Stories For the Damned

Alexanders - Ch 7

We rode in a straight line.

Charles took lead while Sadie was in the back, forcing Chase to ride in front of her while I went behind Charles. It was some tactic of hers, to make Chase look at me, not allowing her to ignore my existence.

I could feel her eyes on me as I paid attention to nothing but Joel and the road.

He seemed to hold his own, Joel did. While his appearance came off as frail, he kept up and then some.

I had to motion for him to slow down  a couple of times for fear of running up on Charles. Other than that he was good.

---

When we stopped for the night we were south east of Owanjila Dam, camping along side part of the river trailing down.

The fresh water was a nice change of pace, allowing the horses to get a proper rest, offering water for cooking, and fresh fish which Sadie ordered me and Chase to go catch.

"But-" Chase tried to protest, fishing rod in hand. She was prepared to go alone and leave camp for a while.

"I don't want to hear it. You and her go. Now."

I was indifferent to the whole situation. Sure, Chase not wanting to go with me hurt a little bit but what's life without pain, right? I brushed it aside. "C'mon," I borrowed Sadie's rod. "I heard there's some Smallmouth 'round the dam."

And after a stern look from Sadie, Chase huffed and started walking with a grumble.

---

Chase always seemed to be a step ahead of me, literally in this situation.

I found myself putting a pep in my step to keep up. "Chase," I said, slightly frustrated at her sour attitude towards me. "Chase!"

"What?" she snapped back.

"Well- Could you slow down, christ. And maybe calm down too."

She did no such thing, I was sure she rolled her eyes at me though I could not see.

"Please?"

"Why?" she scoffed, "I don't even know why you're here. Why don't you go rob a train or some shit?"

That hurt. My heart dropped in my chest.

Is that really all she thought of me? A thief? Even though it's only been a couple of days, I'm trying, can't she see that?

I stopped walking.

When the sound of my footsteps stopped she turned around but I didn't meet her eyes, mine welling with tears. "Fuck you."

"Sarah-"

"No. Seriously, fuck you Chase. I thought we were fine the other day, when you were apparently pretending to be my 'best-buddy' while we rode together. Now suddenly you're just being an asshole."

"I didn't mean to-"

"What did I do wrong?" I finally looked up at her and she had the audacity to look hurt. "I don't understand why you're being like this. I know we can't just act like the past didn't happen I want to try and- and fix us! So please, just tell me, what did I do wrong this time?"

She was silent.

Fucking silent.

I shook my head in despair. "Check the grass and common bulrush for crickets. Smallmouth love those."

Then I turned and headed back to camp, leaving her. Alone.