Simone lies awake late into the night. Crank still has not returned from his search for water. Rising from the bed, Simone wanders to the window. From two stories up, and in the middle of a raging dust storm, it is hard to make out any particular shapes in the distance. Simone wraps her arms around her middle and rocks back and forth on her heels. If anything has happened to Crank, she will never forgive herself.
Simone reluctantly returns to the bed. Lying down beneath the worn blankets, she draws her legs up against her chest. Uncontrollable sobs cause her body to shake violently, and she slams a fist against the holey mattress. Dust is explosively expelled from the aged mattress. Simone coughs loudly and massages her throat. Such a dumb move.
With a noise that is a cross between a growl and a scream, Simone balls up one of the blankets and hurls it across the room. She pounds the mattress over and over. No longer caring about dust and grit. She is angry--so very angry. But mostly, she feels helpless. Again.
Exhausted and spent, Simone settles back onto the bed. When she finally falls asleep, her dreams are filled with images of dust, sand, and Crank. But mostly Crank.
-
-
Simone is awakened by the tinkering of a large bell. She jumps out of bed and races downstairs. Paul is asleep on the bar; underneath a torn cotton blanket. A half-empty bottle of golden liquor rests on a table nearby. The sound could not have come from him. Simone spins in the direction of the door as the tinkering comes again. This time, the noise is much closer.
Hurrying toward the door, Simone throws open the panels and runs outside. The dust storm is still raging, but she pays it no mind. She has to find the source of that sound. She has to find Crank. He could be hurt. She screams his name into the wind.
“Crank? Crank is that you? Crank! CRANK!”
The next time the bell sounds it is very close. Simone strains to see through the violent wind and grains of sand. Suddenly, two shapes melt out of the murky darkness. A smile builds on Simone’s face as she catches sight of Crank's unmistakable silhouette. His dreads blow about his head, in the savage wind of the storm; the outline of his shoulder cannon visible even from where she stands. To Simone, he is like an angel. A powerful, beautiful, avenging angel.
As Crank approaches, Simone notices that he is guiding an animal. An enormous blue ox. Simone’s mouth drops open and she waves excitedly. Dropping all formality, she races in his direction. She leaps onto him as he comes within range, wrapping her legs around his waist. Her arms go around his neck and she brings him in close, kissing his disguised lips.
Crank releases the ox’s reins and wraps his arms around Simone, returning her lip caress. The ox simply mills around nearby, making all the noises an ox would usually make --and looking exceedingly bored. Simone finally draws away and there are tears running down her dust-streaked face.
“You were gone for so long,” Simone cries. “I was starting to worry.”
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Crank’s response is to reach down and unfasten a cloth waterbag from his implement belt. He hands it to Simone with a smile.
“I found water,” Crank says. “There is a farming town a long distance from here. It will take us many hours to get back there. But for now...You can drink.”
Simone is overcome with joy. Not at being given the water, but at seeing her spacefaring friend again. She once again caresses his lips. And once again, Crank welcomes the gesture.
-
-
Paul Bunyan rolls over, and drops heavily to the floor below the bar counter. He shakes his head to alleviate himself from the alcohol-induced migraine he is now suffering—along with the pain of knocking his head against the ground.
The loud tinkering of a bell causes Paul’s head to snap up, and he snatches his wooden cane from beside the counter. He remains rooted in place, craning his neck to hear even better. When he hears the sound yet again, his eyes widen and he hobbles for the door.
“It can’t be,” he mutters in a drunken slur. “It just can’t be.”
Hobbling out into the storm, which has slacked off a little, Paul stumbles through the windy darkness. Even with one leg, he is surprisingly fast. He is going to meet an old friend.
Paul follows the sound of the bell each time it sounds. His eyes finally land on a huge hunk of blue ox lumbering his way, the reins held in one of Crank’s gloved hands. On the other side of the ox, Simone gently touches the creature’s side—coaxing it to keep going in the storm.
Paul breaks out into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. He dances a jig and then moves as fast as he can towards the three wind-blown travelers. Kissing Babe’s snout, Paul reaches his arm around the big ox’s neck and hugs her tightly.
“Babe…My big girl. I never thought I’d see you again. It’s so good to see you,” Paul gushes shamelessly. To Crank, he says, “Thank you, friend. I guess we can let bygones be bygones. You’ve brought Ole Babe back to me. That makes you good people, in my book.”
Crank nods acknowledgment and hands Paul Babe’s reins. The old frontiersman takes the reins with one hand and hobbles using his cane with the other. Crank reaches out his freed hand to Simone, and she takes it without hesitation.
Together, they make their way back to the saloon.
-
-
Crank and Simone lie side by side on the bed, simply enjoying each other’s warmth and closeness. Crank has been watching her sleep for the better part of an hour, his fingers lightly combing through her curly hair. It is strange, the connection he feels for this ooman. He plays back the events of the past couple days in his mind—trying to figure out exactly when his attachment to Simone began.
He remembers Simone stumbling and falling into his arms. The way she had peered up into his face. Her voice kind and playful, rather than accusing and fearful. Her smile. The feel of her body in his arms as he carried her to the hotel. How peaceful she had looked. The soft purring sounds her breathing made as she lie on the bed. Her bravery when he had finally revealed himself to her. Her willingness to help and protect him. Her inner strength tempered by her ooman fragility. He could find so many things to love about her. Because deep down inside, he believes he truly does love her.
But to what end? Can they ever really be together? The rogue hunters will not rest until they have his head suspended on the end of a combistick. By remaining with Simone, he has put her in grave danger. Perhaps, he should leave? And go where? He has no idea where they are. Even when they are. These are things they will have to figure out, and fast.
Simone stirs and Crank draws her closer to his body. She snuggles into his embrace, a hand reaching up to find its place on his chest, and a smile forming at the corner of her mouth. A curl falls over her right eye and Crank gently moves it away. He kisses her forehead and then stares over her shoulder at the sky outside the second story window. It will be dawn soon.