The Seperation

By EmberRose 23

Year One

It had been almost a year since the fight over what now seemed like a petty reason.  As much as Jed Curry hated to admit it, Heyes had been right.  He needed Heyes because as the arrogant Hannibal always put it, "You will mess up your life so bad without me to keep you out of trouble."

He left anyway, storming away as he heard Heyes shout "I'll be in the Silver City Saloon on Christmas Eve at the poker table.  When you have come to your senses look me up."

So here he was in Silver City on December 24th ready to admit he had been wrong.  He missed Heyes’ brotherly care and hoped that Heyes had missed him too. On the plus side he had bought his Colt 45 and the most comfortable fitting holster he had ever owned.  When he wasn't working a job he was practicing his fast draw and his aim.  Both had become lightning fast and accurate.  On the negative side he was starting to gain the attention of all the unsavory characters that thought they could outdraw him.  He had not killed anyone yet, but came close a few times and that made the constant challenges grate on his nerves.  He was ready to not have to make those decisions on his own.

He looked around the saloon but wasn't greeted by his life-long friend.  He hung around for a few more days until the sheriff started asking too many questions.  Disappointed, he knew it was time to move on.

Two days later Heyes felt that same disappointment.  Try as he might he was four days late.  Folks remembered Curry but didn't see which direction he went as he rode out of town.  Heyes never felt anymore lonely than he had in that moment.  Not even poker sounded fun. 

“Well, maybe next year” sighed Heyes as he headed up to his hotel room for a bath and good night’s sleep before going—well, where ever it was he was going to go.

YEAR TWO

Hannibal Heyes had made the big time.  As big a time as having a two hundred and fifty dollar bounty on his head could be.  He had hooked up with the Plummer Gang and pulled some jobs so he was flush with funds and this year he was not going to be late.  He hoped Curry would still be willing to meet.  He knew that Jed had been in some scuffles and even went to a few of the places looking for him, only to find that he was gone.  Those in the know were wary enough not to share information for fear 'the Kid' might return, gunning for them. 

This year Heyes arrived in Silver City two days early, but once again meeting Jed was not to be.

On Christmas Eve the saloon was packed and the poker table was starting to be good to him.  The sheriff however was not.  The Plummer Gang had robbed the bank in nearby Hartford a few days earlier, and even though Heyes had not been with them on the job, he was still too associated with the gang for comfort.  When the Hartford sheriff appeared at the swinging doors of the saloon with the Silver City sheriff right behind him, Heyes knew he needed to get going as fast as he could. 

Calmly picking up his winnings, he said, "If you gentlemen will excuse me, I have an appointment at the Bank. I will be back and we can continue our little game."  He picked up his hat, placed it low on over his eyes and started for the door.  Using the crowded saloon floor he weaved his way out and past the lawmen before they even noticed him.

Heyes made his way to the hotel and packed up.  As much as he did not want to leave, there was no way he wanted to be arrested for a job he had nothing to do with.  Resigned to the fact he wasn't going to be able to stay, he made his way to the livery, saddled his horse, and quietly slipped out of town.  As soon as Heyes knew he was far enough away, he spurred his horse into a run, wanting to put as many miles between him and that Hartford sheriff.

Not far away, an exhausted Kid Curry was hunkered down in a stand of trees.  It was getting cold and he needed to eat.  With the last of his supplies, he fixed up some beans, along with his last bit of coffee.  He really hoped Heyes would show up this year.  Even though he was doing alright, he still missed his cousin and really wanted this year to be the one when they reconnected.

This year Jed had spent 8 months in Amarillo working in the stockyards before anyone figured out who he was.  By then he had to “shoot” his way out of town.  No one was hurt, but his pride was a bit bruised because up until that point he had good food, a place to sleep and money in his pocket. There was even a pretty girl, from a good family he had started to court.  Being Kid Curry wasn’t exactly the foundation for a good life, so when it ended, he wasn’t sure if he was more heartbroken than she was.

He had seen a couple of news articles that mentioned Hannibal Heyes and the Plummer Gang, and was hoping he could finally catch up with Heyes to talk him out of the outlaw life.  Not that cattle wrangling was any better and certainly not as lucrative as outlawing, it was still better than being chased by a posse or ending up in prison.

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he leaned back against a tree trunk and blew on his coffee cup.  He was tired but needed the taste and warmth the coffee supplied.  Just as he had taken his first swallow, Jed heard the sound of hoofbeats in the distance.  A single rider coming towards him at a pretty good clip. 

He knew he was well off the path and whoever it was would most likely pass him right by without even noticing he was there.  As he sat there, something made him curious about who it could be.  He tried to ignore it but the feeling that he needed to see who it was intensified.  He quietly pulled his gun and moved closer to the path.

Heyes suddenly felt the need to slow down.  He allowed his mare to slow to a walk as he listened to the sounds around him.  Was that a campfire he could smell?  He knew it couldn't be the sheriff as Heyes had left him still in the saloon.  It was almost nightfall and the thought of a campfire with a good cup of coffee sounded like something he really needed.  He was willing to risk whoever it might be in order to get it.  He slowly moved forward, then heard the dreaded noise.  The sound of a gun being cocked.  He stopped, turning uneasily toward the sound.

  Maybe Jed should have just let the stranger pass but his mind kept pushing him to confront them. Why, he still was not sure.  It just felt like the thing he needed to do.  It wasn’t the feeling of danger approaching, more like an anticipation of something.  

Curry gathered his best gunslinger voice, "Don't. Move." 

Heyes froze.  There was something familiar about that voice.  Heyes felt a sensation he hadn’t felt in a while, and Curry jumped to his mind. 

“Don't mean ya no harm, just looking for a nice warm campfire and a good cup of coffee."

Jed Curry knew that voice.  He stepped out of the brush, gun still in hand. 

Hannibal Heyes and Jed Curry looked at each other, wondering who would be first to make a move.  After almost 2 years they were face to face.  Jed had expected to see Heyes with his hat on the table, cards in his hand, smiling from ear to ear. He imagined Heyes jumping up and they would greet each other like they used to. 

As for Heyes, he imagined Jed still being angry at him and wanting to prove that he was in fact right, that he could survive without him. 

This was surreal because neither of them expected to see each other on a trail, in the middle of a cluster of trees, with Curry holding a gun on Heyes.

Whatever happened after this, at least they were together again.  After a minute Jed holstered his gun, smiled, and motioned to Heyes.  "Come on. Coffee is ready".