Outlaw, Vampire, and Hypocrisy

A ray of sunlight hits my face. I woke up on the wooden floor, head’s dizzy

Memories of last night were blurry. I don’t remember what happened. Before I knew, it’s already morning.

Despite everything, it’s the best sleep I had in a while. I sat upright and leaned against the wooden wall.

On the corner of the hut, there’s a lady. She was sitting against the wall, hugging her knees.

“Good morning!”

She said, beamingly, despite sitting at the corner that’s devoid of sunlight.

With that view, bits of memories came back.

“Morning, did you stay up all night?”

“Pretty much.”

She said, followed by a yawn. With a gentle smile, I replied as I stood up.

“I’m feeling kinda peckish, what about you?”

“Not really. But, I’m not thickheaded enough to decline a breakfast.”

What’s that word even means?

“Alright, give me a second.”

Opening the hut’s door, I walked out and go to the lakeside. Crouching down, I scooped water with my hands, and washed my face.

I then noticed a strange mark on my right hand. Below the elbow crease, there’s a bite mark. But it’s no ordinary bite mark.

Thus, I remembered everything that happened last night. So that’s why she’s not peckish.

I then went over to grab my knapsack from Betsy’s back.

Reaching inside it, I grabbed a canned corned beef and a sourdough bread wrapped with cloth.

Putting the knapsack back, I then brought those items inside.

As I sat down and putting them down the floor, I unsheathed the knife that’s on my belt, and cut the bread vertically in half.

“I bought these two days ago. Sorry if it doesn’t taste fresh.”

“I don’t mind. At the very least, it’s not moldy.”

I then horizontally cut each pieces of the boule.

Prying open the canned beef, I then smeared the content onto the breads. I then finish up the humble sandwich.

“Still, to think that I’ll be eating breakfast with a vampire.”

I said, chuckling.

What makes it funnier, it’s two days in a row now that I had breakfast by this lake. I gotta thank Kevin if I ever meet him again.

“Which one’s more exciting? This? Or robbing a train?”

She said with a faint smile, as she nonchalantly took a bite of the sandwich.

Not the question I expect to be asked early in the morning. There’s so much I don’t know about her still. Is she an insensitive person?

I ignored her, as I silently munched the bread.

“Umm... Is there something the matter?”

Maybe she is. Irritated, I replied with a high tone.

“Which one’s tastier? This? Or human blood?”

She was taken aback by my question. Her eyes were wide open. She then lowered her face and spoke in a small voice.

“That’s... I don’t... know how to answer that.”

Seeing her gloomy and guilty face caused my heart to sank. I was acting tough when I said that earlier. But now I realised that I was just foolish.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No... It’s okay, I was the one who started it. I also said something that I shouldn’t’ve said.”

The atmosphere’s reverted, but it’s still awkward nonetheless.

“Maybe we’re both thickheaded after all.”

I said, even though I still don’t know what that word means.

We both continue as we finished the last of our food.

“Thanks for the food!”

She said smiling.

“Welp, we best get going then.”

“Oh? Already? But...”

Noticing her hesitancy, I replied as I stood up.

“Oh right! How about using mine then?”

I took my hat off and handed it to her. She took it and inspect it for a second.

“Good enough I guess. Then, give me a minute to change my clothes.”

“Alrighty. I’ll be waiting outside.”

I left the hut and untied Betsy. I feeded her as I waited. Before long she came out with a new look.

While wearing my hat, she’s now wearing a light blue long-sleeved buttoned up shirt, with blue bandana wrapped around her neck.

A pair of gray trousers that goes to her ankle were worn, alongside a pair of leather gloves and sturdy boots. As always, leaving no skin exposed to the sun.

Carrying her bag, she walked towards me as I commented her.

“That looks good on you, you’re like a local now.”

She giggled.

“I lived here for awhile now, it’d be weird if I don’t.”

“You’re right, let’s go then.”

