About Dry Bones
by Lucius Parhelion
51 pages / 15000 words
ISBN: 978-1-61040-223-1
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New Mexico Territory in 1896 wasn't the easiest place for a couple of
cowboys to make a living. Being fired from their last spread for refusing to
illegally evict a family of grangers was an unexpected blow. Just as well
that Joss quickly found work for himself and his partner Ox, carting around
giant lizard bones for a wealthy Eastern greenhorn afraid of bone rustlers.
Joss had no way of knowing that Ox and their new employer had already met.
Given Ox's stolid silence, Joss had also never suspected the secrets buried
deeper than any dried-up bones in Ox's past. And Joss had surely never
realized what hidden feelings underlay their partnership.
Now Joss will have to decide what Ox's friendship is truly worth, he’ll have
to make some hard choices, if he can survive those dried-up bones long
enough to find the time to choose.
Originally published in the Cowboy Up! Anthology.
Sample
That night Joss took the first watch, and he spent it sitting next to Ox.
After a while, he spent it considering Ox in the light of the banked-down
fire, which was foolish but not anything that Joss seemed to be able to
help. Ox was producing the odd snore that Joss had never told him about, so
he was really sleeping. He thrashed some. Joss wouldn’t be surprised if he
was having bad dreams.
Everything Joss had learned and figured, and Ox still seemed the same. How
large Ox was. How very big. And tougher than a granite cliff: nothing had
turned up from Ox’s past to shift that judgment.
When Joss went to shake Ox, his hand hovered before it settled. Then Joss
took a deep breath and told himself things hadn’t changed between them. But
that was a lie. It was a lie when Ox’s awakening expressions went from
sleepy pleasure to wariness, it was a lie as Joss turned in for his own
restless sleep, and it was a lie all through the entire cheerful ride back
to Bacaville the next day.
Joss wasn’t use to lying. Eavesdropping or not, long sentences or not,
wicked wants or not, he and Ox were going to have to talk.