~ The Road
~
Author: Tipper
Disclaimer: Don't own em
Parts: One
Archive: Anywhere you want.
Note: Response to April Challenge from KT -- "Forget April fools! You will
find 4 pictures attached. Take a look at all 4 pictures and let 1, 2, 3 or all
4 inspire you. You don't have to be too bound by the details of the picture, all I ask is that the reader be able to tell which
picture(s) you chose." I chose the
fourth picture, the road…..
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He stood, staring down the tree lined road in confusion, unsure as to how he
had gotten here. Before him, the road seemed to stretch on for an eternity,
until it finally ended at a small, bright opening in the distance, as if onto
empty sky. The light down there was gray, almost misty.
Turning around, he found the road extended in the other direction much in the
same way, except that, at the far end, the light was dark, as if it were night.
If he squinted, he could make out
something sparkling, like stars.
Looking up, the thick tree branches formed a roof over his head, intertwining
like fingers in clasped hands. They effectively shut out any light from above. To his left and right, the squat, black
trunks crowded together, forming a wall to the fog enshrouded environment
beyond…if there was anything beyond.
"Okay," he muttered, looking again down the road, his boots scuffing
the red dirt at his feet, "Where am I?" The was
a slight crack in his usually smooth drawl as he spoke.
His fingers twitched at his sides, alternately clenching into fists and
releasing, betraying the nervous energy growing inside him. All he knew for
sure was that this road didn't exist in the West. The trees, the dirt, the
misty light…reminded him of the
But that was insane.
"I assume," he said to the world at large, vaguely hoping that
whoever had put him there would be listening, "that I am supposed to
choose a direction."
A gentle breeze swept through the branches overhead, rustling the leaves.
He looked up, slightly surprised at the movement.
"Was that a yes?"
The breeze grew stronger, and the branches dipped up and down. His eyebrows
lifted, and he found himself crossing his arms defensively.
The wind died down.
Well, okay then.
"Assuming," he said, clearing his throat and talking to the trees
now, "again, that that was not just wind, but a divine response to my
question," he paused, still looking upwards, "then I expect I am
supposed to choose between either the way of Light or of Dark. Black or White. Goodness or Evil. Heaven
or Hell. Is that the general idea?"
The wind blew again, the branches lifting up and down. He gave a crooked smile,
his dimples growing. He looked up towards the light end.
"Obviously, then, I am supposed to choose the light," he said, almost
conversationally, "but, well," he turned to look at the dark end,
"I have always considered myself something of a night owl, and perhaps I
would be more comfortable in the dark. After all, what is that saying about the
road not taken…?"
The wind that blew through the trees was much harsher, almost like a mini
hurricane, shaking the branches so that they creaked and moaned, as if angry.
Eyebrows lifted again as he looked up.
"Ah. I take it you do not want me to choose the dark," he said to the
unseen force. Then he shrugged, "But tell me, if I choose light, might
that not condemn me to a life of piety and joyless virtue?"
The branches responded as if to a gentle breeze, like an exasperated sigh. For
some reason, the sound reminded him of Josiah. He nodded.
"But if I choose darkness," he looked down the road towards the night
sky, his voice a little sad, "then I expect I would be condemned to a life
of debauchery, loneliness and despair."
The branches didn't answer this time. Perhaps they thought the answer was
obvious. He looked down at his feet.
"See," he said, staring at the toes of his boots, "Problem is…I
am unfortunately something of a contrary person." When he looked up again,
his pale green eyes were narrowed, squinting at something to his left.
"So...," his words sped up, "I think I'm going to go into the space
to my left here. Hope you don't mind."
He was moving even before he finished speaking, heading quickly towards the
side. As soon as they understood his intention, the branches came alive with a
frightening intensity, shaking up and down, left and right, blown by something
very powerful…and angry. This was not how it was supposed to work! You don't
leave the road! You can't go SIDEWAYS! He ignored them, his hand lifting to
hold onto his hat against the harsh wind as he reached the edge of the road and
ducked down to get under the branches. They raked at his back, forcing him
almost to a crawl, slamming into his side and head as he pushed his way through
them.
