DARK INTRUDER
DARK INTRUDER© nesciri
Part 1
a new dawn
Lou ran. She ran as she never had run before. It was dark around her but she didn't care. She didn't care about anything as long as she was running. She didn't even care where she was running. All she knew was that if there was something chasing her, calling her name. Something horrible. A nameless fear had her in her in its grip and all she could do was run. She tried to call for help, but there wasn't a sound coming from her. She stumbled over branches and leaves on the ground and she knew she was running in a forest. She desperately tried to stay on her feet, knowing only too well that if she fell, she was doomed. The awful thing that was after her would find her, hurt her and her family. She had to keep it from her family. She had too. A soft light in the darkness caught her attention and she started running towards it. She knew that if she could reach the light before the creature that was breathing down her neck, she would be safe - all of them would be safe. As she came closer she could see the light more clearly, a beacon of comfort and trust. A safe place. She could almost hear it beckoning to her to come to it, to run faster. And she did. She ignored the creature behind her, ignored the branches that hit her in her face and tried to stop her from reaching the light, ignored everything...
"No! Lou, don't go there! Lou!"
The voice rang out in the night and without stopping she saw Kid standing to her right, pleadingly holding out his hands to her, inviting her into his arms. For a second she felt tempted to go to him, but he was standing in the darkness. She shook her head. She wouldn't be safe unless she reached the light. She tried to tell Kid that, but no words left her mouth. She continued running, hearing Kid frantically calling out to her, telling her to stop. Couldn't he see that there was no way for her to stop? Why was he asking her to stop? The darkness that surrounded her seemed to grow thicker and she fought desperately to reach the light. Kid's voice slowly faded away as she struggled towards the soft light blinking welcoming just out of her reach.
"Come to me," it whispered, "come to me..."
Lou knew the voice, knew that she had heard it before and she reached out a hand to touch the light...
"Lou? Come on, honey, wake up."
The soft voice slowly made it's way through the fogginess of sleep and Lou opened her eyes, fighting the bright light shining in from the window. The sun was already up and basked the room with its bright light creating intricate patters as it unmercifully enlighten the dust that swirled in the room.
"Kid," she mumbled and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "I had the strangest dream..."
"Well, you better get up - it's late," her husband replied and kissed her brow. "Rachel wasn't too pleased with me when I let you sleep in. She had hoped you'd help her make the pies for that school benefit - something. Now she had to ask Mrs. Angelby."
"Thank you," Lou replied with a smile. She loved helping Rachel out but apart from Mrs. Angelby, the self-appointed head of the school council, Mrs. Stanton, had volunteered to help as well. Although Lou's cooking skills had improved since her marriage, she was in no mood having Mrs. Stanton looking over her shoulder, complaining that she wasn't following the right procedure for how to make a pie. Lou made excellent pies and she was sure that Mrs. Stanton was aware of it. She just had a problem with the fact that Lou had dressed as a boy and lived together with the other riders before her wedding and there wasn't a day spent with her that she did not comment on it. Lou didn't care, but if she could, she avoided spending time with Mrs. Stanton. And right now, she was pleased that Kid had managed to keep her out, even if she probably had to make it up to Rachel later.
"What did you tell Rachel?" she mumbled as she placed her arms around Kid's neck and looked up into his loving blue eyes. A big grin showed on his face.
"I told her it was my fault - that I had kept you up last night. She looked very understanding," he said smilingly and Lou looked at him in mocked anger.
"Kid, how dare you--" she started and then she couldn't help smiling. "I love you, you know," she whispered as she pulled his head down until her lips met his. "I wish I could stay in bed with you for the rest of the day," she whispered as her hands found the soft curls of his hair. The sun warmed up the room and she couldn't help feeling an endless joy over her life. It was with reluctance that she allowed Kid to break the kiss.
"How much I wish I could climb back into bed with you right now," he replied softly, "I can't. I promised Teaspoon that I help breakin' in those new horses that was brought in yesterday and if I'm late he'll have my hide for it."
Lou moaned. "Why does he bother about that - the Express is closin' down and everybody knows that those horses probably never will be used."
"It ain't over yet, Lou." Kid looked seriously at her. "There are still runs to be done and the horses are worth far more if they are ridden than not. Besides, we should be grateful Teaspoon's still keepin' the station going. When it's closed I'm out of a job."
Lou closed her eyes. She didn't wish to have that discussion again. She knew too well that Kid was worried about the future and she knew that he was right. When the Express finally ended, they would have to find something else to do - and none of them knew what.
"I know," she mumbled and rose up in bed. "I s'pose I better get up and see if I can do anything to keep Rachel in a good mood." She looked at her husband and let her hand caress his cheek. "We'll find something, I'm sure of it," she added. "I know we will."
Kid placed a kiss on her hand and smiled at her. "Of course we will," he agreed. Lou was his family now and he knew in his heart that there was nothing he wouldn't do to keep it that way. Everything would be alright if they just believed it. Besides as long as he and Lou were together, there wasn't anything that could go wrong.
"You can help out with the horses," he offered, knowing what Lou preferred to do. "I'm sure you can help Rachel later."
A smile broke out in Lou's face. "I'll be down in a few seconds," she murmured and quickly threw of the blanket before ushering Kid out of the room.
Five minutes later she stood, dressed in pants and a hat to protect her face and eyes from the sun, by the corral and overlooked the procedures as Kid and Teaspoon tried to sort out one horse for the first try.
"Take the gray one," she suggested with a grin. "It's looks like a nice one and I would like to have a husband that can sit at dinner!"
"Having fun, Lou?" Kid sneered back as he tried to keep himself on a safe distance from the roped horse's kicking hoofs.
