Dreamwalker

[Sebek]

Carefully, his gaze swept across the landscape, amber eyes taking in the barren scenery around him. The dry earth beneath his shoes, the sparse bushes scattered about, and the mesas rising in the distance.

"This definitely isn't the suburbs," Reuben muttered to himself, a slight tremor coloring his voice, and he swallowed hard, running a hand through his dark brown hair, in an attempt to calm the budding panic that threatened to burst from his chest. "Alright, let's remain calm. There must be a logical, reasonable explanation for how I ended up here… in the middle of nowhere…" One that fell apart as his words faded in the face of the reality of his situation.

Which was his sudden case of unnatural displacement.

That was the best way he had to describe it.

One moment, Reuben had been on his way to buy some groceries. He'd been craving some snacks, maybe some of those little instant pizzas he'd seen for sale; but when he was halfway there, after turning a corner, in the blink of an eye he'd gone from walking on a sidewalk to ending up in the middle of nowhere.

For a fleeting moment, he'd thought he was somehow hallucinating, but the dry air, accompanied by the piercing heat, in stark contrast to the pleasant autumn coolness he'd been experiencing just a second earlier, quickly dispelled that notion, uprooting any doubt he might have had that what he was seeing wasn't real.

And if it was real, it only made his situation much more precarious.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled before opening them again to take another look around, searching, and failing once more, to find either something that might make sense of what was happening or any sign of civilization.

As far as he could see in every direction, for what seemed like kilometers, there was nothing but uninhabited, inhospitable land.

Not a trace of signs, a road, or any other structure that might serve as a guide.

Just harsh nature.

"Damn it, what the hell is going on?" Reuben growled under his breath as his fists clenched in an effort to contain the terror that had been steadily growing in his gut.

How had he gotten there? Nothing he knew could explain the madness he was experiencing. Appearing in a completely different place was something that only happened in fantasy stories. It wasn't supposed to happen in real life. For all he knew, the universe might have had a hiccup and ended up depositing him thousands of kilometers from his home. Because he was certain there was no place like this anywhere near where he lived.

How was he going to get back? There were no signs, not a single direction he could follow. He couldn't even use the GPS on his cell phone because whatever had caused his displacement had stripped him of everything he was carrying except for the clothes on his back.

No phone. No wallet. No money.

All he had was a T-shirt from a college event, plain pants, a pair of shoes, and a whole bunch of anxiety and stress.

Could he even make it back? His spirits sank even further. Could he really find his way back? Who knew how far he was from civilization? Hours? Days? More…? If he didn't find something, he was going to end up…

Reuben squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to cut off that train of thought. He took another deep breath, raised his hands, and slapped the sides of his face hard. The stinging sensation on his cheeks was like a balm for his nerves, allowing him to find his center and focus his mind.

No, that was defeatist talk. Reuben could be many things; slightly antisocial, sometimes emotional, but defeatist? Never! He considered himself more of a realist, thank you very much. Just aware of the problems and challenges surrounding him; but he refused to let himself give up hope, even if he had to drag it along, screaming and kicking.

He was going to get out of the mess he'd literally walked into, and the first step toward that was to find something, anything, that might help him, whatever it was; but to do that, he couldn't stay where he was.

He had to choose a direction and start walking.

Reuben looked up at the sky, glancing at the position of the sun. It had been late afternoon when he set out, and it seemed like it remained the same no matter where he was.

"The sun sets in the west, right? That means north should be… over there… more or less… I think," Reuben muttered to himself, his face twisting into a look of doubt as he gazed in the direction he guessed north should be. Not that he could be sure. He'd barely gone camping as a kid, and those had been more like school field trips. Lots of games and fun with zero survival training at all.

Still, he frowned, pursed his lips, straightened his shoulders, and started walking. Either way, he couldn't afford to waste time on doubts. The sooner he found anything, be that a track, a road or whatever, the better.

Even though it was still hours before dusk, he wanted to do everything he could to avoid spending the night there. He'd seen documentaries about similar places and didn't want to end up as food for some wild animal.

With his luck, something was bound to decide it wanted to take a bite out of him, probably a coyote or something like that.

Come to think of it, he'd better pick up the pace a bit.

= = = = =

'There's something weird about this place'.

A few hours into his journey, he'd started to feel as if he was being watched.

However, every time he turned his head in search of whatever was causing that sensation, he saw nothing but the silent, empty wilderness.

In fact, Rueben realized that since he'd arrived, he hadn't heard a single sound beyond the faint rustling of the small bushes he passed every so often and the crunch of the ground beneath his soles.

He had no idea whether that was normal or not in that kind of environment, but the fact was that it made him uneasy, even more so than he already was, if that was even possible.

Despite this, he had made good time, crossing kilometers of barren land until he reached the foothills of the nearest mesas, where he found, much to his delight and that of his parched lips, a narrow stream.

And when he said it was narrow, he meant it. Its width couldn't have been more than that of his shoulders.

Even so, the water flowing through it was crystal-clear and sparkling; and when he knelt down and took a sip of it, it was so refreshing that it was as if the water itself infused his body with new energy, washing away the fatigue that had been building up until that moment.

