Cruel World

Chapter 4

The girls rode across the countryside all day. Peach lingered back, her head throbbing from the booze. Even trying to prepare what she was going to say to Belle was troublesome. She pulled her hat brim lower in an effort to block out the late afternoon sun. Even in just her corset and pants, it was dreadfully hot. She never thought she would long for her metal washtub at the camp more than she did now.

She missed the camp. She really did. She missed the dinners around the fire. The drunken dares. The camaraderie between her and the people she could only call her sisters.

Evangeline blabbed the whole ride back. Even when Adalida and Peach didn't respond, she would still continue. That girl could talk to a tree until it's bark cracked off, and still not stop. She told them about a meal she'd cooked back home. She reminisced about her family long gone. It wasn't until she started talking about a farm hand, that Peach actually started paying attention.

Evangeline told them the star crossed tale, about her and a farm hand by the name of Duncan Reed. She'd met him on a ranch, that she was scouting to rob. The way she told it, once she'd laid eyes on the boy, all thoughts of robbery and riches flew from her mind.

Peach huffed, from what she'd heard, the Lazy Oaf ranch had been picked clean. So bad, that the owners had given up on settling the West and moved back to the city.

No judgement, Peach would have done the same thing. That didn't stop her from pushing Icarus a little faster, so that she could be closer to Evangeline to hear the rest of the story.

"So I was a milkmaid there for a while, and whenever we could, me and Duncan would sneak off to the stables." Evangeline's hands gripped her reins limply. Her eyes staring up into the sunset sky, instead of the road. Peach watched her. She seemed so far away and unaware of any of the pain in the world. Peach could feel Adalida's eyes boring a hole into her back, but still, she focused on the whimsical Evangeline

"That boy," Evangeline sighed, "he talked about running away with me, you know. He had it all planned out and everything."

Evangeline's voice became softer. Sadder.

Peach shook her head at the sudden change. Evangeline dragged her eyes back down. She stared ahead, her eyes focused on the road in between her horse's ears. Obviously, that couldn't have been the end of their story. No, if so Evangeline would own her own homestead by now. Instead she was still riding by Peach's side.

Peach cleared her throat, "What ended up happening?"

Adalida pushed Red closer to Icarus. So close that her thigh bumped against Peach's saddle, forcing her to look at her. Adalida shook her head, her eyes wide with warning. Peach swallowed understanding the message.

"It's okay, Adalida," Evangeline said, clearly picking up on their silent conversation. Evangeline sighed, "honestly, as soon as he said that, I panicked. I wasn't ready to give up this life. I wasn't ready to give up my family."

Evangeline's eyes met Peach's. In the setting sun, her brown eyes were like molten stone.

"Come on, we're not far now," Adalida said pushing her horse to the front. Icarus was sweating, but poor Red, was doing everything she could to keep moving forward. The horses knew they were close, and they were giving everything they could to get back home to their dinner.

They fell in line, Evangeline behind Adalida with Peach pulling up the rear. She held tight on her reins to keep Icarus in line. He tossed his head, snorting, but he obeyed.

The veered off the dusty road, onto a barely noticably path through the tall yellowing grass. The veered down the path leading deeper and deeper into a rocky canyon. When Adalida, slowed her horse, the girl's followed suit. Their hooves kicked up small stones and dust as the canyon walls closed in on them with every step. Peach reached out and ran her hand across the red and orange stone. The sun hadn't fully set yet, but here, not even the last remaining rays hit.