Chapter Text
Cowboy byler short? Idk where this plot is going im free balling rn
When it comes to understanding William Byers, I'm at sea.
Just last night, almost sunrise, we was on look-out duty while the other cowboys slept. He turned to me, halfway sleepin'. "You reckon one day we can ditch this?" He whispered, his eyes sparkling like gold in a coal mine.
"Ditch what?"
The wind was blowin' just enough to hear it whistle; the dust was blowing about.
"This," he started, gesturing to the wagon in front of us, "This life."
"And what do you suppose we do instead?" I asked him, raising one eyebrow playfully.
"I reckon," he paused, looking out into the distance. The stars were a-twinklin' against the dark midnight sky. "I reckon we ought to leave this place. Start up a ranch of our own. Just you and me."
"You know I'd like that." I turned to face him, he was looking at me with those big doe eyes. "But you know we cant."
"And why cant we?"
The question lingered in the air for a moment. Such a simple but loaded question.
"You know why." I mutter, glancing at the cattle we was sposed to be guardin'. Most of em was sleeping so we didnt feel the need to guard em with our horses. One heffer, the farthest away, was lookin' over here.
"Dont you get sick of it?" He asked, his face inches away from mine. I felt his breath on my lip. "Having to hide? To keep it a secret?"
"Why don't we try? We ought to go up north to the mountains. Dont you wonder what its like? Up there in the cold?"
I didnt reply. I watched the spark in his eyes fade away. He turned away from me, looked out into the distance and let out a sigh.
Slowly, his head fell to my shoulder. His hair tickled my neck.
The sound of crickets and soft moo-in' from the cattle was real soothin. I closed my eyes, just to rest them a bit, but before I knew it I was sleep.
The next morning the boss was madder than a march hare. Slacking off on gaurdin' duty wont no joke. He gave us drag duty as punishment.
Me and Will were in the back of the herd. Dust was flyin' into every hole in our bodies. We was hacking up a storm.
"Dagnabit!" Will coughed, his hand over his face to shield him.
"Keep your yapper shut and maybe dust won't fly in there." Hollered Jim who was riding toward the front.
"Maybe you should shut yours!" Will hollered back, still coughing.
Jim aint nobody but trouble. He been pickin' on Will since we was boys. Will never let it get to him though, always brushed it off.
Recently, Jim's been picking fights with the other cowboys. One more fight and he's surely to be fired before we make it to Kansas.
"Byers, dont make me tell your mama what I found out last week."
The look on Wills face almost made me fall off my pony. He looked scared- no. Horrified. What in tarnation did Jim find out? And why hadn't I known that he knows?
_____
I was bread wallet empty, itching for something to eat. Just as I was bout to resort to eating my fingernails, we stopped on the trail for supper, just about 15 miles from Medford.
Now, I cant even begin to describe what was being served. Old Cooky called it chili. But this ain't the chili that your mama serves you at home. To be above board, it was the most vile meal I ever had to eat. But I aint have no choice but to eat or id be dead by sunset.
I slurped up the last of mystery slop and turned to Will. He hadn't said much since Jim picked on him that morning.
"Buddy," i started, "whats got you all down in the mouth?"
He opened his mouth to speak and then stopped for a second to think.
"Not a thing," he said, biting his dirty thumb.
"You got them sad puppy dog eyes. Tell me whats the matter." I pleaded placin' a hand on his shoulder.
"I said aint nothing the matter!" He whispered shouted at me, face scrunchin up like he was bout to cry.
I left him lone til night when we usually sneak off to meet up. The night breeze making my arm hairs jump up.
I shook him to wake him up, "Come on'!" I whispered.
He rolled over and looked at me, a frown on his face so pitiful it made my heart blue.
He shook his head, motioning for me to go back to sleep. I aint never been so confused in my life. Just earlier he was tryna run away with me and now he's mad at me? I aint even know I did nothin'.
I reach over to grab his face, "Whats the matter, darlin'?"
"Not tonight, Mike." He snapped, pushin' my hand off.
I frowned, andslowly turned away. Me amd Will aint never hid nothing from eachother before. It was makin' me kinda sick to my stomach. What was so horrible he couldn't tell me? Why couldnt we sneak away?
I started to think I upset him last night. But aint my fault. Its just the way things are. Cowboys dont mess around with other Cowboys. He knows it. He always had a habit of being overly imaginative, but he aint never been this stupid. Stupid to think we could ever be happy together.
The only way me and Byers could be happy is if were 6 feet in the ground.