Desert Lilies

Hooves stomped into the dirt, tossing up an orange cloud of dust. For just a moment, it blocked the cowboy’s view of the landscape. With a huff of air, the horse regained its breath after such a long push. With a pat and a stroking of the horse’s mane, the cowboy leaned down and whispered into his friend’s ear. He kept stroking the mane as he leaned back up and gazed across the horizon. The sun was coming up now and the deep meridian red spread in each direction. Wind blew the orange dirt in spirals across the treeless scene and passed the orange canyons and cliffs. Through the center of the cliffs cut a winding river of sapphire blue, the perfect contrast to the growing red light in the area.

A smile flicked across the cowboy’s face. Only from here could he see the full extent of his land, his brother Keagan’s and the old Mallady’s. Here, and only here, could he see the future. The pastures that he and Belle would build up, the herd that he and his child would shepherd down to the river. He could see it all before it even came to be. Soon he told himself. Soon the pastures will be green, and his family will have plenty and want nothing.

     The scream of a train engine broke the calmness in the wind. Over the cliffs and in the distance, the cowboy could see the thick black smoke polluting the red air, a harsh reminder of his reality. With a spit of his dip, the cowboy turned away from the smoke, spotting a lone desert lily. With a kick, the cowboy hopped down from his horse and dropped down to one knee. He crept closer towards the desert lily. With a careful pluck, he took a single flower and brought it to his eye. His smile returned as he admired the pearly white beauty with bent petals. With finesse, he took out his leather-bound journal and placed the flower between the pages before stuffing the book back in his bag. In another moment, he was upon the horse with a dust trail tailing them from behind.

*

     The road into the encampment was surprisingly empty. The cowboy slowed his horse to a stop as he adjusted his black hat. There were signs that the men were here, but where?

The explosive sound of dynamite broke the moment shooting the cowboy’s attention towards the tunnel. With a HYAH, and a kick from his boot, they went towards the tunnel.

The cowboy found the men crowded around something. Spotting Keagan, he came upon him.

“What’s happening?” the cowboy said to his brother. “Why aren’t they working?”

“Foreman got a new toy,” Keagan said. “Shipped in from the city.”

The cowboy moved forward through the crowd, past the whispering men and onlooking eyes. He began to hear the sputtering of a machine, and the heavy stomps of something unnatural. Finally, through the men, the cowboy could make out the auto mechanical: a machine upon two legs with arms and hands. A promethean horror of God’s own design. It stomped its way back into the tunnel with a grouping of dynamite within its grasp. Moments went by with the machine out of view, then the heavy stomps back towards them.

CLEAR! Shouted the foreman.

Then another explosion illuminated the area. Clouds of dirt, rock, and dust shot at them, and through it all, the auto kept walking. It came upon the crates of dynamite and grabbed more before walking back into the tunnel.

“It does the work of ten men,” Keagan said when the cowboy had returned. “And it does it all night without food or sleep.”

“That’s ten men with no job.” The cowboy flicked a match and lit a cigarette.

“How much you think one of them costs?”

“Are you mad? That thing out there—it’s a threat. A threat to our way of living.”

“You’re thinking of it all wrong, Clint.” Keagan said to his brother. “Times are changing. You either change with them, or you get left behind.”

*

     The sun set in its meridian red by the time Clint and Keagan got back to Clint’s dusty cozy home. Belle stood upon their long porch with one arm upon a wooden pillar. She wore black overalls over a dusty button-down shirt and black boots. She tossed her cigarette and shook her head at the sight of them.

     “’Bout time y’all got back!” she called out to them as she stepped down the porch steps to greet them. “The pot is damn near over boiled!”

     The men got off their horses and began unsaddling them.

     “What no words for me?” Belle stepped forward and inspected them. She spat and grabbed Clint by the face to look closely at him. “Yer drunk! That’s why ya boys are late? Ya couldn’t think to get drunk here ‘stead of having me worry from here till dawn?”

     Clint looked down.

     “Awh hell, what is it?” Belle pressed.

