NANO: The Travellers (Chapter 4/24?)
Title: The Travelers
Author of Chapter: abigbluebox
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Summary: David gets a ride to his first real job in a long time, but he can't help but trip over himself when it comes to the Farmer's Daughter.
Prologue by abigbluebox | Chapter 1 by country_who | Chapter2 by abigbluebox| Chapter 3 country_who
Chapter 3: Stranger Coming Home
The smell of diesel filled the air, as the old Ford pickup coughed and spluttered into life. Buck probably should have caved in a long time ago and gotten a new one or at least a used one that you knew would start the next time you attempted turned the motor over. But, this truck, which was bought old and run down, was a member of the family after ten years of faithful service. Buck grinned at the rust bucket and patted the dash. She would not be abandoned even in her last years of life.
“She’s a tough ol’ gal,” Buck said.
David nodded, not really knowing what to say.
“Thanks again,” David said quietly, as he muttered the only words he could think of. “I really appreciate it.”
Buck smirked a bit, as he watched the dirt road turn up beneath him.
‘We’re over due for a good rain he thought,’ he thought worriedly to himself.
“Don’t mention it,” Buck said, laying his accent a bit thicker than necessary as he continued. “You might not thank me so much when you start tomorrow.”
David looked at him a bit oddly but shrugged.
“Been out here my whole life,” he said dismissively. “And, I got a way a figurin’ things out.”
Buck nodded his head, respecting and understanding David’s unwillingness to speak. He snorted and decided to change the subject.
“So, what sorta wages were you thinkin’ ‘bout,” Buck brought up the ugly subject, but something told him that David wasn’t the kind to ask for more than he deserved.
David shrugged his bony shoulders and bowed his head in a position that could have been submission.
“I dunno,” he replied almost shyly. “I was just kinda just hopin’ for a place to stay; if that ain’t too much trouble.” David added the last bit quickly.
Buck studied the stranger’s expressionless face. He was sure that the teenage boy was either trying to hide something deep down or hide from something far away. Whichever way it was or turned out to be, Buck knew a scared kid when he saw one.
“Well, that we can do,” Buck told him kindly.
“Thank you, sir,” David told him.
Thanks, the only emotion Buck could ever get out of him, burned deeply within not only the child’s eyes, but also ever corner of his gaunt face.
“Like I said before,” Buck told him, pointing a long gnarled finger at the too lanky teenager. “It’s gonna be hard work.”
David just gave him sad smile, that told Buck that he really had honestly had his fair share of hard times, and he wasn’t going to be turned down by anything that Buck could throw at him.
Buck gave him a polite nod in return, as he turned the steering wheel, and the pickup truck pulled onto the dirt drive.
David read the faded wooden sign mounted on two simple forest green painted posts.
“Weeping Willows” David muttered to himself.
The words swirled elegantly in an old-style lettering that seemed common among the signs in town as well. Two carved willow trees formed the border of the sign as the hanging vines seemed to wrap themselves around the words like snakes.
David couldn’t help thinking that this ranch was probably only going to be a one stop again. No matter how much of an urge he had to settle down and meet someone nice, to share his memories, his thoughts, and every inch of his being-he couldn’t. His life was always spent running from the wild dogs of his past, but the problem with running from dogs was that when you run from them, it only makes them want to chase you harder.
‘No,’ David thought to himself, ‘It was definitely best to stay unattached, a few months here, and I’ll be on the road again.’
He engrained those thoughts into his memory, as he ran his fingers through his unruly hair, and stared out the rolled down window.
His eyes traced longingly over the horizon which was just now beginning to set. The tops of the skies were still a milky blue and, but there was a slight pink-orange tint surrounding the pine trees. David thought it made them look like the angels of the forest, watching over every rancher, animal, and maybe even…himself.
Memories of a lost childhood assuaged his mind, but he pushed them further into the back of his brain.
‘Discipline ’ he admonished himself, this definitely not a time to get teary-eyed.
