Tekumsah glances at Spencer as they come to the rock covering together. "Guess you're a good shot, white man," the native says, having caught the Irishman's handiwork as they scrambled to the cover. Spencer, for his part, swallows heavily and clutches the pistol. His hand is surprisingly steady, and although he's breathing fast and heavy, he feels... in control. "It isn't over yet." Tekumsah pats his shoulder before leaning out for another shot, and after a moment, Spencer does the same.
- - - - -
Roy waits for more shooting to come from the others, and even until it seems likely the bandits will return fire--he's still hoping to catch them slightly unawares. At that point, he calmly steps from behind his own cover, walking to the next, the shotgun up in the crook of his shoulder with his eyes on a swivel to blast the nearest bandit... although if he recognizes them, he aims for the gut, hoping to leave them alive long enough to talk.
Lilly Ann and Hessie started making their way around with the stealthy group trying to surround the gang at the fire. Sam lost his footing over some of the loose stones, softly crying out to his two friends as he fell to the ground. They rushed over to him at about the same time that another of the guys in the group went down, letting out a curse and then another started firing his weapon. The two girls hit the ground, looking around until they spotted a medium sized rock grouping and moved over to it.
Lilly Ann looked over the rock, resting her gun on it to aim towards any bandits she sees.
"Lilly, I think there might be someone behind us. Someone up above was firing at me." Hessie said worriedly. She drew her pistol and started looking all around for the shot that barely missed her.
Meanwhile, Sam stayed where he was. He didn't think he was hurt from falling, but he thought his act of bravery for just joining the posse would be enough. Pulling out his gun, he gently pats it, Just in case...
---
Strong and steady, Lilly Ann sights up another after the initial firing is over and shoots her last chambered bullet.
Hessie keeps searching for the lookout guy, she knows someone is up there.
Sighing, Sam decides to help in on the fight. Searching around for another rock covering, he jumps up and half-runs over to a small boulder. He eyes the bandits that's left around the fire, aiming at any that is close to the man on the spit. Right as his finger is pulling the trigger, his hand starts trembling. With a muttered curse, he watches as his bullet throws dirt into the air.
The first volley of shots, erupting in ear-shattering echoes throughout the canyon and filling the air with smoke, cut down nearly half of the outlaws before they even have a chance to draw or figure out where their adversaries are located. Finally they start to draw beads on the shadows surrounding them - near a dozen of them, maybe more! Most of the ambushers are ducking behind rock outcropping or boulders, but a few brazen souls stand blatant and defiant as their irons roar and spew fire.
One of the three still standing is able to reach her own rifle and begin to raise the muzzle before Ronnie's shot punctures her lung. Another is dropping his whiskey and searching frantically for where his side arm was sitting when Tekumsah's shot pierces the man's shoulder and neck. Though this assault is clearly sanctioned, it's likely the native can't help but be thankful for the darkness that covers. He doesn't know any of these others well enough to warrant total security.
There is quick flight toward the rear of the canyon by the final standing member, who stumbles into Lilly Ann who had sneaked around the fire to cut off her escape. The shotgun blast is dessimating, launching the bandit back toward the fire where she skids to a stop beside the final wounded outlaw on her knees. A second shot from Lilly takes the wounded outlaw even as she raises her own gun in quick defiance. The pistol twirls in the air like a axle, glistening in the firelight before clattering back to the stone beneath.
Hessie scans frantically for the source of her own hunter, spotting the raised platform that the shot must have come from, but unable to spot any movement or silhouette in the flickering light. Instead she's able to purchase her own defensible position and scan the lookout position again, even as armageddon erupts around the bonfire behind her. This time she spots just a hint of movement, the top of a hat contrasted with the purple and gray of the early evening sky. She never misses a hat.
Her shot is impeccible, like one well conditioned. The shadow drops and though it's quite possible she merely winged her ambusher, she's confident that there shouldn't be any further movement from that particular lookout.
-------------------------------
The only motion around the bonfire anymore, save for the outlines of your companions peaking over stones or standing conspicuously at the edge of the light-ring, is poor Gideon thrashing at his constraints. The first abductor to fall is still smoldering as the coals and logs he scattered are beginning to ignite the spit that holds the engineer aloft. "Oh God, don't kill me! I'm not with them. I'm not with them!" he shouts, his voice cracking as he does so, as if being bound and roasting over a fire weren't enough of an indicator of his disassociation.
