Hurt

[Deleted]

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way

The horse slowly rode into town, his rider upon his back clad in a hat and covered but a long coat. Strapped to the side, a rifle, but that wasn't the only arms said rider had on him. Off each hip hung a gun on each side, he was ready just in case. In case of what you might wander? He was ready if he found even ONE of the men responsible for the way his life had turned. Several months ago they both died, and in a way he did too. His wife, his child, they were left to burn to death in a fire by a group of nefarious bandits, a group that seemed to have been causing problems for several people. The horse strode up to the tying post out in front of the boardwalk and he dismounted.

Robert spit, once off to the side as he stroked the side of the horses snout a short time and cleared his throat. He was chewing on something, it was hard to tell, but he did have something in his mouth, well for a short time. The chunk of whatever it was spat from his mouth and hit the ground before he turned suddenly toward the back of the horse and grabbed an arm. He grabbed it tight as he bent over slightly at the waist and sneered. The arm belonged to a kid, not small and not an adult, probably somewhere in there mid teens. He was pawing at the gun, the rifle in question was one he was given by his young son as a present. Was he trying to steal it or simply take a look at it.

"Hey hey, you wanna keep that hand."

He shoved the kids arm away and watched him turn and walk off quick. He wouldn't of done anything, the kid wouldn't have got far with the gun before Robert found him and took it back. The kid was harmless, he had nothing to worry about. Robert himself stood straight back up and fixed his jacket, he probably didn't need it in this weather but it made him look mysterious, maybe a little intimidating and that's what he wanted. Straightening the coat he turned and put one boot on the wood boardwalk and then the other, his spurs clanged once or twice, he got a few stares before he entered into the saloon.

Stopping just inside the doorway he surveyed the room, a piano being played off to one side, people playing cards at the tables, or just drinking and having a good time. Robert made his way to the bar counter and tossed down some money before he was passed a drink and he downed it quick. The bartender went to refill and Robert stopped him and snatched the bottle away.

"Leave it."

Ever since the death of his wife and child, he had taken a turn toward drinking and that wasn't something he ever did prior. His life had taken a downfall and while he set out on a path of vengeance, drinking was a good way to drown his sorrows, to forget it all, the things that HAD happened, and the things he had been doing since.

[Deleted]

Madelaine was having one of those days. Still recuperating from the incident with Jake, she had spent some time in the room upstairs resting. Jenny was kind enough to loan her a blouse and help her into it. She flexed her fingers. Well they still work.

She had then gone over to the hotel. Boy was that fun. No sooner had she arrived, but the manager asked to speak to her quietly. In such polite terms, he had informed her, that the hotel would be asking her to vacate her rooms, at the end of the month she had paid for. His exact words were, "The hotel has a reputation to uphold. Considering, the incident with the stabbing, and your profession, We feel it would be better for u to leave."

She went to her room, spent an hour changing her clothes, putting her hair up in a net. The bruises on her face were a mess. She used one of the scarves to fashion a sling for the arm. She comes downstairs, decides to keep her key, smiles at the desk clerk.

The next few hours are spent checking out available places to stary. Not much in the way of choice. A couple of the men had made offers, but she wasn't that kind. Fianlly she heads back to the saloon. Maybe Ralph Or Caroline would have some ideas.

She comes in to the saloon. Still early enough so it's not too busy. She walks up to the bar. "Is Ralph or Caroline here. I need to talk to one of them." She smiles at the young man standing at the bat.

The lady is dressed a litlle to fancy for a saloon girl or prostitute. She speaks with an accent. It looks like she may have been a fight and gotten the worst of it.

@ralph
@isaiah

[Deleted]

"I uh...I don't know."

That was about all he had to say to the question. Being new in town he wasn't caught up on who worked where, who lived where, much less who Ralph or Caroline where. Hell one of them could have served him and he still wouldn't have any idea whom she was talking about. She would probably catch on soon enough he was new to Golden Valley, and he may not stay long enough to even be more than someone new, not unless he found what he was looking for. Even then, he'd tale care of business and move on, there was nothing here for him be it a love, friends, or anything other than a vendetta, and even that he wasn't sure was here.

When she first flash the smile, he rose the shot glass in hand for a slight how do you do before he downed what he had poured and put it back down in front of him. Uncorking the bottle on his other hand he poured more. The smile she had flashed got maybe less than a half smile from him and not much eye contact. Needless to say his interaction with others had suffered since he went on his one man mission for justice.

The marks on her from the fight, well things were rough all over, he almost let it brush right off his shoulder, was it really his business anyway? As for the stabbing with this Jake fellow, all to which he was unaware of, was none of his business. NOW, if she had carelessly told him about her troubles and asked for help, that was another thing. MAYBE, just maybe, he'd offer help to deal with the matter for something in return. He didn't exactly survive off the land ALL the time, you take pay when you can get it.

Robert downed his drink once again before he set the glass down and grabbed the neck of the bottle. His eyes blinked a bit, the alcohol was getting to him, just slightly. He wasn't a sober man these days and spent a lot of time drinking, either to forget what had happened to him, or forget about the things he had done since. Having had a longish journey didn't help either. He had maybe been up for a day and a half?

@ralph
@madelaine

[Deleted]

The man standing at the bar looked lost. Maddie could tell he had been in the saddle for a few days. She could see the pain in his eyes. She had seen in a lot over the years in her profession. She smiled at him again. "I am sorry. I was speaking to the bartender. My name is Maddie." She offers him her left hand.

The customer that she had put in his place the other night comes over. He is drunk again. Maddie sees him in the mirror and sighs. "Well if it isn't little Miss high and mighty. Maybe you and I can have that talk today. I mean Mundy isn't here." He grabs her by the sore arm and swings her around.

Maddie yelps in pain. "Let me go you big oaf...  "

@robertfaith

[Deleted]

He ignored it at first, it wasn't his business. Besides, she wasn't talking to him, well about Ralph anyway. When the other guy grabbed a hold of her, Robert took the bottle and moved away, kicking a chair out and sitting down at a table. He put the bottle on the table, filled the glass, downed the drink and put it back on the table. He kept to himself, or tried to until...

Until Madeline started to make a scene, and with good cause. The man wasn't letting her go, Robert tried to ignore it until he swung her around and she asked to be let go, which didn't happen. Now it was getting on his nerves, the man, not her. He wasn't going to sit by for much longer and let some woman get manhandled.

"You might want to head her request."

Robert let out the short sentence without turning his attention to them, but he said it loud enough so the man could hear him, it would be enough for him to take attention that he may not get away with whatever it was he wanted to do to Madelaine.