?Picked a fine time ta ge? yerself killed, bro, an? leave me ta pick up th? pieces.? The grave, unobligingly but not unsurprisingly, didn?t answer. Johnny sighed and settled from his crouch by the mound of earth into a more comfortable seat. Absently he scratched at the beard that still itched his face, even after months of wearing it.
?Takin? care?a Sarah fer ya, bu? tha? means I ain? there fer Si when she needs me. Lor? an? Skies, Evan, wish ya were still here an? no? jus? fer tha?. Pal Jenks is getting? ta be more?n a small problem an? Jason?s crew wan?s ta crawl back home an? preten? like th? whole mess ain? happened.? A handful of dirt sifted through Johnny?s silver-meshed fingers back onto the grave.
Sharp, whining blasts echoed back over the hills, and his head tilted to listen carefully. When a sudden crash followed the blasts, he nodded with satisfaction. ?No? tha? I can blame?em really, since tha?s exactly wha? I?m tryin? ta do, jus? ge? home. Bu? if?n they give up now I wouldn? make it off ? so I?m bullyin? em.?
Johnny?s laugh then was short, fading to a grin of memory. ?Can hear ya now,? and his baritone settled into a fair approximation of Evan?s bass rumble, ?Ya? Bully someone? Like a teddy bear trying ta be threatening. Leave that ta them as can.? Johnny shook his head and grinned again. ?Guess I jus? din? have th? proper motivation before.?
Another rumbling crash shook the ground, and emerald green eyes turned to search the horizon. A dark plume of smoke and dirt rose to taint the blue sky. ?Think ya?d like this plan, bro. Yer kinda fightin? more?n mine ? no? tha? I?m any grea? shakes at this fightin? thin? ta begin with. Bu? Jason?s crews are off blowin? up th? passes between th? por? an? his family ranch where they?re holin? up. Block th? supply lines an? they?ll be ou? ta clear th? way soon enough. Should draw down th? guard a? th? ranch pretty good.?
Johnny shifted, turning to align himself with the grave instead of facing it. Shading his eyes, he tilted back his head and squinted at the sky. ?Figger a few of us can sneak inta their comm shed an? ge? a signal ou? while the? rest?r keepin? em busy in th? pass. Long as Jason?s crew sticks ta th? plan, should go off clean, be real smooth.?
After a moment Johnny lowered his hand and patted the mounded earth of the grave. ?Ya sure did pick a fine time ta ge? yerself killed bro, bu? don? worry. It?ll all be shiny here by th? time I lift.? Levering to his feet, Johnny picked up his hat and beat the dust from it against his leg. Settling it squarely on sun-streaked blonde hair, he strode off into the hills in the direction of the smoke.
?Takin? care?a Sarah fer ya, bu? tha? means I ain? there fer Si when she needs me. Lor? an? Skies, Evan, wish ya were still here an? no? jus? fer tha?. Pal Jenks is getting? ta be more?n a small problem an? Jason?s crew wan?s ta crawl back home an? preten? like th? whole mess ain? happened.? A handful of dirt sifted through Johnny?s silver-meshed fingers back onto the grave.
Sharp, whining blasts echoed back over the hills, and his head tilted to listen carefully. When a sudden crash followed the blasts, he nodded with satisfaction. ?No? tha? I can blame?em really, since tha?s exactly wha? I?m tryin? ta do, jus? ge? home. Bu? if?n they give up now I wouldn? make it off ? so I?m bullyin? em.?
Johnny?s laugh then was short, fading to a grin of memory. ?Can hear ya now,? and his baritone settled into a fair approximation of Evan?s bass rumble, ?Ya? Bully someone? Like a teddy bear trying ta be threatening. Leave that ta them as can.? Johnny shook his head and grinned again. ?Guess I jus? din? have th? proper motivation before.?
Another rumbling crash shook the ground, and emerald green eyes turned to search the horizon. A dark plume of smoke and dirt rose to taint the blue sky. ?Think ya?d like this plan, bro. Yer kinda fightin? more?n mine ? no? tha? I?m any grea? shakes at this fightin? thin? ta begin with. Bu? Jason?s crews are off blowin? up th? passes between th? por? an? his family ranch where they?re holin? up. Block th? supply lines an? they?ll be ou? ta clear th? way soon enough. Should draw down th? guard a? th? ranch pretty good.?
Johnny shifted, turning to align himself with the grave instead of facing it. Shading his eyes, he tilted back his head and squinted at the sky. ?Figger a few of us can sneak inta their comm shed an? ge? a signal ou? while the? rest?r keepin? em busy in th? pass. Long as Jason?s crew sticks ta th? plan, should go off clean, be real smooth.?
After a moment Johnny lowered his hand and patted the mounded earth of the grave. ?Ya sure did pick a fine time ta ge? yerself killed bro, bu? don? worry. It?ll all be shiny here by th? time I lift.? Levering to his feet, Johnny picked up his hat and beat the dust from it against his leg. Settling it squarely on sun-streaked blonde hair, he strode off into the hills in the direction of the smoke.