Winchester at the Pony Express

Chapter 2: I Need a Job

Two Months Later

Isabelle hopped off the stagecoach as soon as it stopped. The man sitting across from her had been staring too closely.

Many miles separated her and the disaster that was her last two months back in Kittridge. She wanted everything that had happened to be left behind her. Between this and growing up with just the bare essentials, she had packed light so the driver tossed down only a medium sized knapsack.

She caught it easily and quickly walked away down the main street of Sweetwater. Wagons and people on horses passed her left and right on the dusty street. Isabelle barely noticed as she scanned the buildings around her. She looked for any boards where job advertisements might be. Isabelle was still dressed as a boy, although her clothes fit better then the ones she had received when she first arrived here. Hopefully being a boy would make finding work a little easier for her.

While avoiding the bustling traffic on the street, Belle made her way to the general store. Sure enough a board was there on the outside wall with job advertisements. One in particular caught her eye.

Wanted Expert Riders

The rest of the poster blurred as Isabelle realized what this was. It was an advertisement for the Pony Express. Dean had told her all about it. He had read her stories on the Pony Express all throughout her childhood and they both dreamed about being apart of this amazing piece of history. It was often a game they had played when she was little in between hunts.

While Isabelle was not an expert rider, she knew she had to try her best to get this job. Dean would have kicked her butt if she hadn't even attempted to live their dream. That thought of how excited he would be brought a smile to her face. Quickly she entered the general store and marched to the counter toward the back of the store. A large man wearing an apron was standing behind the counter stocking shelves. She cleared her throat loudly in order to get his attention, but her near silent steps had not been heard by the store keeper, causing him to jump at the sound before he turned to face her.

"Can you give me directions to the Pony Express station?" Isabelle asked, keeping her voice as low and clear as possible as she had practiced.

The clerk stared at her for a minute, still somewhat startled from her sudden appearance, before responding. "It's a ways out of town. You got a horse to get ya there son?"

"I'll be fine with walking. I've done a lot of it." She responded with a slight smile.

***

"When he said it was out here, doggone it he was not kidding!" Isabelle thought as she finally reached what she assumed was the Pony Express station after over an hour of walking. There was a wooden building that appeared to be the bunk house near the huge barn. Horses were out grazing in the fenced off area next to it, a tranquil sight if she had ever seen one.

She smiled as she took in the peacefulness that was not a norm to her. Belle tore her gaze away from the horses to the house that was adjacent to the bunkhouse. It was a pretty, white two story with a fence surrounding the outside. The whole place radiated beauty.

Isabelle shook her head to get her thoughts in order before walking toward the house. She had almost got to the fence when the front door opened and a young woman stepped out with a laundry basket on her hip.

"Can I help you with something?" She asked, a slight southern twang to her voice.

Belle cleared her dry throat. "I'm here for a job." Her voice was meant to sound confident but it came out meek. Between exhaustion and fear that someone may still try to catch up with her, Belle was not feeling very confident.

The woman's eyes went soft as she walked toward Belle. Her exhaustion was easily made clear to this woman.

"Well, you'll have to speak with Mr. Spoon about that. He does all the hiring." She spoke as she opened the little gate in front of the house and headed toward the clothes line.

Belle followed more timidly. "Do you know where I can find him?"

"I expect he's in the barn. I'll take you to him if you help me with these first." The woman stated while gesturing to the basket of bed linens in her arms.

"Of course." Belle said, grabbing a sheet out of the basket while the woman handed her some clothes pins.

"My name is Emma. Emma Shannon." The woman spoke softly as she worked.

"I'm Bell Winchester."

"Bell? That's interesting name." Emma commented.

"It's short for Bellamy." Isabelle easily replied, thinking of her curly haired friend with the brilliant smile that had helped her on many hunts.

"Mhm." Emma respond with a somewhat knowing look.

Belle tensed. "She couldn't possible tell I am a girl underneath all of this grime. Could she?"

"So what's brought you all the way out here?" Emma asked while adding clothes pins on the white sheets.

"Just trying to find some honest work that I'll enjoy." Belle responded.

"Well that's as good a reason as any." Emma smiled at her before hefting the empty basket onto her hip. "Cmon. Let's go find Mr. Spoon."

They headed straight for the large barn across from the house. Belle loved how it looked in the afternoon sun.

"I wish I could take a picture of it for my collage."  She thought of the collage of photos she had stored at Bobby's old house for when she had her own room. It had always been her dream to create a wall collage in her own bedroom.

As she was pondering her dream collage in a fictional bedroom, Belle and Emma entered the barn.

"Mr. Spoon?" Emma called out.

"Over here Emma." A rough, yet kind voice answered. It came from a stall a little further.

As Belle walked further in she spotted a grisly looking man in the stall with a bay horse. He was stroking its side with a brush. He looked up as the two approached the stall.

"Well, well, well. Who is this?" He asked as he motion toward Belle.

"Mr. Spoon, this Bell. He's looking for a job." Emma informed him.

"Ah! Well then, Mr. Bell." Mr. Spoon said as he exited the stall and faced Belle head on. "Can you ride?"

"Well enough." Belle responded.

"Hm." Mr. Spoon hummed. "Can you shoot?"

"Absolutely."

"Do you know how to keep up with a farm?"

"What I don't know I can learn fast." Belle said, her confidence growing.

Mr. Spoon nodded at her words. "Looks like you are qualified for the job." As he spoke he stuck out his hand. "Teaspoon Hunter. Welcome to the Pony Express son."

Belle stuck out her hand and shook Teaspoon's hand. "Belle Winchester. Thank you for hiring me."