All of your ears are ringing from the rapid gunfire, nearly two-dozen shots in less than half as many seconds. Smoke from the fire rises steadily upwards as the stars gradually multiply above.
What do you do? This can't possibly be it, can it?
Henry and Ronnie toss their now empty shotguns down next to their feet and start helping poor Gideon from his restraints and trying to see if he's too badly hurt.
The Judge stands there like Robert Duvall in 'Apocalypse Now',tilts his bowler and says
"God, I love the smell of Gunpowder in the morning."
He walks around kicking firearms away from lifeless hands and makes sure they are all dead.
While Spencer stares at his still-smoking gun in astonishment, Tekumsah stands up and looks around. No one is moving to attack him or berate him, so he figures he's safe for now. He slides the pistol into a pocket or his waistband, and moves to assist in getting Gideon off the spit. More helpful I am, more likely they'll be fine with me.
Roy calmly reloads his shotgun, sliding a new shell in to replace the old one. Once that's finished, he starts moving to inspect the bandits, much like the Judge--although in his case, he's wondering if any in particular might still have a little breath in them.
Edward and Myles finally make it out from behind cover, Myles scowling, Edward blushing bright red for having flubbed being stealthy. Can't I do anything right? he thinks to himself, and it's not hard to tell what he's thinking.
Diggory is impressed by the impeccable aim of Lilly Ann, and whoops in satisfaction. "Well done boys and girls! Yee-haw! Now let's get Grandpa here off the spit, good sport Tonto..." he moves to help Tekumsah with the struggle of rescuing Gideon.
Lilly stands up, pulling more ammunition out of a pouch around her waist and reloading her shotgun. In a clear voice, she softly calls out "Anyone hurt?"
"I think I got the one up on the ridge, at least, I know I got his hat." Chuckling to herself, Hessie looks around at the dead bandits. "Such a waste of life, though." shaking her head sadly, she moves over to Sam. "You ok, Sam?"
"I think so." he answers shakily, looking at his pistol like it was the reason behind him missing. He slowly moves over to the fire, "Ya'll need any help?"
Roy finds that one of the men, bleeding pretty badly from the hole in his shoulder and grazed neck, is near unconscious but yet to meet his maker. You recognize him as another of your would be murderers - Sal. He's a wiry guy with a hook nose and a gold tooth. He may not be fully conscious, but his eyes grow wide as he recognizes you. "Y-y-you... you should be... am I dead?"
Henry and Ronnie are quick to Gideon's side, swiftly joined by Tekumsah and Diggory. The old man's strapped in pretty well, but the four of you are more than enough manpower to bust up the spit and free him from the flames.
"Wait, I recognize you. You're from the Cauldron? Lord above! Let's get out of here before the others come!"
"Y'all need any help?"
"Yeah, a shoulder to lean on should help me move a bit quicker," Gideon suggests, "and I'd light somethin' from the fire so we can get back to the train... oh s**t, their horses!"
Some of you likely realize, the same as Gideon, that if you take flight now on foot, any who may remain could easily run you down on their horses if they choose to. However, you don't see any horses around, nor prints at your feet.
What you do notice is a very slight humming.
"Yes, of course you can lean on my shoulder. What's this about 'others'?" Sam asked, grunting as he took most of Gideon's weight on his shoulders. Maybe I shouldn't of offered to help. This man's heavy.
"What is that humming sound?" Lilly asked anyone paying attention. Looking around, she doesn't really see much.
Hessie starts searching around for anything interesting, especially something to create a torch with.
"This was most of them, but there's a couple others that I'm certain heard all of that gunfire. I doubt they're much for a gathering of your magnitude, but I don't want to be run down. I didn't see where they took the horses when they brought me back, but they rode past this canyon." Gideon's speaking quickly and glancing over his shoulder toward the back of the rocky ravine, propelling Sam forward with his own hastened pace despite the injuries.
As far as a torch, there's lumber near the fire - though it's about as easy to wield as any other log would be. The kindling appears a better fit. There's plenty of cloth if you wish to strip the dead, and some alcohol as well (though not much... that seemed to be on its way out).
Gideon pauses as you mention the humming sound. He strains to listen, not quite picking up the sound yet himself.
