Hello everyone,
This is not a continuation of anything, just a short story I had in mind thanks to "The Pulley." Oh...did I say short? Well, it is under 3000 words, barely. In fact, I feel like I should do a Jimmy Fallon style thank you note. "Thank you, Story Challenges, for making me realize I am a long winded author." Hah. And don't worry, I really love the challenges, I just think it's amusing to poke fun at myself.
Anyway, this is under the limit, but if it feels a bit short that is because I had to cut off the end and take out some content to make it work. I will definitely post the longer version on ff.net. Oh, I'll also continue my other story, promise.***
A lithe, handsome man in a black hat walked toward the train depot and froze, hands on his hips in front of his partner.
Four pairs of innocent blue eyes looked at Hannibal Heyes. Jed ‘Kid’ Curry was on the same bench he’d left him, but now he had two children next to him and one on his lap. All four were eating sliced tomatoes and beans from the train. A plateful cost .55 cents so Kid was down at least $2.20. It never ceased to amaze Heyes how quick Kid could find the needy.
“I leave you alone for five minutes… I think this is a record, even for you,” Hannibal Heyes said to his partner. “What happened to looking in the paper for jobs?”
“’Lo Joshua,” Kid said with a mouth full of tomato. “Don’t worry, kids, this is my partner Joshua Smith. Joshua, this is the Cooke family. Meet Nelly, Pansy, and Wes. I bought you a train special, too.” Kid indicated a plate.
Heyes picked it up and smiled at the children before he sat down. “Nice to meet you.”
“Your partner’s real nice,” Nelly, about 7, said to Heyes.
“Yeah, that’s one word for him,” Heyes replied.
Kid gave him a Look. “You find a room?”
“Just. There was only one left,” Heyes replied.
“That’s ‘cause of the carnival,” Nelly said.
Wes, probably 10, chimed in. “First time we’ve had one in town.”
“Gonna be el’fants,” Pansy said from Kid’s lap. She looked barely three.
“Nuh uh,” Wes said. “They’re at circuses.”
Pansy’s lower lip quivered.
“It should have games an’ candy,” Kid said.
“Can’t afford none,” Wes muttered, but quietly.
Kid looked at Heyes and Heyes exhaled.
“So what were the three of you doin’ before you met Thaddeus?” He asked.
“Lookin’ for pa,” Nelly said.
“We come an’ wait every third Thursday,” Wes added, finished.
“It’s when their pa would come to town,” Kid said softly as he cleaned his own plate. Heyes sighed again.
“We’re only stayin’ at the home ‘till he comes back,” Nelly added.
“Oh?” Heyes asked noncommittally, sympathy in his eyes.
“It’s only been a year since Mama died,” Wes said defensively. “Pa coulda got stuck in the mountains. Anyway, thanks.” He gathered his sister’s dishes and stacked them on the bench.
Nelly stood. “Come here, Pans.”
Pansy clung to Kid’s blue shirt. “Nuh-uh!”
Nelly tried to pull her off but the three year old hung on.
“Tell you what, I’ll walk you home,” Kid said.
Shaking his head, Heyes returned all the plates to the ticket booth then rejoined the party.
“Okay, follow me,” Nelly said, smiling and exposing a missing front tooth.
Heyes threw both sets of saddlebags over his shoulders as Kid had his arms full with Pansy. Actually, Kid had both girls as Nelly was right at his side, chatting, too.
Wes, on the other hand, fell in step next to Heyes. “I can take one of those bags, mister.”
Heyes would’ve refused, but he recognized the stubborn set of the jaw. “Sure.”
He handed one over.
“I know Pa ain’t comin’,” Wes said in a low voice. “But Nelly ain’t gave up yet an’ while she still thinks there’s a chance…”
“You want to let her,” Heyes said. Two years age difference wasn’t much as an adult, but as children… A look of understanding passed between them.
“At least, it means we got a reason to go out the window,” Wes said with a smirk.
“You let your sisters climb out a window?” Heyes asked.
“There’s a pulley system. Well, it’s a clothesline, but I made it sturdier,” Wes said with pride. “The kids that live across the alley leave the window to their buildin’ unlocked an’ I go first an’ open it then send the basket over an’ Nelly puts Pans in then follows.”
