In the list of everything I ever wanted to do in my life, even just the once, for the sake of "experiential writing research", walk through a desert in the blazing sun alone dressed in nothing but a synthetic jumpsuit did not even show up anywhere at all. And yet, thanks to a quirky typewriter, an impossible challenge, and goodness knows what other substance I may or may not have ingested to bring me here--this is exactly where I found myself in this moment.
The thing that irritated me most was the fact that there didn't seem to be any trees or means of actual shade under the clear blue sky and the blazing sun. My only relief came from the fact that the futuristic jumpsuit from the Phantessan space ship possessed some kind of super-wicking ability, evaporating any moisture on contact, so that even my sweat didn't cause any problems. Of course, I still lost those copious amounts of moisture, so I felt the dehydration settle over me at a much faster rate. The bright sunlight reflecting off the pale sand didn't help the dizzy factor, either. I kept my eyes down, watching my shadow as I shambled over the ground. Gradually, I came to more or less of a flat, packed surface, instead of loose gravel and soil, and the track seemed to follow more of a direction, like a road rather than just open scrubland.
I walked until my legs began to feel heavy, and still, I was the only thing in the desert that moved. To avoid getting caught up in my own misery, I did the unthinkable: I let my mind wander as I walked in this foreign location.
[...]
The path began to incline gradually, cutting off my view of the horizon as I headed up a small rise between the bluffs. A wind whistled through the narrow lane, causing me to shiver--but at least my muscles didn't feel so tired anymore. I came to the top of the hill and stopped to catch my breath and admire the view.
A town spread before me, on the valley floor below. I could see the wooden buildings of many shapes and various heights, and if I squinted really hard I could even make out people and animals moving about between them. I almost laughed aloud with relief at the sight--except that I couldn't shake the feeling I was being watched somehow, among those craggy cliffs.
"Time to find out what this story will be like," I murmured, taking long strides down the hill toward the town.
[...]
It was so noisy already, I hadn't noticed the extra level of frenzy, but as [I took in the bustling town around me], I felt a shadow fall over me, heard the words "Look out!" and I stood up just as the fence less than ten yards away from me shattered in front of a runaway wagon headed right for me!
I cringed and threw my arms over my head, crouching down and praying that the horses went around me--but instead of hooves, I felt two arms lift me straight up and sweep me off to the side, as the wagon went thundering out into the middle of the road as people and crates screamed at the narrow escape and dove out of its way. The wagon plowed straight out of town without stopping or overturning.
"Are you all right?" asked a voice just over my head. The arms pulled back and gentle, strong hands supported me as I looked into the honest face of the man who had saved my life.
I gasped, feeling a keen sense of deja vu as I could have been looking into the face of Commander Gerald of Phantessa!
"Y-yes," I stammered, my body quivering as the rush of adrenaline subsided. "I'm fine, thank you."
The man stepped back, pushing the brim of his Stetson back to mop the sweat from his forehead with a kerchief. "It's my pleasure--and, I guess you could say, my job to ensure the safety of any who enter this town." He dusted off the sleeve of his plaid shirt and pointed to the silver badge clipped to his pocket. "I'm the Sheriff, you see. The name's Jerry Coldwell. Who might you be, stranger?" His eyes wrinkled as he talked, but his face was not unkind.
I managed a smile. "My name is Laura," I said.
He nodded and shook my hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Laura."
[...]
The sheriff led me further into the town. We turned down a road that I could see would lead us to a cluster of small houses. I tried to smile and nod pleasantly at everyone we passed, but only got frowns, gapes, and calculating squints in response.
Two ladies, wearing ample hoop skirts and billowing blouses, stood at the front of a square white building, waving and greeting passersby. When they saw us, the smiles disappeared, and they dared to approach us.
"Oh, Sheriff Coldwell!" said the lady on the right. "How are you feeling today?"
"Oh, not too bad, Prudence," Jerry responded jovially. "And yourself?"
The women gave me pointed looks.
"Trudy," Prudence leaned over and gave a loud whisper. "I do believe the Sheriff is under some kind of terrible threat of duress. I greatly fear for his safety and his sanity."
"Aye, sister," Trudy murmured back. "Either that or the poor man must be going blind, for surely no one with his authority and stature would dare to--"
Jerry whirled around so fast that I nearly collided with him. "All right!" he barked at the nosy ladies. "Let's have it out, ladies. What seems to be the problem?"
Trudy and Prudence stared at him with wide, owlish eyes--which they subtly shifted in my direction.
Jerry snorted. "Her? This is your problem?" He placed a hand on my shoulder. I noticed his grip wasn't rough or heavy. "This is why you question my competence? Because of a girl?"
The owl eyes blinked.
"Oh!" said Prudence.
"It's a girl, is it?" said Trudy.
Jerry wagged his head. "Of course she is! What else could she be?"
He meant it as a rhetorical question, but from the deep pink flush on both faces in front of me, I guessed that I probably wouldn't like the answer they had to that question.
I was right.
"Well, to be sure," Prudence stammered, "if I would have seen this... girl... walking down the street, I might have mistaken her for a rather unkempt man, with the strange trousers she wears."
"Or an escaped convict," Trudy added quickly.
Jerry threw back his head and roared with laughter. "You worried that I'd somehow gotten friendly with a convict?"
They returned to blinking owl eyes.
Jerry finished laughing and mopped his face with the bandana. "Oh, that is wonderful," he sighed. "Tell me, ladies--if this girl is an escaped convict... How far away is the nearest prison?"
"There's the State Penitentiary just outside of Junction," Trudy volunteered.
I had a sneaking suspicion that these would be exactly the type of ladies to keep themselves and others appraised of such matters.
"Junction is well-nigh fifty miles away," Jerry stated, "and there are other towns much closer to it, in pretty much any other direction except toward Phantom Gulch--so why, if she escaped the prison at Junction, would she bother walking fifty miles into the middle of nowhere, just to be here in Phantom Gulch?"
In perfect unison, the sisters' mouths dropped open. They gaped like fish for several silent moments, then turned about-face and flounced back into town to harry some other unsuspecting individual.
Jerry nodded to me and pointed to the road. "Best keep moving, Laura."
I grinned as we walked. "Wow," I said. "I'm impressed at the way you handled those two fussbudgets."
Jerry chuckled. "That's just Tru and Pru, our resident spinsters who make it their business to air their approval and disapproval of everyone else's business. If you ever wanted a source that knew everything about everybody, that would be Tru and Pru." He glanced over and gave me a wink. "Which is why I'm glad you're here."
Glad? "Why are you glad, exactly?"
"We don't get a lot of newcomers around here. The community in Phantom Gulch is pretty tight. News travels fast, and my wife and I have spent the last couple years learning the ins and outs of everybody who lives here. You? You're something no one has seen before, one those two nosy biddies can't figure out--and I got to you first, so I'll know more about you than they ever hope to!" He kept walking in long, easy strides, even whistling a little as he went, but I felt my stomach knotting up inside me.
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A Writer's Tale Featured Excerpts:
Book 1--The Dragon's Quest: "START HERE" ---- "The Hunt Before Nightfall" ---- "An Underwater Rescue" ---- "A Dragon and His Name" ---- "Loose the Gryphon"
Book 2--The Commander's Courage: "An Aliian Encounter" ---- "Two Truths And A Lie" ---- "The Grand Tour" ---- "Technical Difficulties" ---- "At Your Service" ---- "Mystery Meat(less)" ---- "Lockdown"
