'd take me away from here, but I couldn't leave," Chandra continued. "So I asked him to stay with me. I didn't know it would mean he couldn't ever leave either."
"Didn't you?" the sheriff asked hostilely.
"No, I…"
"You what?"
"I just hoped, I would never have to be alone," Chandra said.
"And you never were, not with me here," Clayton said sadly. "You asked him to stay too, didn't you?"
"I did," she said.
Sheriff Salters turned his attention to Noah. The hurt and rage was burning in his eyes. "I told you to leave, but you had to come back. She's mine, Boy!"
Noah appraised the scene in front of him. Chandra was shaking although Noah couldn't decide if it was out of fear or shame. "Looks to me like she don't want to be yours," Noah challenged. "Why did you write Teaspoon? To get out of here, right?"
"I asked him to come to my wedding," Salters said sadly. "I hoped he'd come. Instead he sent you."
Clayton raised the pistol up at Noah again.
"I knew as soon as I saw you that you'd take her away from me," he said. "She doesn't age, but I do. A young man like you…I knew she wouldn't be able to resist you."
"Do you want to marry this man, Chandra?" Noah asked. "If you do, I'll leave. But if you don't, just say the word."
"Please don't go, Noah," Chandra whispered.
The look in her eye gave Noah courage. She was asking for his protection and that was the one thing he had promised her since they met.
"Walk away Salters," Noah said giving his neck a not so subtle crack. "She don't want to marry you."
"You can't just come here and take over my life," Salters said distraughtly. "I've been here for twenty years. I couldn't leave…I couldn't live. At least she made it better. I won't let you take her from me."
"I ain't taking anything from you that you done already lost," Noah said.
"Stand aside," Salters said. "I ain't gonna tell you again."
"Ain't gonna happen!" Noah shouted back.
Salters holstered his gun and squared his stance. Noah let his hand drift down to the butt of his pistol as he moved Chandra away from him. He knew enough from watching Jimmy what was about to happen. He kept his eyes on Salters.
Salters was the first to twitch and Noah reaction was a bit later than he would have liked.
"NO!" Chandra screamed as she ran toward Clayton. He had pulled his gun just ahead of Noah and had already squeezed the trigger. With the bang of the gun, Chandra's body crumpled to the ground as the bullet from Noah's pistol found the middle of Salter's chest.
"Chandra!" Noah cried as he pulled her limp body into his lap. He tried to stop the bleeding, but he could see it would do no good. She was shot in the chest. She didn't have much time. All he could do now was make her comfortable.
Chandra opened her eyes and smiled weakly at Noah. "Take me away from here, please," she requested. "I'm ready to go."
"I'll take you anywhere you want to go," Noah promised. Tears started to pool in his eyes. "You're free now."
The sound of Cody and Jimmy breaking through the brush to the cemetery startled Noah and he looked up at his friends with tears streaking his face.
"I want to go to the wildflower fields beyond this town," Chandra choked out. "I want to be away from here."
Noah looked back at Chandra and tried not to betray his wonder to her. She was aging right before his eyes. He didn't want her to see anything on his face but the love he felt for her. The wrinkles by her eyes were the first thing he noticed followed by the graying of her hair.
"I'm sorry Noah, I don't think I can stay with you," Chandra said with a few coughs. She closed her eyes and slipped away.
Noah hugged her body to him and started to rock her gently as he grieved. It was several minutes before anyone said anything.
"I'm sorry, Noah," Jimmy said breaking the silence.
"Let's take her away from here," Noah pleaded.
"We should bury them both," Cody said looking over at Sheriff Salters. "Teaspoon would want us to."
Noah cradled Chandra in his arms as Cody and Jimmy carried Clayton Salters from the cemetery. Cody grabbed a couple of shovels leaned up against the fence in the cemetery as they left.
As they walked out the gates the town became more tattered. Signs and shutters fell to the ground with noisy crashes and clatters. The whole town was falling apart even more so than it was when the three men had arrived earlier in the day.
It was sunrise when the riders had reached a spot they deemed far enough away from Whisper Springs. They spent most of the morning digging the two graves.
"I still can't figure that town out," Cody said resting his arms on a shovel.
"I don't think it was meant to be understood," Noah said as he arranged a small bouquet of wildflowers on Chandra's grave.
"I think Noah's right," Jimmy said, "besides no one would believe us anyway."
"Some kind of magic," Cody mused.
"Yeah," Noah sighed sadly. "She was."
A/N: I must thank profusely Beulah and Hortense for their support and brainstorming help. Parts of this story did not come easily and it was through the questions they asked and the ideas they pitched that this story found its way. Thank you to my beta reader, Shauna, who put the final coat of polish on this. I also need to thank my hubby for all the story meetings we had while walking or when you were in the shower and couldn't escape ;)