After leaving town, Shang Show and I rode on Nina in absolute silence. After this morning, there wasn't much to speak about. I have the thought to ask him about his gun and what model it was since I'd recognized the model. But it seems like my voice refused to open and ask the question. The silence was deafening but I hold fast to the question as well as Nina's waist as she trods through the desert. His back is warm in comparison to the cool chill of the evening. I sigh as I look to the sky, hoping that maybe the stars could have some answer for me.
What I get instead are gray clouds that blanket the sky as they threaten rain.
"If ya hold fast for a second, we gon' make camp," Shang Show says quietly. I feel his words rumble through him from his chest to where I held him on his waist.
He brings Nina to a halt before motioning me to jump off Nina first. I jump off, landing on my feet as Shang Show follows suit. I watch him as he looks up to the sky and holds out his hand. I guess he must have felt a raindrop because he turns to Nina and pulls something free from her. He then gets to work setting...something up.
After a few minutes, he stands up and wipes his brow. "A'ight. Done." He has the look annoyance as it begins to drizzle.
I nod as I look at it. It seems like something that'd hold a man like Shang Show comfortably, maybe a second person if Shang Show isn't the type to possible starfish himself.
I look to Shang Show.
He looks at me, the fading light bouncing from his eyes.
I feel a knotting in my stomach in the silence as I walk to Nina and begin searching her saddle bags.
"What'chu lookin' for?"
"The other tent."
"Yeah...'Bout that..."
My hands freeze mid search and that knotting climbs up to my throat. But of course. I should have seen this coming. Why wouldn't this situation happen?
How he left me alone last night?
Maybe he was waiting for a moment to leave me stranded.
I look at Nina who looks back at me. I'm not sure why I even looked at her. She's not going to let me ride her out of here.
I let out an audible sigh as I back away from Nina a few steps.
"Well, it aint like I had time to grab you a tent. I'mma make sure you get one once we head into the next town," Shang Show says as he slips into the tent.
I look at Nina as i rub her haunch. "It's better to be with one man than with many."
I say it to Nina but in actuality, I'm saying it to myself to make myself better. Or maybe I say it to atleast prepare myself for what's to come.
"You gon' stay out in the rain? Don't want ya to catch no cold," Shang Show says as he pokes his head out from the tent.
It's better to be with one man than with many.
I nod to myself as I turn to go to the tent. I slip inside the tent and tuck myself toward its entrance. The sound of the rain gets heavier against the tent.
"Get some sleep. Night birdie," Shang Show says to me as he rolls over.
I wait.
Many of the men Lou sent to me in the past did this. They'd pretend to sleep and "wake up" to have me again when my guard was down.
I continue to wait for what feels like an eternity until i hear...snoring? Is...Is he actually asleep? I raise my eyebrow as I get just a bit closer. The snoring gets louder as my eyes widen. This man...is actually asleep!
I feel...relieved!
Though I don't move myself away from the entrance of the tent, I am able to hunker down a bit more and go to sleep.
Not even 20 minutes later, I'm awake. I hear Shang show muttering a bit but it's obvious he hasn't woken up. How does this man sleep in the wilderness like this?
I shift a bit and look over Shang Show's face. His black hair is splayed on top of his makeshift pillow as one of his hands lay on his stomach and his opposite arm is over his head. I see his mouth move and his muttering something that I can't understand.
Something about this man is...fascinating to me. He's undeniably handsome. As i look over his arms, from the sleeves he's rolled up, I notice there are tattoos as well as the muscle in them. I mean, i noticed them before at the bathhouse but actually looking up close is very....
I back away from Shang Show as I feel something of mine stiffen. Of all times, it happens now? I listen outside the tent and notice that the rain has gone and what greets me are the stars and moon.
I slip from the tent and hide behind Nina, who's sleeping soundly. I need to take care of this and I need to rid myself of Calvin James' influence. This is all his fault.
As the morning turns to day, Shang Show and I ride into town. From what i heard, the town of Devil's Dune is a rowdy town. There are many shootouts and many deaths. The Sheriff and his men are stretched thin. I remember Calvin James talking about this town and how it's nothing but "a bunch of uncivilized vermin who aint never had no home training."
I notice at the center of the town are traintracks. I sigh as I figure: Calvin James' trains must ride through here.
I look around and notice there are many men laying outside the buildings, drunk. As we ride, we pass by a saloon where some men stood around talking.
"Hey!"
I feel Shang Show try and make Nina ride a little faster but the men yell out more.
"Hey! Ya Oriental bastard! Look at me when i'ms talkin's to ya!"
It's quite the jerk when Shang Show pulls Nina to a sudden stop. I hold onto him tightly as to not fall off as he makes her turn a bit.
"Who the hell you talkin' to like that?"
"You! We don't appreciate Orientals in these parts!"
"From what I understand, ya momma ain't have no problem!"
My eyes widen as i look at the side of Shang Show's face as I look back to the man who yelled out. His clothes were dusty from the sand but what stood out is the red from his neck and face. His fists were clenched. I notice his hands were dangerously close to his pistol.
"What you say?"
"I ain't stutter! Gon' back to ya momma if you done botherin' me! I'm pretty sure she gon' tell ya all the Oriental dick she done rode!"
"Shang Show!" I hiss, "we need to get out of here right now!" I tug on his shirt.
"I ain't done tellin' this sonuvabitch 'bout his momma!"
Before I can open my mouth again, I hear gunshots go off. I hear Nina's loud neighs and I even feel her lifting up on her hindlegs. But what really confuses me is this searing pain in my arm as my grip on Shang Show's waist loosens. I feel myself falling and I see the sky.
Before I black out, I hear a voice. A voice I've heard before in my dreams. It sounds distressed but just as sweet.
"Dove!"
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