Ree

@MrBarbedWire @_MustacheRide @OffKilterCanter -- to intrude.} Sir? It's me. I... {mumbling} Oh lord. {Fingers fluttering to her nose at the unmistakable stench of death floating to her, she faltered, peering cautiously inside.} Hey... Bossman? You alright? @MeAndTrigger

@TheWeightOfTwo @_MustacheRide @OffKilterCanter -- hospital. That was never going to happen again. Simon and his girl? They didn't know what was out there. The Spur needed a leader, and Simon just wasn't it.} Time for things to change...

-- hay, she whirled, running from the stable at top speed, desperate for help, running for her boss.} SIMON! @_MustacheRide @OffKilterCanter

@MrBarbedWire @_MustacheRide @OffKilterCanter -- rickety staircase, taking 'em two at a time, making for the boss' room. Skidding to a stop, she cleared her throat, raising her hand to knock.} S'cuse me sir. It's.. {Brow furrowing as the door swung open of its own accord, she held her ground, not wanting --

@MrBarbedWire @_MustacheRide @OffKilterCanter -- Did @MeAndTrigger know? Scrubbing a hand over her face, she eyed the time and nodded, resolute. Shift be damned. Bossman was just gonna have to give her the time to saddle up and ride for the Chance place. Lyle deserved to know. Wheeling, she made for the --

@MrBarbedWire @_MustacheRide @OffKilterCanter -- blue-gray tongue lolling out of the corner of their mouth. White hair. Scar on his cheek. Just like @MeAndTrigger's Pa.} {hushed} Why... {Stricken at the thought of someone hurting that old coot, she stood up straight, chewing at her thumbnail. --

@MrBarbedWire @_MustacheRide @OffKilterCanter -- for a beat, she forced her thoughts back to the nightmare she'd unearthed in the hay pile, trying to suss if that head could be anyone else's. Some stranger she'd never met. She could conjure up some version of the face that didn't feature cloudy eyes and a --

@MrBarbedWire @_MustacheRide @OffKilterCanter Don't throw up. Locking her knees, she wrapped gloved fingers around the refurbished gold bar encircling the saloon's polished oak and fought for breath. She'd been through worse than murder. She could handle this. Whatever this happened to be. Eyes fluttering closed --

@MrBarbedWire @_MustacheRide @OffKilterCanter SIMON! LYLE! SOPHIE! Goddamn. {huffing} Everybody's lost but me. {Adrenaline pushing her on where shock was insisting her legs go to jello, she stormed towards the bar, desperately fighting the want to vomit. A head. A head with pitchfork holes in the side. --

Keepin' watch by the window, huh? {huffing} Great. Real helpful.

-- throat as her knees locked. Old man Chance, @MeAndTrigger's Pa. She'd met him a few times. Enough to know his face. Kind eyes, that shit covered tines of a well worn pitchfork were now running through, his skull now dangling from the metal. Dropping the fork to the --

-- wondering which of the Spur's hidden inhabitants she'd managed to jab. Probably another damn possum. Except... Except they didn't roll like that.} What the... {Giving the fork a shap upward jerk, she saw what the tines had run through and retched, bile rising in her --

-- shoveling rocketing to the top, she ducked her head and turned her back, muscling another forkful of sodden hay to the wheelbarrow.} We gotta do this every day? Can't we just... {Trailing off, her brow furrowing at the sound of a muffled thud, she wrinkled her nose, --

-- spent keeping her head down and working.} Sorry. Just distracted I guess. What did you say? "I /said/, do you wanna go get a drink when we're done?" {Her mind instantly starting to make a list of all the things she'd rather do, rolling around in the stink they were --

-- mixed up with the four hours of sleep last night? That would play tricks on anybody's mind. Right?} "... even listening to me, Ree?" {Crap.} {Gaze lifting to the stablehand, she caught the flare of temper in his eyes and her stomach dropped. So much for a day --

-- a barn." Just 'cause I didn't laugh, it don't mean I didn't get it. {under her breath} Jackass. {Some damn thing was making her twitchy and she couldn't blame the company. Maybe it was the three cups of coffee she'd had that morning. Something she'd eaten. Or both, --

{muttering} There's somethin' in the air... "That's horse shit, girl." {Biting her tongue, she forced a smile for the leering stablehand, quietly wondering how fast ramming a pitchfork up his ass would get her fired.} "Don't you get it? Horse shit! 'Cause we're in --

{Taking off her hat as a sign of respect, she gave @BoondockBaby an awkward smile, scuffing her boot over the wooden slat floors.} It's good to see you, Momma.

@SurrenderMyHart -- the Spur. {firmly} It's a chance. I won't waste it.

@SurrenderMyHart {Bracing herself for the inevitable judgement that came with her family name, she lifted her chin, crystal clear eyes focusing on the beauty.} You... You know us? {quietly} I'm nothin' like my Daddy, Miss. Swear it. Don't cook, and I got a good job at --