She was examining something in the back side of the covered wagon. Bruce walked behind her and took a moment before loudly clearing his throat. Mindy stopped what she was doing and stood still, startled. “I’m going to set up our camp and prepare some food. Would you like to help me?”
She snorted and continued her work, not even replying to him.
“I know you’re too mad now to talk to me, but you’re still a human. And everyone has to eat sometime,” said Bruce.
Still, nothing. She continued to ignore him.
“Suit yourself then,” said Bruce.
Bruce walked away and started gathering dried greens, and things that could help him start a fire. He was kept a small heap of firewood inside his covered wagon for occasions like this. Usually, he would lie inside his covered wagon, wreathed in warm blankets, eating canned beans and chewing tobacco. Today though, he wanted warm food. He wanted company as well, if he was honest. Her company.
The sun was now diving in front of them, coating the red desert with its golden light. Bruce loved that time of the day, where night and day met each other and the whole of creation got bathed in sunlight.
The campfire was now big enough to warm his legs. He had a small pot with him, enough to warm a soup for one person. Bruce opened a can of beans and poured its content inside the pot. He let his food warm a bit before eating.
I still wonder though, what is that woman doing? She’s more stubborn than a mule. I bet she’s looking for a way to leave with my things. Well, she’s in for a big surprise.
Mindy smelled the warm aroma of cooked food coming from the other side of the covered wagon. He tortures me. Yes, this is it. He wants me to beg him for a bowl of beans, the most disgusting food in all the world. But, just thinking about the steaming bowl in her hands, ready to dig in to it, her mouth watered.
I can’t go on like this. It’s getting dark, I’m alone with a brute, and I haven’t had a single drop of water or something to eat for some time now. This is no way for a woman to live. Mindy thought hard about how to get out of this mess.
Well, there’s always that...but I didn’t want to have to use it again. However, it was the only way Mindy knew to control the brutes around her. She plodded to the side of the covered wagon, close to where he had set up the campfire. She just stood there for a minute, the warm light of the big fire feeling nice on her cold limbs.
I really, really hate him. He seems so...comfortable there, eating and getting warm, and drinking water. But wait; soon you’ll serve me. “Excuse me...is there a place for me next to this warm fire?”
Bruce seemed a bit startled after hearing her voice. Without making a noise, he nodded and returned to his bowl. Mindy’s mouth watered again after seeing him enjoy a big share of beans. Slowly, she walked to his side and made herself comfortable to his side.
“Bruce. My name is Bruce,” he suddenly muttered with a full mouth.
Disgusting. You have to shallow first. “I’m Mindy. Nice to meet you Bruce.” She wanted to vomit seeing him gobbling up his food, but instead she gulped and continued. “I want to thank you for helping me with everything. You know, I wasn’t always a thief. It was out of necessity that I turned out like that. My parents...”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Excuse me...what?”
“I don’t believe you. You’re lying.”
How did he…? “I don’t know what you mean. You still haven’t heard the whole story. My parents...”
“I said...I don’t believe you. You’re lying.”
“And why is that?”
“There is something in your eyes, a certain joy. You had the same eyes when we were running away from the sheriff. That’s why I don’t believe you.”
He was right. Every time that Mindy involved herself in any kind of mischief, she was feeling a certain kind of relief. It was a warm feeling, like you’re drunk and you don’t want to stop drinking. Lying was among the things that made Mindy feel like that, and charming a young man like him was sure a delight.
“So...what’s your excuse now?” He turned his head and stared straight into her eyes.
“I...I...well...I don’t know. You’re right.” Mindy wanted to stand off, to stay away from that perceptive man, but before she was able to stand on her feet, Bruce grabbed her hand and pulled her back in.
“Let me go,” she hissed. But Bruce didn’t loosen his grip. On the contrary, he offered a bowl at her, filled with warm, steamy beans. “What? Do you want me to eat that?”