Then, suddenly, he was on the other side. Behind him, the trees had stopped
moving. He stood in a wide meadow, surrounded by wildflowers and long grasses,
and, if he wasn't mistaken, the scent of wild roses drifted past his nose. Lazy
sunshine warmed his shoulders, and birdsong greeted his ears.
"Huh," He smiled, honestly surprised, as he looked around, "it
actually worked."
He lifted his foot to walk forward.
And stepped right into a cow pat.
"Aw, nuts," he muttered, lifting the foot out and stepping away, his
other boot sinking into the muddy earth. The earth squelched beneath his feet
as he walked a little further away. Shaking his head, he stared down at his
boots in despair. They were going to get ruined.
When he looked up again, he was standing in his own room over the saloon in
What the hell?
"Ezra? You alright?"
Ezra nearly jumped out of his skin, his eyes seeking out the source of the
words. As he turned, he winced, the motion having tugged on the still healing
scars under the bandages securing his back and side. With sudden clarity, he
recalled that he'd been badly hurt the day before…though he couldn't quite
remember how.
"What's the matter?" the voice said, a little peeved now. "You
should be in bed."
It was the annoyed tone that did it.
"Hi Nathan," Ezra said, finally making out the shape of the man
sitting on his rocking chair. The healer's arms lifted and he stretched,
obviously having just come awake himself. The healer chuckled
a little as he leaned forward, leaning his arms on his knees and bringing his
face into the sliver of moonlight coming in through the window.
"Hi Ezra," he responded, looking up at his friend. "What are you
doing up?"
"Oh," the gambler frowned, yes…why was he up? Then he smiled,
remembering the dream. "I, well, interestingly, I think I was
sleepwalking."
"Sleepwalking?"
"Yes," Ezra looked down at Nathan, blinking still.
"Though, I admit, I don't think I've ever done it before. I was having a
strange dream…."
"You really should sit down," the healer said, watching as Ezra
swayed ever so slightly. The gambler didn't hear him, the image of the road in
his head again.
"I was on this road," he said, "and I had a choice. I could
either head towards the light or the dark."
Nathan stood up with a groan and walked towards Ezra, taking his arm. "Light or dark, huh? Which did you choose?" As he
spoke, he turned the gambler around and led him back to the bed.
"I didn't," Ezra smiled. "I sort of went…sideways."
Nathan stopped, "Sideways?"
"Yeah…and I ended up in this lovely meadow…smelling of roses." Ezra's
smile was wistful as he recalled the image.
Next to him, Nathan suddenly started to laugh. At first, it was just a chuckle,
but it soon grew, and the healer could barely stand up straight he was laughing
so hard, holding a hand to his stomach. Ezra arched an eyebrow up at him, and
took the last couple of steps back to the bed himself, settling himself down
carefully. He waited patiently for the healer to recover himself.
"What's so funny?" he demanded, trying to decide whether he should be
pleased or annoyed at such a reaction.
Nathan shook his head, wiping the tears from his eyes,
"Nothing…nothing…just…only you would think to go sideways when confronted
with choosing between the road to heaven and hell…and come up smelling
roses!"
"Well," Ezra said, rubbing a hand across his tired eyes, "I did
step in a cowpat."
Nathan burst out laughing again, and Ezra found himself chuckling as well,
though it hurt to do so. Soon he was begging the healer to stop, because it was
infectious, and he was having trouble breathing. Nathan tried to stop, but
between exhaustion and general punchiness, he just
couldn't. His breath came in hiccups, and the two men were gasping for air by
the time they managed to finally calm down.
Ezra was barely aware when Nathan helped him finally lie back down, the healer
patting affectionately the thick brown hair as he did so. His grin didn't fade
until he was sitting back on the rocking chair, watching Ezra slip quickly into
a deep, healing sleep.
"Sideways," he muttered, smiling as his own eyes closed. "Only
Ezra...."
One of a kind.
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The End
Hope you liked it! And if you did, and
you want to drop me a line….email