In the dark green wallpapered room of Westfall’s town hall, a small group of townsfolk had gathered around a long, mahogany table. Two oil lamps hung from the ceiling, strategically placed to light the entire table, and those around it, while leaving the rest of the room to blend into the shadows. Thick velvet curtains blocked out all but a sliver of clouded sunlight creeping in over the tops of the curtain rods.
Mayor Thomas Hiller stood at the center of the table in a dark suit coat buttoned over his navy vest and bolo tie. His shotgun was uncharacteristically missing from his shoulder, but a quick glance found it sitting against the bricks of a shallow fireplace behind him.
He was flanked on his right by Hudson Rowlett. The tall man’s chin was bowed against a worn gray scarf at his neck, and his barreled chest was covered in a black frock coat. His face was mostly expressionless, as his dark eyes stared at the floor beneath drooping eyelids.
At the mayor’s left stood The Wildfire. She was dressed in a long black tunic that hung from her hips below a black corset at her waist, black pants, and black boots below her knees. A gray shoulder brace bound her left shoulder by looping across her chest, and a sling held her arm against her waist.
Across the table stood Lillith Stephenson. A black shawl was tied at her neck, layered over her gray striped blouse and long, black dress. Her curly hair hung in tight ringlets around her head, and her dark eyes were downcast.
Beside her stood Adrien and Randall Thatcher; twin brothers that had begun to serve as patrolmen under Thomas’ watch. Each had a holstered gun at their hips and their hands crossed behind their backs. The only thing that distinguished one from the other was Randall’s thick, red beard.
“Thank y’all for comin’,” Thomas began gently, garnering eye contact from the others in the room. “I know this ain’t the best time for any of yeh, so I’ll get right to it.” He reached forward and planted his hands firmly on the table. “Westfall has been hit with a heavy blow. Countless of our folks’ve been injured, and,” he paused to take in a quick breath through his nose, “we lost a very prominent member of our town.”
Lillith drew her hands across her arms as she shivered beneath her shawl. The Wildfire shifted on her feet uncomfortably and cradled her bound arm tighter against her waist. The brothers dropped their gaze while Hudson shut his eyes completely.
“The beasts’re gettin’ smart; smarter than we ever thought. We’ve been holdin’em back well thanks to The Wildfire, but now I worry they’ve been holdin’ back themselves, learnin’ how best to take us out. You saw it: they came in greater numbers to overpower the gunmen and overtake ‘er,” he nodded to The Wildfire, still wrapped and bound from the attack at the harvest festival. “They’re actually plannin’ and plottin’; so, we’re going to have to do the same. First, we need to get more munitions so I can set Adrien and—”
“I don’t need anyone’s help.” The Wildfire answered cryptically.
Thomas frowned. “Now, wait just a minute.”
“I don’t need anyone else to die because of me.” She stressed, locking her eyes on Thomas’. “I’ll be more offensive. I’ll hunt them down. I’ll destroy them before they have a chance to get close to this place.”
The young mayor didn’t seem to like the idea, but he submitted as he broke eye contact. “If you think that’s best, then I’ll trust yeh on it.”
She was almost surprised he had mentioned the word trust in reference to her.
“However, we need someone to stand in their way until you can fight again.”
“I can—”
“No,” he raised his voice just enough to silence her, and he was quick to stand down when she eyed him warily. “Yeh can’t fight alone later if yeh don’t heal properly now. I know you heal up quick; just hang in there,” he added sympathetically.
With a simple nod, The Wildfire submitted to the mayor’s request.
Thomas idly pinched at the corner of his moustache. “Munitions are gettin’ low, but we might could find some in the remains of Eastland if we can get a team out there to look it over.”
“We can go,” Randall announced, including his brother.
“I’d like to keep one of y’all here in case.”
“Understood.” Adrien nodded. “I’ll stay.”
“Thank yeh. That just leaves a few... appointments.” Thomas cleared his throat. “Ms. Lillith, as someone fully qualified, I designate yeh as Town Doctor.”
Lillith bowed her head and nodded.
“Train up a few nurses to help yeh; I’m sorry Carla’s been shyin’ away since the attack,” he seemed pained to admit.
“I think it got to be too much for her,” Lillith said gently. “She’s got a good heart for it, and if she decides to come back, I’ll always welcome her.”
The mayor then turned to the dark-haired man who stood at his side. “It’s not in my duties to appoint a preacher, but I did talk to the elders, and Hudson was highly recommended for the job.”
