Chapter I: A Fateful Meeting

When calamity comes, it does so suddenly and without respite. Like a hurricane sweeping across a beautiful shoreline, or a dust storm rolling across the sunny Great Plains.

(Music: "Born Unto Trouble", by Bill Elm & Woody Jackson)

For me, that day of calamity arrived when I witnessed my father collapse to the floor in a hysterical fit of coughing; Blood pouring from his mouth and nose, his fits of coughing so violent I thought he'd drop dead on the spot.

And he did.

My mother followed suit shortly after, and both of them perished to the grave so immediately that I had hardly wept, for I wasn't able to comprehend the sheer despair of the situation I was in.

As our family had been living on the western frontier of America, it was practically a death sentence to be stranded in this lawless, hardly-colonized land of freedom and peril. I was but fourteen years old, barely aged enough to ride a horse very competently or hold my liquor, much less strike out on my own.

The next two years were some of the worst. I spent many nights going hungry, and even more days struggling to survive in the rough and merciless society I was now confined to. And with each sun that passed over my head, I could only ask myself,

Why?

Why was I spared of the tuberculosis that so closely gripped my parents? Why did they have to move here to this deadly land full of outlaws, Indians and animal terrors? Why did God take those so important to me, from me at such a crucial age?

I needed them. I needed someone to help me, someone I could rely on. I needed guidance, a path to follow, someone to teach me what I could not yet understand about this ruthless world.

Because there was plenty I could not understand. Far too much.

Far… too much.

"Ergh…"

I bitterly awoke to the sounds of wildlife and chirping birds. Rubbing my eyes firmly, I groggily looked around to ensure I was still in the same place I had slept.

As I expected, lush greenery surrounded me; Trees, bushes, fauna and the like. Deer, rabbits and other animals were moving across the great landscape even from the far distances I could peer. The land was entirely plump with life and energy.

And yet, I couldn't have felt more miserable.

Groaning quietly, I reached into my tattered jacket, pulling out some jerky I had prepared a few days ago after managing to kill a rabbit in my starving state. Biting into it, chewing it between my teeth with a revived gusto, I pondered the state of things.

I sat in silence, my back planted against the base of the tree; I had found myself looking over the farmstead of the kind Thomas Downes; A compassionate man I'd knew for the few years I'd spent here in Valentine. Day after day, he diligently stood by the charity box, pleading those walking around for a few spare cents. I had spent many of my days working alongside him, pleading the townspeople for just a few coins.

With every cent dropped in the charity box, Mister Downes' face would light up like the sun itself, his mood considerably improved for the rest of the day. I would be lying if I didn't admit that the energy he gave off was intoxicating in this grim and despair-filled world, and so I spent much of my time scrounging for the coins I could, just to see that smile on his kind face.

Over time, I resorted to far more dreadful means of acquiring this coin, as I became increasingly detached (and eventually resentful) of the folk around me; Though they were polite, their kindness was limited to their own selfish gain in most cases. It didn't take long before I risked the likes of theft, and in one case robbery of a poor couple on the trail.

Through all of this, Thomas Downes proved to be a saint by nearly every measure. During the robbery attempt, I had nearly been caught by the law in my evasion, and Downes had given me refuge in his home until they had passed. I offered him all of what I had taken, but he told me it would be better if I had found a way to return it, without being caught.

How could a man like this exist? In a time like this? And it wasn't as if Downes was wealthy- no. In fact, he was in worrisome debt to many a creditors at the time he had rejected my gains. In time, I began to take his compassion for foolishness; Even if it were gained by ill means, would he place his own moralities over the lives and well-being of his family?

And there again, I felt a misery befall me. Only a few days ago, I had heard word of Downes' condition, and at one point saw it for myself; Tuberculosis, that damning disease that'd taken the lives of my loved ones! God surely had a sickening sense of humor, to afflict this upon so many of the people I'd come to be fond of in my life.

Trot, trot, trot…

I was disrupted from my deep pondering by the sounds of clopping hooves. Adjusting my moccasin hat, I snuck a glance at a particularly-rough looking individual cantering his horse towards Downes' homestead; Perhaps another creditor?

"Eh…" I muttered, pulling my hat back down onto my face. Despite my fondness for Mister Downes, it was not my business to get involved with his financial affairs. I had only survived this long because I kept my nose out of other people's business- in most cases, anyhow.

And yet… seeing him canter up to the homestead, thinking of how quickly the Tuberculosis spread from my father to my mother… Was it not wrong to sit idly by and potentially allow a man to endanger himself to a deadly illness?

I sighed deeply; I was hardly in the business of doing kindness for strangers, especially seeing as where that had gotten Mister Downes, but…

Trot, trot, trot-

"Hey, mister!"

The gritty individual turned his grizzled face towards me, as I jogged down the steep slope of the hill I was sat upon. Gaining my footing, I walked up to the individual with one hand raised, indicating I was of peaceful intentions- In this lawless land, you could never be too careful as to who approached your presence. I had seen many innocent greenhorns get shot by ill-intended bandits and outlaws at their own campfires at night.