He turned his attention back to the trees, he let his gaze sway with the wind as their many strong branches were blown to their limits by something with as little mass or power as the breeze. He felt his eyes beginning to get heavy with contentment, when he caught sight of a shadowy figure bursting through the trees. It was clearly a horse and rider chasing after an escaped calf. The rider’s arms was extended as he rode higher in the saddle, a lasso flew from the figures fingers and the calf seemed to disappear in a field of tall grass as the rider slowed to his mount to a walk, checked to see if the rope was secure from atop his horse.
‘Fella, knows how to ride,’ David thought to himself, as Buck stopped the truck and motioned for David to get out.
David complied and walked around to the bed of the truck. He picked up three of the bags of feed in his thin arms, still watching the rider dismount and ground ties a fidgety horse, while still keeping a firm hold on the lasso holding onto the calf.
‘That’s odd,’ David thought to himself. ‘That calf oughta be putting up more of a fight.’
Either that cowboy was magic and could make animals bend to his will or that calf was injured badly from his tumble.
The rider was lost in the tall grasses, life the calf before, but he took a guess that he was checking the calf and his horse for any injuries from the often unpredictable terrain of the area. The rider reappeared after a few moments and remounted.
‘Not hurt then,’ David concluded.
The rider swung the mount around to ride at a loping pace towards them. As the figure neared, David could tell that he was not a he, but instead a she.
His eyes stared at the rider for a moment, before he caught himself and switched his attention to the horse, which was less inviting to his male physiology. The chestnut’s rippling muscles and experienced gait that could only be brought out by the rider torn the ground beneath his hooves. The rider’s hair fell back, escaping from a long auburn ponytail that swayed and flowed in a seemingly endless stream of curls and waves.
A worn Stetson caught the wind as the horse sped up a bit in joy and exhilaration. The stampede string just caught it as she rode on. She continued like that until she slowed her mount once again to a halt and released the calf back into its pasture.
David could see the rider’s pride for her animal as she paused to give the horse’s flank a good pat, before mounting up and once again riding towards them. This time she pushed the speed to a full lope, digging her legs into her horse’s heaving sides for more grip.
One thought passed through David’s mind.
‘That girl is a cowboy.’
~//~
Samantha grinned as she reproached her mount with more pride and love in her eyes than could be measured. His sides were barely heaving as he stood politely outside the closed gate, happily ground tied. Samantha probably should have felt guilty about leaving the gate open…again, but she was starting to think that there was a voice in her head telling her too, just so she could have a ride like that again.
Closing the gate (and locking it this time), she closed the gate and patted Trek’s sweaty shoulder. He swung his head around and knocked her playfully in the shoulder, before blowing forcefully into her ears. Sweet hay carried on warm breath filled her nose as Samantha reached up and ruffled the mane behind his ears. Trek groaned and wuffled at her hair. Samantha allowed it for a moment before she pulled away from his felt like nose and gave him another fond pat, as she swung into the saddle.
She felt Trek’s leg’s dancing beneath her and nodded her understanding. Her heart raced as she crouched lower, rising in the saddle and gave him a firm, yet familiar kick in the side. Her leg tightened in perfect synchronization with her mount’s bunching and un-bunching muscles.
The Trek’s dark red mane lashed across her face and mixed into her lighter auburn hair. A wide smile spread across her face, as she spotted her dad’s truck and began to slow Trek to a swift trot and led her mount in its direction.
~//~
David didn’t realize that his mouth was hanging agape, until a gruff cough reached his ears. He looked up to see Buck giving him a pointed stare. Immediately, David knew he had gone wrong.
‘Farmer’s daughter.’
David opened his mouth to apologize, but the Buck gave him a stare that told him to not bother.
Suddenly realizing the weight in his arms, he remembered the three bags currently doubling in weight by the second. He shifted them and looked at Buck pleadingly.
Buck cocked his head in the direction of the barn and made a noise that could have been a cough. Nodding, David hurried off, kicking himself all the way.
~//~
Samantha led Trek in to the barn, as her boots scuffed across the dusty floor. Cross-tying him, she began to brush down his sweaty hide and dry him off. He nickered happily as she ran circles into his hair.
She was concentrating so hard on her task at hand that she didn’t notice someone piling down bags of feed and grain onto the ground and stepping back. Only when there was a cry of surprise and pain did she look up. To see a stranger with his hand rubbing the back of his head and glaring at a smug slowing dapple gray horse with bared teeth.