“It’s either you, or the ground. Your choice.” Her stubborn mind was shouting for her not to accept his offer, but at the end her stomach was the one deciding. She grabbed it with her free hand and pulled the other free. Then, she started eating greedily, a warm sensation spreading throughout her whole body.
The stars had now appeared above their heads, and Bruce decided to lie on the ground and observe them, sparkling in the black sky. Even though the chilly breeze had turned to a dry stillness, the ground was still warm enough to feel comfortable.
Soon, Mindy returned with a small flask in hand. She was totally out of her element. She couldn’t be calm, nor stay silent. Her fidgeting irritated Bruce.
“How can you lie down there, on the sand? It’s disgusting,” she said.
“Hush you woman. Enjoy the starry sky. That’s all you need to do if you want to relax.”
“I don’t want to relax. I want to run away. I’m not used at relaxing.”
“Maybe that’s your problem. Maybe once in a while you have to sit down and look at the stars.”
Mindy stood silent for a while, observing the dark sky. “Why? I don’t see the point of relaxing at a time like this.”
“Tell you what. I bet you will like it. You lie down and stare in the sky for a little while. If you don’t find it beneficial, I’ll let you go without fulfilling your promise. Deal?”
“Deal.”
Bruce just nodded and returned to his stargazing. Slowly, and cautiously, Mindy lay down next to him. Their faces were just inches apart, and that made Bruce feel somehow uncomfortable. But soon, that didn’t matter. He just returned staring at the sky, enjoying the cold light of the moon.
Oh my...what’s that feeling? Mindy couldn’t hold back her exclamations. Soon, Bruce was smiling every time she sighed. It’s...beautiful. A whole sea of jewels above our heads...wow. When she turned her head to say something to Bruce, she saw him observing her. Mindy stood still for a moment, lost in his gaze. Then, she snapped out of it and turned her head to the starry sky.
Damn it, what is wrong with me?
****
One More Day to Get to the Town
When Bruce started snoring, Mindy got up on her feet and moved to the back side of the covered wagon. The moon had just vanished from the sky and the only thing that remained of their campfire was a pile of sparkling coals in the middle.
Okay. It’s now or never. This is my last chance to get away from this farm boy. She tiptoed all the way to the covered wagon and started searching for her things. After a long minute passed, she grabbed the bag with the coins, and another bag with the resources she collected from Bruce. I’m sorry honey, but you shouldn’t have left a thief alone with your things for a whole day. She smiled, blinked, and grabbed the saddle.
Now, to get the horse ready. What was its name? Something starting with A...Amelia, Anedna. Who knows? Just ‘Horse’ will do for now.
It took her a while to girth the saddle, since the night was pitch black, but soon enough she was ready to go. The only thing that remained was to mount the horse, and she’d be on her way before dawn.
When she was just a little girl, her father insisted on teaching her how to ride a horse. He was always eager to help her get on the saddle, and he was always having a laugh with her mistakes. But after many lessons and experience, over many years, she had become a good horse rider.
After years of traveling from town to town, robbing banks, she was truly able to valu
e the lessons that her father had given her. Her acquired skills at horse riding was the reason the authorities had never been able to catch her. Nevertheless, she worked her way on the saddle, and was ready to spur her forward.
“Okay horse. You’re a female, so you understand me better than your owner. I have to go now. Can you help me reach the next town?” Mindy tried to appease the restless animal.
Right when she spurred it, instead of moving forward, the horse jibbed and started neighing loudly. “Shush, shush you useless animal,” whispered Mindy.
“If you wanted her to help you escape, I think that it would help if you were polite with her. Don’t you think?”
Mindy gasped, startled from Bruce’s sudden appearance behind her. “I was polite to your horse. She...she just refused to move!”
“Maybe because you don’t even know her name? I don’t know how you train your horses around here, but in my town we teach them to only hear their names.”
Showoff. “Yeah, yeah. You got me. I wanted to leave, but only because you don’t seem to be of any hurry to get me where I want.”