He decided then that the best thing he could do was to follow its course. He was almost certain that, if he did, he would eventually come across some settlement, whether right next to the stream or at its source, if it happened to be a tributary of a larger one.

Besides, it was common sense not to stray too far from a valuable source of water when you don't know when you'll find another one.

That should have relaxed him considerably, but he was unable to do so.

The sensation hadn't left him.

On the contrary, Reuben had the impression that it was growing stronger.

He shuddered and looked up and around in yet another attempt that, by now, he considered futile, but he had to do something. Even if it was just to tell himself it must be his imagination.

And as expected, he found nothing but the empty summits of the mesas flanking him. What he did realize, however, was that the day was drawing to a close.

The blue of the sky was giving way to the oranges and purples of sunset, and the first stars were beginning to twinkle in the sky…

Reuben froze, his eyes wide and his mouth ajar.

The stars were, literally, blinking. One moment shining, the next disappearing, and then reappearing.

And not all of them, nor even in unison, but several in random, nonsensical patterns and intervals.

And it wasn't just the stars that were acting strangely.

The sky itself was odd, with its shift in colors less like the gradual process he expected and more as if an invisible brush was painting them. The hues were too vivid, too stark, and too undulating to be natural.

"What… what's going on?" he asked himself, unable to hold back, not expecting an answer when a sound reached his ears—one so faint that he could only hear it because of the absolute silence all around him.

The whispering murmur of voices.

Countless, incomprehensible voices muttering on the edge of his hearing, without pause or end.

A chill ran down his spine, and without a second thought, he started running.

There was definitely something wrong with the place, and he had no intention of staying to find out what it was.

Lack of courage? More like a survival instinct!

Suddenly, the low visibility of twilight was abruptly shattered by a pale glow, nearly causing Reuben to stumble in surprise, and he looked up again to see what it was.

If someone had told him at that moment that his eyes were nearly popping out of their sockets, Reuben would have believed them.

Somehow, twilight had given way to true night in just the span of a couple of minutes. But that wasn't what had startled him, but rather the fact that somehow the moon had appeared in the middle of the sky above him where there hadn't even been a hint of its presence before.

A white, bright moon, and much, much larger than it should have been!

Reuben wanted to scream. Out of surprise. Out of fear. Out of the absurdities that were unfolding.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, keeping his mouth shut and his legs pumping as hard as they could.

Throughout all this, the feeling of being watched had finally faded, only to give way to the undeniable sense of being pursued.

And although nothing reached his ears except for the continuous, unintelligible whispers, something inside him was screaming that he had to keep going. That he needed to escape the light and seek shelter.

Reuben's eyes darted frantically from side to side, scanning and assessing every rock, every shadow stretching around him in shapes that made his heart threaten to leap from his chest with the speed that only a mind fueled by the imperative to survive could muster in search of safety; until he found something.

Illuminated on the wall of the mesa, under the pale moonlight, was a crevice in the rock.

Barely taller than he was and narrow enough that he knew it would be a struggle to squeeze inside, it felt like salvation, and Reuben didn't hesitate to slide inside. It didn't matter that he had to turn sideways or that there was so little room that the rock wall scraped against his cheeks, chest, back and legs to the point where he knew his clothes would end up tearing and ruined. He kept going deeper until he couldn't go any further.

Only then did he turn his gaze, with great effort, back toward the entrance and remain as still and silent as he could.

For several moments, all he could see was the relatively distant exterior bathed in moonlight. He strained to listen, but could hear nothing but the silence of the night.

Reuben felt sweat trickling down his forehead and saliva pooling in his mouth, but he forced himself not to swallow and to breathe slowly and deliberately.

Something was troubling him, and it didn't take him long to realize that the incessant whispers had fallen silent.

Suddenly, something passed in front of the entrance, and Reuben had to clench his teeth and force himself not to tremble as his body demanded.

From his distance, he couldn't make out exactly what it was, other than that it was huge, at least taller than he was, and covered in fur.

His imagination, however, was more than enough to fill in the rest of the picture, and he didn't feel confident about his chances if he were to come face-to-face with it.

That's why he remained frozen in place, his eyes wide open and unblinking, while whatever was on the other side went about whatever it was doing.

He couldn't tell if it was sniffing or trying to pick up his scent. Had he left any footprints? Reuben hadn't bothered to check. The ground at the edge of the plateau was rocky. He was sure he hadn't left any traces; or rather, he prayed that wasn't the case.

Fortunately, after what felt like hours to him, the creature moved away and vanished from view, leaving him with a clear view of the outside.

Even so, Reuben remained where he was, motionless, barely breathing. He didn't move.

Not even when his body began to protest his posture.

Not even when the whispers returned.

Not even when his head began to throb and his eyelids grew heavy, begging for rest.

Not until the first rays of the sun pierced the night's glow and, as if a blanket had been drawn over him, the world became a little less threatening.

Only then did he crawl out of his hiding place with what strength he had left, every cramped muscle screaming in pain after who knows how many hours in the same position, held only by fear.

