Warnings: Some mild cursing. Contains several references to "Second Childhood." Nothing too serious this time... just a fun little trip for Ezra, Buck and JD. I hope I can manage to tickle your funny bone at least once. Enjoy!
Let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: Ah, if only they were mine, but, alas, they're not. Unfortunately, the privilege of ownership of "The Magnificent Seven" characters belongs to the Mirisch Corp., Trilogy, and MGM, and no infringement on the copyrights held by them is intended. I merely wish to dust the boys off and bring them out to play occasionally for the entertainment of those of us who still miss them dearly.
"The Fishing Trip" completed April 5, 2000
Ezra made his way slowly down toward to the two men sitting side by side on the grass. Their voices drifted back to him, and when he realized they were arguing over whose fault the whole mess was, he stopped to listen.
"Damn it, JD... I tried to tell ya it was a dumb idea!"
"What?! You did not! You just sat there an' enjoyed every minute of it! Besides... you started this whole thing that first mornin' with your lousy screech owl impression."
"Lousy?! What do ya mean lousy?! You saw Ezra's face when he bolted up out of that bedroll... it had to've sounded just like that owl he heard durin' the night to get that kinda reaction outta him."
"Hell, Buck... let me scream in your ear while you're sleepin' an' see how you react. Just 'cause ya scared the livin' daylights outta him don't mean ya sounded like no owl."
Buck scowled at him for a minute, then grinned and started chuckling. "Okay, maybe it didn't sound like an owl, but it sure did work the way I wanted it to. Did you see ol' Ezra's face when he was floppin' around on those blankets tryin' to find his guns?"
JD laughed and nodded his head. "I thought those green eyes of his were gonna pop right outta his head! Heck... it's a wonder he didn't really have an accident in his pants after that scare ya gave 'im."
Buck laughed harder and clutched at JD's shoulder at the remembered panic that had flooded the gambler's face. "Lordy... I ain't never seen anyone—"
"Catchin' any fish, Gentlemen?" Ezra had crept forward under the cover of their unrestrained laughter and now stood directly behind them.
Buck's laughter died immediately and his head dropped to his chest as soon as he heard Ezra's quiet southern drawl. "Aw shit."
JD jumped and turned to stare guiltily up at the gambler. "Um... sorry, Ezra... honest... it's just, the thought of your... I mean... we were just—" His stammering ground to a halt as he realized anything he said was just going to make the situation worse. "Sorry."
Ezra merely smiled at the two men as he went about the business of readying his pole. As soon as he had it settled next to theirs, he carefully lowered himself down beside Buck, wincing the minute his bottom touched the hard ground.
"It ain't feelin' any better this mornin'?" Buck realized Ezra intended to ignore what they'd been saying and was more than willing to go along with him.
Ezra shook his head as he squirmed around, trying to find a position he could tolerate. "Not really, but I'm sure it will have improved by the time we're ready to return home." Seeing the worry in his older friend's eyes and sensing he was about to bring up the subject of fetching a wagon again, Ezra deftly turned the conversation away from his infirmity by asking JD for tips on how to catch bigger fish. The boy didn't fail him, immediately launching into a long drawn-out list of different baits and techniques.
The rest of the morning passed pleasantly enough with some quiet conversation intermingled with comfortable silences. Ezra was enjoying the results of the guilt that the other two men were feeling as they eagerly saw to his every need without him even having to ask. Buck kept his hook baited and removed any fish he happened to catch, completely ignoring the rules that had been declared at the beginning of their little contest. JD, not to be outdone, ran and fetched anything Ezra could possibly want or need... his lunch, a canteen when he mentioned being thirsty, even a blanket for him to sit on when he complained about how hard the ground was.
Ezra's day couldn't have gone any smoother... until late in the afternoon when Buck hauled in a monster fish that far surpassed the one Ezra had been winning the contest with.
"Wow, Buck... that thing's huge! How the heck are we supposed to beat that one?" JD shook his head and stared in amazement at the lunker bass as Buck strung it on the line and heaved it over the bank and back into the water.
Buck laughed as he headed off into the trees to take care of some personal business. "You're not, JD... that money's as good as mine now."
"Yeah, well... we'll just see about that," JD muttered as his eyes carefully scanned the ground around him. "Gotcha!"
