As Sam recuperated, there was not too much for Flat to do. The first part of their deal with Sheriff Reynold had been to go to the caves and find Meriem, find the sheriff's right arm, and find the prairie witch's spell book. They had managed to do that much. But Sheriff Reynold had then wanted Meriem brought to him (she was presently using a rag to wipe sweat from Sam's brow), his right arm returned (it was currently being used by the Man in Gray to bring more wood to the fire), and the spell book destroyed (it had been put away somewhere unseen). It seemed there was still much to be done if Sam and Flat wanted their criminal records cleared.

But Flat now had to wonder whether or not it was good form to go through with the sheriff's orders now. After all, Meriem and the tall man, by use of his muscular right arm and use of the spell book, had just saved Sam's life. Flat had not had a chance to talk to Sam but he wondered what his colleague's thoughts would be now. Sam had doubted the witch and reanimated brother the sheriff spoke of were real before they had entered the caves. It seemed now that both were very real.

"Are you worrying about your friend?" Meriem asked him, looking over as she tossed the rag aside.

"Oh, uh," Flat was brought back, "yes. But that's not to say I don't think your magic worked. I'm sure it did, he seems much better! I just...I am not used to being around...magic users...or even considering magic an option."

He continued to struggle at conversation, though Sam physically being there had relaxed him a little.

Meriem did not seem to mind. "Magic is a blessing and a curse," she said as she looked over at the Man In Gray, "I've had to learn that the hard way."

Flat recalled the sheriff's story of years earlier of how Meriem had told him she had blown up her brother in an attempt to transform him to his ideal physical form. Yet, here her brother was now, walking around by the fire, albeit his body uneven and ugly (and presumably not quite the physical form anyone would request). He was back to the land of the living, and that was something! Flat looked at her sympathetically and tried to be positive without showing what he already knew about her past.

"Yes, I...I imagine there's lots of trial and errors in casting spells. But it looks like you've managed to accomplish your goals."

Meriem blinked. "What goals are you talking about?" A hint of suspicion returned to her voice. Flat froze.

"Uh, I mean...uh..." he tried to backtrack, "you saved Sam. That's a goal successfully accomplished in my opinion. Well done."

Meriem seemed to accept that explanation. "Yes, well, that was an easy 'goal', since I was only stabilizing him. There's been plenty of other 'goals' in my life I've failed miserably at."

"Oh? Like...like what?" Maybe she would mention her brother's situation so that Flat could ask more questions about the hulking fellow there with them. He couldn't breech the subject until Meriem did first or else she'd certainly know the pair has spoken to Sheriff Reynold.

But instead of speaking of him, Meriem pointed to the scars on her face.

"It looks better than it used to," she sighed, "but no amount of magic can make this fully go away."

"It's not that noticeable," offered Flat, "I mean, yes, it's there but..but you're still very lovely."

As before, Meriem seemed to smile a genuine smile. "Thank you, Flat."

"If...if I may be so bold," he took a gamble, "how did you get those scars?"

"A fire. I probably deserved it." She said no more.

"Oh." Flat didn't know what more to ask on the subject. He glanced about looking for another topic of conversation. "So, you...you live in Cheyenne Crossing Caves?"

"Not exactly. We stay here when in the area." She motioned to the Man in Gray, "Normal and I, that is."

Flat blinked. "Normal?"

"That's me," the Man in Gray answered, done with his fire work and coming over to join them.

"Oh, I...I see. I guess I never met someone named Normal before."

"Well," Meriem said, glancing to the ground, "he's a bit like you, in that sense."

"Huh?"

"Normal is the name he's chosen for himself."

"See arm?" Normal held up his muscular right arm; it had the expected Norma in a heart still tattooed on it, but now just outside of the heart a crudely drawn L had been added. Normal kissed his arm as he lowered it.

"Love arm," he said.

"He's undergone some...major transformations in his life," confessed Meriem, "so, in his case, the new name is to help him with this new chapter. But I imagine if he really wanted to be could use his birth name, it just feels out of place these days. Not so much because he hates the name his parents gave him, as you do vehemently do." She gave Flat a playful glance.

"I know, I know, " he sighed, "in these hard times I should be grateful to have parents who love me. But Hosea? Really? They couldn't have thought of a better name for me?...I really think I'm more of a Flat than Hosea anyway."

"I agree," said Meriem. "So, Flat, what is it you and your friend plan to do? Stay in these caves until your marshal leaves town?"

"I suppose so, but..." he looked to Sam. "He's the one who makes the final call."

"I was just reading about some of the exploits of a Marshal De La Cruz," Meriem motioned to the periodical over by the fire she had been perusing when Flat first saw her, "marshals sound like they're extremely dogged in bringing back their men. Or, at least, Marshal De La Cruz is."

Flat made a face. "Yeah, and just our luck... that's precisely the marshal after us."

Meriem eyes widened. "Really. Well...if the stories are to be believed...you may need to hide in these caves for quite a long time, then. He is not going to give up on you two so easily."

Flat nodded slowly.

"Well," Meriem glanced over at Sam and then back at Flat. "I hope your friend is as agreeable as you are."

"Huh?" Flat was confused.

"Because if you two are going to be here awhile, and Normal and I are going to be here awhile...better hope we all get along."

It was Flat's turn to smile.