Chapter Thirteen
Raylan shifted his shoulders against the wall, trying to ease the growing ache in his spine. He sighed, watching his breath steam in the air. Pain throbbed in his fingers and toes as the cold air nipped at his skin. He wrapped his arms more tightly around his body to conserve as much heat as he could.
The clouds parted a little outside. Pale moonlight flooded into the room, spilling over the girl. She was curled on her side, one arm tucked under her head. A shiver passed through her and she drew her legs tighter to her stomach.
He reached over and touched her arm lightly.
Her eyes flew open. She started, scooting backwards before she caught herself and halted the movement. "What's wrong?" She looked over at the door. "Are they coming back?"
Raylan shook his head. "It's getting colder. We need to share our body heat or we're not going to survive the night." He moved away from the corner of the room, pointing at the small space. "Come and lay down here. It's warmer, I think."
She watched him with wary eyes. "Okay," she muttered at last, as another shiver shook her slender body. "Hang on. I saw something..."
He watched as she stumbled to her feet, digging around beside the bed.
She made a pleased sound and turned, holding up a long jacket. "It's not much, but we can cover ourselves with it."
He smiled. "I think you just saved our lives."
Dust rose into the air as she dropped gracelessly into the corner of the room. "Are we going to get out of here?" Her voice sounded very small and scared in the dark. She reached for him, curling her hands around his arm.
"We'll wait 'till morning, see what we have to work with. No use trying anything in the dark." He shook the coat out over their bodies. It covered only a little bit of them. Raylan patted the pockets out of long habit, not really expecting to find anything. A small, rectangular shape shifted under his fingertips. "Hmm..."
She moved her head. "What? What is it?"
"I don't know." He worked his hand into the pocket, drawing out a small gas lighter. "This is good."
She covered his hand with hers. "A lighter?"
"We can make a fire." Hope leapt in his chest. He thumbed the wheel, watching the tiny flame glow in the dark. The warmth from it felt like a bonfire. "We need something to set it in."
He pushed the coat aside, covering the girl with it, and stood, stretching muscles stiff from the cold and the abuse. Carefully, he stepped forward, moving towards the bed. The heavy chain dragged behind him, holding him back.
"I think there was an old metal barrel in the corner," The girl said.
Raylan took another step in that direction. The clouds had started to cover the moon again, and the room was growing darker. His foot hit something solid and hollow. He bent, reaching for it.
His fingers touched something warm and furry. The rat jerked under his touch, squealing as it raced away from him. He jerked back, so startled that he almost lost his footing. The lighter dropped from his fingers, landing with a bounce on the floor.
"Shit!" he cursed, grabbing the bucket and rolling it towards the girl.
"Please tell me you didn't drop it," she said.
"Wish I could," he muttered, and knelt, running his hands carefully over the floor. A wadded mass of paper rolled away from his fingers. He grabbed it and set it near the wall.
"Brilliant," she said sarcastically. "Want me to help you look for it?"
He shook his head, then realised she wouldn't be able to see it. "Nope. Find something to put in that bucket to burn."
She crawled towards the other end of the room. "Lots of wood scraps on this floor. They'll burn nice."
His hand closed on something made of cold metal. He sucked in a startled breath.
"What did you find?" she asked. "Not another rat?"
"No." He pulled it closer, tucking it through his belt. "I just found a gun."
She threw a large chunk of wood in the direction of the bucket. It landed on the floor with a hollow bang. "This seem awfully convenient to you?"
He swept his hands over another area of floor, grabbing a piece of loose floorboard and yanking it free. "I think if the chief wanted us dead, we'd be in a mine shaft with a bullet in our heads right now. We're still useful to him."
She closed her hand on a small metal object. "I think I have it!" she said, fumbling the top open and lighting a flame. "What about the gun?"
He walked back towards the corner. "Could be empty."
"You can't tell?" she dropped a few slivers of wood into the bucket, dropping some of the paper on top. The flame caught easily, spreading through the kindling and into the larger bits of wood.
"I'd rather not take chances." He leaned against the wall, shifting a little as she curled up against him.
The small fire made the cold more bearable. With the coat spread over them, it was almost comfortable.
"Maybe the chief didn't leave it," the girl said quietly. "Maybe one of the others left this stuff for us."
Raylan ran his hands over the gun. "Maybe." He found the clip release and thumbed it, letting the magazine drop into his hand. Light reflected on the metal as he leaned forward, counting. "It's fully loaded."
She tucked her head against his shoulder. "Good. Shoot that son-of-a-bitch in the balls when he comes back," she muttered drowsily.
"This doesn't make sense," he thought aloud, leaning back against the wall, trying to make all the pieces fit. He stared at the darkness for a long time, thinking, before letting sleep claim him.