Ezra watched curiously as the boy suddenly pounced on something and waved his closed fist at him.
"Now we'll see who wins the contest." JD fastened whatever he'd caught on his hook and eagerly tossed it out in the water.
"What was that, JD?" Ezra watched in amazement when the end of the younger man's pole immediately started bobbing as a fish snatched up the proffered treat.
JD grinned over at the Southerner as he pulled in a fish almost, but not quite as big, as Buck's. "A grasshopper! Best bass bait there is!" He quickly removed the fish and set it free... not wanting to waste the time it took to put it on the stringer since it wasn't big enough to win. Crawling through the grass in search of more bait, he shot a look back over his shoulder at the gambler who sat watching him. "Come on, Ezra... find yourself a grasshopper. We can't let Buck win this contest... he'll never let us live it down."
That was all the incentive Ezra needed... just the thought of having to listen to Buck Wilmington brag all the way back to town sent a shudder of dread up the gambler's spine. Ezra removed his hat and jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to follow JD's example. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his backside, he bent over and began wandering across the banks, his eyes carefully searching for prospective bait.
Suddenly he spotted something moving in the grass near the edge of the clearing. Moving as fast as his bruised body would let him, Ezra grabbed at the grasshopper, cursing softly as it leaped out of his reach. Keeping his eye on the insect, the gambler followed it toward a tall patch of bright green weeds growing along the edge of the pond.
Buck walked out of the trees, slowing to a stop when he saw the strange antics of his two friends. "JD? What in the hell are you two doin'?"
JD looked up just as his hand closed around the insect he was chasing. "Catchin' grasshoppers... for bait." He grinned at the ladies man. "Don't make plans on spendin' that money just yet, Buck... I'll have your fish beat in no time with this little—"
The rest of his statement was interrupted when he saw Buck's attention suddenly shift to Ezra. JD jumped when the older man suddenly shouted a warning at the gambler and began limping as fast as he could across the uneven ground.
JD looked across the clearing to see what had Buck so excited, but couldn't figure out what was wrong. All he saw was Ezra making one final grab at the grasshopper he was chasing just as it leaped into the middle of some tall weeds... but nothing to explain Buck's actions.
"No! Ezra... don't! Stop!!" Buck cursed his aching ankle as he tried to close the distance between himself and the gambler.
Ezra was so intent on capturing the elusive insect he was following that he never even heard Buck's first warning, but when the second came... much closer and very much louder... it startled him. He jerked his head around to see what Buck was yelling about and never noticed the tree root stretched across his path.
Buck saw it though and saw what was about to happen. He tried to get out one final warning, but his words were too late. The toe of Ezra's left boot hit the obstacle, throwing him off balance and pitching him headfirst into the same patch of weeds that the grasshopper had disappeared into.
Buck slowed his steps when he saw it was too late and braced himself for what he knew was coming. He was extremely thankful to see that Ezra at least had time to put his arms out in an attempt to catch himself... it kept his face from making too much contact with the stinging nettles.
JD started to laugh at the usually graceful Southerner's awkward tumble once he saw him push himself out of the weeds and knew he was alright... but his laughter died in his throat when he saw the shocked expression of pain that suddenly washed over Ezra's face. Buck was ready for it, knowing exactly what the gambler was beginning to feel, but JD had no more knowledge of the effects of nettles than Ezra did and nearly jumped out of his skin when Ezra let go with a strangled cry of pain and a string of expletives that would have made a sailor blush.
Buck reached Ezra just as the pain struck and grabbed at his hands as he began rubbing frantically at his face and bare arms... trying desperately to get rid of whatever was stinging him.
"Ezra! Stop! That's only gonna make it worse!" Buck couldn't keep a hold on Ezra's hands and finally had to get behind the gambler and wrap his arms around him, grabbing and pinning his hands against his chest. "Easy now... just hang on... I'm gonna help ya, but ya gotta try an' hold still."
JD ran up and stood staring helplessly at the two men. Ezra thrashed against Buck, begging for him to let him go, but the taller man just tightened his grip and continued to try and get him to calm down.
"What the heck happened to 'im?!" JD reached out to help hold Ezra, but stopped when Buck motioned him back.