“And why would I be? You’re a thief. Who can reassure me that you’re not going to rob another bank when you get to the next town? Or the next one after that? I don’t want to be an accessory to any more crimes.”
“And what this has to do with you? I don’t go around clinging up to every farmer I see. I guess that you don’t go around saving damsels in distress every day. So what’s your problem with me? Why can’t you help me escape?”
He took his time to answer. It was like he was looking for the right kind of words. “Because it isn’t fair. I don’t know about you, but the money you’ve stolen belongs to people who worked hard to earn it.”
“I didn’t steal your money, or didn’t do you any harm. So why can’t you just let me go?”
“Well, for starters, you just attempted to steal my money, my supplies and my horse. Thus, you could have harmed me by leaving me here, all alone, without even my horse and some supplies to get by.”
For a moment, they continued looking at each other in the darkness lit only by starlight.
Mindy was the one to turn her head first, unable to reason with someone as stubborn as him. But, isn’t he right? I never had to work to get what I wanted. It was either ask my dad, or just steal it. Hell...what’s wrong with me?
Bruce tied Mindy inside the covered wagon. Mindy didn’t resist last night, feeling guilty and all. She also managed to get some sleep. Bruce also got some sleep before it was time for them to continue their trip.
Before long, morning arrived.
“Wakey, wakey you little sunshine. It’s time to go. Do you want to have your breakfast on the road, or would you like a minute to stretch?”
Her hair was a mess, and she was unable to even nod from exhaustion. But still, it was difficult to even breathe when he was around her. All that aggressiveness, and the witty comments, was a part of his effort to get closer to her. That’s why he also decided to help her after all. I can’t imagine her going to jail. That’s all. I hope I can help her.
“What...where am I?”
“In the middle of nowhere. Do you need me to get you anything? Water? Food?”
Suddenly she seemed like all her memories returned to her at once. “You brute! Untie me, or else I’ll start screaming. Untie me!”
“No. Not until you promise me that you won’t try to steal from me again.” She didn’t talk. Bruce continued, “Okay then. Off we go. I believe you’ll enjoy riding a covered wagon tied. Especially when we go on rough road. ”
“You’re such a handful, do you know that? Okay, okay. I promise. Now, untie me,” said Mindy.
“On the condition that I take your bag with the gold coins. I’ll give them back to you when we reach town. That’s how I know you won’t leave me with my horse in the middle of the night.”
She snorted. “You’ve been planning this for hours, haven’t you? You really like to see a woman getting humiliated.”
“No, not any woman. Just you. And that’s only because you tried to steal from me.”
“Okay, okay. I got it. You don’t like thieves. Take my bag. Now untie me.”
“Of course I don’t like thieves. Who does after all? But I also don’t like you as a thief. I prefer the woman who was amazed after admiring the night sky in the middle of the desert.”
Mindy was ready to counter him, but she stopped. Bruce was blushing, he could tell, so he just moved closer to her, cut her bonds, and grabbed the bag full with coins. Then, he whipped Aridna’s reins and resumed their journey to the next town.
Mindy was still processing what Bruce had said. He doesn’t like me as thief, but as the woman I was yesterday, when we were lying down on the ground. So, he does like me. For some reason, that feeling made her more comfortable, in a strangely unsettling way. He likes me, but not my bad side. Maybe I could take advantage of that.
But, something didn’t stick right with her. Just the thought of seeing him disappointed again made her nervous. I have to keep my mind occupied until we get to town. I don’t have time for funny businesses like this.
She carefully stood on her feet inside the covered wagon and moved closer to Bruce. Mindy didn’t know anything about him; where he was from, or what he was doing so deep in the west. Something inside her needed to know, to fulfill her curiosity.
“So...Bruce. Do you want to play a game?”
He turned his head and grinned. “It depends. What kind?”
“A simple game of questions. I ask you one, and you answer honestly. Then, if I’m satisfied with your answer, I let you ask me a question.”
