Desert Orphans

“THIEVES!” A storekeeper cried.1

Life has gotten rough.2

“Keep running!” A young boy pressed on.3

There’s only one way to live if you’re poor.4

“I’m trying!” A young girl struggled back.5

And that way is…to thieve.6

“Dunkan, must we keep doing this horrible act? It’s so wrong!” The young girl entered a cabin.7

“I’m afraid so, sister. It’s the only way or we’ll starve to death!”8

“I’d rather die of starvation than someone capturing me then killing me!”9

“Stop talking all that rubbish. Now eat--“ he was cut off. “But, brother, it’s against the law to--“10

“Shut up and eat.” The boy shouted over her. The young girl got quiet and nodded a ‘yes’. “I’m sorry, Camilla. I guess its been getting to me lately that we have turned into thieves. I shouldn’t be taking it out on you. Now lets put that behind us! We got some good food this time!” 11

Before them on an old, dusty table was a half of a golden fresh loaf of bread, cold juicy tomatoes, and a cold milk bottle. It may sound like a lot, but it wasn’t. To them, though, it was enough. They sat down, said their prayers, and began to eat their dinner.12

Meet Duncan. He’s a smart, strong boy of 15 with blonde hair, blue eyes, and about 5’9”. His sister, Camilla is also a smart young lady. She’s only a year younger, but she knows more about medical and housekeeping than her brother. Camilla has long blonde hair, brown eyes, and is about 5 ft tall. 13

Like it’s said before, life has gotten rough. Not only do they have to steal to get food, but their house isn’t the greatest, either. They thankfully found an old cottage in a wooded area a few years ago. For living in the desert, it’s uncommon. Except that there is a small mountain range nearby that has a few forested spots.14

The cottage is old and close to seeing it’s day. Only one cot fits the two of them to sleep on and a set of an old table and chairs stand in the middle. Both windows have been broken and they don’t have a door. Camilla, using her crafting skills, found an old piece of cloth and tacked it up in place of a door when they first ‘moved in’. 15

“I believe we haven’t eaten that good of tomatoes in a long time, brother!” Camilla got up from her chair and walked over to an old cot in the corner.16

“Yes. Thankfully Mother taught you well how to pick the best.” Duncan commented her. His sister smiled.17

“So, brother. Are we still going to try your idea at dawn?” Camilla began to brush her hair.18

Duncan was busy trying to pick away sharp pieces of glass from a window, but heard her and answered, “What plan?”19

“You know, go see Father Warren and ask to look in his library. He’s bound to have records of his people.”20

“Right, that plan! Yes, we shall. At dawn when the church bell sounds.”21

Camilla said nothing but got up and ran to hug her brother. “We’ll find him, I’m sure of it!”22

