It was getting on towards sundown. Edgar was looking at me with curiosity and finally he asked, “Shouldn’t we stop while there’s still a little light?”
“No, we keep going.” I said, as something drove me from within to quicken the pace.
The light was fading fast now. On a ridge up ahead I saw his outline against the fading light and inwardly I relaxed even as I urged the Appaloosa and the mule to go faster.
“Who is that?” Edgar asked with concern.
Instead of directly answering I said, “It’s not too late for you to return Edgar, but soon it will be.”
“No! I’m along for the journey!”
“Okay then. Don’t hesitate to follow after me though when we get to what’s on the other side of that ridge.”
“You’ve been here before?” Edgar asked in surprise.
“In a dream.” I said absently.
Reaching into a pocket I pulled free a letter I’d wrapped in oilskin. I held it for a moment with my eyes focused on the dim figure ahead before I released the letter to fall to the ground.
As we crested the ridge the old indian disappeared with a smile. We stopped and breathing hard Edgar asked, “What was that all about?”
I didn’t answer as the wind picked up with the fading of light from off the land. The wind got stronger and seemed to blow at us from behind. I eased down off the ridge toward the circular basin below us even as a rising column of fire began to form.
“Oh my!” Edgar breathed out, as we rode toward the flames that reached higher and higher into the sky.
Strangely neither the horses nor the mule were put off by the flames. It was a towering inferno of flame before us, but oddly the closer we got the cooler the temperature became. What an optical illusion this phenomena was!
I rode straight for the heart of the flame, as outrunning bursts of flame leapt out over the ground beneath the animals. Looking to the side I saw Edgar still there beside me in the flames. So be it then.
I stopped within the column of fire that was all about me and yet felt as if it was but cool breath against my face. Edgar sitting beside me wore an expression of profound shock. I felt rather mesmerized myself.
Looking down I, to my astonishment, viewed myself as something that was disappearing. I was still all visible, but my image was fading as if bits of me as a whole were being transported elsewhere.
Looking upward I saw the old indian standing beyond the flames. He waved goodbye and I lifted a mostly faded away hand in like manner. I looked my last at the dark shrouded visage of this world cast in night and then I was gone from it.
*****
Blinking I took in the foreign quality of my surroundings. The air was thin, but crisp and of good quality. I was glad I had packed warmly for there was a light dusting of snow upon the ground.
Looking to the side I took in Edgar, who was staring in rapt focus at the multiple celestial bodies of what appeared to be close orbiting moons that lay in the sky above us. Everything was breathtaking to behold in the newness of our initial discovery of it and yet looking around I acknowledged the very real possibility of the dangers that this new world could hold for us.
“Well what do you think Doctor? Still glad you came along?”
“Are you kidding? This…… this is beyond any of my wildest expectations of what life could hold for me!”
Chuckling I eased the Appaloosa forward in the snow, “Just remember my good Doctor that it’s a highly probable likelihood that we are in for a war just to survive from this moment on.”
A howl swept through the chill air. It was like a wolf’s, but a little different.
I watched Edgar swallow nervously and I chuckled out loud. Outward humor or not I eased the trigger guard free of my pistol.
Rounding an up-thrust of stone a settlement of some kind lay before us in a depression of the land. Edgar and I looked at each other and then headed forward again.
*****
It was a relief to see some rather normal looking horses hitched up outside of a ramshackle construction of metal and stone that though very foreign in appearance had saloon written all over it. The other mounts at the hitching rail were not normal at all though.
I pulled up beside one that looked to be more bear than horse. The Appaloosa looked to the side in nervousness and leaning forward I patted his neck, “Its okay boy. There’s bound to be a few hard to get used to things and for you this is one of them.”
The beast beside us turned its hitched head to look at me and snarled. My fist slammed into its nose and it gave a surprised snort of pain before then sidling away from the Appaloosa and me as much as it’s tied off thick reins would permit.
“You leave my horse be or you’ll get more from where that came from!”
The beast almost twice the size of my horse whined piteously. The thing was as timid as a puppy!
Shaking my head I dismounted and moved towards the door of the establishment. It was an odd door. I wasn’t quite sure how to operate its rather complex looking latch system.
Edgar reached out and flipped some levers and the door sprang open quite unexpectedly. Edgar cleared his throat and said, “After you.”
Yeah. I ducked inside and headed towards the bar. Some things didn’t change apparently.
Reaching the bar I stared down an individual beside me that stood at least a foot taller and had the face of a cruel brute. He growled threateningly like an animal and made to grab at me, but I sidestepped and kicked his feet out from under him. In the process of him falling my hand found the back of his head and I slammed it down to connect hard with the metallic surface of the bar top.
The oaf grunted and fell unconsciously to land on the stained floor hard. Among other things the floor showed a good bit of blood both old and new.
The atmosphere the place reeked of vomit and unwashed bodies. Yet apparently one more thing universal about saloons whether on Earth or elsewhere.
The atmosphere of the place now seemed much more relaxed though. I moved down a spot at the bar and immediately a woman of middle-aged bearing was before me.
She was Chinese in appearance, but thankfully she spoke in English of all things, “What will it be gents?”
“How’s the water?”
“Growing new worms every day. I got some Yarka milk?” She finished with hopefully.
“Yarka milk it is. Make it two.”
She nodded and stepped off the stool she had been standing on and moved away. She couldn’t be an inch over four feet in height.
Looking about the room I saw a mixture of many races present. Oddly I felt like I’d come home in some ways.
“Yarka milk?” Edgar asked questioningly.
I shrugged.
“What if it’s poison?”
“Then I’ll shoot her. I think she knows that to. Relax Edgar and enjoy the adventure.”
The woman was back with two glass mugs full of a thick bluish looking fluid.
I picked my mug up and drank deeply. Putting it down I slapped Edgar on the back and said, “Try it.”
He did and with surprise he tried another longer sip of the cold blue milk.
Glancing to the woman I asked, “Would there be any work to be had in town?”
The woman looked around before leaning as far over the bar as her diminutive stature would allow and said, “We could sure use a man of the law in town! You wouldn’t be interested in the job would you?”
I started to speak, but she waved me to silence and said, “Forget I said that. Men of law don’t last long and you have a good look to you and I’d hate to stand at your ash scattering ceremony on the morrow because of something I said.”
Leaning forward I said to the woman, “I’m not much for law, but I do have experience at keeping the peace. I’ll take the job.”
The woman gave a gap toothed grin and loudly said to the whole barroom, “Take it easy on the new Marshal boys, because I like him!”
Edgar groaned and I turned from the bar to behold the room that had suddenly come to attention at the bar mistresses words. It looked like I’d have my work cut out for me.
Doing my best to make the best of a bad situation I smiled confidently and said, “Who wants to go first?”
Four individuals of the thirty or so in the room stood up and I gestured for them to come forward. I unsnapped my gun belt and handed it to Edgar.
Life in these outer worlds certainly wasn’t without trouble, but then I’d never known anything else.