The astute among you may notice that Mr. James isn't around. Come to think of it, he didn't seem to be among you during the firefight either.
Roy frowns down at the man, and squats down in front of him, letting the shotgun's muzzle droop down to the ground. "You're not quite dead yet." He reaches out and grabs the man's shoulder, and his thumb digs into the wound. Twisting at the torn flesh. "But you'll wish you were."
With that he draws his knife, and plunges it into his stomach, just under the ribcage. He draws it down and across, watching as the fear and pain come to the bandit's eyes, and then the life fades away from them.
Tekumsah and Spencer don't pay attention to that scene, only trying to help get Gideon to his feet and start taking stock of the situation. The native knows there's more trouble on the way, one way or another, and even their numbers won't guarantee the bandits won't return. The humming is disconcerting, but he has no idea what to make of it just yet.
For his part, Spencer is still coming down from the rush of the gunfight, and he barely registers the sound.
Diggory experimentally puts his ear to the ground below, seeing if that helps to pick up on the sound better. Edward is grimacing at Roy's latest kill, but Myles nods, understanding the grim necessity.
Myles will go around and strip some of the bodies for anything interesting, reasoning that the humming could mean another fight coming up soon, and it's better to get the loot now than have to retreat and miss it later.
Edward racks his brains to think of what causes humming sounds in the desert wilds of the West...
Clayton's screams pierce the early evening, drowning out the humming for a moment. Once he falls silent, however, the drone is still there.
Diggory, with his ear to the ground, can feel the earth vibrating. The sound is coming from deeper into the canyon, likely within or just beyond the tents at the edge of the firelight.
Myles, you start gathering the ammunition and weapons left by the fallen. There's three more rifles (1d12) and four light pistols (1d8). For those interested in more than pistols, there are 3 hip flasks (though only one has any whiskey left in it), a large bronze belt buckle displaying a large sort of cow with two long pairs of horns, 1 stick of dynamite, some chewing tobacco, a deck of tattered faro cards, and a locket with a photo enclosed.
Edward, the humming sounds familiar to you... recent as well. Like a flash, the image comes back of that large alcohol-still monstrosity strapped to the back of the wagon. I believe you caught a glimpse of it from the freight car before charging ahead to first class to aid the others. You never did get to see what in the world that thing was for, but your gut tells you that if you stick around then you're more than likely to.
Gideon is chompin' at the bit to find the horses and complete his rescue. He can operate that train after all, and get you all out of here and back on track.
Mr. James however, the man in the black derby, still hasn't been located - wherever he went off to. He was clearly after that stolen safe, which unfortunately isn't sitting pretty here by the fire amidst the bloody bodies.
What would you guys like to do next?
"What do you guy's think we should do now? Make run back to the train or hide and ambush the rest of the gang?" Lilly Ann asked everyone, pointedly ignoring what Roy was doing.
"Mr. James, what do you think?" Looking around, Hessie notices that he wasn't anywhere around. "Hey, where did he go?"
Sam was just struggling his way along helping Mr. Gideon.
The humming has been steadily building, almost to a rattle.
"No, I know what that is," Gideon calls, his face losing its color even in this dim light. "That's the same noise that weird contraption made! I never saw it in full operation, but some of those hoses strapped to it were clearly intended for projection."
Gideon releases Sam's shoulder, taking to his own two feet despite the burns, bruises and fatigue.
"What do you guys think we should do now? Make a run back to the train or hide and ambush the rest of the gang?"
"Who cares about the rest?" Gideon calls, his voice growing dimmer as he hobbles out of the canyon and beyond the firelight. "We get some horses and return to the..."
The crescendoing rattle and whine clanks into a steady rhythm now of much more controlled clicks--a faint hum as before, but uniform now.
No one answers as Mr. James is called. Several of you stand in the center of the canyon looking to each other like prairie dogs. What do you do?
"Let's get after them horses," Diggory shouts. Urging Myles to finish his looting, he yanks Edward into motion and falls in behind Gideon.
"Lead on, bud. Forget the gang. Let's get what we came for and skedaddle. We already done more fighting than we really should've intended to out here."
Edward pipes up. "We should hurry, that thing making that noise is getting closer!"
