Chapter 25
It took a while, but they finally reached Reno.
It was a long stretch, and with winter starting, it was cold, especially at night.
They were making good progress, though, and had managed to cross seven names off the list. They were more than halfway, and that gave Blade the strength he needed to keep going.
They had dressed in clean clothes, just like they always did before entering a new town, and were slowly making their way down the main road.
The town was quieter than Blade had expected, but overall, it was just like any other town.
People were going about their daily business.
Some didn’t even notice Blade and Dakota, while others gave them curious glances.
“So what does Arthur look like?” Dakota asked, keeping pace with him.
“Last time I saw him, he had graying hair and a long beard that was stained yellow. He always smelled like cigars.”
Dakota’s eyes grew wide, and she playfully slapped Blade’s shoulder. “I think I remember him. He smelled horrible and was so dirty. Whenever I saw him, I would get the creeps.”
“That’s the one.” Blade chuckled. “Now let’s see if we can find him.”
They couldn’t. They searched the entire town, traveling up and down roads and going into every store. The man was nowhere to be found, and with the way he looked and smelled, he wouldn’t have been easy to miss.
“I guess we’re asking the barkeeper at the saloon,” Dakota stated.
“I’ll be quick,” Blade assured her.
Dakota nodded. “If you have to buy something, get something better than whiskey.”
Blade laughed at that, remembering their night at the inn.
It was one of the strangest nights of his life, but it was also one of his fondest memories.
They had talked and laughed for hours and then passed out together on the bed.
Nothing romantic happened, but that was okay.
The next day wasn’t so much fun, though.
Even though he hadn’t drunk a lot, his head had pounded, and he struggled to keep his food down. Dakota hadn’t fared any better.
Inside the saloon, the air was thick with smoke and spilled liquor. A few locals were scattered around the establishment, nursing drinks. They all looked up when he entered. Blade ignored them and approached the bar. Behind it stood a scrawny man with yellowing teeth.
“What are you having?” the man asked, pulling a chipped glass closer.
Blade didn’t feel like making up any elaborate stories, but he couldn’t exactly tell the truth.
“Nothing today,” he replied. “I’m actually looking for somebody. Name’s Arthur Hill.”
The barkeeper’s eyes squinted as he puckered his lips. It looked like his brain was going to explode from having to recall who the name belonged to.
Eventually, his face relaxed. “I recall him,” he said. “But he’s been dead for years already.”
“Are you sure? Big man, long yellow beard. Smelled like cigars.”
“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 had killed 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.
He was being pulled along at a staggering pace. His body was slammed by rocks and logs. The water was cold, numbing his body and making it even more difficult to breathe.
“Blade!” he heard Dakota calling.
Turning in the direction of her voice, he saw her running along the edge of the riverbank. The water swallowed him again, and he had to fight to resurface. He wasn’t sure how long he was going to be able to last. He needed to find a way out of the river, or he was going to die.
“Get closer!” Dakota yelled. She was further ahead now. There was a rocky outcrop, and she was lying on her stomach, leaning over it slightly. In her hand, she held a rope.
Blade fought against the current as he tried to swim toward her. He was quickly running out of strength and was about to lose the fight when the current suddenly slowed down, allowing him to swim to where Dakota was.
She threw one end of the rope into the water. “Grab it! I’ll pull you out!”
Blade gripped the rope, relief washing over him as Dakota pulled him closer.
The current was still tugging at him, but not as relentlessly.
There was one last problem, though. The cliff wall was at least a couple of feet high, and he had to somehow get up there.
There were grooves in the rock, but they were slick from the water, and his fingers simply slipped right off.
Blade looked up into Dakota’s panicked eyes. “I’m going to need you to hold on real tight so that I can climb up the rope.”
She nodded. “I can do that.”
Blade wasn’t a tremendously big man, but he was larger and weighed a lot more than Dakota.
She was strong, but he just wasn’t sure if she was strong enough to support his weight.
He gripped the rope tightly and started to climb, but as he moved up, the rope started to slip from her hands. It wasn’t going to work.
“Look for something you can tie the rope to,” he instructed, trying his best to remain calm.
Dakota looked around frantically. “I don’t see anything.” Her voice was scratchy, and her eyes shone brightly.
“Where’s Africa and Riot?” Blade asked.
“I don’t know,” she replied, shaking her head.
“Africa!” Blade called, knowing his horse would come running if he could hear him.
For a moment, there was only the sound of the raging river, but then loud footfalls could be heard approaching.
“Africa,” Blade said again. “Come closer.”
The horse moved closer to the edge, and Dakota stood up, wrapping the rope around him. “It’s secure,” she said.
Blade gripped the rope tighter. “Back up, Africa,” he instructed.
Africa took one step back, and then another.
“That’s right,” Blade praised. “Back up.”
The horse kept on going, pulling Blade over the edge and back onto dry land. He let go of the rope, rolling onto his back as he tried to catch his breath. That was downright exhausting.
“Are you okay?” Dakota asked as she crouched beside him. “Did you get hurt?”
Everything happened so fast, and his body ached all over. He was cold, his limbs numb despite the adrenaline rushing through his veins. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly.
“You’re ice cold,” Dakota whispered as she helped him out of his coat. “We have to get you dry.”
“That’ll help,” Blade agreed, feeling more like himself with every second that passed.
Dakota quickly got him a change of clothes from his bag, and soon enough, he was dry and warming up next to a fire.
“You look all right,” Dakota announced, her eyes still focused on him. “How do you feel now?”
Blade ran a hand through his drying hair, combing the knots out with his fingers. “Better, thanks to you,” he replied with a smile. “You saved my life.”