And when he finally crossed the entrance and felt the warm light of the sun over his head, he barely managed to take a step before collapsing onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust that made him cough, a cough that soon turned into a choke and then burst into ragged laughter, tears streaming from his exhausted eyes.

He had no idea what that whole night had been about, and, truth be told, he didn't feel like figuring it out. That was something he'd leave for the Reuben of the future to worry about. The important thing was that, whatever it was, he'd survived.

Tired, certainly sore, but alive.

Because he had no doubt that, whatever that creature had been, nothing good awaited him if it ever caught up with him.

It took him a while to recover from his nervous outburst and even longer to get his body off the ground.

He practically had to crawl to the stream, which was still flowing with its pristine water, and with trembling hands took a sip.

Once again, he was overcome by a refreshing sensation that, while it didn't eliminate his exhaustion, dulled its edge enough that he could stand up without his legs shaking.

And after last night's scare, it finally dawned on him that even the water had something supernatural about it that shouldn't be there. At least it seemed harmless.

So, after drinking a bit more and regaining his resolve, he resumed his journey, still following the stream.

He was going to take what he could get without complaining. Besides, he needed all the help he could get.

He needed to get out of there as soon as possible. He'd been lucky the first night; he didn't think he'd be lucky a second time.

 

[Sebek]

'Just one more step… just one more step… just one—' Reuben kept chanting in his head. His mind able to stay focused only to avoid stumbling and keep moving forward between panting breaths of exertion.

At the start of his second day, whatever it was about the water he was drinking had been enough to alleviate the worst of having gone twenty-four hours without rest or food; however, as he went on, he realized that its effects were waning, each sip providing less relief until it was no longer enough, and with that, hunger finally reared its head.

Reuben was no stranger to a stomach demanding sustenance. Several times he'd had to skip lunch while at work, going the entire workday without food until he could return home.

However, he never had to endure it beyond that alongside a lack of sleep, a situation made worse by the relentless rays of the sun in the sky, against which Reuben had no protection other than wetting his tattered T-shirt and wrapping it around his head in an attempt to avoid heatstroke.

After hours of the same, his mind gradually pushed aside all thoughts it considered unimportant until only the next step remained.

He couldn't even muster the strength to pay attention to his surroundings, so it was no surprise that he didn't notice the moment the ground beneath his feet changed from barren earth to grass. The vegetation, which at first looked dry with brittle, yellowed leaves, soon gave way to more vibrant plants with a healthy green hue.

It wasn't until he felt his feet sink into something cold that he blinked, a bit of clarity returning to his eyes, and found himself submerged up to his ankles in water.

He looked up wearily and his eyebrows rose slowly.

"Uh," was all he could manage as he realized he'd finally reached the end of the stream and that, as he'd hoped, it led to a larger spring.

What he hadn't anticipated was the herd of animals drinking peacefully along the banks.

Reuben narrowed his eyes.

"Are… are those bison?" he murmured in disbelief. They certainly resembled the pictures he'd once seen, with their tangled manes and short, curved horns.

"Hey! Who's there?!" a voice called out from the side, and Reuben shifted his gaze until he spotted a figure on the opposite bank, raising an arm in his direction.

'People… I've finally found people,' the thought flashed through his mind, and immediately he felt the weight of the days lift and some of the terror that had accompanied him dissipate. And with that, the balance he'd been clinging to broke.

He only managed to raise his arm halfway, his mouth open as if to say something, when his vision blurred and his legs lost their strength.

The last thing he sensed before losing consciousness was the feeling of cold water against his face.

= = = = = =

He stood in the middle of a meadow. One that, no matter where he looked, seemed to stretch on forever.

Hanging motionless in the sky, a golden disk bathed the surroundings in a warm, pleasant light, while all around him, tall grasses with leaves of an intense, shimmering green, as if made of tinted glass, swayed to the rhythm of a nonexistent breeze.

Reuben reached out a hand toward one of the blades of grass, but stopped halfway.

His arm wasn't solid, not entirely, but translucent. In fact, looking closely, his entire body appeared the same.

He raised his hand to his face and wiggled his fingers. Up close, he could see that there was something inside. Prismatic light shone softly, flowing within it like water through channels.

The sound of giggles drew his attention to his surroundings, and his eyes caught movement among the grass.

Reuben took a few steps in that direction when more giggles erupted from the side, and out of the corner of his eye he saw something darting across the leaves, something that was buzzing; but when he got closer, he found nothing, and once again more giggles rang out.

These, however, cut off abruptly, turning into choked cries followed by bursts of movement from various directions, all moving away.

Reuben felt a chill and turned around.

A few steps away, the endless meadow had been cut off, and in its place lay a desolate landscape with towering rock formations and sinister shadows stretching out like clutching hands into the meadow.

And in between, lurking, was an enormous, furry figure shrouded in darkness that made it impossible to make out any details, despite the light shining down from above.

The only things visible were two pairs of sickly yellow eyes, one above the other, gleaming with hunger and a desire to inflict suffering, and a row of misshapen fangs.

Reuben wanted to take a step back, but he couldn't move. His body was frozen in place.

The creature licked its teeth with a long, grotesque tongue and took a step forward.

Suddenly, there was a loud cry that shook the world, accompanied by the flapping of wings.

