The Straw Hat

Tumble weeds rolled as the wind brushed Colorado dirt into the air and back again. The sky, painted with colors as the sun set over the cliffs that caved in over a camp fire crackling away, logs surrounded it which held a large group of men. Charlie among them, soaking in all that he could in the moment. 

Most of the men were older than Charlie, most were in their mid 20’s, to early 30’s, which didn’t bother Charlie in the slightest. The men blabbed on until the sun set far beyond the horizon. When the me headed to bed. 

The cent of roasted rabbit stew with a side of potatoes drifted into the room causing Charlie to reach for his straw hat that had been placed above his head on a small nail before he had drifted off into sleep…but it was not there; a pit settled in his stomach as he stretched further till he touched Sam’s hair…hat? 

Sam doesn’t have a hat! Charlie thought, glee filling him.

Charlie whipped his hat from Sam’s head. Sam reached over and grabbed hold of it, the boys started jerking at the hat aggressively as the other competitors snuck out the door to the food unnoticed. The two sat playing tug of war until the sturdy straw hat had been ripped in two. Charlie glared at Sam with rage, Sam just shrugged and glared back. Ms.Donna’s voice broke in 

“Feeding time!!” She howled Through the dining room and into the barn where their hammocks swung as the boys stumbled to get dressed knowing they had already missed breakfast over tearing up a hat. 

Ms. Donna flung the door open with a loud slam, dust trickled from the ceiling as her anger erupted upon the two causing them to flinch.

“That’s it! You two are getting supplies today!” She shouted

“But isn’t that your job?” Sam questioned, Charlie didn’t bother fighting, one fight was enough for one day.

“Yes but you two can’t even get up and get dressed without tearing something up!” She squealed, her face now red with rage. Although Charlie liked riling up Ms. Donna he didn’t feel the need to pay the feed in pocket money either. Though Sam seemed to be doing the job for him but without the ‘risk’ as he would call it.

 Charlie and Sam finished getting dressed and rushed to the wagon to load the horses to head to town. Sam grabbed Gug. Gug was a auction horse that cost 20 shillings, he was so cheap that he didn’t even have both ears. Gug was a grey few spot Appaloosa, Charlie refused to like and care for a horse worth 20 shillings, that didn’t work so well for him being the one responsible for mucking stalls. Charlie snatched Saluda, his secretly favorite mare, at the ranch you never got to ask questions, you just do as your told otherwise you do more work. Saluda was a plain bay with one small marking on her left hind fetlock which drove Sam crazy; Sam was more of a grey pinto kinda guy. 

Sam and Charlie set up Gug and Saluda onto the wagon after loading a few supplies to last them through the six days it would take them to get to town and back. Ms. Donna handed Charlie a small bag of shillings and a pistol with a few extra rounds. Charlie tied them to his belt and gun into its holster. 

Sam drove the horses out into the dusty trail ahead as Charlie started picking up hay strands to make himself a new hat… 

That’s all for now folks!

Please let me know what you think in the comments so I should know to continue!

Word count 578