“Uh huh,” Heyes said, thinking of his own youth. “Be careful. Always check the how taut the rope is.”
Wes rolled his eyes.
“And,” Heyes continued with a dimpled smile. “If you haven’t already, you should grease the pulley’s parts so they don’t squeak and give you away.”
Wes grinned at him. “Great idea!”
The five of them walked into town, stopping at a somewhat ramshackle three story townhouse that didn’t look like an orphanage. Heyes and Kid expected hardened workers who didn’t care if the children returned, but an anxious young woman with brown eyes ushered them inside.
“Oh thank goodness!” She barely noticed the handsome men, reaching to take Pansy. “You three all right?”
“We’re fine, Miss Abby,” Wes said. “This is Mr. Jones and his partner Mr. Smith.”
Pansy snuggled into Miss Abby’s arms. The pretty woman looked relieved, tired, and overworked.
Heyes and Kid watched as Nelly clasped her hands and looked earnest. “We saw Mr. Jones an’ he made sure we didn’t come to no harm an’ we’re all acquainted, so it was proper.”
Somewhere upstairs a baby started crying. Then another, and still another. On top of the crying, it sounded as if elephants were wrestling overhead and everyone looked up when there was a particularly large thump and the chandelier swung.
Miss Abby looked apologetic. “Thank you gentleman. Did I introduce myself? I’m Miss Abigail Williams. It’s so nice you know the Cooke children, but I’m sorry, I can’t let you visit today. The matron quit and half the staff left, so I’m all there is. Nelly can you get the bottles? Wes, can you tell the twins to stop fighting? I need to get the supplies. Oh dear. I also need to start supper… Maybe I can send someone…?”
Heyes glanced at Kid and quirked a smile. He knew what was coming.
“Miss Williams, we’ll go get your supplies so you can take care of things,” Kid said.
Abigail looked at him, smiling beautifully. “Oh could you?? There are thirteen children and four infants and we usually have a staff of six, but I’m it just now. Let me get you the money, and write a note for Benja—Mr. Simms, the grocer.”
After a few minutes, Abigail handed Kid an envelope with cash and a note. “I can’t pay you much, but you can keep whatever’s left.”
“Thank you, ma’am. We’ll get the supplies right after we drop off our things at the hotel,” Heyes said.
Wes handed over the saddlebag he’d carried. “Will you visit us after?”
His blue eyes didn’t meet Heyes’, but Kid’s did.
“Sure,” Heyes said.
Kid smiled and tipped his hat. Heyes did the same. Miss Abigail smiled in return then headed upstairs either to calm infants or stop a wrestling match. She forgot to shut the front door behind her and the partners obliged on their way out.
“I was goin’ to give the person in charge a talkin’ to,” Kid said. “Lettin’ those kids out alone.”
“Until you saw her pretty brown eyes,” Heyes replied as they headed to the hotel. “How’d you get involved?”
“I was readin’ the paper when Nelly and Wes ran past lookin’ frantic and askin’ for help. Their sister was missin.’ Well, after tryin’ to think like a three year old—“
“Child’s play for you,” Heyes said and received a Look.
Kid continued. “I found her on a luggage cart. She’d toppled a trunk and nobody was happy ‘bout that. I bought some food to placate the porter, gave him a tip, and got the kids all sittin’ and eatin’. They would’ve got in trouble otherwise, an’ they didn’t have nobody lookin’ after them.”
Jed ‘Kid’ Curry, tough gunslinger, didn’t mention how Nelly had slipped her hand in his and how Pansy had nuzzled into his neck. Wes had reminded him of himself and Heyes.
“You’re an easy mark,” Heyes said.
“It was my idea to feed them,” Kid retorted.
“Like I said, easy mark.”
Kid shook his head. “They weren’t flim-flammin’. Besides, what was I supposed to do? Leave ‘em alone?”
“Nooo,” Heyes replied. “Of course not. Why mind your own business?”
“You would’ve helped them, too,” Kid said. “They’re kids.”
“Maybe. But we could’ve just seen them home,” Heyes said. He knew,
knew Kid wouldn’t let them keep the change that was left.
“Never hurts to help out a lady,” Kid said in a definite tone.
“Really?
You’re telling me that?” Heyes asked sardonically.