     “He’s just a sour puss, Belle.” Keagan said as he finished up and walked towards the door. “Got dark thoughts that one, but not me. See, I’m a dreamer, and I’m gonna dream us all a way outta this valley.” Keagan tapped his head as he went into the house. “You’ll see.”

     “Clint, talk to me. What in the hell is that boy going on about?”

     “A new machine, Belle.”

     “What like them trains? Another locomotive?”

     “Worse.”

*

     They all sat and ate in silence. The fire crackling behind them was the only sound, save a few scratches of their silver against porcelain bowls. Belle watched her husband as he spun the spoon around the bowl.

     “Do you like it?” Belle asked Clint. “I’d been saving some of them herbs for a few weeks now. Harold could only ship one spice at a time, you see? I thought since the season was lookin’ up, we could use a lil’ celebration.”

     “By God, it’s wonderful!” exclaimed Keagan. “It really warms my empty belly, that’s for sure!”

     Belle looked over at Keagan with annoyance.

     “I bet you like it, Keag. You like just ‘bout anything. ‘Sides, by God anything’s wonderful.”

     “Well, what in the hell’s that ‘spose to mean?”

     “Quiet! The both of you.” Clint broke in angrily. “I’m sick of your squabbling. Always arguing over one thing or the other and I’m sick and tired of it!”

     There was a moment of silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire.

     “I… I’m sorry.” Clint said. “I didn’t mean—”

     “It’s okay.” Belle cut him off. She looked at Keagan who shrugged, then back to Clint. “So… did George say yer both—”

     “No,” Clint said. “We still have a job. For now. But…”

     “But George is a right-good capitalist. All the men saw the effectiveness of that auto.” Keagan chimed in. “It’s only a matter a time till old Georgie buys himself a fleet.”

     Belle nodded and went back to her food, staring deep into the oil bubbles in the broth. Keagan looked at Clint, then at Belle.

     “Well, why the long faces?” He asked with perplexity.

     “How fucking stupid are you?” Clint shouted at his brother.

     “Hey, don’t you use that kinda language in here!” Belle shouted at Clint.

     “I ain’t stupid.” Keagan responded. “You just keep lookin’ at it like a damn cowboy. You gotta look at it like a capitalist!”

     Clint shook his head. “It ain’t natural.”

     “Listen to me God’s dammit!” Keagan shouted. “I’m sorry for cussin’ Belle but for one God’s damn minute he’s gonna listen to me! I know I got a bunch of ideas, and yeah, I’ll admit most ‘em are bad ones, but I got good ones too! And by God above this one will save our family!”

     “We don’t need no saving, Keagan.” Clint growled. “We’re right on our way. Just a couple more seasons of saving—”

     “I’m tired of waiting a couple more seasons, Clint! You’ve been sayin’ that damn line since we were youngins’ and I’m sick an’ tired of it!”

     Clint opened his mouth, but Belle grabbed his hand and shook her head.

     “Listen, okay?” Pressed Keagan. “What we need here is to get ahead of the curve. Right? We all know old Georgie’s gonna want another one of them autos. So, we get the auto and sell it to him.”

     “How the hell do you think we’re gonna afford one of those things? You said yourself they must fetch a heavy sum.”

     “I got a plan, Clint.” Keagan grinned. “And this time, its gonna work.”

*

     Keagan lowered the binoculars with a nasty grin, and the screaming sound of a train grew louder as it approached. He put his hand out towards Clint.

     “Hand me the notebook,” and he dictated as he wrote. “There’s a conductor and an assistant by the engine, a couple guards patrolling. There’s a few autos tied up in the middle. You see?” Keagan looked up and handed the notebook back to Clint. “Everyone is so focused on banks and money, but here—” Keagan poked down at his illustration and writing in the book. “It’s barely guarded. No one realizes the value that’s sitting here!”

     “Alright, that’s all well and good,” Clint said calming him down. “But how do we get the autos.”

     “Don’t worry, Clint. I got a plan.” Keagan checked his revolver.

     “I hope that’s only for self-defense and deterrence.”

     Keagan looked up to Clint. “How long we know each other?”

     Clint rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on Keag, not this again.”