The stranger looked up to meet her eyes, but quickly averted them. He stared at his boots for a minute before realizing how much of an idiot he looked like and looked up again to meet Samantha’s questioning stare.
“Erm, Hi there,” the stranger said.
“Hello.” Samantha said, while she studied the stranger.
“Hi,” David repeated, but then caught himself while he shook his head. “I’m David.”
“I’m Samantha,” she repeated, extending her hand in his direction.
David took it and shook it firmly, like he was used to accepting job offers.
“Nice to meet ya, Sam,” David replied, finally gaining some composure.
“Samantha, not Sam,” Samantha replied.
David shook his head.
“Not with the way you were ridin’ out there,” David said, gesturing widely with his right hand in the general direction of the pasture. “You’re a
right cowboy.”
Samantha smirked.
“Cowgirl,” she told him pointedly. “And, I s’pose that you’ve ain’t had much e’sperience with horses considerin’ you just got bit by one.”
“Wha?” David asked, startled, when he realized he was still holding his left hand to the back of his head.
Quickly, he brought the appendage to his front and rubbed his wrist absently.
“I just wasn’t expectin’ a nipping horse, that’s all,” David defended clumsily.
“Expect the unexpected,” Samantha told him in a sing song voice, as she led Trek into the stall, shut the door and bolted it. “Come on, I’ll show you inside, Mom’s probably got somethin’ cooking but, I fairly sure we wasn’t expectin’ anyone to come over.”
David shook his head ‘no’ but quickly changed his motion and nodded ‘yes.’
“He’s the new farm hand,” Buck’s voice reached the two of them.
Sam swirled around to see her dad standing over her shoulder.
“What?” Samantha asked.
She turned back to David and studied him.
His too long hair and his skinny bones, he looked like he was going to blow away with the next summer breeze not splitting wood or branding cattle.
“Why do we need a new hand?” Samantha asked dumbstruck. “We’ve never had any kind of hand, only temporary folks when plowing season came ‘round, but not full time.”
“David here needs a job,” Buck said, jutting a finger out at him. “And, we could always use an extra hand; maybe one that has the presence of mind to keep a gate closed.”
Author of Chapter: abigbluebox
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Summary: David gets a ride to his first real job in a long time, but he can't help but trip over himself when it comes to the Farmer's Daughter.
Prologue by abigbluebox | Chapter 1 by country_who | Chapter2 by abigbluebox| Chapter 3 country_who
Chapter 3: Stranger Coming Home
The smell of diesel filled the air, as the old Ford pickup coughed and spluttered into life. Buck probably should have caved in a long time ago and gotten a new one or at least a used one that you knew would start the next time you attempted turned the motor over. But, this truck, which was bought old and run down, was a member of the family after ten years of faithful service. Buck grinned at the rust bucket and patted the dash. She would not be abandoned even in her last years of life.
“She’s a tough ol’ gal,” Buck said.
David nodded, not really knowing what to say.
“Thanks again,” David said quietly, as he muttered the only words he could think of. “I really appreciate it.”
Buck smirked a bit, as he watched the dirt road turn up beneath him.
‘We’re over due for a good rain he thought,’ he thought worriedly to himself.
“Don’t mention it,” Buck said, laying his accent a bit thicker than necessary as he continued. “You might not thank me so much when you start tomorrow.”
David looked at him a bit oddly but shrugged.
“Been out here my whole life,” he said dismissively. “And, I got a way a figurin’ things out.”
Buck nodded his head, respecting and understanding David’s unwillingness to speak. He snorted and decided to change the subject.
“So, what sorta wages were you thinkin’ ‘bout,” Buck brought up the ugly subject, but something told him that David wasn’t the kind to ask for more than he deserved.
David shrugged his bony shoulders and bowed his head in a position that could have been submission.
“I dunno,” he replied almost shyly. “I was just kinda just hopin’ for a place to stay; if that ain’t too much trouble.” David added the last bit quickly.
Buck studied the stranger’s expressionless face. He was sure that the teenage boy was either trying to hide something deep down or hide from something far away. Whichever way it was or turned out to be, Buck knew a scared kid when he saw one.
“Well, that we can do,” Buck told him kindly.
