1905 [Liam is fifteen]

Mid-Summer

Why did his boss have to be such a tenacious man? Liam had thought that working for the railroad was a great idea. Until now. He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at the native couple arguing in front of him. “What’s she saying to her husband, Grey Cloud?”

Grey Cloud frowned. “Shh, I’m listening.” 

Liam and Grey Cloud were of a similar age and had been friends for a few years. They got along well and Cloud was a good interpreter. The concerned expression on his friend’s face disturbed Liam. This coal bucket caused more problems than a bucket ever should. 

Liam swiped his hand at the empty coal bucket sitting beside the railroad tracks. “Just tell them I don’t need them to return the coal. I must take only the bucket back to the railway. Or the husband can pay me the .50 cents. I don’t care which one he chooses. Those are my orders.”

“They know what you say. Their argument is not about the bucket or the money. It is about the gun inside their house. The man wants to shoot you. And the woman? She wants him not to. What do you want to do?”

Liam yanked his hands out of his pants pockets, and whispered, “Run!”

The two teenage boys turned away from the dangerous argument, the tracks, and ran as fast as they could down the embankment. They slid into the taller grasses and hid. 

Liam stared at Cloud while they panted as quietly as possible.

Cloud pressed his finger to his lips. He raised himself slightly above the grass spears.

Liam nearly chuckled. He clapped his hands over his mouth to stifle it. Why did he think this was funny? He wanted to get home alive and play with his brothers.

Cloud tipped his head back against his shoulders, which flattened his silhouette and mimicked the barn cats when they stalked their prey. He studied the hill and conflict area they escaped from and murmured. “They did not follow us.”

Several minutes passed without sounds other than the blackbirds’s song and prairie wind rolling over them. 

Liam’s heartbeat slowed to normal, so he copied Cloud and surveyed the tracks where they had stood arguing over the railroad’s prized bucket. “I’m really happy there wasn’t a dog this time.”

Cloud smirked. “This time? I do not remember another time like this with a dog.”

“It was about a year ago, before they assigned you to me. Probably because of that. I still have the scar from its bite on my leg.” He reached down to tug his pant leg up.

“I do not need to see it. I believe you. Scars mean you lived your life to your code.”

Liam stood. Nothing but the breeze moved anywhere. “My code says my life isn’t worth a coal bucket, .50 cents, or keeping a job that says it is. Let’s go back.”

Cloud grinned at him. “What will you tell your boss?” 

“Just what I said to you. I’ll also tell him you were a good interpreter and saved my life. But no matter what he says about me not doing my job, you and I will always be friends.”