     “No, how long it’s been?” Keagan stared at Clint. “We had the same mother for chrissakes! Between the two of us I think we know who’d actually use this.” Keagan turned his horse and started to trot off as he mumbled. “Self-defense and deterrence. Mother mercy.”

*

     The heavy hooves thundered behind the chugging train, the bite of the spurs kicking the horses harder. Shrouded by the darkness of night and drowned out by the roaring of the train, the men reached the caboose. Now they only needed a little farther…

     With a reckless leap, Keagan landed upon the back of the train.

     “Come on, Clint!” Keagan shouted back at his brother with his hand outstretched for aid.

     Wind blew at Clint’s face, and he gritted his teeth as he wondered how he let his brother convince him into this. He has no other, he told himself. He would do anything for you. The truth of the matter made it difficult for Clint to deny his brother. With a curse, Clint climbed upon his horse and leaped.

     Keagan quickly grabbed at Clint and pulled him onto the train platform. They fell together and Keagan couldn’t help but laugh.

     “What’s so funny?” Clint growled as he got up.

     “Nothing, nothing at all!” Keagan got up and grabbed his brother by the shoulder. “I’m just having the time of my life!”

     “I think you should be more serious in a situation like this. Those guards are likely to shoot on sight.”

     “Ah, you’re right, as usual.” Keagan crouched and went on.

     Together they made their way through cabins of boxes and provisions. They went through train car after train car until they came upon the one with the autos. Keagan watched as one of the guards walked towards the front of the train.

     “Ok… Go now!” he said before crouching again and rushing across the platform.

He stopped behind boxes and watched as the guard went into the next cabin door. With a grin, Keagan ran across and began to pull at the pin that linked the trains together.

     Clint watched him from close behind. He could see the guard in the next car.

     “Keagan, hurry.”

     “I’m trying. It’s awfully heavy!”

     “Shit,” Clint rushed over and helped Keagan pull at the pin but kept a careful eye upon the next train car.

     Together they pulled, inching it closer and closer.

     “The guard,” Clint said. “He’s coming!”

     “Hey!” Shouted the guard as he ran towards them.

     “Pull!” Keagan shouted.

     Then in one concerted effort, the brothers yanked the pin from the link, severing the back of the train from the front. Keagan smiled and looked up as the guard ran to the edge of the train. Keagan waved.

     “Bye!” he called.

     The guard pulled out his pistol.

     “Shit, get down!” Clint tackled Keagan down as the guard fired.

     Keagan laughed as Clint lay on top of him.

     “What is it now?!” Clint yelled.

     “We did it!” Keagan laughed. “We really did! I told you!”

     Clint grumbled as he got off his brother and leaned back, watching the front of the train rush off into the distance. He then looked back at the autos. He saw just how many of them there were. Far more than a few.

     “Great now what do we do with all them?” he looked around at the rest of the train, remembering all of the boxes of supplies and provisions. “With all of this!”

     “I have a plan. But first,” Keagan stood up. “Let’s inspect our stock!”

     Keagan walked towards the autos and started inspecting them. “Oh, brother, these are going to make us rich! Look at how many of them there are!” he turned to Clint in joy and helped him up. “Don’t you see?!”

     Clint looked at the autos and tried to see them through the eyes of his brother. At the possibility of them. He thought of his green pastures over the orange land and thought of these things stepping through the flowers. He saw their sputtering and noise as they lumbered through his cattle. There was no place for his family here, crowded in metal fields and polluted rivers.

     “Keagan, what are we going to do with these things? We can’t sell all of them."

     “Don’t worry. It’s all a part of the plan.” Keagan turned to Clint, not seeing the guard step from the other cabin. “We’re finally going to save the family and get out of that damned valley!”

     The guard raised his gun and fired. Blood splashed across Clint’s face as Keagan fell into him with a cry of pain. The weight of Keagan threw Clint off balance, and they fell to the ground. In an instant, Clint pulled the pistol from Keagan’s holster and shot the guard in the head. The guard collapsed. Clint looked down at the pistol in his hands and gripped it tighter, then turned to Keagan.

     “Keagan, where are you shot? Where are you shot?” Clint searched his brother’s body until he found the wound.