"He tangled with some nettles! See those plants growin' over there?! The ones with the yellow flowers?! Break off a couple of stalks and bring 'em over here! Hurry!" Buck looked down at the still struggling gambler and winced when he saw that his hands and arms were beginning to blister. It was just Ezra's luck to be cursed with sensitive skin. Most people only developed a small rash that went away fairly quickly, but a few were hit with a much more severe reaction like the one that Ezra was having.
Ezra uttered a deep-throated groan and pressed his head back against Buck's shoulder as the burning sensation continued. "Shit... that hurts... feels like my... damn skin's on... fire..." Ezra whispered breathlessly.
"I know, Pard... just hang in there." Buck glanced over and saw JD headed in their direction with a handful of stalks. As soon as he got close enough, Buck started explaining what needed to be done. "Take your knife an' split the stalk... that's right... just like that. Now spread it open an' start wiping down his face an' arms with it. Any place ya see those blisters, smear it on real heavy."
JD hesitated to touch Ezra... his skin was so red and sore looking he was afraid he'd just make it worse, but Buck encouraged him to go ahead, reassuring him that it would help ease the pain and itching that Ezra was experiencing.
JD started with Ezra's face, wiping away the tears of pain that streamed down the gambler's cheeks as he smoothed the thick sap that coated the inside of the stalk across the red spots. He could see the relief evident in Ezra's green eyes as the substance immediately began to cool and soothe his burning skin.
Buck felt Ezra relax a little as he realized that the treatment was working and the pain was going away. "If ya can hold still on your own now, Ezra... I'll let ya go an' help JD spread that stuff on ya."
Ezra took a few shaky breaths and nodded. Buck eased his grip on the Southerner, releasing him completely as soon as he knew he'd be able to stand on his own. Ezra trembled, his muscles clenching against the pain, but he managed to hold still while Buck and JD continued to work the sap over every inch of skin that had come in contact with the nettles fiery touch.
Buck was relieved to find that the blisters were confined to his arms and hands with only a few small ones on his neck. His face was a deep pink in spots, but not the angry red that covered the rest of his exposed skin. Ezra's hands were the worst since he'd clutched at the weeds as he was struggling to get to his feet, but even they began to quickly improve with the application of the soothing balm.
Ezra heaved a ragged sigh of relief as the painful burning sensation and tormenting itch finally began to recede. "God, that feels good." His eyes closed for a second as he relaxed and allowed himself to enjoy the simple comfort of the plant's cooling touch against his skin.
JD smiled at the blissful look of relief that had replaced the grimace of pain on the gambler's face. He glanced over at Buck and saw that he was also watching Ezra. "What kind of plant is this, Buck? An' how'd ya know to use it?"
Buck loosened Ezra's tie and undid the first couple of buttons on his shirt in order to get at his neck. He chuckled as Ezra emitted a soft, contented sigh as Buck gently rubbed the sap up and down the sensitive skin. "It's called jewel weed, JD. My ma used it on me when I was a kid." He grinned at the almost euphoric expression on the Southerner's face. "Feels like heaven, don't it, Ezra?"
"That, Mr. Wilmington, is quite an apt description. And thank you from the bottom of my heart for having such an excellent memory." Ezra's green eyes twinkled with mischief as he continued. "Especially since we all know just how long it's been since you were a child."
JD snorted at Ezra's comment and the look it produced on Buck's face.
"Well, that's gratitude for ya." Buck slapped the piece of stalk he'd been using on Ezra's neck into the gambler's hand. "Here... since you're feelin' so much better... smear this stuff on yourself. I'm goin' back to fishin'... which is what you two should be doin'." Hearing them trying to stifle their laughter as he walked away, Buck looked back at them and grinned. "Not that it's gonna do either of ya any good. Ya couldn't catch a prize winnin' fish if your lives depended on it." He ducked, but not in time to avoid the two mashed plant stems that immediately flew in his direction.
JD and Ezra hurried to join Buck, and soon all three poles were lined up together on the bank while their respective owners watched anxiously for the slightest twitch of their lines. The rest of the afternoon passed without incident... and without anymore fish. The trio finally gave up and headed back to camp, deciding their time would be better spent rustling up something to eat and then settling in for a nice, quiet card game before bed.