He was interested. “Okay. But, what happens if you lie?”
“Well, you’ve already caught me in a lie, so why do you worry?” Her foxy smile appeared, daring him into accepting her rules.
“Okay. I think that I can manage. You first. Ask me anything and I’ll try to be honest.”
Nice. Now, let’s get to know you, Bruce the black-haired farmer. “Question number one. I’ll start with something easy. What’s your last name?”
Bruce immediately answered, “Jackson. Bruce Jackson is my full name. What about yours?”
“Rowe. Mindy Rowe. My turn. How old are you? I’d say around 43 but I’m trying to imagine you without all the hair in your face and you make me wonder.”
“I’m 36. What does it matter though?”
“It matters to a woman. Your turn.”
“How old are you?”
“For God’s sake, you are a boor after all. Don’t you know that it’s tacky to ask a woman her age?”
“This is unfair. Why do you get to know my age then, and I don’t?”
She smiled. “Because, that also matters to a woman. But, if you must know, I’m 29.”
Bruce looked her in the eye and smiled. “You’re lying.”
“Mr. Jackson—” she began, slightly flustered.
He was laughing out loud now. “You’re still lying. Come on Mrs. Rowe, your true age.”
She muttered something incomprehensible, barely whispering. “I didn’t hear you.”
“I said, I’m 35! And it’s Miss Rowe. I’m still unmarried.”
Bruce went on laughing for some time, unable to stop. Mindy got irritated after some time. “Come on, come on. It’s my turn now.”
“No, you’re wrong. It’s my turn.”
“Technically, yes. But you now know my age and my marital status. So, it would be only fair if I asked you of yours.”
“My what?”
She sighed. “Is there a Mrs. Jackson, or just a Mr. Jackson?”
“Oh...that. Just me. No Mrs. Jackson back home. And if she was, then I would probably be there with her, not traveling in the middle of nowhere.”
Mindy felt a bit relieved. This was, after all, one of the reasons that she started this game. But why do you care? It’s not like you’re marrying him.
“My turn now. How did you become a th
ief?”
“Well, that’s some story. But, if I share it with you, then I would have to kill you.”
“I’ll take my chances,” said Bruce, looking into her eyes.
There it is, thought Mindy. That look, that deep gaze he gives to me. Snap out of it Mindy, or you’ll have more troubles that you bargained for.
“Well, you were right about one thing last night. I haven’t worked a single day in my whole life. My family were rich for the greatest part of my childhood, and we have enough. But it’s never been enough for me.”
“Go on,” said Bruce.
“When I was just a little kid, my father used to tell me all these stories about heroes of the past. Warriors leading armies to glorious battles, in places far, far away from here. When I was old enough, I started reading those stories all by myself. They inspired me to be an adventuress, to walk on this Earth and live my life at the fullest.”
“An adventuress,” said Bruce. Mindy ignored him.
“Soon though, I understood that life is not so simple. I saw that without money I would not be able to fulfill my dreams of traveling the world. So, after messing up with the wrong guy at a murky saloon back in town, he made me take part in a heist with him. At first I didn’t want. I knew it was dangerous, and that we could end up in jail. But he was my first love. He just kissed me and reassured me that everything would be alright. Back then it was more than enough to convince me.
“So, we got inside the first bank that we found, and with a couple of fake wooden guns, we made them empty their safe and give everything to us. But, that poor man missed a step while we were running away, hitting his head on the floor and fainting. I would have returned for him if I wasn’t feeling that thrill, that feeling of adventure I so desperately looked for. Nevertheless, I got addicted to that feeling, the feeling of running away, of fooling men with my appearance and have people talk about The Red-Haired Thief. As time when by, I got better and better at robbing banks. And now, here I am.”
Only after her story ended she figured out that the covered wagon had stopped, and Bruce had his hands in the air.
Sunlight and Shadows Page 14
