Welcome to Alcove Spring. Here emigrants really like to stop, drink, and listen to the water.
On the side of a limestone cliff, many emigrants carve the words "ALCOVE SPRING" into the limestone cliff wall. They've NO idea how long their signature will last...
Nearby, a DAR marker stands. It stands in memory and honor of Sarah Keyes. A few years ago, a wagon party called the Donner Party pioneered the Oregon Trail, making it all the way to northern California. Alas, they lost one of their own along the way...and on one of the most embarrassing places on the trail to lose a party member, at that...
Outside the wagons' camp, skunks and rattlesnakes crawl. They avoid the wagoners...but naturally, are always prepared to defend themselves, if they must...
Here, Ms. Brown and Neim sit on a crate, just outside their wagon. All around, fires burn. The spring, nearby, makes it safe to burn a fire here. The Big Blue River isn't going to run dry any time this century...or the century after it, as a matter of fact.
For Neim and Ms. Brown, it's just a simple kerosene lantern. They should probably spare the kerosene, but...it's Alcove Spring. They just can't under-indulge...
Now and then, Neim brings Ms. Brown some water, up from the spring. Stylishly, she boils it. Once it's boiled, she waits for it to cool. And she drinks most of it...as he invites her to, and as she insists that he have some.
Afar, many of the emigrants watch, and whisper. Not all of them seem to approve of the chemistry that rises between a certain black actress and a certain conscientious Greek. It bothers some of them that they're young, and have no children. They can't help but wonder why such people would travel to Oregon City, if not to breed like rabbits.
"They're staring," Ms. Brown tells Neim. "Should we be worried?"
Neim shakes his head. "I'm not." He drags his finger along her bare leg. "I'm just glad to be with you."
She caresses his back, with her bare arm. She's in one of her bustiers. "I feel secure, being with you. You're one of the few locals I've met who can keep things together like I expect."
Neim scoffs. "You should see me when I get moody."
She scoffs. "You should see ME when I get moody."
"Well... I would say 'challenge accepted...' But I'd hate to over-intimidate you."
"Well, in THAT case," she slaps him on the ass, as she stands to stretch. "Challenge accepted!" With that, she winks.
For a long time after that, Neim keeps standing. He can't help but consecrate the painful spot on his ass, where Ms. Brown just slapped him.
"As much as I love a hardy man, Neim," she drags him back down, to a sitting position, "I'd hate to see you waste all your energy on a rest stop."
She rubs her bare arm all over his back. As much as this doesn't beat having his ass slapped...it's not bad, either...
For much of the night, this goes on. It's a mystery how anyone makes it to Oregon City with so little sleep to their names...