The creature growled, rage radiating from its eyes.

Then, a second cry, and the world around him crumbled, and Reuben felt himself being hurled into darkness.

The flapping of wings faded into the distance.

= = = = =

With a choked scream, Reuben opened his eyes and sat up, gasping for breath.

His eyes darted frantically from side to side, searching for danger, only to find none.

In fact, much to his surprise, all he saw was a simple room with wooden walls, a window through which a pleasant breeze blew in along with the daylight, a table, a chair, and a bed.

A bed on which he was sitting with its sheet, which had apparently been covering him before he jolted awake, wrapped around his waist, leaving his bandaged chest exposed.

Reuben frowned, raised a hand, and realized his arms were also a bit wrapped, before he carefully ran his fingers over the bandages, feeling a slight discomfort from the skin underneath.

Slowly, his mind shook off the last traces of sleep, and with that, the events he'd been through came flooding back. His inexplicable arrival, the horrible night, and finally the end of his journey after stumbling upon people.

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief.

He'd made it. He'd found civilization. All that remained was to figure out how to get home. Maybe he could ask the people who'd helped him if he could use their phone? Although, if he remembered correctly, before passing out he'd seen bison—hadn't he? Had he been transported that far?

Reuben was thinking about what his next move would be while trying to ignore the insidious, logical part of his mind that was reminding him of the clearly supernatural event he'd experienced that night, which wasn't something that should be possible; and to which he simply replied that it must have been something in the water. Clearly there was something strange about it, maybe some chemical or bacteria that made him hallucinate being chased and all that.

Which still didn't explain how he'd ended up there in the first place.

Annoyed, he flopped down on the bed, frustrated.

"Alright, Reuben. Now you have time to think, so let's think," he muttered to himself. "First point, and the most glaring one. By no apparent means, I was transported who knows how far from my neighborhood to the middle of nowhere in barely the time it takes to blink. Point two, the wasteland I appeared in already felt strange from the moment I arrived, before I'd even found the stream and drank the water; which brings me to the third point of note, that is, the first sip I took was able to wash away my exhaustion as if it were nothing.

Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three is already a pattern; and if I follow that pattern, then everything that happened from that point on was just as real as what came before…" He fell silent after that, letting the weight of his own words sink in.

Reuben let out a single, weary chuckle.

"I really am a long way from home, huh?" he said incredulously into the air.

He wasn't sure what it said about him that the possibility of having been the victim of some kind of transmigration to, quite likely, another world didn't strike him as entirely unreasonable.

He was going to blame it on all the media he'd consumed over the years and not look any deeper than that.

But if that were the case, as he feared, the task of returning home had taken on a whole new level of difficulty.

Reuben clenched his fists.

Still, there had to be a way back. If he'd been transported there, it only made sense that there must be a way to reverse the process. All he had to do was stay positive, not lose hope, and keep moving forward.

No matter how long it took or how much effort it required, he was going to find his way back home.

The sound of the door opening snapped him out of his thoughts, and as he opened his eyes, he saw a middle-aged woman with brown hair enter, carrying clothes in her arms while humming a tune.

Reuben watched her move toward the table with relaxed steps and set the folded clothes on top of it, then turn with the clear intention of leaving, only to pause when her gaze met his.

He, too, remained still, unsure of what to do. Say hello? That was the obvious thing to do, right? But did they even share the same language or mannerisms? What if he said or did something she interpreted as rude? Sure, they'd already helped him, so they couldn't be bad people; but that was all the more reason not to mess up.

Before he could mull it over any further, making the situation awkward, the woman blinked and her eyes widened.

"You're awake!" she cried out in pleasant surprise. "Gave us quite the scare, partner. Passin' out like that. Good thing Jeb was close by."

"Oh… Sorry about that?" I replied, and she waved it off.

"Don't worry 'bout it. I reckon you didn't have much of a choice." She drawled, voice warm and with a kind smile. "We're just glad we could help. It's important to look out for each other 'round here, right?"

Reuben just nodded.

"But are you feelin' better?" She asked , her tone shifting to one of concern, and he took a moment to really assess himself.

"Um… I think so? I mean, aside from feeling a little itchy, I feel fine," he said, and the woman nodded.

"Good. The good Doc said that all'd be fine, but it's always better to double-check." She then pointed to the clothes on the table. "Here are some clean clothes. They're a bit old, but better than what you were wearin' when we found you." She shook her head. "I don't know what they were made for, but it wasn't the Frontier." Then she turned to leave. "Lunch will be ready soon. Come down whenever you're ready." And with that, she closed the door behind her, leaving him alone.

He, for his part, lay where he was for a few moments before allowing himself to relax.

"Well, that wasn't so bad. At least it doesn't look like there'll be a language barrier. Thank goodness," he said to himself with relief. At least they seemed like good people, but he'd have to wait and see once he interacted with them more. A few words weren't enough to get a good sense of them.

With that decided, he finally got out of bed, and to his lack of surprise his legs were also a bit bandaged, and walked over to the table, and noticed that beside the folded clothes there was also an empty bowl accompanied by a pitcher of water, and a towel that he hadn't seen, or hadn't paid enough attention to, earlier.