"Yep," she replied as the chosen horse was lead into the adjoining corral and tied to a pole in the middle. Kid and Teaspoon joined her by the fence, allowing the horse some time to calm down.
"Thought you were going to help Rachel this morning, Lou," Teaspoon said with a wink.
"Couldn't do it," Lou replied quickly and changed the subject. "Any new runs come up for this week?"
"Nope. Buck's run was the last one."
"So when Jimmy gets back, there's nothing?"
"'Fraid so."
Lou looked disappointed. She knew that there were no scheduled runs, after all she was in charge of the schedules, but she still hoped that a special delivery would show up or something. It was boring having nothing to do and besides it was disturbing since it forced them to think about the future. Kid placed an arm around her shoulders and hugged her gently. For a second the disturbing dream she had came back to her and she contemplated telling Kid about it. It had seemed so real and there was something about it that scared her...
Teaspoon cast a glance at the young couple by his side. He knew they were worried about the future. It would have been a lie to say that it didn't worried him as well. He had grown to love his riders and besides the sometimes differences in opinions he wished only the best for them.
"You started thinking about what you wanna do?" he asked. Lou groaned at the question.
"Don't ask Teaspoon," she pleaded. "We'll find something."
"Well, the stage will still run, and there's a need for good station managers..."
Lou grimaced. "Taking care of whining passengers, serving 'em food and listenin' to 'em complainin' 'bout everything or askin' questions about the "wild" west? Nae, don't think so Teaspoon."
Teaspoon tried to hide a smile. "Just an idea, Lou."
"Might not be such a bad idea, Lou," Kid teased. "I can see you standing there, servin'em food and tellin'em about the good ol' days when you rode with the famous "Wild Bill" Hickok for the Express, fightin' outlaws an' Indians."
"You would like that, he?" Lou sneered, but couldn't hide the smile that lurked in the corners of her mouth. "Bet you can't stay on that horse for more than a few seconds."
"Taken," Kid replied and agile jumped over the fence to start working. Lou settled herself on the fence for a good look, completely forgetting everything about her dream. After all it was only a dream and she wouldn't let it disturb what looked to be a great day.
There hadn't been too many of those days since Kid and Lou's wedding. With the upcoming war creating distress in the town and more and more young men leaving their families to dress in a blue or gray uniform to serve the cause and country they believed in there was not much to feel joyful about. In addition, Noah's death was too recent and too painful for the remaining riders. The happy days when they first started to ride for the Express and the time in Sweetwater seemed very distant in their minds. Now they were faced with an uncertain future and the break-up of the group that had become family. Jesse had already left for a dangerous life with his brother and Cody had made his decision and signed up with the army, much to Teaspoon's disapproval. Those left tried to cope with their lives as well as they could. With Lou helping at the station, Rachel had begun spending more time with the school, raising money for new furniture and new books. She had been successful enough that the town had elected her into the school council and although Rachel sometimes complained about the duties, the others knew that the changed image meant a lot to her. It was never easy being a single woman and Rachel's new status of teacher certainly made it easier. Buck and Jimmy continued working for the Express as if nothing had changed, keeping to themselves with the only difference that Jimmy had moved out of the bunkhouse to live in the town.
To the others he had said that he would stay at the hotel, but they all knew he was staying with Rosemary Burke in her small cottage just outside town, from where she ran a small bulletin about the threat from the south. None of the others approved on the situation, but had kept silent. It was Jimmy's life and he was free to live it any way he seemed fit. And they would hate to see him leave, so they pretended that nothing was wrong. Lou had asked him once of what he felt for Rosemary, if he intended to marry her now that she was a widow. She had never received a reply.
Lou knew that Rosemary was trying to convince Jimmy to join her cause and fight with her. But she knew that Jimmy was reluctant to join in the fighting that already had claimed so much. The loss of three friends - three family members. Noah, Jesse and Cody. Lou always counted Cody among them. He had had a huge fight with Teaspoon the day before he left and had never returned. Not even a word had they heard. Mr. Thompkins had told her that Cody had been at the saloon half the night, drinking himself into a stupor before he left. Lou couldn't understand it and she really missed Cody. They all just hoped that he was alright.
Lou decided to refuse to destroy this beautiful day with thinking of what had been and what would come as she sat poised on the fence, cheering her husband on as he tried to stay on the bucking pony. They were just too much to be grateful for right now for her to let the war and other matters get her down. Sooner or later she and Kid would find something to do and a place on their own. A place to raise a family and where Jeremiah and Theresa would be more than welcomed. She laughed heartily at Kid's foul face as he rose from the dusty ground, angrily eyeing the beast that had placed him there.
"You wanna a helpin' hand, Kid?" she teased him from her elevated position as Teaspoon smiled at her.
"I'm sure that can be arranged Lou! Why don't you get down here..."
"She's not doin' anything," Kid replied with a glance over Lou's shoulder, "'cause here comes Rachel and she don't look happy..."
Lou looked at him with a frightened look in her eyes and in her haste to get of the fence, she got caught and it ended with her sprawled on the ground fighting to get on her feet. Kid walked over and offered her a helping hand. Lou rose and looked bewildered around for a furious Rachel.
"Got'cha," Kid murmured in her ear.
"Why you...you... low life...," she hissed between her teeth but before she could utter another word, he kissed her.
"I love you it when you're angry," he smiled as Teaspoon cleared his throat behind them.
"Hate to interrupt you," he stated, "but the horse and I are beginning to feel a bit lonely here. Maybe we should get some work done, he?" As if he had understood Teaspoon's words the horse rose it's head and neighed loudly. Laughingly they resumed their task of training the animal, ignoring the dark clouds that rose at the horizon.