“Well it’s always right to help one, anyway, so stop ridin’ me,” Kid snapped. “Besides, maybe she’ll know of a job around town.”
“Just remember we’re only in town for a week or so. It’ll be cruel to get them too attached.”
Kid smiled at Heyes; his partner was nowhere near as hard as he acted. “I know. I told ‘em straight off we weren’t in town long.”
The partners dropped off their bags in their room and went to the mercantile. Kid showed the note to Mr. Simms who left to retrieve the supplies.
“I doubt there’s gonna be much left over,” Kid said as he pulled out the envelope.
Heyes gave him a long suffering look. “Don’t tell me. You want to give it all back.”
“Don’t you think it’s the right thing to do?” Kid asked.
“Here you are, gentleman,” the grocer said, putting a crate on the counter. “You need anything, you can have a discount. Friends of Miss Abigail are friends of mine.”
Mr. Simms gave them more change than was due and Heyes pointed it out to the man. Honesty was a habit by now. Mostly.
“Oh, don’t worry,” the grocer said, reddening. “The rest I’ll take care of. For Miss Abby. And the children, of course.”
Ah. Heyes nodded and pocketed the envelope. “Thank you.” To his partner he said, “This was your idea so you get the box.”
Kid rolled his eyes but picked up the heavy wooden crate. They returned the supplies to the makeshift orphanage and faced with four pairs of blue eyes again, Heyes returned the change. Both reformed outlaws received a grateful, distracted, hug from Abigail. The Cooke children hugged them as well and Nelly made Thaddeus promise to try and find time to say goodbye.
***
The next few days passed quickly, both partners making some money through cards, and on Saturday the carnival started. Kid convinced Heyes to head to the orphanage for a visit, and he planned on taking the Cookes to the carnival. He hadn’t told Heyes his plans, but his partner probably knew.
They were nearly there when they heard the cry of “Fire!”
The partners exchanged looks and started running. Somehow a fire had started in the bakery on the corner and it had spread down the block. Sure enough, when they skidded to a halt in front of the orphanage, there were visible flames blocking the entrance.
Miss Abigail was handing children out of the first floor window on the side of the building. A line of men was forming to pass buckets and Heyes and Curry ran to her.
“Mr. Jones! Mr. Smith!” Abby yelled as she was hauled out of the window. “The front door and staircase are blocked! I can’t get up there!”
“Are the kids all safe?” Kid asked as they scanned the crowd.
“N-not the Cookes!” Miss Abigail dissolved into coughing.
“Shush dear,” one of the women helping gather the orphans soothed. “You did all you could.”
“But we haven’t,” Kid muttered, eyeing the first floor window.
Heyes put his arm on Kid’s shoulder. “Not that way.”
He pointed to the clothesline turned child-pulley and Kid nodded. Heyes crossed the alley and went inside the neighboring building with Kid was close behind him. As they ran up the stairs, Heyes explained.
“We’re both gonna have to go over,” Kid said. “Three kids, three trips. Only one can hold on at a time.”
“Me first,” Heyes said. “I’m lighter and we can make sure it’ll hold an adult.”
“If we’re testin’ it, the heaviest should go first,” Kid argued.
“Not unless we’re testin’ how fast you’ll fall,” Heyes said. “It’s more likely that I’ll have time to grab the sill but you’d just drop like a rock.”
“Thanks,” Kid snapped. “I ain’t that much heavier than you.”
They went to the window which, true to Wes, was unlocked. Heyes opened it and eyed the moveable pulley system. It wasn’t rigged much different than most clotheslines, but Wes had added a nice size hook.
Heyes tightened the line and put his blue bandanna over his mouth and nose. “I think it’ll work.”
“You
think?” Kid asked, taking hold of his partner’s arm. “Be careful!”
Heyes nodded, grabbed the bottom rope, and went out the window. It held.
The blonde watched his partner shimmy across and held his breath the whole way.
“In!” Heyes shouted.
Kid exhaled in relief. He adjusted his own bandanna, grabbed the bottom rope, and followed.
Inside the building it was an inferno and smoke was everywhere. They could mainly see white and flickers of flame.
Heyes found Wes trying to drag his sisters to the window. The girls were unconscious.
“They won’t wake up,” he wailed. “I ran up here to get to ‘em!”