He stared at them in silence for a moment before carefully picking up the pitcher and filling the bowl. Then, a little unsure but mostly certain, cupped his hands and splashed some water on his face, after which he took the towel and dried off.

He had to admit that, once he was done, he felt much better; at least, more awake and ready to face the world.

He let out an amused snort at the thought.

It was funny how little things like that could affect a person.

He carefully picked up the clothes and gave them a quick look before getting dressed.

A simple white cotton shirt and a pair of brown pants; beside those, he found that the belt, socks, and shoes were all his.

And he pursed his lips when looking at how worn out his shoes were. If the surroundings were all the same, his current footwear wasn't going to last. He was going to have to figure out how to get something else. And not only that, but also a new wardrobe, food, shelter, and whatever the information he'd need would cost him ; and that was just what he could think of right away. Who knows what else he'd need down the road? Which meant he was going to have to find a source of income.

Reuben snorted, this time in exasperation, and ran a hand through his hair.

Nothing he could fix right away, but it was something to keep in mind. Perhaps something his hosts could guide him on?

Which made him think it would be best to take a few moments before leaving the room to decide how he was going to address the obvious questions they'd have about his situation.

After all, he, too, would want to know the circumstances of someone he found in such a clearly poor state before they passed out.

 

[Doctor]

Tentatively watched, my mind saw western fantasy and isekai, and immediately had me say out loud "you sir have yee'd your last haw" ...this by law I'm invested now lol

 

[Sebek]

Reuben walked down the stairs and looked around before coming to a sudden stop.

The first thing he noticed was that the ground floor was practically a single large space, serving as both a living room in one half and a kitchen/dining area in the other.

Along one wall stood a stone fireplace, currently empty, with armchairs arranged around it on a rug made from some kind of animal hide. On the other side, there was a table with wooden chairs, and the nearby walls were lined with shelves holding tableware and rows of jars filled with what he assumed were preserves and condiments, along with hanging pans and pots, cupboards, and even what looked to him like a wood-burning stove next to a second fireplace, smaller than the one on the other side.

The woman he'd met was there, stirring the contents of a pot over the stove with a soup ladle.

He took in all those details in a matter of seconds, that was all he could manage, before his full attention turned to the other two occupants.

A young girl with black hair was playing with some carved figures, a bison and what appeared to be some sort of… dinosaur? An odd choice. She was moving them around, making sounds, and having them jump over each other with the appropriate sound effects. All perfectly normal and nothing out of the ordinary, except that she was lying against what he initially thought was some sort of cushion made from animal fur, only it was breathing and had lifted its head in his direction the moment he finished walking down.

Reuben stared at what was possibly the biggest dog he'd ever seen in his life.

Lying there as it was, belly to the floor, it was so big that the little girl could lean comfortably against its side!

"What a big boy," he remarked without thinking and without moving a muscle.

He wasn't going to lie, he was a touch nervous, which was impossible not to be in the face of such a massive, unfamiliar dog, especially since it was all too easy to imagine the damage it could do if it set its mind to it. At the same time, the dog's posture was relaxed, and it was looking at him with an attentive but not hostile expression.

Reuben's fingers twitched slightly, and he wondered if its fur was as soft as it seemed.

Immediately, he was overcome by an overwhelming urge to pet it.

His words also alerted the others to his presence.

The woman turned her gaze in his direction and smiled.

"You're down already. Good. It'll be a little while yet 'fore dinner's ready. Sit wherever you like while I finish up." With that, she turned her attention back to the pot before Reuben could say a word.

"Oh, alright." After another glance, he quickly decided to head for the table with steps that were a little more hurried than he was trying to make them seem, and sat down in one of the chairs.

Reuben shifted in his seat, looking for a comfortable position.

His gaze wandered from one spot to another, from a corner in the ceiling to a plate adorned with flowers to an old stain in the side of a shelf to more, not quite sure where to settle it.

His hands rested on the table, palms against the wood, fingers still and loose.

A tune crossed his mind, one he'd heard somewhere, most likely online, but of which he could remember nothing more than the beat.

He raised a finger and tapped the table, followed by another and another and yet another, in an attempt to recreate the beat in his head.

Suddenly, it dawned on him what he was doing, and he forced himself to stop.

He took a slow deep breath and gently let it out through his nose, trying to relax.

He shifted in his seat again. One foot moved forward, then back, returning to its place.

He tapped once and stopped, aware of what he'd done.

Reuben couldn't help but let out a soft snort of amused frustration.

"You okay, Mister?" The childish drawl came from his side, causing Reuben to jolt in his seat and turn his gaze to find the little girl watching him with wide, curious eyes.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," he said, then took a quick breath and sighed to calm his nerves. "Do you need anything?"

"Nope," she replied, emphasizing the 'p'.

Reuben stared at her, waiting to see if she would say anything else, but the girl simply looked at him in silence for several seconds, to the point that he began to feel uncomfortable.

"So…" he began, racking his brain for a moment, trying to think of something to say, "What's your name?"

"Susan!" she shouted, smiling broadly, to which Reuben nodded, returning the smile a little more demurely.