Myles nods somberly. He's pocketed some ammo, a pistol (and handed one to Edward, with a rifle) and the dynamite, and the cards out of idle curiosity, but he doesn't appear to enjoy his new spoils. He's a family man, and this gang-killing posse business is a necessary evil to him.
The three men, now suitably armed to the teeth, set off with Gideon to try and grab the horses that they can find.
I'm going to say that Hyregoth's characters react similarly and look on Diggory's manly leadership skills with goo-goo eyes!
Following Diggory's lead and Gideon's pleading, you beat feet out of the canyon just as the distant humming shifts to the sound of grinding gears. As you exit the box canyon, you feel a brief burst of heat behind you, carried like one of those scorching desert breezes you've heard about and casting all of your shadows like stretched poles before you. The burst of light from behind is brief, but that image of your stretched shadows reaching for the horizon in front of you burns into your eyes even as everything falls dark again.
Just outside the canyon, you quickly find the tracks that led you here, and follow them a short distance beyond the entrance to where you find a makeshift lean with food and water where half a dozen remaining horses are tied. There's not enough for all of you, but the more important reason to snag them is to prevent any remaining bandits from riding up on you in pursuit.
Only half of you can ride (unless you attempt to double up in the saddles), but you can take turns over what would ordinarily take a couple hours returning. The night grows darker over these hours, however, and I don't believe anyone has a source of light. Unless you have some bright idea to speed this trek over dark and unfamiliar ground, it should take closer to 5 hours to return--filthy and exhausted, but hopefully ready to load up and continue.
How do you spend this trip back?
What is the first thing you do upon returning to the train?
What do you tell people who ask about Mr. James and the safe that he was after?
Roy finishes his work and rejoins the group as they make ready to leave. Now isn't the time to try his luck, and Spencer and Tekumsah want to go, as well. The last step before leaving is Roy taking a pistol gathered from one of the bandits, slinging the belt around his waist once he's reloaded the shotgun.
The trip back is quiet from these three men. Roy is grim and brooding, and he fingers the knife on his belt. In his mind, he's flitting from memory to memory: the first time he saw his would-be killers, the world fading away in the explosion of gunshots, clawing out of his own coffin. More recently, watching the life leave Sal and Clayton. He'd sworn to kill them all, to watch them suffer the fate he escaped, and so far he's lived up to that.
Spencer stares down at the pistol, thinking of how it felt to raise and fire the weapon. Perhaps an hour into the trip, he sees the bandit's head explode again in his mind, and he has to stop as his stomach heaves. Roy, in a single gesture of kindness, pats him once on the back, and keeps walking. Soon enough, the photographer rejoins the group.
Tekumsah is just quiet because he isn't used to talking first, especially in a group of white people with guns.
- - - - -
Back at the train, Roy steps inside to see if the bodies have been cleared out; if not, he gets to work tossing the corpses out onto the side of the tracks. When someone asks him about Mr. James and the safe, he fixes them with a cold eye. "He decided to chance it. He knew the risks."
Spencer moves back to his seat and keeps looking at the gun. Tekumsah swings back to his own, and looks at the man who'd joied him earlier. He gives a nod, and then starts and glances around. Does someone want these guns? Who do I give them to?
The Judge grabs a rifle and a handful of ammo. He reloads his pistol and grabs a few more rounds for that as well. He's not really sure what to think about this situation or about the people he's travelling with. One moment he was on the train talking to these chaps Henry and Ronnie, the next minute their off in a possie.
The night was excruciatingly long. Step by step in the near total darkness. More than once, he made comments about the idiot who planned this without a light source or why they didn't grab sufficient torches... Eventually, the trip was over and they made it back to the train. The Judge and those with him immediately found places to crash and fell asleep. Hoping that if there was anything important happening someone would wake them up.
Her shotgun slung on her shoulder and her back straight, Lilly Ann slowly followed the rest of the group back to the train. Such a shame that there wasn't enough horses for everyone.
"Let Gideon have one of the horses the whole trip back. Hopefully he'll be up for driving the train once we return." Hessie said to the group.
Hessie and Sameul followed behind Lilly.
Once back at the train, the three found their seats and tried to sleep.
Diggory claims a horse to ride back, not because he wants to keep anyone else from riding it, but just because he naturally assumes one of the horses is meant for him. Myles walks alone, and Edward tries to stay on the opposite end of the group as Tekumsah, as the huge native man still scares him.