The grizzled cowboy grunted curiously as if wanting to see what I had to say. I came up to him more slowly, until I was standing only a meter or so from his horse.

"Howdy." I said simply. He tipped his head ever so slightly in returned greeting.

"What is it, then?" He asked in a low, gravelly tone. His entire demeanor was intimidating; He was towering even on the horse he rode on, and his bulky features suggested he could beat me to a pulp without a sweat. He emanated the vibes of a dangerous man, even from the distance I was at.

"Erm… I assume you are here to speak with Mister Downes?"

The man raised one eyebrow, looking to the distant homestead, then back to me.

"Maybe, maybe not. Who's asking?"

His response was so dodgy I almost laughed aloud; Though I made sure to not do that, as I wanted to avoid getting on the bad side of this intimidating beast of a man.

"I'm Harper, sir. Levi Harper." I said, nodding my head once as a form of greeting. "I happen to know Mister Downes quite well. Is it safe for me to assume you're here to collect a debt from his person?"

The man seemed to chuckle as I finished the sentence.

"'His person', eh? You got an interestin' vocabulary there, young man."

I nodded simply.

"My parents afforded me a modest education for most of my life, so I have them to thank."

He tipped his hat in affirmation of what I said, then went silent for a few moments, his eyes darting between the homestead and myself, before he released a pent-up sigh.

"Alright, you got me. What'd you call at me for, boah?"

I rubbed the back of my head, thinking of how to best phrase my own explanation.

"Well, I just wanted to… warn you is all."

The man's eyes narrowed.

"What's that s'posed to mean?"

I put both my hands up in a sign of peace.

"No, no, it's no threat, sir, I assure you. But, um… I don't know if you were aware that Mister Downes… has tuberculosis."

The man leaned back in his saddle, as if contemplating the information he'd gotten. He looked towards the homestead again.

"That does sound like somethin' I should keep in mind. But that doesn't change his outstanding debt, you hear?"

I nodded at the statement, thinking of what to say next. Really, I didn't particularly much care about the health of this random stranger, especially if he were a debt collector coming to rough up the poor yet virtuous Mister Downes. Yet still, there was no good outcome for anyone here if this man decided to pursue Thomas Downes for his debt.

A flurry of memories went through my head; All of the times in the past two years that Mister Downes had helped me, the time he had given me refuge from the law, the time he'd lent me enough dollars to buy my own hunting supplies (back when he was of modest wealth) so that I could live on my own reasonably. I remembered how I first shot a rabbit with the varmint rifle I'd bought, and shared a great meal with Mister Downes over my victory…

And so, a great sigh left me. It was high time I repaid Mister Downes for all he'd done for me.

"Well… I know for a fact that you will not be able to collect much of anything from him right now. So… if'n you like, I can take up the payment for his debt, just this time around."

The man on the horse rubbed his chin in deep thought, once more looking between the homestead and myself. After a few moments of silence, he groaned softly.

"Ah, hell. Fine. You got the cash on you?"

I shook my head, pointing down the road.

"Not on me, but I have it stashed at an outlook where I'm camped at. If'n you'd be so kind, I would appreciate if you would not reveal this stash to others when you are done collecting the debt."

The look on the man's face worried me- as if he had experience in finding and pilfering the secret stashes of others before. Still, he tipped his hat with one hand in respect.

"I would be a devil to do such a thing to a decent young man like you. You have my word, so long as you got the money."

As he said the word 'money', he rubbed his thumb against his middle and index fingers, a gesture I found quite amusing. I nodded gratefully.

"Thank you kindly, sir. Erm… this may be a bit forward, but might I ask if'n I could hitch a ride on your horse to get there? I don't have one myself, so…"

The man nodded, patting his horse's behind.

"Hop on. Don't try anything, you hear?"

I nodded once again, climbing onto the back of the horse with an awkwardness; It had been many weeks since I'd ridden on horseback. I admired the coat pattern of the horse, which was a mix of brown with black spots, and felt an intrinsic urge to lightly pat the side of the equestrian; An action which seemed to please the man in front of me.

"Come on! Hyah!" The man said softly, spurring the horse into a light trot. We made our way down the trail, as the man occasionally patted the horse's neck and fed it oatcakes. At the moment, I was having doubts about this decision- Though I had amassed a decent amount of money from the most recent robbery of mine, I was now giving practically all of it up for another man's debt.

Then again… that man practically saved my life more than once. This was the least I could do.

"By the way," I broached a short conversation. "I don't think I got your name. I mean, if you'll oblige it."

The man eyed me with suspicion, at first- Which slowly subsided into thought, and eventually dismissal of such suspicions. I wasn't sure what prompted the man to go through so many internal steps just to give away his name; Though I had an idea of why.

"Name's Arthur. Arthur... Delaney. Might as well be acquainted for this trip I suppose, however long it is."

And that was all that was said for the moment. As we briskly made our way down the trail, I had not a single clue of just how much I had altered the course of history through that singular, fateful meeting.