"Susan, that's a pretty name." The girl preened at that. Compliments certainly never failed. "So, tell me, Susan, do you always sneak up on people?"

"Sometimes!" She replied happily without a shred of shame and a snort escaped from the older woman.

"Don't go foolin' our guest, young lady." The woman chided lightly without turning around, but her smile could be easily heard. "If anythin', sneakin' 'round is one of her favourite pastimes. I swear she's half-cat with how light her feet are!" She shook her head with fond exasperation, "We have to keep an eye or she'll end up scarin' all the livestock."

"But it's fun!" Susan complained with a pout, as if that were a perfectly valid reason, and for someone her age, it surely was. "Bongo likes it, too!"

"'Course he likes it, it's in his blood. And that's no excuse, young lady, and you know it."

"Bongo?" Reuben asked curiously.

"Mhm! Bongo!" Susan pointed to his other side, and Reuben turned without thinking.

"Ah…" he muttered, his mouth suddenly dry, heartbeat racing in his chest in stark contrast to how still the rest of his body went. "Right." His gaze fixed on the giant dog that, amid the conversation, had slipped his mind and was now just a few steps away from him. "Bongo…"

Standing on four legs as he was, Bongo's head was easily at eye level with his. Being so close, he could also make out more details; like how well-groomed his fine coat looked, giving him a velvety appearance that did nothing to detract from the fact that beneath it there must be powerful musculature.

Reuben only had to glance down for a moment at the dog's broad paws to get an idea.

Seriously, he had to wonder what kind of breed he was to grow to such a size and where he could get one.

For his part, Bongo simply watched him calmly, droopy ears and tail wagging slowly from side to side.

Reuben swallowed hard.

"Hey. Hello, big guy," Reuben said softly, slowly raising his hand until it was level with Bongo's head but without bringing it too close and anxiously waited.

Bongo tilted his head and leaned forward.

Reuben remained absolutely still, to the point that he even held his breath as the dog sniffed his hand. Then he raised his head, let out a single bark that reverberated strongly inside Reuben's chest, and before he could do anything but flinch a bit, licked him across the face, causing him to stammer and leaving one side of his face covered in drool.

"Bongo likes you!" Susan said, clapping and laughing, her voice full of childlike joy.

Reuben wiped his face with his hand, partly annoyed and mostly happy. It was that happiness that made him join in the girl's enthusiasm and let out a laugh of his own.

Less boisterous but no less genuine.

More importantly, he felt much more relaxed in Bongo's presence, to the point that he dared to reach out his hand toward the dog.

"That makes me glad, " he said sincerely, and proceeded to do what he'd been wanting to do for a while.

He began petting him.

Bongo seemed to appreciate it, as he leaned closer toward Reuben's hand and began panting with his tongue hanging out, wagging his tail rapidly in that way dogs do when they like something.

"Who's a good boy? You are, aren't you?" He said in a playful tone.

Bongo simply flopped down on the floor, on his back with his belly exposed; and Reuben just had to lean over a little to give him a good belly rub.

And with every moment he spent on it, he felt himself relax further, able to push his worries aside; not forgetting them, of course, but no longer at the forefront of his mind where they'd been occupying almost all his thoughts.

After a moment, Susan joined in his efforts to show Bongo what a good boy he was, her expertise shining through as she knelt on the other side of the sprawled dog and, between giggles, scratched him in that specific point that only owners know that resulted in his leg kicking, making him even happier.

"Well, isn't this a surprise" Drawled a new voice, pulling Reuben away from Bongo, who let out a low whine, and turned around.

At the entrance to the house stood a man with black hair streaked with gray who had just leaned a rifle against the wall near the entrance and then hung his cowboy hat and duster on a coat rack, followed by a boy, a teenager, with the same shade of brown hair as the woman, who did the same.

Reuben froze in his spot, his eyes immediately drawn to the pair of guns, which for a moment made him feel uneasy in their presence.

"Papa!" Called Susan, who ran toward the older man.

The man smiled, reached down, lifted the girl under her arms, and raised her into the air, making her giggle with delight.

"There's my little pumpkin! Did you behave yourself with your Ma? You didn't give her any trouble, did you?"

Susan shook her head vehemently.

"No! I was good!"

The boy who had been following behind let out a skeptical snort.

"I don't know why I doubt it."

In response, Susan stuck out her tongue at him.

"Son, don't go pickin' a fight with your sister," the man scolded, hoisting Susan onto his hip. "Especially when we have guests." At this, the boy looked a little contrite.

After that, the man turned his attention to Reuben.

"Hello there, partner. It's good to see you're up and about," he said in a friendly tone, approaching the table and offering his hand. "Jonah Howard, pleasure to meet you."

Reuben stood up, extending his hand and returning the handshake.

"Reuben O'Leary, likewise," Reuben said in a slightly nervous voice, before taking a breath. "And thank you so much for your help, really. If it weren't for you guys, I don't even want to think about how I would've ended up." He finished with a grimace.

Jonah nodded with due seriousness.

"We just did what anyone should do when they find someone in need; but if anyone deserves thanks, it's my boy. " With that, he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder with a look of pride. "Jebediah was the one who found you."

