I choose dare!

“Dare.”

“I dare you to pull Flora's hair.”

Flora perks up and snickers and then offers nothing else. She turns back to look at you and smiles. She squeezes your hand and then leans into your massage.

“I’m not going to do that. Both of my hands are already busy.”

“You got back to doing that once you tug on her hair,” Alexandra says.

“Alright. Sorry, Flora.”

Before Flora can do anything, you take the hand that massages her and give her a quick and playful tug, jerking her head backward for a moment. There are only 3 seconds between your massage. She gasped and then relaxed, rubbing the back of her head. The innocent, maybe even playful interaction earned yet another turn… or it would have.

Kenji and Amari return with a sudden entry. Kanji’s entrance kicks up dust and debris, as Amari causes no more stirring in the shelter. She clears her throat and then regards you and the others. “We’re going back to Tiny’s Tavern.”

Everyone besides you and Flora gives half-assed applause. Amari hints at smiling but straightens her lips as soon as she makes eye contact with you. “We’ll discuss this matter later; until then, we need to reorganize our situation and prepare to leave as soon as possible. No later than this weekend.”

“Giving us all this time to get ready is too kind of you!” Alexandra says, standing up. “I’ll begin making sure everything is accounted for.”

“What gives?” Scarlet asks.

“I said we’ll discuss it more later,” Amari shuts down the conversation. “In the meantime, how about you all go up for some air? It’s stuffy and gross down here.”

You do as you are told. You filter out of the underground shelter and stretch outside. The air is cool, but the sun is warm. It’s a little more welcoming than it was the day you left for Billings with Amari and Flora, so it’s easy to lay back and soak in the heat.

Everyone stays in their bubble, listening to the birds' chirp and the distant traffic of Billings below. Eventually, however, your solitary enjoyment breaks when Scarlet strolls over and kicks your feet to get your attention. Shining just slightly behind her is the sun, so you can’t see any of the details of her face. But, other than the dark clothes covering her body, you see she’s shouldering a messenger bag.

“Want to go for a walk?” She asks. “I could stretch my legs.”

“How far?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

You look around and yawn. A walk didn’t sound too bad, so you decided to join Scarlet out for her walk. You both grab a gun from the shack and then hike down a beaten path.

The tracks from your horses are vaguely here, but truth to be told, you aren’t able to find any evidence that there’s been any kind of moment since you ran away from the people in the Heights.

Scarlet is silent, and there’s no urge to break the silence from you, but it is a little unnerving nonetheless. There are no birds or noises of life outside your small human bubble consisting of just you and your original partner in the shade of the trees and dried brush. You then feel a little guilty for not talking. You were hired because Scarlet needed someone to work with, and so far, you’ve ignored her and hardly spent any time with her since getting here.

“How are you holding up?” You ask.

Scarlet peeks over her shoulder, smiling somewhat. “Could always be better. How about you?”

“No complaints, I guess. Not exactly looking forward to the trip back to Tiny’s Tavern, though.”

“There are worse places to be, but I have a feeling you have some personal concerns about our move back.”

Your brain jobs. “What makes you say that?”

“Call it female intuition.”

“I guess you could call it some concern.”

Scarlet turns down a less beaten path than the one you’re on and then climbs a dirt wall. She helps you over, and you both continue.

“So, who’s the girl?” Scarlet says.

“What girl?”

“There has to be a girl involved if going back is concerning you. I know you’re interested in Flora, but you still have feelings for whoever is at the tavern.”

“You call it female intuition. I call it being stalked.”

Scarlet snorts but doesn’t make any other comment. Instead, she waits for you to continue. “I don’t know. I mean, what’s there to worry about even? Amari shouldn’t care, right?”

Scarlet shrugs. “You had no idea why I found out about you, so you?”

“Unbiased contractors are popular this far north. I’m sure there are plenty of people that have heard about me.”

“I’m definitely not saying that you didn’t have your pros, but I’ve known about you for a little while now.”

You break through the treeline and stand near a cliff’s edge. Below were husks of houses from a generation you never got to see. Scarlet sets herself down and lets out a loud sigh. She took the bag with her and offered you a place beside her.

Without a reason to decline her offer, you sit down and let your legs dangle over the edge with hers. The view isn’t much, but it is relaxing with the windless environment and warm sun. Scarlet stuffs her hand into the bag she brought and pulls out a bottle of Old Forester bourbon.

“You don’t mind if we drink out of the same bottle, do you?” You meet Scarlet’s eyes and blush. She looks naturally beautiful right now under the sun’s spotlight.

“It’s my favorite alcoholic beverage,” you take the bottle and twist the cap. “I couldn’t care less.”

You bring the opening to your lips and drink it from the bottle, a little sip to tingle and burn your buds. “Don’t get yourself drunk.” Scarlet hands over a loaf of bread. You can see that there is grain all over the top through the clear wrap, indicating it’s whole wheat.

“What’s the occasion?”

Scarlet smiles and leans back, idly drinking. “Fuck the others. You and I are true contractors. Kenji's loyalties lay within the Rising Sun. Alexandra is a follower. And Flora is an outsider.”

When’s she hands back the bottle; you cautiously drink from it since that goes against what Flora had warned you about.

You two trade the bottle back and forth until it’s about a quarter full, meaning you have a hard and constant buzz. Then, finally, you feel uncomfortable this close to the edge of the cliff and lay on your back, staring at the clouds, and they mosey on by.

“Have you slept with Flora yet?”

“What?”

“It’s an honest question.”

“Of course, I haven’t,” you lie. “Amari would castrate me if I did.”

“Well, of course, but you all seem pretty chipper with each other. You held her hand, massaged her back, and hesitated to hurt her. Boys aren’t that nice to girls that they haven’t fucked.” Scarlet says.

“You haven’t met very many boys if that’s your opinion of us.”

Scarlet groans. “How’s this then. Boys aren’t that nice to girls that they DON’T want to fuck.”

“Come on,” you manage. “I’m not like that-“

Scarlet rolls on top of you and kisses you square on the mouth. The taste of bread and whiskey floods in your mouth, making that buzzing in the back of your head rattle your brain.

“Then you haven’t done anything since you let Alexandra piss all over?” The spittle that stretches from her bottom lip to yours gives Scarlet a naughty flushed appearance. “We’re alone out here, Warren, you don’t need to be bashful.”

Scarlet settles into her straddle, and you grab her legs. Neither one of you are drunk, but your ambitions are cloudy and leaning far into one direction.