“Yes. I’ll make sure we do.”23

~~~~~24

“I will NOT have you barge into my resturaunt and feel free to do this!”, Raged a man about his mid 30s. The man, felling threatened, grabbed a pistol from under the bar counter.25

“Ahahaha! You expect a mere pistol will frighten a Shadow Rider?! Who do you think I am?!” The Shadow rider, still chuckling, reached to his back and from its case came out a shooting rifle. The man shook from fear, but pressed on; trying to protect everything behind him. The money, the restaurant, and his family.26

“Children, run to the back and hide in the storing shed! Now!” A woman about her late 20s ordered. “But we wanna hewp!”, a tiny girl answered to her mother. 27

“No, children, leave now!”28

“AH!!”29

The woman turned to see her husband now on the floor, in pain. It was, in fact such a gruesome sight that the women fell to the floor, crying for her husband’s death.30

The two children peaked around the door, watching their father on the floor and their mother being dragged off with the Shadow Riders.31

“What about those two kids, Boss?” A Shadow Rider asked.32

“Forget ‘em. Like they can really do anything to us--“33

“Ya right! Take this!”, the young boy ran around the bar and started throwing pans, glasses, bottles, anything and everything that he could get in reach.34

Wiping away pieces of glass from his vest, “Why ya lil’ vermin!”35

“Don’t worry about them, Boss. They’re just kids.” The same Shadow Rider coaxed his boss.36

With that, the Shadow Riders left, and that was the last time they saw their mother mouthing the words, “Thank You”, and, “I love you two.”37

“HUH?!”38

“Camilla, are you ok? You were kicking and crying in your sleep.” Duncan held his sister up, clearing away her messy hair.39

“It…it was…again!!” She then burst into tears.40

Understanding that it was the same dream again, Duncan held her close. 41

*****42

Dawn came quickly. The church bell sounded at exactly 6:30 A.M. The sunrise was gorgeous, but that soon didn’t last long. The day called for roaring winds that kicked up the sand and dirt of the dry desert area. 43

Camilla and Duncan rose from their rest and straightened their clothes. For orphans with no money or family, they’ve done well on their own. They take care of their belongings that they’ve had, as well. 44

Camilla’s burgundy dress with petticoats and a white collared shirt layered underneath had a few tears, but were all sewn together by her patchwork. Duncan’s pants, shirt, and vest had dirt stains or tears, but again was taken care of by Camilla.45

The winds outside were beating up the ground. On their way to the church, people were walking around saying, “It a sign! Beware of the Shadow Riders!” It’s basically an age-old myth the town of Wricksville has kept for years. That roaring winds of sand signal the Shadow Rider’s arrival. Sometimes they show, but sometimes they don’t. 46

“My, aren’t those winds brutal!” Camilla whispered to her older brother as they stepped into the church.47

“Yes. When we leave make sure your scarf is secure around your face. We don’t want you having windburn.”48

“Welcome, children.”49

A tall man of white cloaks climbed down the staircase. “What can I do for you on this blessed morning?”50

Camilla curtsied in respect, “Hello, Father Warren. We are here to ask if we may search through your library.”51

“We want to look through any records of your people,” Duncan added as he, too, bowed in respect.52

“Yes, yes. This way.”53

Camilla and Duncan followed Father Warren down many dark halls lit by candlelight. Before they reached the door, he wondered the question aloud; “May I ask what you want to do?”54

“We’re looking for someone.” Duncan snapped back.55

Duncan wanted to wait no longer. It was only a month or so ago that they heard of Father Warren’s library. He wanted to get in there and begin reading material. Being orphaned, they get used to living on their own, so lets just say they don’t get out much.56

“Our apologies Father Warren, my brother is just so anxious to begin reading!” Camilla backed Duncan up.57

“It’s quite alright. Here ya’ are,” he handed them a set of two keys, “ One is to the sanctuary, while the other is to this library. Use them as much as you like.”58

Camilla’s eyes widened. “Yes sir! Being charge of such a responsible role granted by you is such a gift! Thank you!”59

Duncan, turning before dashing into the library, “Yes, thank you Father.”60

“Look at all those books…and records! All the records! We’re bound to find something today!” Camilla cheered.61

“Yes. I have a sharp notion that we will.” 62

Duncan walked over to the window where an old cabinet ‘s books fell off. Just for kicks, he began flipping through the pages of each book, looking for anything. Then he came across the very last book of the pile. About a foot tall, 10 inches wide and 5 inches thick! Duncan picked it up. “I thought it was going to be heavier than that!” He thought.63

He opened it up to see the pages cut into to make a treasure box almost; inside that was a small black book that was tattered, water stained, and bent pages. “A journal?”64