"It wasn't much," He said, shrugging as if it were no big deal, but he had looked away in clear embarrassment. "I just did as you and Ma taught me."

Jonah chuckled and ruffled his hair, much to Jebediah's annoyance.

"And your Ma and I are very proud of that." Then he returned his attention to Reuben. "And since we're doing introductions, I reckon you've already met the missus, Marie, and our little pumpkin, Susan."

Reuben nodded.

"Papa!" Susan protested from her father's arms. "Don't forget Bongo!" To which Jonah let out a laugh.

"Ah, my mistake. Sorry sweetheart. Didn't think it was necessary." A bark came from the side. "And you too, Bongo!"

"You can keep talkin' later," Called Marie from where she was setting the table, "Dinner's ready. Jeb, come help me."

"Yes, Ma." Jebediah replied and went to help his mother.

Meanwhile, the rest took their seats, with Jonah helping Susan into one before taking his own, while Reuben returned to his previous spot.

Soon, Marie began filling plates, which Jebediah passed out to everyone.

When one was placed in front of him, and saw the stew inside, Reuben couldn't help but breathe in its rich aroma, rousing his stomach from whatever slumber it had been in until that point with a sharp reminder that it had been days since his last meal.

As much as he wanted to start digging in, however, he remembered his manners, so he held back and waited for the rest.

Only when the last two were seated did the family begin eating, and he followed suit.

He didn't know if it was because he hadn't eaten in so long or if it was simply that good, but the moment the stew touched his tongue, he couldn't help but let out a contented groan.

Giggles made him look up from his plate, and he found the family staring at him with sympathy.

Except for Susan, who was laughing with her hand over her mouth.

Reuben felt heat rising to his face and was sure his ears must be red.

He swallowed and cleared his throat.

"Ah, excuse me."

"There's no need to apologize," Marie assured him. "I'll take that to mean the food is good, then?" To which Reuben simply nodded. "I'm glad. If you want more, feel free to ask." After which her attention turned to her daughter. "Daughter." She called with a stern voice and the girl immediately straightened up in her seat. "It's not right to laugh at others, much less when they've had a rough day. Understood?"

Susan nodded, head down.

"Yes, Mama."

"So, what do we say?" Marie gestured to Reuben.

"Sorry." She said softly.

"I-it's alright. Everything's fine," he replied, uncomfortable with the situation and just wanting to move on.

Luckily for him, it ended there, and they continued eating.

The silence didn't last long as it happens with any child, Susan soon got over the scolding and began to excitedly recount to her father and brother all she had done before. Reuben listened with one ear, in part to try to understand more about the place he ended up, while most of his focus was on enjoying the food and to avoid the stray thoughts and worries that were trying to take over his mind so they wouldn't sour his mood.

 

[Sebek]

Eventually, the moment Reuben had been dreading arrived.

Once they finished eating, Jonah invited him to have coffee on the front porch, and Reuben accepted without issue, aside from his nerves.

Marie stayed inside cleaning up while Susan went out to play, with Bongo faithfully following right behind her. Jebediah, for his part, opted to join them.

Once outside, Reuben was able to get a real look at the area beyond the glimpses he'd caught from the windows of the house, and he couldn't help but pause for a moment to take in the view.

From where he stood, he could see that next to the house was a large barn connected to a spacious corral, inside which numerous bison were grazing peacefully. Beyond that, the rest of the property was completely enclosed by a fence.

And further out, lush grasslands stretched in every direction.

Reuben felt a sense of déjà vu.

The view reminded him of the dream he'd had, sending a chill down his spine

Fortunately, he could see that it was regular vegetation this time; moreover, it wasn't an endless meadow, as he spotted scattered groups of trees here and there in the distance.

With those distinctions, it was easy for him to shake off the feeling and banish the memory to the back of his mind before refocusing on the people around.

Jebediah was leaning against a post, mug already in hand.

For his part, Jonah approached him with two steaming cups and held one out toward him.

"Thanks," Reuben said, accepting it and bringing it to his lips.

Immediately, he was hit by the strong aroma of freshly brewed black coffee, and after blowing on it lightly a few times, took a sip.

A sigh escaped him, and with it, he felt a little more human than before.

For a while, the three of them just stood there, in silence, gazing at the horizon as they took sips from time to time.

Just three people allowing themselves a moment of peace and quiet.

However, much too soon for his liking, the coffee ran out, and the time came to face the music.

Jonah set his cup down on the porch railing and turned fully toward Reuben.

"So, partner. Usually, I try not to pry into others' business. However, I reckon it's quite a bit different when someone drops down on us by surprise, without warnin', and in need of help."

Reuben nodded, pressing his lips together and fidgeting with the cup in his hands.

"I get it. You want answers, don't you?"

"If you wouldn't mind," Jonah said.

Reuben exhaled slowly.

"It's… complicated," he said after a few seconds of trying to gather his thoughts.

"I can imagine," Jonah replied patiently. "It's not every day that someone on the verge of collapse wanders into our land. Did you get separated from one of the caravans?"