     “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Keagan repeated a few times. “Listen… listen to me Clint. For once just listen…”

     “It’s okay, it’ll be okay, you hear me?”

     “Times are changing, you hear? You have to change with them, Clint, or you’ll be… you’ll be…”

     “Keagan. Come on Keagan.” Clint said. “Come on. Don’t… don’t do this. Not now.”

     Clint held Keegan’s body tightly. He began to rock back and forth as he mumbled to his little brother.

*

     Keagan’s body was stiff cold before Clint had overcome his emotional distress. The reality of the moment came to him like an oncoming train. Placing down Keagan’s body, Clint got up and walked to the autos. A curse they were! A blight! What use Keagan saw with them was as dead as he was now. Clint looked back down at his brother with sorrow. His heart exhaustedly numb to the pain now. He could no longer stand it.

     GOD DAMMIT! Clint screamed out as he swung his fist into the auto with all his might. AAGHH!

     Clint pulled his hand back in pain and gritted his teeth.

     “You damned abominations.” He snarled at the autos. With the shaking of his head, he turned away to take a breath.

     Eventually someone will come back for the autos and by then he had to be gone. Clint looked down at his dead brother. He couldn’t let him die in vain. Keagan saw a future with these demons from hell, and now he was in too deep. Clint looked back at the autos. There had to be a way to move them. To control them. Maybe they would be his salvation after all.

*

     The footsteps of the autos thundered like a thousand storms across the desert. An unnatural earthquake that crushed all in its ruinous pathway towards heaven. Clint led them on his horse, a dark figure under the pale moon.

     Belle stood upon the porch and watched Clint ride in with the storm in tail.

     “What in the hells did you boys do, Clint?” Belle started as she angrily stepped down the stairs. “I thought the damned world was endin’ with all that thunderin’ and as it turns out it’s you!”

     “Belle…” Clint said, exhaustedly throwing himself from the horse and into her arms. “Keagan…”

     Belle stared at Clint’s face. She saw every darkened line, the beaten down red eyes, his flushed nostrils. Then she saw the absence.

     “What did you do?” She hissed through her clenched jaw.

*

     With fervent fury, Belle threw clothes into trunks and gathered personal items best she could. Clint rushed over to her and grabbed her arm.

     “He died for this, Belle!” he shouted. “We can’t just abandon this!”

     “You led them things here! You don’t think someone will be after them? What were ya thinkin’?!”

     “They… they can’t track all of them! We can escape with a few and—”

     “And what, Clint? What will we tell folks? That we got some autos but no home? How will we live?”

     “Same as we did here! We’ll start over again. If we could do it once we can do it again!”

     “We are. We have to now, thanks to yer meddlin’! Just not with them things with us. We leave ‘em here and move on with our lives.”

     “But Keagan—”

     “Is dead, Clint. We don’t owe him nothing no more.”

     Clint stepped back.

     “He was my brother.”

     “Yes, was—”

     “And you never liked him.”

     “That has NOTHING to do with this, Clint! We need to get outta here right quick before those angry rich boys track those damned things back to us!”

     Clint took a breath. “I… don’t know.”

     “You don’t know? Yesterday you were against ‘em! You hated ‘em! How could that change so suddenly?”

     “No… no it didn’t. They… I don’t know.” Clint gripped his head and started shaking it. “Keagan said—said we gotta change—”

     “Clint, honey,” Belle stepped towards Clint and pulled his gaze to meet hers. “Listen to your Belle, okay? I love ya. And we need to get outta this place now. You can’t be having this breakdown right this very second, okay? We’ll deal with it when we got the time, but right now we need to leave.”

     Clint looked back into his wife’s eyes. He saw into the deep green and golden specks, and he saw the future. Their future. The pastures were green and full of life. Water flowed through the canyon, and the fields were blossoming full of desert lilies and free-range cattle tended to by a lone auto. He saw Belle, smiling as she painted by the river and he fished beside her. The sound of laughter and children playing behind them. Clint let a smile settle across his face.

     “You’re right.” Clint kissed her. “Let’s leave this damned valley.”