“Thank you, sir,” David told him.
Thanks, the only emotion Buck could ever get out of him, burned deeply within not only the child’s eyes, but also ever corner of his gaunt face.
“Like I said before,” Buck told him, pointing a long gnarled finger at the too lanky teenager. “It’s gonna be hard work.”
David just gave him sad smile, that told Buck that he really had honestly had his fair share of hard times, and he wasn’t going to be turned down by anything that Buck could throw at him.
Buck gave him a polite nod in return, as he turned the steering wheel, and the pickup truck pulled onto the dirt drive.
David read the faded wooden sign mounted on two simple forest green painted posts.
“Weeping Willows” David muttered to himself.
The words swirled elegantly in an old-style lettering that seemed common among the signs in town as well. Two carved willow trees formed the border of the sign as the hanging vines seemed to wrap themselves around the words like snakes.
David couldn’t help thinking that this ranch was probably only going to be a one stop again. No matter how much of an urge he had to settle down and meet someone nice, to share his memories, his thoughts, and every inch of his being-he couldn’t. His life was always spent running from the wild dogs of his past, but the problem with running from dogs was that when you run from them, it only makes them want to chase you harder.
‘No,’ David thought to himself, ‘It was definitely best to stay unattached, a few months here, and I’ll be on the road again.’
He engrained those thoughts into his memory, as he ran his fingers through his unruly hair, and stared out the rolled down window.
His eyes traced longingly over the horizon which was just now beginning to set. The tops of the skies were still a milky blue and, but there was a slight pink-orange tint surrounding the pine trees. David thought it made them look like the angels of the forest, watching over every rancher, animal, and maybe even…himself.
Memories of a lost childhood assuaged his mind, but he pushed them further into the back of his brain.
‘Discipline ’ he admonished himself, this definitely not a time to get teary-eyed.
He turned his attention back to the trees, he let his gaze sway with the wind as their many strong branches were blown to their limits by something with as little mass or power as the breeze. He felt his eyes beginning to get heavy with contentment, when he caught sight of a shadowy figure bursting through the trees. It was clearly a horse and rider chasing after an escaped calf. The rider’s arms was extended as he rode higher in the saddle, a lasso flew from the figures fingers and the calf seemed to disappear in a field of tall grass as the rider slowed to his mount to a walk, checked to see if the rope was secure from atop his horse.
‘Fella, knows how to ride,’ David thought to himself, as Buck stopped the truck and motioned for David to get out.
David complied and walked around to the bed of the truck. He picked up three of the bags of feed in his thin arms, still watching the rider dismount and ground ties a fidgety horse, while still keeping a firm hold on the lasso holding onto the calf.
‘That’s odd,’ David thought to himself. ‘That calf oughta be putting up more of a fight.’
Either that cowboy was magic and could make animals bend to his will or that calf was injured badly from his tumble.
The rider was lost in the tall grasses, life the calf before, but he took a guess that he was checking the calf and his horse for any injuries from the often unpredictable terrain of the area. The rider reappeared after a few moments and remounted.
‘Not hurt then,’ David concluded.
The rider swung the mount around to ride at a loping pace towards them. As the figure neared, David could tell that he was not a he, but instead a she.
His eyes stared at the rider for a moment, before he caught himself and switched his attention to the horse, which was less inviting to his male physiology. The chestnut’s rippling muscles and experienced gait that could only be brought out by the rider torn the ground beneath his hooves. The rider’s hair fell back, escaping from a long auburn ponytail that swayed and flowed in a seemingly endless stream of curls and waves.
A worn Stetson caught the wind as the horse sped up a bit in joy and exhilaration. The stampede string just caught it as she rode on. She continued like that until she slowed her mount once again to a halt and released the calf back into its pasture.
David could see the rider’s pride for her animal as she paused to give the horse’s flank a good pat, before mounting up and once again riding towards them. This time she pushed the speed to a full lope, digging her legs into her horse’s heaving sides for more grip.
One thought passed through David’s mind.
‘That girl is a cowboy.’
~//~
Samantha grinned as she reproached her mount with more pride and love in her eyes than could be measured. His sides were barely heaving as he stood politely outside the closed gate, happily ground tied. Samantha probably should have felt guilty about leaving the gate open…again, but she was starting to think that there was a voice in her head telling her too, just so she could have a ride like that again.