By the time they return to the train, they've long since reached the point of exhaustion, and they ignore any requests for intel about the safe, at least until tomorrow. By first light, though, Myles has some questions burning in his mind.
Edward approaches Xing when he arrives at the train, his exhausted mind still up and whirring, like it does when he's overtired. "Didn't see you on the train before. Who are you three?" he inquires of her, and Buck, and Bret.
Whether from exhaustion or the crash that inevitably follows adrenaline overload, Gideon quickly passes out atop the horse he was granted. You're pace is slower, since most are walking, and with the help of a few watchful eyes remains propped in the saddle even as he slumbers. It proves a prosperous decision to allow him one of the horses, since he seems much more alert when he finally rouses upon reaching the train again.
Most of those that remained are asleep, either bunked up in the Pullman beds in first class, huddled in the coach car on wooden benches, or sprawled out beneath the stars upon soil that gives slightly more than wood.
Gideon is ready to start the trek again almost immediately since he was just able to rest, provided a quick check proves everything is still in working order. So there is the brief business of rousing passengers that chose to sleep beneath the stars, and ensure that nothing of significance is left outside.
During this process, you catch snippets of what happened while you were gone:
- There was another scuffle between the English gentleman in the First Class car - a Mr. Brigadier Bellows it seems - and the Carribean man that moved back to the coach car at the onset of the trip, following the pair's first altercation. Pere, the islander, was requesting assistance taking care of the bodies; while Mr. Bellows felt that was far below his station, and outraged that "an islander, and a dirty French one to boot!" would dare to request it of him.
- Pere then took care of the bodies himself, dissuading any others from helping further as it helped him to blow off steam. With the crew's permission, the bodies were loaded into the first freight car where there was more room, on intention of collecting bounties or consoling grieving families upon reaching Brimstone.
- William D'Marco, the slightly injured newly wed, has had numerous spats with his bride - Angelica. Being the gentleman, Mr. D'Marco moved back to coach to give her space. (Roy and Diggory are also approached by a somewhat uncomfortable First Class patron and invited up to First Class, though the purveyor of their invitation was not disclosed)
- Finally, there seems to be some disagreements as to ownership of tokens from the recently deceased. Some items were lifted from fallen bandits as well as martyred passengers, but no official standards have been set for who they belong to or should be returned to. It's a minor squabble, but has raised tensions further.
----------------------------
The train is able to continue its journey again before the sun even comes up, with far less of a delay than you would have expected considering the circumstances. About mid-day you should reach the outpost of Sisseton, where the train can resupply on coal/water/etc.
It's unreasonably hot outside once the sun comes up, turning the coach car into a hot box full of glistening passengers and swarming flies. Despite cleaning, it still smells slightly of blood.
The young woman wearing a suit (scandalous!), with the large trunk case beside her, has been spending time tracing her finger along some of the etchings and messages scrawled in the wooden seats. Many are rather crass, prodding a gasp or squeal of shock from her occasionally, but others are too cryptic to understand. "I don't suppose anyone speaks latin?" she calls out after a particularly long span of sweltering silence. She's have joking, since the chances are slim, but there's a naive hope in her voice as well.
The injured father stays reclined beside his son, who often makes inquiries of the rest of you as to whether you know any games or wish to join him in some of his own design. The father doesn't look well, as you can imagine, nor does his leg. But he's alive, and the bullet's out - which is better than nothing!
The Judge would like to join the woman and take a shot at the Latin since most of our legal system is based on it. The other two in the group will join the boy and the old man in some games, keeping their shotguns close at hand.
"Good day madam"
says the judge, tipping his bowler
"I have a little background in Latin and would be glad to help you decipher some of the more less offensive writings...
Diggory doesn't mind the smell, and stays nearby the young woman, keeping an eye on her for her safety. He eyes the Judge but doesn't say anything when he joins them.
Edward is standing on the exterior platform of the train, watching the landscape slide by on the way to Sisseton and keeping his nose trained opposite the smelly passenger car.
Myles takes pity on the wounded father and takes out his deck of cards to play five-card stud with him and his son.
