"I need some shut-eye." Elixir exclaimed, as she looked around for a
place to spend the night. She looked around the town of Four Corners.
A
town of a little more than 100 people, Four Corners was small and not
very
exciting.
"Not much to do in this town," Elixir mumbled to herself, "seems
like it's been here for a hundred years, the way it's so ghost-like."
Suddenly, a gunshot tore through the silence. Elixir turned her
head in
the direction of it. Her eyes looked upon an older boy who looked
like he had fallen from his horse. Elixir smiled. He's
kind of cute,
she thought. She walked over to him, as he was getting up.
"You alright?" Elixir asked as meekly as she could. The boy's face
turned red, as he looked up at her. Her eyes almost look right
through me, he
thought.
"Erhmm…" the boy started, "I'm alright, I guess." He smiled a
lop-sided grin, and examined the situation. I've just fallen
off my
horse, in front of a beautiful young lady, he thought.
Elixir looked at the young man, and smiled once more. His smile
is so
sincere, she thought.
"Would you like any help getting up?" she asked, as she offered him a hand.
He took her hand, looking at her with a shy grin. "Well thank
you ma'am, but I'm fine,"
he said, letting go of her grip. He swept the dirt off of his
clothes and proceeded to
pick up his gun.
Elixir went to examine his horse, which was waiting patiently by them.
She
noticed the saddle was not the traditional western type, but an English
saddle with a horn at its back.
"I can see why you would have fallen off this horse," she said, looking
back at him,
"the saddle's so small and slippery it couldn't hold an embedded cactus!"
she exclaimed.
The boy held a smile, but looked embarrassed, as he was caught off-guard.
"Ma'am," he started, trying to keep an even tone, "I assure you, I can
stay on my horse.
It got startled and I fell off-is all. Why, I'm mighty good at riding
horses, aren't I?" he
said to his horse, petting its neck.
The horse whinnied and snorted, as if in acknowledgement.
"Why, I never meant you weren't able to ride! Just commenting
on your
saddle… trying to make you feel better." Elixir replied.
The boy blushed. Mighty witty, ain't she? He thought, smiling.
"No
harm done," he replied, extending his hand, "My name is J.D.
Pleased to
meet you ma'am."
Elixir shook his hand. "Pleased to meet you J.D. My name's
Elixir, and
I'm looking for a place to spend the night," she said, looking into
his eyes.
"Well, this town ain't got too much to offer, for a pretty lady like
yourself,." he
commented.
Elixir blushed. "I ain't one for receiving compliments, but I'll
let it go this time,"
she mused, with a twinkle in her eye.
He smiled, "Thank you for sparing my life, ma'am, I--"
"Could we just go by our names?" Elixir interrupted, "this politeness makes me feel so old."
"Anything you desire ma--I mean, Elixir," he said, grinning.
"Alright, now that we've exchanged names, could you be so kind as to
aid me in finding a
night's rest?" she asked.
"Of course. I know of a friend who has an inn, I'll show it to you," he said, offering to help.
"Thank you." Elixir replied. "Much obliged, your kindness is genuine, J.D."
"I'm just lucky to have had such a momma" he replied.
"She sure taught you well!" Elixir said, smiling.
Elixir sat down, as J.D. pulled her chair out for her. She looked
around the Saloon, inhaling
the smoky stench. Across from her, a man was trying to persuade
himself out of a brawl aimed
against him.
J.D. spoke up, surprising Elixir, "What's got your attention?"
Elixir replied, "Oh… I'm just observing that man. He seems to be in a bit of a pinch."
J.D. turned his head, calling out to the man. "Ezra! You
having a little trouble with your
acquaintances?"
Ezra looked over at where J.D. was sitting with a young lady he had
yet to meet. Making his way
through the men that were intent on revenge, he was about to sit down
when a man gripped him
by the shoulder.
"You ain't goin' nowhere you conniving thief!" the man said. Elixir
glared at the man yanking Ezra
back to his table. She stood up, giving J.D. a look as he was
about to stand, also.
"Let me handle this." She told him, as he sat back down. The man
proceeded to pull Ezra, as Ezra
shook himself free and, with the flick of his wrist, pulled out his
gun. Elixir quickly made her way between
them, trying to calm Ezra.
"Whoa, whoa… now, there's no need to get all violent here." She convinced
Ezra, with a wink of her eye.
Ezra had no chance to answer, as the man pulled Elixir away, looking
at her face.
"You're a girl, damnit!" he yelled.
A roar rose from the Saloon. Elixir pulled out her dagger, pointing it up at the man's face.
"Don't tempt me!" she threatened. The man laughed and was about to move,
as Elixir grabbed him
by the collar, piercing him with a deadly stare. "I said, DON'T
tempt me."
The man's face turned a deadly white, as Elixir pressed her dagger into
the groove of his neck. J.D. stood to
intervene, with Ezra at his side. Ezra put away his gun, and
went up to the bartender, as J.D. kept a close eye
on the man Elixir was holding.
Ezra came back with a shot glass of brandy, and whispered something
in Elixir's ear. Elixir's face formed a
mischievous smile, as she let go of the man's collar. Ezra gave
her the shot glass, just as the man was about to get
away from her.
"Where do you think you're going?" Elixir asked the fleeing man, as she grabbed him by end of the shirt.
"Get away from me you crazy wench!" the man hollered.
Elixir pulled him close to her, and said, "The next time you want to
pick a fight, make sure you're not getting
in over your head!" as she poured the brandy over his head. "And
cool off you overgrown monkey!" she yelled,
as she let him go, and he ran out of the Saloon.
A roar of laughter rose from the Saloon, as the crowd started to get
rowdy. Elixir, with Ezra and J.D. behind
her, took this as a cue to leave without being noticed. Surely
enough, no one in the Saloon noticed their departure,
as they walked away.
Silence fell upon the group. J.D. was the first to speak, "That
was some show you put on for us, Elixir," he said,
as he gave her a pleasing smile.
Elixir's looked at him, grinning at her like an innocent boy.
She got a queasy feeling in her stomach, as his warm
eyes smiled at her.
Ezra did not seem to notice their looks at each other, as he spoke,
"Now I wonder who was that other girl who
got me into this pile of trouble?" he said, breaking their stares at
each other.
Elixir regained her composure, and thought to herself, "Why, what did she look like?"
"About your stature and so high. Her attire was quite disgraceful for
a teenager her age. She donned spectacles,
had lond straigh braided hair and a brown beat up felt hat."
Elixir shook her head, knowing her friend had done it now, "Why that
would be my friend Nutmeg!" she said, with a mischievous grin.