The man’s brown eyes remained downcast. “I’m mighty honored, but I don’t know. I’m not half the man William was,” he threatened to choke on his words as he turned his head aside.
“You’ve been studyin’ with him for a while now; and I sure can’t think of anyone better.”
Hudson straightened as best as he could. “Yes, sir.”
“I guess that’s it. Any other questions?” The young mayor looked between the group, but most had already turned their eyes away. “Thank y’all.”
The small group began to disperse, but The Wildfire felt a touch on her arm as she started around the table.
“Wildfire?”
She turned to Thomas, somewhat surprised to find the expression upon his face had changed. It seemed sad, possibly even remorseful.
“I... I know we got off on the wrong foot,” he strained to admit, “but I want yeh t’know I meant what I said before. If yeh need help, we’ll get it.”
Her impassive expression softened somewhat. “I appreciate that. But I also meant what I said.”
He nodded. “I get it. We get the tough jobs, an’ we both want to do it all ourselves ‘cause we know how hard it is ‘n don’t want to involve anyone else. That’s...” he cast his eyes down, “that’s what William was tryin’ t’help me with.”
Her brows furrowed expectantly.
“He always said, since I’m so young to be mayor, that I was tryin’ too hard to prove I can do it—tryin’ to do it all on my own. And he was tellin’ me it’s not weakness to ask for help.”
She opened her mouth and turned aside. “That sounds like something he’d say.”
“That’s all I’m gonna say, too.” The young mayor of Westfall nodded, pocketing his hands. “That, and thank yeh for what yeh’ve done.”
She pressed her lips together and gave a short nod. “You’re welcome. And, thank you for your leadership.”
With that, Thomas watched her leave his office and disappear into the light outside.
The last warm breath of summer had collided with the cool autumn air to create a heavy blanket of clouds. The clouds had just begun to rain, causing the air to feel thick and heavy as The Wildfire walked through the streets of Westfall.
She blinked as the rain hit her glasses, and she wiped her forehead as her wet hair began to stick to it. She knew she should return to the hospital, but she instead found herself coming to a stop outside of the town’s chapel.
Slowly, she turned from the road, but she did not enter its doors. She stepped into the grass beside the great stone steps and followed the side of the building until she came to an open iron gate. She slipped around bars and walked out into the wide, grassy field.
Gravestones dotted the field behind the chapel, extending toward the line of trees that blurred into the foggy air in the distance. One grave in particular was already being visited by a tall, bulky man with a gray umbrella.
Upon hearing the crunching of her feet in the grass, Hudson turned his head to find The Wildfire approaching him. “Oh!” He started, drawing his other hand to the umbrella’s shaft. “I’m not so sure you should be out in this rain; I’d hate for you to catch a cold...” His words trailed off as she silently stepped under his umbrella. She did not speak or look in his direction; only kept her gaze on the gravestone before them.
He pressed his thin lips together and quietly adjusted the umbrella to better cover her, allowing the rain to hit one of his shoulders instead. The pattering of the rain on the umbrella above them blended with the rattling on chapel’s tin roof behind them and filled the silent void between them.
“I can see it,” he said softly after a moment, “but I still don’t want to believe it.”
She winced, reading the inscription on the new stone again.
William Bauer, beloved husband and friend. 20 September, 472 - 5 September, 532
A small cross adorned the base, peeking above the wet dirt that still lay in a long rectangle among the grass of the field.
Another stone was seated peacefully beside it, marked with an intricately carved rose.
Elizabeth Evans Bauer. 13 December, 475 - 20 July, 525
“There’s some comfort in knowin’ they’re back together again,” the man spoke, thumbing his chin, “and in knowin’ we’ll join them both one day. I’m glad for that hope.”
Her eyes flew to him. “How can you still have hope?”
He shoved his other hand into his pocket, rocking a bit on his heels. “‘Cause sometimes, that all I’ve got left.” His eyes strayed to the gravestones. “Gotta hang on to somethin’.”
She felt gutted by his answer, breaking eye contact and looking to the ground as she simultaneously felt every emotion of the last few days all at once.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparin’ with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Hudson quoted. “That’s where my hope is,” he said as she returned his gaze.
Hope; the word seemed so fleeting as they stood at William Bauer’s grave. Hope seemed so unattainable as she stood on a planet she would never be found on. But hope seemed so near as she thought of all she had learned about God. As the rain continued to fall and drip from the umbrella overhead, she simultaneously felt lost and found in Westfall’s foggy graveyard.
