I got back later that night. The sun was gone, and the town was swarmed in darkness with a few porch lights showing here and there. The De Luna hotel held noise of late nighters that reached my ears as I slowly walked in. They didn't need me yet. Lou said tomorrow afternoon. I turned the horse around, and walked slowly back to the stables. I dismounted, and led the horse into it's stall. I pulled bridle off, and set it next to the saddle I hadn't touched. I pulled Keith's coat up around my neck, and buttoned it up. It wasn't to cold that night, but there was a chilly wind. I could feel my lip layered in dry blood, and I felt under my chin was swollen. Not black or busied, and not to swollen, but it hurt badly. I saw Sam and taken my note, and written something back: 'have fun, take your time, and know that I'm here if ya need me.' It was singed with a SAM WILLEY.
I set the note down, and dropped a few coins on top of it. Sam would be asleep now, so I wouldn't wake him up. Even if he wasn't up, I couldn't talk to him. What was I suppose to tell him? I fell asleep in 2002, and woke up in 1876, and I can't get back home. Yep… that made total sense. I'd probably be announced crazy and either locked up or hung. I rubbed my neck and stuck my hands in the coat pocket, and slumped out of the barn, quietly closing the door. I was tired, and the wind had picked up a bit. I walked slowly down the road, sticking to the shadows, when I felt the wind shift, and blow faster. I spun around, and found that Keith and the boys were coming down the road from the hotel.
Why were they in there? Probably looking for me. Had they seen me? I ever so quietly sank back into the ally between the Livery and Land state buildings. They passed by me, whispering to each other. I blocked the words out, not wanting to care what they said. As the disappeared down the dark street, I came out and went the other way.
At the end of the street, was the old church. The paint had worn off and boards were coming loose here and there. It would have been a good place to stay the night, but I passed it, knowing what was behind it. a little further up the hill, detached from the town, was an old barn. The town still used it, but only for stocking up hay and seeds and stuff. My shadow loomed through the doorway, with me behind it. I looked around, realizing I had never been here before.
It was a simple barn with and thrust loft stacked with hey, a few stalls and a working bench. Tools lay everywhere, including old wheels, buckets, rakes, shovels, axels, wood, and metal hinges. I found an old ladder behind the last stall and climbed up, feeling sleep trying to seize my body. I found a nice place on the hey, and laid down, covering myself up with Keith's Jacket. I'd have to give it back tomorrow. I would probably find him… in…. I fell asleep.
The next morning I woke up from a light shake. I could feel my shoulder being gripped and shaken. My first thought was Wilson. Without a second thought, I spun around, and kicked my leg out. I felt my foot connect with someone else's, and that person lost threre feet from under them and fell. Instantly I saw who it was.
"Oh! Keith I'm so sorry!" I said, quickly coming to his side, "Are you ok?" He nodded, a bit out of breath.
"Hey guys, I found her." He called. I looked over the loft edge. There were the rest of the boys searching the barn. They all stopped and looked up.
"Hey Elisha." James said, "Where you been?'
"Yeah we've been looking all over for ya." Matt said. "Where's Keith?" I bit my lip.
"He's fine." I said. I turned around and helped Keith to his feet.
"Sorry about that. Thought you were Wilson." I said. Keith straightened, and smiled back at me.
"He won't be coming out of his room for a while." Keith said. "Wow… you ok?" I gave him a puzzled look, then remembered my face was bloody and scarred. I nodded.
"It's dry blood." I said, curling my arms around me. 'What are you guys doing here?"
"We found Sam, said you'd been out all day riding. We went out to look for you but never found you. We got back maybe a hour ago and found your horse in the stable. So we started looking for you around town." Said Fred. "We got worried."
"Thanks." I said, "But I can take care of myself you know."
"We figured." Keith said. He gave me a look I didn't recognize… something hidden behind his eye that almost scarred me. But it was gone and he headed down the ladder. I followed him. I jumped down off the last three steps, and landed gracefully on the dusty ground.
