Chain story

Discussion in 'BOARDANIA' started by mazekin, Jan 25, 2011.

  1. mazekin Member

    This is a story born of cravings...and a late night when I realised I was bored with the internet and had nothing to do or smoke...
    I'll add to it at a later date when the night is dark and the moon is full and I'm beginning to lose my mind again...
    ------------------------------------------

    The wind whistled across the plains of Boardania, stirring up the tumbleweeds that littered the bare swathe of land nestled between the surrounding mountains. It was quiet. Too quiet.
    The hustle and bustle of earlier times had slowly ebbed away, until now, when it seemed deserted. There wasn’t even a Happy New Year message on the Message Board at the saloon to lighten anyone’s spirits or draw them in. Mazekin knew she was one of the ones to blame, and she chastised herself as she rode her trusty steed into the semi-deserted town. She could quite easily have popped in over Christmas and stuck something up. Her new sidekick Iwannacigarette, who replaced her former sidekick Halfpack rode by her side, eyeing the deserted saloon worriedly.
    “Kemosabe, is it always this…quiet?” He asked quietly as she dismounted, and she paused once both feet were on the ground.
    “It gets like this, sometimes. When things are good…or bad. I dunno. Sometimes people come here ‘cos they’re lost. Sometimes they come here ‘cos they’ve found what they’re lookin’ for. And stop calling me Horses Ass. I copped on to that one years ago with Chainsmoker. Justonepuff didn’t last long ‘cos he was a bad habit. You’d better not be another one of those guys.”
    Iwannacigarette dismounted and tied his horse beside hers, dogging her steps as she walked through the swing doors of the saloon. The silent barkeep watched them enter, and when he caught sight of Iwannacigarette, he wordlessly pointed to the sign ‘Smoking Forbidden’. Iwannacigarette rolled his eyes and walked back out to sit on the front steps.
    “How long since somebody else rode through here?” Mazekin asked as he poured her a long, frosty glass of cola.
    “We had three, maybe four since just after Christmas.” Barkeep murmured, going back to polishing a glass. He nodded to the list on the wall, and she sipped, eyeing it carefully. An update and something about stamps.
    “No news?”
    “Not since the start of December. And you can’t bring that out there.” He gestured to the nuts she had in her hand, and prized the bowl out of her hand. “Stop feeding the habit, Maz. You know what they’re like, those Cigarette’s. You start out with just one, and before you know it, your house is full of butts. They eat all your money, and they smell bad. At least you got rid of Halfapack. He was a no good filter tip and you know it.”
    Maz glared at him but grabbed two of the nuts and popped them into her mouth, chewing hard. “But…I wanna…” she trailed off under his dour glare and scuffed her boot in the sawdust on the floor. “Fine. I miss Justonepuff though. And Halfapack was better than his half-brother, Fullpack.”
    “Say, where you been anyways?” He pointed to her usual stool at the bar, and she hopped up with a wince.
    “Oh, the usual. Captain Klutz came to visit and tripped me up outside a restaurant at the beginning of November. I broke a bone in my ankle, and badly strained my arm. The hospital didn’t spot the broken bone until a few weeks later when they were re-checking the X-Rays, so it still hurts and they can’t do anything about it. I ended up travelling to Amsterdam for work walking on a broken bone…typical, eh? Gimmie another one of these.” She tilted the glass at him and he filled it up for her again, watching her take a heavy slug. “Finally got to go on my holiday, though; went to the States for two weeks. Had a blast…even with my foot an’ all. Nice and relaxing.”

Share This Page