He feels dirty. Like he hasn't showered for a week, or more ( Read more... )

Seems that fence and that gate get worse ever year, and when Jack finally straightens, his back cracks in protest. One hand on the gate, the other on his hip, he looks out over the empty plains, squinting and sweating, before he swings the gate back and forth, testing ( Read more... )

The problem with hitting a man with a closed fist is that generally, you hurt yourself just as much as you hurt them, and Jack looks at the blooming purple on his right hand with resignation when he's unbound it, moves the fingers gingerly. Got no ice in the room, so he goes into the bathroom and turns on the cold water, lets it run over the hand ( Read more... )

The problem with working with horses, mostly, is that you end up smelly and sweating and unwilling to go back inside, even though it's more comfortable there. But you get used to the open space, and the work, and somehow going in to sit by the fire just seems stifling. Not to mention people look at you kinda funny when you smell like horse and ( Read more... )

For all Jack's been here for a while, now, he still ain't what you'd call close to a lot of people. So when he sits down at the Bar to get some coffee before heading out stable-wards and a note and package appear along with the steaming cup, he's more than a bit surprised ( Read more... )

Go on, ask Jack somethin. Be warned, though, you get him talkin', you're the one's got a listen till he stops.

"Shit."

Jack straightens, runs a hand through his hair, and looks at the drawer, frustrated.

"Honey? You seen that gray shirt a mine?"

The tick-tick-tick of the typewriter all but obscures Lureen's reply, but the little Texas voce comes tripping down the hall, cool and sweet and just barely annoyed ( Read more... )

Jack stalks a good distance out of the bar, fuming and silent, before he tosses his still burning cigarette viciously to one side and rounds on Ennis angrily.

"And just what in the hell was that, Ennis? Huh?"

He hadn't come with all that much, really ( Read more... )

It turns out you can get just about anything from Bar.

For a small price.

"I tell you," Jack gripes, dumping an armful of tent and equipment on the ground by the stable door, "I've had a borrow a lot a things in the past, and most always no one wanted to give 'em to me, but tryin' to get a Bar to lend me a tent just 'bout takes the cake for ' ( Read more... )