It was the middle of the night and the only sounds disturbing the silence of the campsite were the crackling of the fire and the soft rustling of the wind-blown leaves overhead. Suddenly a low moan drifted up from one of the bedrolls.
Ezra moved restlessly, arms and legs fighting against the imprisoning blankets as his head tossed back and forth, soft words of distress tumbling off his lips. "No... please, don't... 'Manda... oh God... 'Manda!" His eyes flew open as he cried out one last time, their green depths reflecting the terror that still had him in its grip.
Ezra stared around the campsite in confusion as he slowly came awake. Glancing to either side of him, he was relieved to see that his two companions still slept... he didn't want to have to explain what was wrong when he still wasn't sure himself. Rubbing his hands tiredly over his face, he eased himself into a half-sitting position, ever mindful of his still painful injury.
Damn it! The nightmares were back. It was the first one he'd had since just before his accident... that he could remember anyway. He had no memory of the week after his fall, so he couldn't be certain that he hadn't had one then. He'd wanted to ask someone, but he didn't want anyone to know he suffered from the hateful things, and couldn't remember enough about them to describe them even if he'd wanted to.
Ezra stared into the fire and tried to recall what he'd been dreaming. He was a child again... Uncle Matth—. Ezra grunted as his eyes slammed shut and his hands flew up to clutch at his forehead. He'd suddenly been struck by a blinding pain... a pain so intense it made his eyes water and his ears ring. Gasping softly, Ezra fell back on the pile of blankets, willing himself to lie perfectly still as he fought off the nausea that had started to churn in his stomach.
And then just as suddenly, the pain left. One minute it was there, tearing at his skull... the next it was almost completely gone... only a dull throbbing left to let him know it had been real and not just his imagination playing tricks on him. Well, that was a new twist to the nightmares... he'd never gotten a headache from them before. Experimentally, Ezra gently pushed at his memory, trying to recall something... anything... about his dream, but at the first increase in the pain still pulsing in his temples, he stopped. Closing his eyes, Ezra let his thoughts turn to other matters, completely erasing the unsettling feelings left by the nightmare... past card games, rousing 'discussions' he'd had with his friends, practical jokes that had been played... revenge...
Ezra drifted in and out of sleep for another hour, waking for the last time, according to his watch, at just after five... much too early again. Hopefully this was a habit he'd be able to break once they returned home. After arriving at the unwelcome conclusion that any real sleep was going to continue to elude him, Ezra decided he may as well get up and get a head start on the fishing. At least this way, his two so-called friends wouldn't have a chance to once more use him for their soul source of entertainment.
Ezra had gathered up his pole and the worms and was just leaving camp when he stopped and stared thoughtfully back at Buck and JD, a small smile tugging at his lips. Moving quietly back to where they lay, Ezra bent over and gently nudged Buck's shoulder. "Mr. Wilmington... Buck?"
Buck opened his eyes and peered blearily up at the gambler. "Ezra? What the hell are you doin' up this early?"
"I was unable to sleep any longer and decided to spend my time attempting to dethrone you from your current position as leader in our contest rather than to continue to toss and turn in my bedroll." Ezra saw the confusion in the older man's eyes and smiled as he explained further. "I just didn't want you to worry when you awoke and found me absent from camp."
Buck stared at him a moment longer and then finally nodded, closed his eyes and pulled the blanket over his head before mumbling sleepily, "Have a nice time, Ezra."
Ezra assured him he'd try, and turned and strolled out of camp, whistling softly as he made his way slowly down toward the pond.
JD couldn't believe how late it was when he finally awoke. Glancing around camp, he was surprised to see Ezra's bedroll empty and the gambler nowhere in sight.
JD raised up on one elbow and spotted Buck still huddled under his blankets. "Buck? Hey, Buck!" Not getting a response, the youth finally climbed out of his bedroll and crawled over to the older man. Shaking his shoulder, he tried once more to rouse him. "Come on, Buck... it's late. Wake up!"
Buck's head jerked up and he glared at JD as he continued to shake his shoulder. "JD... I'm up... now what the hell do you want?!"
JD stood up and shook his head. "Geez, Buck... ya don't gotta yell at me... I just wanted to see if ya knew where Ezra went."
