Breaking Boundaries (5th in Breaking Series)

Chapter One: Welcome to Bakerstown

**Chapter One: Welcome to Bakerstown

                Aiden nearly cried out with joy when he saw the buildings popping up in the distance. For weeks he’d been running but he couldn’t run anymore. He was tired, his horse was near death and he had no more will to run.

                 Praying the town wasn’t only a figment of his sun baked mind, Aiden rode closer and felt relief fill him when he saw the people, the horses, the carts and the wagons. He could hear men hollering as they loaded a train with supplies. He saw a man balancing himself with his arms stretched out as he ran across a stack of lumber laughing happily. Aiden shook his head. He’d been happy once, though he didn’t see that happening again anytime soon.

                Aiden knew his horse, which he’d stolen somewhere between east Kansas and this Texas town, was on its last leg. To give the beast a bit of a break he hopped down and walked on foot beside it as they entered town.

                Aiden’s clothes were stiff and dusty and his body ached. His stomach was in a constant state of pain from the hunger that ravaged it. How long had it been since he’d had an actual meal? At least a week, but probably longer.

                The aroma of cooking meat reached his nose and Aiden clutched at his cramping stomach with his free hand. He wanted nothing more than to go into that diner across the street and fill the rumbling void in his middle but food cost money and money was something he didn’t have any of.

                “Dammit, Ryder! You’re gonna get yourself killed one of these days and then that’ll make Susie cry which in turn will lead to Brody coming down here and whooping my ass for letting you get killed on my watch!”

                Aiden glanced back toward the sawmill and saw the man that had been running across the stacks of lumber, now attempting to ride a pallet of lumber being lifted by a pulley with a team of Ox on the other end. The man was laughing and singing as he sat there on the lumber with his legs dangling down and another man, probably the boss of the mill, glared up at him.

                Aiden shook his head. Strange folks called this place home—maybe he wouldn’t stick out so badly after all.

                “That would be my brother.”

                Aiden turned his head to see a man standing behind him. He was taller than Aiden (who was fairly short at only about five feet and nine inches tall. He had a mustache that matched the black hair visible beneath the hat on his head. He gave Aiden a friendly smile and stuck out his hand.

                “Name’s Ty Hampton. I’m the sheriff in town so I feel I should welcome you. We don’t get many newcomers riding in alone.”

                Aiden looked around the rather crowded streets and wondered why as he shook the sheriff’s offered hand.  Ty seemed to read his thoughts. “This is a good town with good people. Most of what we see moving in are families. The previous sheriff kept a pretty tight grip on the town and most people are scared of him still to this day.”

                Aiden simply nodded as he attempted to lead his horse away from the sheriff. “You got a name, kid?”

                Aiden bristled at being called kid. He was damn near twenty-five years old. It wasn’t his fault God had made him so innocent looking. “Aiden.”

                “Well welcome to Bakerstown, Aiden. Don’t mind my brother there, he’s the town idiot.” Ty winked. “All towns have gotta have one I reckon. You look beat, Aiden. How ‘bout I take your horse to the livery for you and you can get yourself a bite to eat?”