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CROSSROADS

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UTAH TERRITORY
1860

THE BOUNCE IN the steps that Prudence the horse took was going straight to Dorothy. She needed to get off this poor creature and she needed to do it before she fell over from exhaustion. Through the glimmer of the heat rising off the earth and sand, Dorothy could see a ghost-like town. A few people here and there were minding their business, dong their town chores. Dorothy never missed that life.

She found a bar, sighing in relief at the sight of the water trough out front. Prudence has a bit more of a pep in her step at the sight of the water. Dorothy quickly got off the horse as it was mid stride, gripping the reigns and leading her to the trough, tying her to the post outside. She kissed Prudence's cheek and grabbed her satchel, opening it to make sure she still her her photo of Jonathon, her money, and her canteen. All three were still there.

Dorothy sighed in relief and walked up the short steps to to the bar and walked inside. She wasn't sure if this would be a town that would know her face, or a town where she could get what she needed done and move on. She was still upset from yesterday morning. She was hot on Jonathon's trail but stopped for the night for the sake of Prudence and it blew up in her face when a rain shower washed away his tracks and left her with nothing in the desert.

As Dorothy made her way to the bar, she noticed a few people stare and soon, a hush fell over the room as she took a seat, the bartender walking over to her with an eyebrow raised at her appearance. She took off her hat, revealing her face and she set a few gold pieces down along with her canteen.

"A glass of water and this filled, I'll pay extra if need be," she spoke softly and the man looked down at her pieces and nodded, taking the money and the canteen and walked off. She fanned her face with her hat as she waited and pulled the photo out.

The bartender came back and she showed him the photo.

"Have you seen this boy come through here in the past few days?" She asked firmly this time, the bartender raising his eyebrows and shaking his head.

"If he came through here, you would ask Old Florence, you cant miss her, always at her rocking chair and knitting some crazy design," The bartender spoke as he set the canteen down with a glass of water. Dorothy quickly chugged the room temperature liquid and pulled out more money.

"Just a couple more glasses and I'll be on my way," she spoke as she wiped at her lip. The man nodded, taking the money and walking off. It wasn't long before Dorothy emptied those cups as well and she was on her way.

When she was out, she put her canteen and what was left of her money in her satchel attaches to her saddle on Prudence. One look at the horse and she knew that she might have to spend another night out here so the horse could regain some strength. Dorothy led Prudence away from the water trough and made her way down the street, her photo of Jonathon in her grip as she looked for an old woman on a rocking chair.

It didn't take long to find her and Dorothy was once again, tying up her horse. She made eye contact with Old Florence and the woman's smile brought her some weird sense of relief. Dorothy took one step up, taking her hat off as she approached the woman.

She wore all black, as if she had just buried her husband or son. Her dress was to her wrists and ankles and she had a thin black veil shielding her face. The woman had no shoes, revealing her bony old feet. Dorothy admired that the woman had lived long enough to be able to look this old.

"Excuse me Ma'am, I'm looking for someone, and I heard you're the one to go to when it comes to travelers," Dorothy spoke, holding out her photo of Jonathon.

Old Florence gently took the photo and nodded, her eyes looking up past Dorothy and to the building across the street.

"Your boy went in there, it's a saloon but they also have rooming, you might consider staying," She spoke, Dorothy nodded. Her head was feeling fuzzy, she looked to Prudence who was sniffing the earth, looking for a bit of grass like they had out farther east.

"I might as well, poor Prudence is exhausted," she spoke and looked to Old Florence, "thank you so much, Miss Florence."

"It's my pleasure," the woman spoke kindly and Dorothy gave her a curt nod before putting her hat on Prudence's saddle and guiding her to the Lotus Saloon/ Hotel.

A little boy had approached her the second she approached the porch of the building, a smile on his face as he did.

"Let me stable her for you while you're with us," He spoke and Dorothy looking back across the street to Old Florence but she wasn't there anymore. A basket of colorful yarn and the rocking chair moving back and forth was the only indication that Florence was there at all.

Dorothys fuzzy head intensified and she felt herself handing Prudence's reigns to the boy. She kissed the bridge of the horses nose and rubbed the creatures cheek before turning and going inside. She found herself sitting at another bar and ordering a drink. Her senses numbed and as she looked over, Jonathon sat a few chairs away, staring intently at his glass.

And although everything in her screamed to shoot him where he sat, Dorothy ate the flower in front of her.

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this was SO HARD to write, but here it is!!!

don't worry, dorothys personality will jump out a bit more as she grows!

— greta!