The woman is a bit intimidated by you, Judge. It's not so much your demeanor, which actually eases the tension a bit, but the presence you carry. "Oh, er...," she suddenly appears to realize how foolish this request must seem--asking for help reading scribbled graffiti on a seat. "I shouldn't have asked," she continues, shaking her head, "but I understand [b]some of this, but not all of it. I wouldn't have asked, but some of these sentences seem so strange that curiosity got the better of me. If you're as bored as I, would you mind helping me with a few of these?"[/b]
As above, the whispers resound in your mind, but continue as you read--compelled by the mystery. The bizarre riddles, they seem to somehow make sense. It's not as if you are able to solve them, but they somehow intuitively make sense.
Diggory, you stand nearby watching the two struggle with the strange words. As you hear some of them, you also remark the peculiar way these words resonate in your head, just a brief moment longer than usual.
------------
As you play 5-card stud with the son, he keeps asking what you two should be betting on. "Otherwise, it's just luck, right? I mean, we each flip 5 cards then see who has better ones. How do I blurf [sic]?"
The Judge is understanding of his power to intimidate and apologizes for it.
"No worries good madam, a gentleman always offers to help and besides, you are correct, I am a bit bored on this trip. This is fascinating."
After some hesitation, Roy decides to head up to First Class to see what's going on. He has a feeling he might know what this is about, but there's always the chance there's something else going on he needs to help with.
Tekumsah finds Pere, after hearing about things, and claps the man on the shoulder. "You did good," he whispers, giving the islander a small smile. "They may not thank you, but nobody would have liked that smell. Least of all us, eh?"
Spencer stays quiet and reflective.
The change comes rather suddenly, Judge. The leather of your boots creaks then splits open as your cloven hooves erupt. Thick fur sprouts from the base of your legs, just above the new hooves--evidence of the corruption unleashed within your body.
The voices in your head, however, bring wisdom. The young woman beside you squeals as the strange etchings in the bench ignite, scouring the words from the surface but imprinting them in your brain. Like rounds loaded in the barrel of a gun, those latin phrases are convined within your mind -- ready to be released, though potentially lost as well.
Perre offers Tekumsah a smile of gratitude, startled initially that anyone would talk to him, but seems to understand once he sees who it is speaking. He smirks, a half smile, as if he knows something others don't. "Indeed," comes an eventual reply, thick with Carribbean accent, "I appreciate your words. You have been lucky this trip, no? I'm surprised no one takes offense at you taking a gun, though you have done them well in using it."
------------------------
Mr. D'Marco, the young newlywed, eyes you suspiciously as you vacate the steerage passenger car Roy. It's hardly a conspicuous action in itself, but it appears that he was intent on watching you.
You pass through the dining car, where two tables are occupied. Mr. Bellows (the English chap) drinks by himself in a corner, observing the full room; and Mrs. D'Marco is seated at a table across from the ostentatiously dressed gentleman from first class (whose shirt and hat were stolen, then riddled with bullet holes it seems, though he still wears it).
Mrs. D'Marco rises as soon as she sees you, and the gentleman she's with does the same as she lifts from her seat. "Mr. McGarrin!" she calls presumptuously, while butchering your last name. "I was beginning to think you had refused my invitation. Sit with us, will you?
Roy takes a seat at the table, wary of the situation, but going along for now. "Thank you, Missus...?" He emphasizes the second syllable.
- - - - -
In steerage, Tekumsah nods at Pere. "I think they liked that I was using them to help. Saving their lives keeps them happy, I guess."
Diggory watches the strange words being exchanged, a suspicious scowl on his face as he feels himself being affected by them.
Henry and Ronnie both look questioningly at the boy and say...
"How do you what? Anyway, what would you like to bet on?"
The Judge will use the read magic to read the next scrawled set of words, trying to avoid any further corruption. He also looks around for anyone wearing long bell bottom trousers or chaps with which he can hide his corruption.
Judge, you can feel the cryptic words leaving your mind as you focus on the set of scribblings one bench over. The words begin to illuminate for you, glowing faintly, but then fade as you sense the power slipping from your focus like sand through a sieve. You aren't able to maintain the spell and forget how it even worked in the first place!
Looking around, you also don't notice any particularly wide-cuffed pants--at least not any that you imagine the person would care to immediately offer. You remember that there is a pile of corpses in the next freight car though, and some of those outlaws were fairly large.
------------------------------
Mrs. D'Marco winces slightly at your emphasis, Roy.