Closing the gate (and locking it this time), she closed the gate and patted Trek’s sweaty shoulder. He swung his head around and knocked her playfully in the shoulder, before blowing forcefully into her ears. Sweet hay carried on warm breath filled her nose as Samantha reached up and ruffled the mane behind his ears. Trek groaned and wuffled at her hair. Samantha allowed it for a moment before she pulled away from his felt like nose and gave him another fond pat, as she swung into the saddle.
She felt Trek’s leg’s dancing beneath her and nodded her understanding. Her heart raced as she crouched lower, rising in the saddle and gave him a firm, yet familiar kick in the side. Her leg tightened in perfect synchronization with her mount’s bunching and un-bunching muscles.
The Trek’s dark red mane lashed across her face and mixed into her lighter auburn hair. A wide smile spread across her face, as she spotted her dad’s truck and began to slow Trek to a swift trot and led her mount in its direction.
~//~
David didn’t realize that his mouth was hanging agape, until a gruff cough reached his ears. He looked up to see Buck giving him a pointed stare. Immediately, David knew he had gone wrong.
‘Farmer’s daughter.’
David opened his mouth to apologize, but the Buck gave him a stare that told him to not bother.
Suddenly realizing the weight in his arms, he remembered the three bags currently doubling in weight by the second. He shifted them and looked at Buck pleadingly.
Buck cocked his head in the direction of the barn and made a noise that could have been a cough. Nodding, David hurried off, kicking himself all the way.
~//~
Samantha led Trek in to the barn, as her boots scuffed across the dusty floor. Cross-tying him, she began to brush down his sweaty hide and dry him off. He nickered happily as she ran circles into his hair.
She was concentrating so hard on her task at hand that she didn’t notice someone piling down bags of feed and grain onto the ground and stepping back. Only when there was a cry of surprise and pain did she look up. To see a stranger with his hand rubbing the back of his head and glaring at a smug slowing dapple gray horse with bared teeth.
The stranger looked up to meet her eyes, but quickly averted them. He stared at his boots for a minute before realizing how much of an idiot he looked like and looked up again to meet Samantha’s questioning stare.
“Erm, Hi there,” the stranger said.
“Hello.” Samantha said, while she studied the stranger.
“Hi,” David repeated, but then caught himself while he shook his head. “I’m David.”
“I’m Samantha,” she repeated, extending her hand in his direction.
David took it and shook it firmly, like he was used to accepting job offers.
“Nice to meet ya, Sam,” David replied, finally gaining some composure.
“Samantha, not Sam,” Samantha replied.
David shook his head.
“Not with the way you were ridin’ out there,” David said, gesturing widely with his right hand in the general direction of the pasture. “You’re a
right cowboy.”
Samantha smirked.
“Cowgirl,” she told him pointedly. “And, I s’pose that you’ve ain’t had much e’sperience with horses considerin’ you just got bit by one.”
“Wha?” David asked, startled, when he realized he was still holding his left hand to the back of his head.
Quickly, he brought the appendage to his front and rubbed his wrist absently.
“I just wasn’t expectin’ a nipping horse, that’s all,” David defended clumsily.
“Expect the unexpected,” Samantha told him in a sing song voice, as she led Trek into the stall, shut the door and bolted it. “Come on, I’ll show you inside, Mom’s probably got somethin’ cooking but, I fairly sure we wasn’t expectin’ anyone to come over.”
David shook his head ‘no’ but quickly changed his motion and nodded ‘yes.’
“He’s the new farm hand,” Buck’s voice reached the two of them.
Sam swirled around to see her dad standing over her shoulder.
“What?” Samantha asked.
She turned back to David and studied him.
His too long hair and his skinny bones, he looked like he was going to blow away with the next summer breeze not splitting wood or branding cattle.
“Why do we need a new hand?” Samantha asked dumbstruck. “We’ve never had any kind of hand, only temporary folks when plowing season came ‘round, but not full time.”
“David here needs a job,” Buck said, jutting a finger out at him. “And, we could always use an extra hand; maybe one that has the presence of mind to keep a gate closed.”