Headstall

Phineas Lemon is a name that came as soon as I thought of his character. I hope you can feel the boys' excitement as they set off to explore land. Thanks, buddy.

It's a dance they are doing. Boone understands their friendship is in peril, but each man has to do what is best for them. Coy bared a lot in this chapter, something he felt shame for. Boone made sure he understood he did nothing wrong in not saying anything. Thanks, buddy.

The thing is, they keep talking. That's exactly what they need to do. Glad you enjoyed this one, my friend.

Me too, buddy. Sometimes writing gives me the chance to say something that's important to me... and this passage makes this chapter special for me as a writer... “But, I don’t think anyone can speak for what God thinks—not even a preacher—but everyone seems to think they have the right. Lots of things in the bible don’t make a lick of sense to me, not if I know God like I think I do. For sure there’s comfort in some of it, but men wrote that book… not the Lord hisself. The Commandments, though, I believe they come straight from him.” Boone took a deep breath while he studied Coy’s face. The man’s lips were parted, and he was listening closely. He’d never voiced such personal thoughts about hisself before, but Coy has asked. “All I know is I am who I am, and for sure and certain, He made me this way. It don’t say nothing about me in his Commandments, and I've never broken a one… 'cepting maybe I took the Lord’s name in vain a time or two, and I’m not all that good about the keeping the Sabbath holy, but I ain’t never drank whiskey or gambled on a Sunday either. Anyways, that’s what I go by. If he’s of a mind to exclude folks like me from heaven then he should have said it plain in another Commandment, but he didn’t. He gave Moses them rules for us to live by… no more and no less.” “That makes sense, I guess,” Coy said, his expression thoughtful. “It won’t to some, but I can’t be worried about them… they ain’t wearing my boots. It was a chapter infused with honesty from both men, and we'll see where it leads.

Totally agree. It's not easy to face our fears, but when we do, things usually are never as bad as we expect.

Yeah, but it wasn't relaxing for Boone when they got to the cliff. I felt sorry for him and his fear, but the chapter ended in a beautiful place. Thanks, Albert.

They're the perfect size for him.

Your friends?

Such a peaceful chapter. I think we needed this one. And yeah, they are ready to get back on the trail. There's a town to find, and land to explore. Thanks, buddy.

I need me some scar tissue. Some days it is hard to find joy because everywhere I go on this farm, there are reminders of her. Sure, some of them can make me smile, but there is always an emptiness. I don't have any snow on the ground, and all her walking paths are still visible... I walk them most every day. I'll get there. Thank you!

OH... a spanking! So glad to hear you like this story so much. Don't give up on a Book 2 yet. I never know where my muse will take me, and the characters still live in my head, along with a new one. I just checked, and see you haven't left a story like (the big thumb), story recommendation (the medal icon), or review (below the chapter list) on the front story page. It would mean a lot, my friend, if you could indulge me with these. They always bring new interest to a story that is a little older on the site. This comment you left today would make a great review... just saying... here is the link if you decide to bless me with your kindness...

Hey, all! Had a 2K walk this morning and did my laundry.

Drewlusional.

Damn conservatives.

*high fives Cassie*

Good question. Last night I was in a bed an hour, tossing and turning, and ended up shedding tears as I remembered my mare's last days. I felt kind of silly, like it was an indulgence to do that after all the time that has passed, and having lost my SIL after. Having too much time on our hands might escalate or prolong our grieving... or maybe it is just a process of fitting the grieving in. All I know for sure is I am not over the loss of my horse... and maybe it's a selfish thing, that I don't have her to need me anymore.

Yes, he does. This line got to me again... “Who’s to say? Maybe God don’t hate me after all.” It reminds us of all the losses Coy has had in his young life, and how big a blow it really was to lose Boone too. There is a lot in this chapter... and has left me reflective... Thanks, buddy.

That's really interesting. You would think there would be variations, but I guess it is only in the recent centuries health care has made great leaps. That's a sobering thought... survival of the fittest?

And I know what it feels like to be swept downriver but cold, rushing water. You never forget it. I found this reunion quite touching... Coy's concern and Boone's contentment at being back with his friend. The past two chapters are ones I am pleased with. Cheers, my friend.

Whew! That was fun to read again. I wanted to write the storm of the century, and I think I did. It was terrifying, wasn't it? Glad you felt all you did, my friend. And yeah, the sheriff intrigued from the time he entered my head. Some characters just don't ever leave you. Thanks, Albert. I loved this!

Thanks for this, Doc. Might even have been worse in the 1800s, but those numbers are eye-opening. As I said to @FanLit, I doubt it diminished emotional attachment--that love that hits you when they are born has undeniable power--but I think they might have been hardened to loss, and carried on while snatching only moments to grieve. There wasn't the luxury of locking yourself away for days and weeks... there was always work to be done, especially for farmers.

Hello, my friend. @FanLit Happy to see you are rereading this. Will was a manipulative bastard, and when he returned to the family farm, he changed the fact Maysie liked Boone. He was a man who thrived on hate, yet I'm sure he could be charming at times. Did Maysie see him for who he was? Maybe, but I doubt it. He would be careful not to show it to her, and after losing three of her sons, she was likely vulnerable to his games, overlooking the fact he only came around when he needed a place to hide. Interesting question about whether parents invested in their children because of the mortality rate. I don't think a parent can help but invest in their children, but, that said, they likely were hardened to loss, and didn't have the luxury of grieving. It was a hard, demanding life. Life wore Maysie Diamond down, but she was a going concern till the end. Coy was her youngest, so she might have been in her sixties when she passed. That was a good long life for so many, but yeah, a hard life probably contributed to her sickness. Her story was typical of that time period, and I named this woman after my own mother, a woman who also had a strong reliance on the bible and her faith until one day her church betrayed her. Long story, but she regained her faith in her later years. Thanks for your renewed interest and for making me think of these characters in depth again.

Thanks, buddy. Nice pic. This story is a journey for sure, and it's really just beginning.

Lol... yeah... it is kind of. This was a brutal chapter to write, and it rattled a lot of readers. I think this passage sums up where Boone is at... and the depth of despair he's been fighting... “Coy, don’t! Let’s not do this again. No sense tying each other down… I know you don’t understand that, but I haven’t been of a good mind for a long time. Sometimes I feel like I’m going to go up like a stick of dynamite, and other times I feel so hopeless I don’t even want to get out of my bedroll, and I have to think some before I can recollect what I did the day before… cause they’re all the same.” Thanks, buddy!