She sighed, shut her eyes, and leaned against Hudson’s arm.
He looked down at her, remaining in place as she used his strength for comfort.
After a while longer, Hudson offered to walk her back to the medical ward, and she accepted the cover of his umbrella to do so. Upon approaching the stoop, he reached out through the rain and tapped on the door. He opened it and ensured she was covered as he ushered her inside. He gave a quick wave to the two women standing at the desk across the room before bowing back outside and shutting the door.
Lillith stood straighter when The Wildfire entered the room. “Oh, good; I was worried when you hadn’t come back yet.” She breathed a short sigh, glancing back at the box of William’s belongings sitting on the desk in front of her.
The Wildfire didn’t speak in return, but she had scarcely begun to cross the room when the newly-appointed doctor looked up with a curious expression.
“I think I just figured out our mystery,” she said, taking an envelope from Margaret’s hand. She opened it and held out the contents: a small, iron key. “Is this the key to Will’s cabin?”
The Wildfire knew the answer long before Lillith had asked. “Yes,” she said, the memory of William playfully gifting it to her replaying in her mind.
“He had mentioned he had given it to you,” Lillith twirled it slowly in her fingers before slipping it back into the envelope. “Margaret and I have been trying to figure out what it was; you just had to jog my memory.”
She was slow to accept the envelope from Lillith, and her motions froze when she turned it over to find a drawing of the Roman numeral two.
“If only he’d just written your name on it,” the doctor said offhandedly.
The Wildfire squashed her eyes shut and retreated into the medical ward.
He had.
- - -
“Are you sure you don’t need anything else?”
The Wildfire looked at the rust-tarnished wheel barrow on the ground between her and the dusty mechanic. It contained a cloth pack of a few pairs of clothes, a couple books, another pair of boots, a small container of food, and a wrapped canvas roll of assorted tools Hudson refused to let her leave without.
“I guess not,” she said, glancing up from the barrow.
“Are you gonna be able to pull that?” Hudson looked at her worriedly.
As if to prove her abilities, she proceeded to roll her left shoulder. She winced as it popped within its joint—more from the sound than the residual pain. She huffed through her nose. “I don’t have to carry it, so I’ll be fine.”
“But if you happen to need to carry it...”
She offered a weak smile, “I appreciate it, but I can manage this. Thank you.”
The mechanic pocketed his hands with a nod. “I’m sure gonna miss you being up there,” he bowed forward. “But I know you’ll be closer to the beasts out at the cabin.”
The Wildfire could feel the heaviness on his heart though his words, making what she felt would be a simple goodbye turn into a more poignant ordeal. “I really do appreciate letting me stay here,” she said after a moment. “You made sure I had everything I needed, brought me food, fixed the plumbing that one time at midnight,” she paused as they both chuckled. “I’ll still be around, though. And I’ll come see you at the chapel, too.”
He put on a brave smile. “You’d come listen to this oaf try to preach?”
“Oaf? Where?” She smirked.
He at last found a laugh, and with a broad arm, he looped her into a hug. His face flushed when she hugged him tightly in return.
“Take care,” she offered as he cleared his throat and shyly stepped backward.
“You too, Ms. Wildfire.”
She backed up against the wheel barrow and lifted it up. Her left arm was still weak, but it could hang on to the wooden posts well enough to get out to the cabin.
“Wait—Wildfire!!”
She had gone a whole three steps when she turned her head to find Carla racing toward her.
“What’re you doin’?!” She practically skid to a stop beside The Wildfire, heaving for air from her sprint.
“I’m heading out to William’s cabin,” she said simply.
“Headin’ out, or movin’ out?” Carla appeared simultaneously disappointed and angry.
“Ms. Wildfire’s moving out there to keep a better control over the beasts,” Hudson piped in. “I’m mighty proud of what she’s taking on for this town.”
“But—but what about—what if I need—what if you—”
“Carla,” The Wildfire set down the barrow and turned to her, “I’m still going to be here. I’ll still need to come in for market and if I get hurt—which will undoubtedly happen before long,” she rolled her eyes. “William gave me the cabin,” her words grew softer, “and he knew I’d be best suited to live there.”
As much as Carla wanted to protest, she was unable to find a proper remark. Arms crossed tight against her chest, the young woman in braids started away without another word.
Hudson set a comforting hand on The Wildfire’s back before scooting around the barrow to follow Carla.
The Wildfire frowned and turned away from the scene. She lifted the barrow and began rolling it behind her as she walked out of town.
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Chapter Notes