Sarah

“Daddy? What’s going on?”

Rifle gripped in his hand, Daddy stares out the window at the blazing field. Kalen and Jude are right beside him, their heads swooping back and forth.

Kalen presses his face as close to the glass of the window as he can. “I count three men on horses.”

Men on horses? We’re being attacked! But why us? And why tonight of all nights?

Jude taps a finger on the topmost glass pane. “Four. One off in the distance there. Looks like he’s leading the group.”

I toss my hands up. “We can’t just stand around here! The whole field is gonna burn.”

Daddy rubs a hand along his beard, his face grim. “Field is gone. Crops are lost. Now, we gotta focus on our lives. And the lives of everybody in town. These folks ain’t here for us. I know a distraction when I see one.”

Jude sets a hand on his hip, right on the handle of his pistol.

Still watching through the window, Daddy starts to load up his Winchester carbine, sliding bullet after bullet into the chamber hold. Kalen follows suit and loads up another Winchester, as well as the pistols that Daddy carried in earlier.

Including the one I’d been gifted.

“Jude, Sarah,” Daddy says, his voice gruff and stern, “Y’all stay here. Don’t even think about following us.”

Daddy slings a rifle over his shoulder, tightens a bandolier around his chest, and dumps two loaded pistols into the holsters on each of his hips. Kalen spins the open cylinder of his pistol, then thrusts his wrist to the side, slamming the cylinder shut. Jude and I share a nervous glance.

“Are you out of your mind?” I ask, pacing. “We can’t just stay put while you two race after whatever the hell it is you think you’ll find out there.”

Daddy takes several big breaths. He shakes, as do all the bullets draped over his chest inside the bandolier. He grabs me, brings me in for a hug, and kisses my forehead.

“No time to argue,” he says. “Jude, watch her. Make sure she doesn't do anything wild.”

Jude nods with a furrowed brow. “Yes, sir.”

Kalen and Daddy race off, not even shutting the door behind them. Jude and I follow them to the stoop, where we watch as the duo runs into the barn. Seconds later, they’re darting off on horses, one hand commanding their saddles, the other holding a rifle in their hands. Jude runs a hand through his wavy hair.

Giant towers of flames crackle and spread throughout the fields, igniting the sky in a cloud of thick black smoke. Even though we’re far from the fire, it becomes difficult to breathe, as if we’re caught up in the middle of the inferno. Emotions swirl in my belly, making my tongue run dry. Kalen and Daddy become a distant blur as roaring flames surround them.

Jude holds my trembling hand. “It’s gonna be okay, Sarah. No need to be afraid.”

Electricity shoots through my palm at Jude’s touch. I squeeze his hand tightly, feeling safe in his grip. “I ain’t shaking ’cause I’m afraid! I’m shaking because I’m angry!”

My nostrils flare as I continue. “Daddy built this ranch. Got invited to be sheriff after his duty in the war. Dissenters of the war tried burning the town down before. Now they must be back, trying to burn down our home. Burn down everything we’ve built.”

I march over to the guns in the corner of the room, then loop a hip holster and belt bandolier around my waist. “And the last thing I’m gonna do is wait here while my family is out there fighting those bastards.”

Bullets fall from my quaking fingers as I load the pistol Daddy gifted me. Jude kneels and picks the bullets up. He helps me load the gun, sliding one bullet into the chamber.

“Your Pappy said I can’t let you do anything stupid,” Jude chuckles.

I glare at him and finish loading the fifth bullet into the cylinder, twirling the gun around my finger, and sliding it right into the holster at my hip. Then I slip a bullet into the Sharps rifle and sling that around my shoulder. The weight of the weapon nearly knocks me off-kilter, but I recover quickly, fueled by my determination to help my family.

“I know you ain’t about to stop me, Jude Price.”

Jude snickers and shakes his head. He winks. “I reckon what’d be stupid is letting you run off by yourself. Without help.”

I sprint toward the barn. “Then you better keep up.”

Luckily, the large barn door was already open, and a horse was already saddled from earlier in the day.

Queenie. Daddy’s older mare who’s been with him for as long as I can remember. Her coat is an angelic white, layered with patches of brown spots. Her long white mane drapes over one shoulder, and there’s a single braid by one of her ears that I tied when I was a little girl, and Daddy decided to keep all these years later.

Queenie neighs and trots her two front hooves. I pet the side of her head.

“It’s all right, girl. We’re goin’ for a little ride.”

By the time Jude catches up to me, I’m already saddled up on Queenie. I reach a hand out to the handsome man and pull him right behind me. Jude wraps his hands around my waist.

“Tell me you know how to ride,” he whispers into my ear, his breath smelling sweet like fresh milk and tobacco.

“Yah!” I exclaim, gently poking my spurs into Queenie’s stomach.

Do I know how to ride…

Queenie gallops and hits a full, fast stride, and we move right toward the raging flames. Jude holds onto his hat and presses it firmly against his head. A smirk works its way across my face. Flames leap from the burning fields, and I guide Queenie on a sharp turn, making Jude yelp. His grip on my stomach tightens, making me all the more determined to move quickly and without fault.

We pass the flames but can still hear their crackle, though the sound isn’t enough to drown out Kalen screaming from the ground. His horse trots circles around him, and he grips his ankle. Kalen waves us down.

“It’s robbers!” he exclaims, trying to get up but falling back down. His horse whinnies. “Twisted my damn ankle in the stirrup after taking one of them out! Dad was right. The fire was a distraction. They’re heading for the train. They’re gonna hold it up!”

“Will you be all right here?” Jude asks.

I’ve never seen Kalen hurt like this. Now we especially can’t leave Daddy by himself…

Kalen massages his ankle and nods. “Yeah. Get a move on. Dad needs the backup.”

My brother smiles at me. “Ain’t a better shot around than the one I’m looking at. Now ride.”

Pride fills me as much as the smell of burned tomatoes, lettuce, and potatoes. I nod at Kalen, knowing he’s a tough cookie, and that he’ll be all right. Jude and I take off again, following the horse tracks that cut around the bramble surrounding the town, and right toward the train tracks. More black smoke plumes into the air, this time from a red and black train chugging along the railway.

Dust and dirt kick up behind us and I bring us toward the moving train, right near the last car with a small boarding platform and railing at the end of it. Jude swings his leg around and balances in a single stirrup.

“Bring me a little closer!” he calls out.

The train is moving at full speed. Its horn wails and its whistle buzzes, loud enough to stir my soul. If Jude misses this jump, chances are he’s a dead man.

“Little closer!” he shouts.

Queenie is inches from the tracks. I know I can’t get her hooves stuck inside those tracks. Then we’ll tumble over one another, and we’ll all be dead meat.

Jude leaps.

My heart drops into my stomach. I exhale when I see him clinging to the railing and climbing onto the last cart.

“Your turn!” he exclaims, reaching a hand out to me.

“All right girl,” I tell Queenie, getting in the stirrup that Jude jumped from. “Nice and easy, Queenie.”

Stars in the night sky shine light down on us and the train. The scent of coal is inescapable.

Please be all right, Daddy. We’re coming.

My heart racing, my mouth dry, I jump. Jude grabs hold of me and my feet dangle in the air for a moment. He pulls me up and over the railing, and I fall on top of him. We tumble into the car to a collection of screams and hollers from the passengers. But that’s far from the worst that we hear.

A gun is cocked, and a man with a bandana over his face and a bag in his hands points the gun directly at my head.

“Who the hell are you?” he asks.