“That’s the one,” the barkeeper confirmed. “Consumption got a hold of him and wouldn’t let go.”
Blade wasn’t sure how he felt about it, but it didn’t matter. The man was dead, and although he wished he hadkilled him, he eased himself with the fact that consumption was a horrible death. Arthur would have suffered, which he deserved.
“Thank you,” Blade said with a nod. “I guess I’ll be going then.”
Without another word, he escaped the saloon and rushed to where Dakota was waiting expectantly. “Arthur’s dead,” he informed her. “Died of consumption years ago.”
“Oh, well, that’s something,” Dakota said, sounding as confused about it as he felt.
Blade looked around them. There was no reason they couldn’t stay since they hadn’t killed anybody. “You want to stay here tonight?”
Dakota shook her head. “No. It’s still early enough. I say we get supplies and then head out. We’ve still got a long way to go.”
“I was kind of hoping you would say that,” Blade admitted. “I don’t like it here.” There was nothing specific he could point to as being wrong with the town, but he felt uneasy and was happy to leave. Dakota was right about them still having far to go. Their next stop was in Arizona, which was approximately 865 miles away. It was going to take a while to get there, so it was best they got a head start.
***
They had reached Arizona, and the landscape was merciless. The desert sand was difficult to traverse, and the sun was surprisingly hot despite it being winter. Nights were the opposite; the cold was almost unbearable.
Blade and Dakota rode along the dusty trail, steering Africa and Riot toward Tucson. They still had a way to go, but they were getting closer. All around them, there were cacti, and in the distance, Blade could see vultures circling something.
He adjusted his wide-brimmed hat, trying to avoid the glare of the sun as he glanced at Dakota. She was sitting up straight, scanning their surroundings. Her long hair was pulled back in a braid, and her neckerchief was tied around her neck to protect her from the sun. He had been worried about bringing her along, but she was handling their journey like a seasoned traveler. It was almost like she belonged out there in the wild.
They had been riding in comfortable silence. Sometimes they laughed and talked; other times, they ran out of things to say.
The path was heading up a steep incline, and when they reached the top, it sloped down suddenly into a canyon. Below ran a raging river. Blade hadn’t expected it and brought Africa to a sudden stop as he peered down at the churning white foam.
Riot stopped next to him, and Dakota leaned forward, her mouth falling open when she saw the river. “That doesn’t look good,” she mumbled under her breath.
Blade couldn’t agree more. Standing at the top of the hill, he took in their surroundings. About a hundred feet to his right, he saw what he was looking for: a wooden bridge that crossed from one side of the bank to the other.
“Over there,” he said. “We can use the bridge to cross.”
Staying clear of the edge, they made their way to the bridge. The closer they got, the worse it looked. It was intact but weathered. It had seen better days.
Blade slipped off Africa’s back and knelt in front of the bridge, examining it.
“Is it safe?” Dakota asked, sounding hesitant.
Blade shrugged as he stood up. “Only one way to find out.” He took a step forward, first with one foot and then the other. “I’ll go first. If it holds, you can send the horses over one by one.”
“Maybe we should search for a way around,” Dakota suggested.
Blade looked both ways. The river ran as far as he could see. “If there is one, it isn’t anywhere near here.”
Dakota reached out and grabbed Africa’s reins, pulling him closer to her. “I don’t like this at all.”
“That makes two of us,” Blade replied, taking another step further onto the bridge. “But it has to be done.”
He waited for Dakota to tell him to be careful, but instead, she just watched him. They both knew that being careful wasn’t going to help if the bridge broke.
There was nothing else to say, so without another word, Blade turned forward and slowly started walking. The wood creaked under his boots, and the bridge swayed slightly. Blade kept his weight low, testing each plank before stepping on it. Below him, the current roared as the water crashed against rocks.
He was halfway across when, without warning, there was a sudden crack, and the wooden board beneath his feet gave way. Blade’s arms flailed to the side as he tried desperately to grab onto something. His right hand’s fingers found the rope and twisted around it, only for it to snap. The bridge tilted and split in two.
Blade fell, crashing into the river. The water swallowed him before he could even take a breath. Acting on instinct, Blade started kicking his legs, trying to push himself to the surface. The current was ruthless, refusing to let go of him and pulling him deeper and deeper.
Blade was running out of breath. If he didn’t get to the surface, he was going to drown. Using all the strength he had left, he fought against the current, kicking and flailing until his head finally submerged. He sucked in a deep breath, swallowing water in the process. He coughed and spat, trying to regain some sort of control over the situation.
