Clouding: Day 15

Word Total: 90,006

Year to Date: 600,050

Summary of Events:

Theresa and Mama finished their discussion about her treatment of Bennett with Mama telling her she needed to apologise whether she liked it or not. Asher watched the Apache depart before running Ashley's gelding through his paces and riding him to Tucson instead of Nizhoni, which he hoped would help him go unnoticed. Theresa couldn't sleep because of morbid dreams, and so got dressed and went out to the cemetery. Asher got up before dawn to get out of town . . . 

Excerpt of the Day:

Untying the reins, he passed them over the gelding's head and swung into the saddle.

He reversed the gelding straight back from the rail and then turned southward, letting the horse walk and wake up. The town was even more silent than it'd been when he'd come in after dark.

The gait the gelding used, as it was his leisure to pick the speed, was slow and plodding, carrying them out of town at a snail's pace.

Asher scanned the quiet surroundings. The town seemed eerily empty, as if it was supposed to look empty when it actually wasn't so that someone could jump out and attack him. He felt on edge.

Spying a figure in the cemetery, his pulse accelerated and he was almost tempted to goad the gelding into a gallop, but he didn't dare, lest he attract the attention of the person, who could well raise the alarm.

The figure turned and looked at him. There seemed to be shock, fright on the face. They recognised who he was. There was no other reason for the reaction.

Quickly he swung out of the saddle, briskly walked over to the cemetery, hopped the fence, and strode up to the individual, whom he quickly discovered to be a woman. Women were more shill in their screams than men.

Drawing a gun swiftly, he cocked it and put it to the side of her head.

"You don't run, you don't make a sound," he warned.

Her eyes were wide as saucers as she stared at him. She looked petrified.

Switching hands on the gun, he stepped around behind her and wrapped his arm around her neck before guiding her toward the gate.

She lifted the latch rather quietly, and then opened the gate wide, prompting it to squeal. He kneed her in the back of the leg.

"Quiet!" he hissed when she uttered a whimper.

He guided he to the gelding, who'd stopped and appeared to have settled down to doze in the middle of the street.

For a moment he was at a loss as to what he should do to keep her from screaming or running away, but then he got an idea and took out his knife. He drew up her overskirt and cut a long strip off her petticoats that he bound her wrists with. He then cut a shorter, thicker piece and gagged her with it.

Holding one of her arms, he swung into the saddle, and then kicked his foot out of the stirrup and used his other hand to haul her skirts up so she could get her foot in.

She obediently swung on behind him and let her arms be fed over his head.

Driving his spurs into the gelding's sides, he took off at a gallop. Now to head for Mesilla, and fast.

Due to a summer commitment the next post will be on September 1. Have a good summer everyone!