Nathaniel decided to rest for a moment. He tenderly slapped the spine of the last cow before walking to the water pump. He refreshed himself and stared at the mountains in the distance. They still looked craggy and blue in the haze, but they no longer frightened him.
“Nathaniel!”
“Coming Gramps!”
When Nathaniel had first arrived at Gramps’, he was but a kid. A freed slave, with all the fear and shame that title carried back then. The mountains had scared him. He had never seen peaks that high, and they made him nervous somehow. It was silly, but a kid cannot control his worries, can he?
Of course, now he knew he was one of the few who had had all kinds of luck to reach freedom. Luck, and the blood of companions, and family. His grandfather, Samuel, had not been idly waiting for him to arrive, he had found out much later.
But that was behind him now. The man that Nathaniel had grown into could smell his lunch and feel his stomach growl. With a smile, he entered the house using the kitchen door.
***
The Dream came that night.
How did he know it was the Dream? He just knew. Gramps had told him it would come, many times. Nathaniel had got used to smiling and nodding.
“When it comes, I’ll tell you, Gramps.”
Nathaniel walked in the forest, far from the prairie Gramps’ house was in. A raccoon and a fox and a stag appeared and they all talked to him, in his head.
This had to be the Dream, for sure.
There were no words, yet the meaning was clear.
“The moment has come. The world needs you.”
“Will there be perils ahead?”
“You know there will.”
Images whirled around him. A black rider on a black horse, braving rain, hail and snow, and the scorching sun. Wading dangerous rivers. Crossing mountain passes. Defying the looks from others as the silver star shone in his lapel.
Battling abominations. A revolver that shone green and banished monsters. The gift of the Vision bestowed upon him. Communion with native wise men.
And there was more. Carnage, blood, damnation, loss. A small girl that came from it all. A changeling. And then another. His children. His children.
And a name.
***
Nathaniel woke bathed in sweat, the sun beams already filtering through the curtains in his window.
“Gramps. You knew. You always knew.”
He dressed up, empty gun belt and all, thinking that he’d have to acquire black clothes. Luckily Cloud, regardless of his name, was already a black horse. Nathaniel kneeled and felt for the case under his bed. He cleaned the revolver he kept in there one more time, and then put it in its place.
All those hours Gramps had had him practicing would come in handy now.
Nathaniel grabbed his hat and put it on.
***
“Gramps?”
“Ah! So it’s happened!”
“Yes. The Dream has come.”
“Indeed.”
“The Joneses won’t understand why I leave, but they will not reject our cows, don’t you think?”
“Good choice.”
“The time has come and I’m afraid, Gramps.”
“I know. I was, too.”
“Any advice?”
“I’ve taught you all I knew, including my advice. But here’s this: never stop learning. There’s more out there in the world than you can think of.”
“It’s good advice.”
“I think so. You should be going.”
“I know. But…”
“The time has come.”
“I know.”
“Hm. You know, Samuel is not my real Name.”
“Yes.”
“My Name remained back home, one ocean over. Where I protected my people from the dangers of the world. It’s time you do that, here in this new world of us. Have you Seen your Name?”“I have.”
“And what is your Name?”
“My Name is Crow.”
“Begone now, Crow. Farewell.”
And Crow rested a hand on his grandfather’s tombstone, the one behind his old house, and sighed as he felt the soul of the old warrior finally leave him.
“Farewell.”
Well, here’s my first short story of the year. When I saw the image I had this idea of recycling an old character of mine, Crow. This is how his journey begins. I never expected to enjoy writing Weird West stories, but it turns out I do.
In time, I plan to have all my stories moved (or copied) here, so you can also enjoy them directly. But for now I’ll add links to them as soon as I can.