Carefully, Duncan opened to the first page titled “A Shadow Rider.” Quietly he looked back to check where Camilla was. She was busy organizing the books on a shelf. Noticing her brother looking, “It has to be organized before we look for something!” He smiled and turned back to the book to read, “A Shadow Rider. A band of cowboys owning one horse each. Rode on the back as cavalry and wore black. Scarves cover their face to conceal any identification of their own self.”65

“So its basically a guide of a Shadow Rider!” Duncan shouted.66

“What did you find, brother?” Camilla climbed down a ladder and ran over to Duncan.67

“Its some kind of journal someone kept. It explains just about EVERYTHING of a Shadow Rider.”68

“That’s amazing! Who knows how much help that could give us! Here, lemme see!” Camilla reached for the journal but Duncan leaned back, keeping it away from her. “You must be careful, Camilla!” He warned.69

“Yes, I shall.”70

A few minutes went by as they flipped through the journal reading a page now and again. That’s when they flipped to about the middle where a new entry was written.71

“Hey! This entry was written just three days ago!”72

“Read it, Camilla!”73

“Ok. It says: 74

August 14th75

Today was calm. 76

Today was blessed. 77

Today grew more pain inside my chest. 78

From dawn to dusk. 79

From 9 until midnight. 80

From this town I’m not in sight. 81

To one town to another. 82

To capture and to seize. 83

To see those two brats not so pleased. 84

Their mother was taken. 85

Their father was shot. 86

Their little hearts take meaning to it a lot.87

My body as a Shadow Rider.88

My mind as a conqueror.89

My heart is nothing but shattered as to what I have done."90

"Brother. Does the story seem as familiar to me as it does to you?"91

"Yeah. It does," Duncan kept reading over the entry over and over again. "Well. We'll keep this for our research. I'm sure Father Warren won't mind."92

Watching her brother pack the small book back into the bigger book, "Duncan! Its his book not ours!"93

Duncan did nothing but ignore her and placed the book on a table. 94

*****95

“Hey Duncan, come here!”96

“What did you find?” Duncan looked over his sister’s shoulder to see her open a file cabinet with names R through Z. Looking quickly at the names labeled on folders, he immediately searched for their family name, Williams.97

“Here it is!” He grabbed it and handed it to her to open.98

“Brother, look! It’s a picture of Mom and Dad. It looks as if it’s at their wedding!”99

“You’re carrying our mom’s beauty.”100

Camilla blushed, “Thank you, Duncan. Oh, and look! Our birth certificates!”101

“Wow! Father Warren really knows how to keep track of his citizens!”102

Camilla continued to search through when she came across a tearjerker, “B…Brother…It’s Dad’s death certificate.”103

“Yeah?” Duncan meticulously took the certificate. “What do ‘ya know. It is. July 17. Todd L. Williams. Father; Husband; Friend. Will be remembered.”104

“Look at what else is in here,” she handed it to Duncan. “A newspaper article on the fall of our restaurant.”105

“Yeah and the kidnapping of Mom.” Duncan snapped.106

“I’m sorry, brother, I didn’t mean to find it on purpose--“107

“No. It’s not your fault. It that Shadow Rider’s faults for having us have to deal with the pain for 5 years. This is why we’ve got to find them!”108

From out the window of the church library, Camilla watched at the wind began kicking up more sand. The wind blowing every building of Wricksville was soon followed by the sound of trotting horses.109

“What is all that ruckus?” Duncan and Camilla ran to the window and folded away the curtains.110

“Can it really? No, it…it couldn’t! People have said they don’t normally show up!” Camilla shivered in fear.111

“That may be so, but they also say they have been known in some areas to show up as well.”112

“Children, are you okay?” Father Warren threw open the door with a candle in hand. “The Shadow Riders have come.”113

“So we’ve noticed.” The siblings said in unison.114

“That blow of the wind knocked a few windows out around town. It must be a sign of warning from the Shadow Riders!” Father Warren began.115

“Father Warren? How did they actually get their name?” Camilla asked.116

“Well, my dear. When storms of sand sweep across a town, shadows often cover that town. The shadows are where the Shadow Riders only appear.” He lectured. Camilla and Duncan nodded their head in understanding. “Now, I suggest you come with me. I shall escort you home. The Shadow Riders are headed here.”117

“Home…yes…thank you.” Duncan said unsure of the idea. Having the Father of the town see how they live might be an embarrassing situation.118

“Thank you, Father!” Camilla followed. “C’mon Duncan! Lets go!”119

On down the dark halls Duncan kept observing the Shadow Riders who were trotting their way thorough town through the windows. He stopped at one and pulled Camilla’s hand to stop her. That’s when they both came to notice who was on the back of one of the horses, “Mom.”