Heyes grabbed the boy just as Kid headed for the girls.
“Take him across then send the basket! I’ll put Pansy in.” Kid picked up the girls one at a time and brought them to the window. “We’ll see if we can get Nelly sent across in it, too.”
“I ain’t leavin’ them,” Wes insisted. “Send them first!”
“You weigh more,” Kid pointed out. “You got to go with my skinny partner.”
“Svelte. Besides,” Heyes added as he pulled out a spare bandana to tie around Wes. “You know how to operate the basket and pulley better than anyone, right? We need it for the girls.”
Wes nodded and he wrapped his arms around Heyes’ neck and his legs around his waist.
Heyes and Kid exchanged a nod and the dark haired man went back on the rope.
“Hold on,” Heyes said to the boy.
It held them and Hannibal Heyes made his way across, brown gloved hands grasping the rope, one after the other.
Kid was near the sill, holding the girl’s up toward the good air and watching his partner. He’d removed his bandanna and given it to Pansy. His spare was on Nelly.
Heyes huffed and puffed each inch of the wire, but he finally made it across. The boy clambered inside and he followed.
Heyes and Wes sent the basket over and Kid secured Pansy. He hated not to go with the basket, but didn’t figure the ropes would hold him, Pansy, and Nelly all at the same time. The heat was getting near unbearable.
Once the toddler was aboard, Heyes worked the pulley system quickly to pull in the basket. Sweat drenched his brow and his shirt and he could only imagine how hot Kid was at the moment. As soon as the basket was near the window, Heyes got her inside and Wes took her. The dark haired man tightened the line again and saw the basket handle was ripped.
“The basket ain’t gonna hold Nelly!” Heyes yelled across the gap. “I’ll get a sheet, run downstairs, grab some men and hold it so you can toss her down!”
Kid swore. “Flames are gettin’ closer, ain’t got time!”
Heyes eyes widened and he glanced around desperately. When he looked back at the other window, Kid was no longer visible.
“Hey!” he yelled out the window. “Thaddeus!”
Inside the orphanage, Kid was looking around. He grabbed the cord off the curtains, taking Nelly in his arms. He rigged a system using the cord and his belt and tied her to him as best he could. Curry stood slowly, testing it out.
Heyes had just put his hand on the rope to climb over when Kid stood up. Curry saw his partner’s pinched, worried face out the window and gave him a bright, confident smile. Then Kid went out the window.
Kid used both hands to go across the rope. He moved carefully and it was all going fine until halfway across he felt the cord slip and Nelly slipped, too. He had a millisecond to catch her and he did, with one arm. That left the other hand hanging onto the rope. Curry cursed under his breath and looked at Heyes, who stared back at him.
“Hold on!” Heyes yelled, reaching out the window.
Kid gave his partner a look. “No kiddin’!”
The blonde looked down. It was a three story building and they’d been on the top floor. It was over a 20 foot drop. He’d have to try and make sure he landed on his back because he couldn’t let Nelly get hurt. As for himself…
“Don’t drop,” Heyes said, reading Kid’s expression. “Hold on!”
Kid held tight to the girl and the rope. Heyes reached out and started to pull Kid in like he was wash on the line. The rope started sagging but Heyes continued and Curry inched closer.
Kid threw himself toward the sill, still holding the girl and Heyes reached out and pulled them in. He didn’t release his partner until Kid dropped to the floor, holding the girl, coughing. Actually they were all coughing, and Wes was crying, but they were alive.
“Thanks,” Kid croaked, managing a smile.
Heyes returned the smile and squeezed Kid’s shoulder. “Wes, can you walk?”
The boy nodded.
“Let’s get to the doctor,” Heyes said. “I can carry Pansy for you.”
Kid adjusted his hold on Nelly, who stirred in his arms.
“Mr. Jones?” she asked.
Kid smiled. “Hi Nelly. You’re all right. There was a fire but we’re safe now and we’re goin’ to the doctor.”
“Then why’re you smilin’? I don’t like doctors,” she said sleepily. “Unless we get a candy stick after?”
“Honey, I’ll buy you a whole jar,” he said as they headed down the stairs and out into the street.
***
Note: Yes, a plate of tomatoes and beans cost .55 cents in the late 1870s. I got it from an 1870s train menu.