Buck glanced at the empty space next to him and shrugged as he sat up and rubbed his hands roughly over his face. "I don't know... I sorta remember him wakin' me up when it was just gettin' light... I think he said somethin' 'bout goin' fishin'. I gotta be awake to understand those highfalutin words he uses sometimes."
JD frowned in the direction of the pond as he hurried to make a pot of coffee and warm up some biscuits for breakfast. "Figures he'd try to get a head start on us. Hurry up, Buck... we gotta get down there before he catches all the big ones."
Buck shook his head and laughed as he sat pulling on his boots. "Hell, JD... I'm sure he ain't gonna catch every last fish in the pond 'fore we can get down there. Now calm yourself down an' let me enjoy some coffee an' get woke up first."
JD wolfed down his food and then paced impatiently around the camp waiting for Buck to finish his.
"Damn, Kid... you're makin' me dizzy! Either sit your ass down or go an' join Ezra... I'll be along in just a minute." Buck sighed in relief when JD grabbed his pole and left. That boy gave a whole new meaning to the word 'impatient.'
Buck was just heading down toward the pond when he heard JD start yelling his name. The gunslinger forgot all about his sprained ankle when he heard the unmistakable sound of panic in the boy's voice. Dropping his pole and coffee mug, Buck took off running, his heart filling with dread as JD's anguished cries came louder and faster.
JD was sitting in the grass, frantically pulling off his boots when Buck finally got to him. He grabbed the boy's shoulder and forced him to look up at him.
"What's wrong, Kid?! Are ya hurt?!" Buck stood gasping for breath as he anxiously checked JD over, relieved to find no apparent injury. "Damn, JD... ya scared me half to death!"
JD jerked out of Buck's grasp and began rolling up his pants. "It's not me! It's Ezra!!"
Buck looked where the boy was pointing and finally understood JD's panic. Ezra's boots, coat, and hat lay in a pile at the edge of the pond along with his pole. Buck looked out over the still water and saw that the gambler's line was again tangled around the same partially submerged tree that he'd hooked before.
Buck's heart raced as he hurried to divest himself of his boots, entering the water only moments after JD. They started with the area closest to the log that held Ezra's tangled line, dipping down in the water to probe along the tree's length just in case he was hung up on the branches hidden beneath the surface.
"Lose somethin' , Gentlemen?"
Buck and JD froze when they heard the familiar southern drawl drift across the still morning air. Turning as one, they stared in shock at Ezra standing safe and dry on the bank. Relief flooded through them and they smiled and started to tell him how glad they were he was okay... until they saw the satisfied grin that appeared on his face as he gave them a two-fingered salute.
Ezra's smile grew as he watched the realization that they'd been had finally sink into his two friends. "May I remind you that I did give you fair warning of my intention to retaliate, and I must say... revenge is sweet."
Buck and JD watched Ezra's shoulders shake with the laughter that he could no longer contain and felt their anger grow.
"A joke? You think this is a joke?!" Buck and JD stared incredulously at the gambler, who was now collapsed in a heap on the grass, tears of laughter streaming down his face. "Damn it, Ezra! We thought you were dead!" JD's voice shook as worry and concern for his friend turned to anger.
Ezra tried to quit laughing, he knew he was just making them madder, but the sight of them standing there with their mouths hanging open, water and mud dripping off of them, was just too much for him. "Y'all l-look like a pair of drowned r-rats."
"Ezra Standish... you miserable son-of-a-bitch!!" Buck's enraged shout echoed through the clearing, instantly wiping the smile off the gambler's face.
Ezra's eyes widened in apprehension as he saw the two men start wading in his direction... their eyes glittering darkly... their faces flushed red with anger... their hands spasmodically clenching and unclenching as if they couldn't wait to wrap themselves around his neck. Quickly, he scrambled to his feet and started backing away, his hands held out in supplication and apologies tumbling off his lips.
"Gentlemen... I am truly sorry. I never thought you'd actually presume I had come to any harm. Honestly... it was just a joke... just a little payback for—" Ezra's rapid-fire chatter stopped suddenly when the back of his heel struck a small rock embedded in the ground, effectively halting his retreat and landing him squarely on his bruised backside.