"D'Marco," she replies, "though until recently I was a Lafayette. I wanted to thank you for your heroics yesterday. I owe you my life, good sir, but am at a loss of how to repay it..."
The man in the gaudy, embroidered but bloodstained clothes sits by awkwardly. It's likely he could leave at any moment and not be noticed, but for some reason does not.
The Judge decides to leave the cryptic writings alone for now. He stealth fully heads toward the next freight car looking for chaps or some large clothing to cover his now, corrupted, nature.
The other men, Henry and Ronnie continue to play cards and ask the boy what exactly he would like to wager.
Diggory's ears are finely tuned to the sound of cloven hooves, him being a cowboy at all. Any chance he'd notice the Judge's sudden deformity?
Lilly Ann woke with a start when the young woman a couple seats behind her let out a squeal. Jerking her head around, she glared at the woman since there was no threat that she could see.
"Most inconsiderate of people, waking others up." Muttering to herself, she turned back to the window.
-------
Hessie stretches as she stands up. "Nice little nap, but too hot in here to sleep any more. I'm going to see if i can find something interesting to do." Looking around, she spots a threesome playing cards and heads over to them.
"Hello, boys. May I join in on your game?"
----
"Lilly, i'm going to go check on the engineer." Sameul says as he rises from his seat. He slowly makes his way to where Gideon is piloting the train.
"Everything going ok, Gideon?" Might of been a mistake to come up here, it's so hot.
Judge, you sneakily clop your way through the car toward the back exit. Outside the air is thick and humid, but rushes past as the speed powers on. Your hooves clank on the metal platforms beneath them. To your surprise (or maybe not), the freight car is unlocked--the latch seems to be missing it's padlock. Most likely someone forgot to lock it again after loading up the bodies, but it presents an awful temptation for anyone that would want to rummage through others' stowed belongings.
The smell inside makes you choke for a moment, but none of the corpses are more than 24 hours old. It's just the heat that tends to make it worse. Two of the bodies, rather tall men with wide builds, appear to have trousers that would do the trick.
Henry and Ronnie: "Blurf?" the boy ventures again, less sure of himself this time. "Lyin', right. To pretend you have a better hand? And I don't have any money, but what about dares? Winner gets to dare the other two."
"Hello, boys. May I join in on your game?"
The young lad looks up at the red-head, about to say something, but his voice fails him--leaving him wordless with mouth open and cheeks growing red.
"Yes," he finally manages, almost whispering the difficult word.
----------------------
Yeah, Diggory, you notice the hooves. Anyone who's even half paying attention notices it, as it's not something one can really hide. But who knows if you could fully tell what it was by sight. Knowing hooves, however, that's not a sound you'd mistake for anything else.
----------------------
The young woman blushes when Lilly Ann chides her, realizing that her own boredom seemed to be adversely affecting others. She watches the Judge clop to the back of the car, then rises to follow him.
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Samuel: Gideon nods his head in reply. He seems in control, but you can tell by the flicker in his eyes that he's glad to have some company. "Should be nearing Sisseton soon, where we can fill our tanks again. I'll take a rest at that point so I'm good to keep us going. Not worried I'm falling asleep are ya?"
Diggory will immediately develop an immense mistrust for Judge.
Judge is surprised to find the Freight car door unsecured. He glances around as he moseys into the car and begins to shut it behind him. Looking back, if he notices the lady following him, he will leave the door slightly ajar. If not, he will secure it tightly. He will toss the remnants of his boots and previously well tailored pants to the side and strip the dead in favor of some tall, wide Levi jeans.
Once his is sufficiently covered, he will sit down and use the scraps of his old boots and pants to wrap his hooves so that they no longer make noise on the steel plates of the train cars.
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Henry and Ronnie both stand as the lady approaches.
"Sure ma'am, join us" ..they say.
"Billy here wants to be a bettin' man at cards. Instead of money, the winner of the hand gets to play truth or dare with the losers. Deal us up Four hands son."
Just as you finish changing, Judge, the young woman knocks lightly on the hinged door. "Um, I just... I just wanted to apologize." She sounds flustered. "I swear, I had NO idea that anything like this would happen. It just looked interesting and... if I had any idea that this sort of thing would... I'm REALLY sorry."
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The young boy's attempt at bluffing is exaggerated excessively. The amateur theater does far more to reveal his awful hand than deceive. But hey, maybe it still worked?