"So… Lou told us you got a day off yesterday. And you're free till this afternoon. Wanna hang around with us?" Matt asked. I thought about it.
"Um, I don't know. I mean, I guess I can but… I mean…" I didn't know how to say it, but I didn't want to hang around anyone right now. I wanted to get home. I wanted to leave. How was I suppose to tell that to these guys? I looked up at each of there puzzled and worried eyes. Some had split lips, a crooked nose, and even Jacob got a right shiner. I met Keith's gaze, and I shivered.
"Naw." He said, "We got to feed the cattle this morning. We're gonna be out in the rattle snake valley for some cattle ranging. She woulnd't be back for Luna in time." Keith said, saving me the trouble. A few boys looked at him, puzzled, but kept quiet. We were starring at each other, his eyes endless pools and mine clouded. "We'll se ya later. It's good to see you're ok." He said. the boys looked at me, then at Keith.
"Ok, see you later Elisha." Fred said.
"yeah. See ya." Caleb said, with a curious look at Keith. They all waved goodbye, except Keith, and left the barn, leaving me alone with the boy.
"You sure you're ok?" Keith asked. I looked at him, knowing I couldn't lie to my best friend.
"No." I said.
"Want to talk about it?" Keith asked. I curled my shoulders and shook my head. "Aw come on. I can take it." he said with a smile. I looked up at him, my eyes sad, and the smile faded. "It's serious isn't it? Is it what Mary said? look, don't worry bout that. You got a family here…" I shook my head.
"I DO have a family." I said, looking away. Keith was silent. "I have parents a sister and a brother."
"Well that's great!" Keith said, "So what's all this about? Where are they?" I suddenly felt tears well up in my eyes. I had never cried since I came here. Ever. Not once.
And now, I tried even harder to choke the tears back. But a thought of Seth, and Ellen, a thought of a family poker game, and a single tear dropped down my cheek. Keith didn't say anything. He had never seen me cry. We had been through a lot together in just three weeks, and some painful events, but I didn't cry.
But now, standing there, arms hugging myself, bloody lip, sore body, and covered in hay, I cried. "Elisha…" Keith started. I looked at him. "What happened? Is your family… dead?" They way he said it… made me cry even more. They were dead, weren't they? I mean, come on… I didn't know if I could ever go back home, see them again… and the time I was living in now… they didn't exist.
Great. More tears.
"Are they?" he asked again. I nodded slowly. I felt an arm around my shoulder. "Listen… a lot of people don't have a family. But in a town like this… they can start over. They build a new family. Sometimes better then the first." I wanted to punch him. He didn't understand.
"Many people come here because of a lost loved one. And then they refuse to start over. They linger in the past until they die. Eilsha, don't do that. Please? You're a nice girl. You don't deserve to have a rotten life. Whether you linger on their death is up to you. But the question is… do you want your family back? If you do, ya have to live life. Ya gotta try." I looked up at him. He had no idea. He turned and left. I sat down, my knees suddenly giving in. Was he right? No, yes. I didn't know, I didn't care. I just wanted to go home. But HOW? Think! I was good at that. Thinking. Ok, think. How did I come INTO this time? I fell asleep. But I had down that a lot here. Did it matter where and when I fell asleep? The bed in that room… the one I woke up in.
Maybe there was something there. Something? LIKE WHAT! I began to get frustrated. I looked up to see Keith and the boys taking off on horses across the valley away from town. I had to do SOMETHING! And all I had was the room somewhere past Lincoln. How would I get there? How much money did I have… a lot. Ok… I set a goal. I would go for one more week earning money, cause I didn't know when my next opportunity would be to get a job. One more week, then I would ride out and find that house. How would I deal with those goons there? I'd figure that out later. But for now, I looked up again, to see Keith and the rest just disappearing over the hill. I smiled and jumped up. I raced out of the barn and down the street. I ran into the Luna Hotel, surprising the number of customers there, including Lou.