Leaving the wooden hut in the dust, we continued to travel westward. Today’s going to be a long travel.

While travelling down the main dirt road, Lily, who sat behind me said something.

“You don’t mind if I sleep right?”

“Yeah no problem, I’ll be mindful while riding to not wake you up.”

“Thanks!”

While only half of her face is visible from my view, I saw a glimpse of her gentle smile. Hugging me from behind, she rested her head on my back.

After riding alongside the river delta, we entered a swampy area. That’s pretty normal here in Louisiana.

Once out of the swamps, I headed northbound. After a few hours, the area started to get hilly. But, I still maintained the same steady pace.

For half a day now, I’ve been following the main road. It eventually leads to a pine forest.

Rather than continuing to follow the main dirt road that goes around it, I instead went head first.

As I traverse the forest, the sun began to set. Resulting in the visibility becomes lower.

I stopped in a somewhat open area right beside a cliff, and decided to camp for the night.

Coincidentally, Lily also woke up from her sleep.

“Hmm? Why we’re in the middle of nowhere?”

“It’s a shortcut, we’ll arrive faster this way. I’ll make a fire, hold on a sec.”

Collecting sticks and stones, I made quick work of it. We then sit around the campfire.

The only audible things were sounds of crickets, crackling campfire, and Betsy’s grunting neigh.

As I lay down to stare the starry night, I shot Lily a question.

“How long have you been in America?”

“Around two decades. I arrived a year after the civil war ends.”

She said, while reading a book that she brought in her duffle bag.

“i see, no wonder you know about the train robbery.”

I sighed, then continued.

“You were right. I was part of the ‘Scorched Folks’, we pulled off that robbery.”

I then sat up.

“If I gotta be honest, the latter is more exciting. But, that’s the exact past I tryna run away from.”

She stopped reading, as she closed the book and put it aside.

“I see. Well I’ve stopped drinking blood a very long time ago. And after tasting it again, it was splendid.

“But that’s also the exact thing I wanted to avoid. After all that effort of blending in and hiding my fangs, but then to use it again. I feel like I betrayed myself.”

She closed her eyes, as she sits there cowering.

“The same can also be said for me. Blending with the masses, despite being a former outlaw and a feared gunslinger. I led a normal life.

“Yet, I can’t throw away the things that identify and connecting the past me that I tryna bury. Can’t help but feel disappointed at myself when I used these again last night.”

I said, referring to the guns on my holsters. She opened her eyes, replying with a calm voice.

“You haven’t reload them right? You shot all 12 bullets didn’t you?”

“You’re right, that’s all the bullets I had left.”

“Despite not using them for two years, you’re still sharp with it.”

“Yeah, but, I’ll use that to my advantage and avoid hitting them. I don’t want to kill or hurt another soul, not anymore. I’m guessing that you tryna do the same?”

A smile emerged on her face.

“I see so that’s why you avoid direct confrontation last night.”

She then got up and walked slowly towards me.

“Care’ll kill a cat they said. I started this bitter conversation, so I’ll end it.

“While you may unable to throw away your true identity, you’re taking steps in the right direction.”

She then took my hat from her head and put it on mine.

“Let’s justify our action last night, by using each other as an excuse. You used your guns to save me.

“While I showed my fangs to save you, and drank your blood only because you told me to do so. At the end of the day, I’m still a vampire regardless what happens.”

I chuckled. Her consolation made me somewhat relieved.

“We really are thickheaded aren’t we?”

“Do you even know what that word means?”

“I thought I do, but, I guess not.”

“Well whatever. If I went out of line, please stop me from reaching the point of no return. I may be wiser and have lived longer, but I can still make mistake.”

“Me too, I maybe full of wits and careful. But at the end of the day, I’m just a naive young man.”

Maybe she wasn’t insensitive after all. Either way, I feel like I understood her a bit better than before. I better rest, there’s another long day waiting tomorrow.