For the second time in as many days, Ezra Standish, who rarely swore even when provoked, turned the air blue with another outburst of pain-filled cursing. After the initial shock wore off, Ezra flipped quickly over onto his stomach and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees.
Buck and JD froze in their tracks, all their anger draining away when they saw Ezra hit the ground. Both men winced in sympathy as they watched him kneel in front of them, head hanging down between his shoulders, and holding his breath as he waited for the pain to ease.
"Uh... Ezra? Ya better breathe, Pard... your turnin' a mite blue there." Buck looked at JD and they both burst out laughing at the justice of it all.
Ezra raised his head, scowled at them and gasped, "Y'all just seem... to get so much... pleasure... outta seein' me in... pain. I think there's... somethin'... seriously wrong with the... pair of you."
JD shook his head at the gambler as he continued to laugh. "Oh, come on, Ezra... you know ya had it comin' this time."
Buck started to agree with the Kid when he saw the expression on Ezra's face change. An evil grin had slowly replaced his grimace of pain as he stared at the two of them. "What the hell ya grinnin' at, Ezra? Ya better not be plannin' anything else that stupid or—"
Ezra interrupted him, pointing at their legs and laughing softly. "Maybe y'all better quit enjoyin' my predicament and start worryin' about your own."
Buck and JD both looked down and their laughter suddenly stopped. "Shit... leeches."
JD turned white as a sheet and started begging Buck to get them off. Buck resignedly untied his bandana and handed it to the boy, then took him gently by the arm and led him over to the bushes Ezra had used days earlier.
Ezra carefully climbed to his feet and laughed as they hurried away. "Don't forget to check everywhere!"
"Shut up, Ezra!" Buck's and JD's voices drifted back to the smug Southerner as they disappeared behind the bushes.
Ezra stood gingerly rubbing his backside as he waited, grinning in anticipation.
"Ohmygod... Buck?!"
"Aw hell!!"
Gathering up his belongings, Ezra headed slowly back up the hill, a smile of satisfaction on his handsome face. "Yes, indeed... revenge is most definitely sweet."
Ezra stood ready with a dry change of clothes for each of them when Buck and JD finally made it back to camp dressed only in their damp drawers... each sporting several of the red welts that Ezra still had on various parts of his body.
Buck glared at him as he snatched the pile of clothing out of his hands and headed for the woods. "Don't... say... a... word."
JD, who's face was even paler than usual, silently grabbed the other pile and stalked after Buck.
Ezra managed to smother his laughter as they walked away and turned to pour three mugs of coffee, adding a healthy slug from his flask to each one.
Their anger seemed to have abated by the time they returned, and they gratefully accepted the coffee from Ezra, nodding their thanks after tasting the brandy he'd added.
Buck took several long gulps to calm his nerves and then stared at the other two men. "I don't know 'bout you, but I think I've had pretty much all the fun I can stand for one trip. What do ya say we cut this short an' head on back to town?"
Ezra and JD readily agreed and immediately began packing their saddlebags. Before mounting their horses, they dug in their pockets and fished out the money they owed Buck for winning the bet and handed it to him.
Buck looked down at the money and then back at his friends. "I don't feel right takin' this... after all, it was my idea to go home early an' ya might've beat me if we'd stayed." But JD and Ezra insisted he take it, claiming he'd won it fair and square.
"Besides, Mr. Wilmington," Ezra added as he eased himself up onto Rebel, "it'll give Mr. Dunne and myself extra incentive to try harder the next time."
Buck and JD both looked at Ezra in surprise. "Next time?"
Ezra stared down at the ground for a minute and then shyly tipped his head up to look at his two friends. "Well, I was hopin' I might be allowed to accompany you on your next outing... if that's alright with you, of course."
Buck exchanged a grin with JD and slapped Ezra gently on the leg. "Hell, Ezra... you're welcome to tag along anytime ya want... just don't expect us to take it easy on ya like we did this time."
Ezra's look of shock was quickly replaced by an answering grin. "Thank you for the warning... I'll make sure I'm suitably prepared next time."
Buck noticed Ezra's wince of pain as he shifted carefully in the saddle. "You sure you're gonna be okay? Maybe ya should let me—"
Ezra held up a hand to stop him. "Please, Mr. Wilmington... we've already been over this... I will not be carted back to town in the back of a wagon. It's completely undignified."
Buck sighed and followed JD over to their horses. Giving Ezra one last long-suffering look, he boosted his bone-weary body up into the saddle. "Okay, it's your decision... but I still say you're gonna be sorry."
Ezra merely nodded and nudged his horse into a slow walk as they headed back toward home.
They were about halfway home when Buck turned his horse off into a small stand of trees and announced they were going to camp there for the night. He simply couldn't stand seeing Ezra in so much pain any longer. The gambler had quickly discovered that it was much too uncomfortable for him to ride sitting down for any length of time, so he was forced to ride standing in the stirrups most of the way to ease his aching bottom. This, in turn, caused his legs to cramp up and forced them to stop every few miles so that he could get down and walk off the painful muscle spasms.
"Mr. Wilmington, I assure you I can make it the rest of the way home tonight. Perhaps if I pad my saddle with a blanket—" Ezra tried to reason with the older man, just wanting to get home and into a hot bath, but Buck was adamant.
"Forget it, Ezra... we're campin' here an' that's all there is to it." He smiled up at the Southerner. "Unless you want to wait here while I go fetch that wagon?"
Ezra quickly left his saddle and began helping JD set up camp. "This will do just fine, Mr. Wilmington... I fancied one last night under the stars anyway."
Buck chuckled as he began taking care of the horses. "Somehow I knew you'd see it my way, Ezra."
It was just past noon when the three exhausted fishermen finally rode back into Four Corners.
Chris and Vin were sitting in front of the saloon enjoying a mug of coffee, observing their slow progress down main street. When the threesome got close enough for them to get a good look, Vin whistled softly and yelled over his shoulder into the saloon for Nathan and Josiah. When they came to stand in the batwing doors, he nodded up the street. "Looks like the mighty fishermen had a rough trip."
Nathan frowned as he watched the three riders, and moved quickly out onto the boardwalk. "Is Ezra ridin' standin' up? What the hell did that fool do to hisself now?"
Buck threw up a silencing hand as he rode up, and then slowly dismounted. They noticed he was favoring his left leg and scratching at some kind of red welt on the side of his neck. "Don't even ask. We'll tell ya all about it later, but right now... I need a drink."
JD nodded, for once in total agreement with Buck. "All I want is a good, hot meal... an' it sure ain't gonna be fish." The boy's face sported several scratches and a large, purple bruise that ran the length of his jaw. He also had the same red welts on his arms and neck as Buck did. The men glanced quickly at Ezra and saw that all three men had those same identical marks, with Ezra also sporting some smaller spots on his neck and chin.
Both men moved to stand beside Ezra's horse and reached up to steady the gambler as he very slowly lowered himself to the ground. After making sure he was going to be alright, Buck and JD headed for the saloon.
Nathan saw the careful way Ezra was moving and had just opened his mouth to ask what had happened when Buck put his hand on the healer's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
"Leave 'im alone, Nathan. He's fine." Buck held his gaze until he was sure he understood and then nodded. He turned before entering the saloon and waited to make sure Ezra was going to make it across the street okay.
Chris watched as the Southerner limped slowly away. "Where ya headed, Ezra?"
Ezra kept walking as he answered, afraid if he stopped, he'd never get going again. "I find myself in serious need of a nice, long, hot bath, Mr. Larabee."
Chris glanced at the others and grinned. He knew he probably shouldn't, but it was just too good an opportunity to pass up. "But, Ezra... I thought you hated baffs?"
Ezra did stop this time as a strange feeling of deja vu washed over him. He stared first at the bathhouse, and then back at Chris. The comical look of confusion on his face had them all struggling not to laugh... even Buck and JD. Baff? Did Chris just say... 'baff'? Ezra opened his mouth to ask the other man to repeat himself, hesitated, and finally decided it was something he just didn't want to know.
Shaking his head wearily, Ezra continued on across the street... determined to let the soothing bath aid him in forgetting his aches and pains, and the strange memories that Chris's words had evoked. And yet, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't block out the small voice that seemed to echo through his mind... 'I hate baffs.'
The End