"No." He shook his head; for a moment, he considered saying yes and then start spinning a story about how he'd gotten there, but he immediately dismissed the idea a second later. A lie has short legs, was a saying he'd learned since he was a child. If he could, he wanted to stay as close to the truth as possible.

These people had helped him when he needed it most, he wasn't going to repay them with lies if he could help it.

Besides, just the thought of trying to keep whatever story he ended up telling consistent was already stressing him out, and he was sure he'd end up slipping up at some point, burning whatever goodwill he gained.

It just wasn't worth it.

"I walked the whole way here. From the south, I think."

"The south?" Jonah furrowed his brow, looking thoughtfully, and perhaps a touch worried?

"The south?!" Jebediah gasped, wide-eyed and utterly dumbfounded. "Are you sayin' you came all the way from the Haunted Barrens?!"

"Haunted Barrens?" He asked aloud, more to himself than to them, considering the name and concluding that, indeed, it fit the place where he'd appeared like a glove.

"Yes, the stretch of land that goes from where the Frontier ends," Jebediah answered anyway, "a bleak and unsettlin' place with all the weird things that are said to happen there." Then he looked at Reuben in surprise, realizing something. "Uh, you don't know 'bout 'em? Never met anyone who didn't."

"Ah, well… You see… Um…" he stammered, feeling sweat break out on his back as his mind went into overdrive, trying to figure out how he was going to explain himself. Despite all the time that had passed since he'd woken up, he still hadn't come up with a satisfactory answer that wouldn't end with him being treated like a madman.

He really didn't want to lie. He was terrible at lying. His nerves always ended up betraying him when he tried to hide something important, but how could he explain the fact that he'd been transported to another world in the blink of an eye? That he'd ended up in what appeared to be a cursed land, like in an old horror movie? Did they even have movies there? Given the lack of modern amenities, Reuben didn't think so.

Which opened up a whole host of other issues he'd have to figure out later.

Then Jonah spoke, interrupting the downward spiral Reuben was falling into.

"You're not from 'round here, are you?" Reuben blinked, pulling his attention out of his head and back to the real world, and found the older man looking at him knowingly. "It's okay, you don't have to hide it. It's pretty obvious."

"Really?" Was his knee-jerk response, and his eyes widened a moment later as he realized what he'd said. "I mean, why do you say that?" He tried to backtrack, but he already knew it was too late.

"Well, for starters, the most obvious clue. Your accent." Jonah said in his most matter-of-fact tone, with Jebediah nodding at the side.

Reuben took a moment to let the words sink in, his mind quickly reviewing all his interactions so far, and he felt an overwhelming urge to cover his face in embarrassment.

Was he so shaken by everything that had happened to him, so lost that he hadn't realized they all had quite the distinct accent compared to his own?!

Apparently so.

Reuben closed his eyes, took a slow breath, and sighed deeply.

Which meant that any story he might have come up with was doomed from the start.

Good thing he wasn't planning to.

In a sense, it was even a good thing! It meant he was free from the temptation of trying to pass himself off as a local.

The nervous energy he'd been carrying around with him since realising where he was, while it obviously didn't vanish, did lose part of its weight.

It was as much a relief as it was an annoyance, in a strange way.

"And the other reason?" Reuben asked a bit calmer as he opened his eyes again.

"Call it instinct. Small things that, on their own, didn't mean much, but taken together so far… Well. They paint a certain picture."

Reuben frowned, trying to figure out if his behavior had been odd, or more than it should have been, and came up empty, uncertain, yet at the same time unable to refute it.

It all circle back to the fact that he was a stranger in a strange land.

At least he could rest easy knowing he didn't seem to have messed up, since he wasn't being yelled at or threatened. On the contrary, though serious, Jonah continued to act friendly. Or so he wanted to believe. Which gave him hope.

"So, what now?" Reuben asked, and was surprised when Jonah replied with a shrug and a carefree tone.

"Well, the same as before. We'd like to know more about your circumstances, like how you ended up wanderin' 'til you ran into us with nothin' but a few clothes on your back." Jonah looked at him seriously. "I'm just askin' you to share what you can so we can help you."

Reuben remained silent for a few long seconds, searching the man's face and posture for any sign that indicated this was a bad idea, but found only a calm person who seemed genuine.

His gaze shifted briefly to Jebediah, finding him in a similar stance, but with clear interest on his face.

The truth was that Reuben needed all the help he could find, and despite the potential danger involved, he was tempted to take the risk.

He was alone. Completely alone in an unknown world. His options were less than limited. Practically inexistent. Did he really want to make things harder for himself? If he refused to say anything, at best they'd just leave him be, and nothing would change; at worst, he might alienate the people who'd helped him, get kicked out, and be denied further assistance. Could he afford that luxury?

'At some point I'm going to have to reach out. Why not start now with those who've proven themselves friendly?' he thought, deciding it was worth a try.

Or maybe it was his desperation speaking.

Whatever the reason, Reuben decided it was worth taking the risk.

"I can't really explain it, but one moment I was near my home, and the next I found myself in the middle of a desolate wasteland with nothing I could recognize in sight."

Although there were certain details he was going to keep to himself.

Seeing that he had both of their full attention, he continued. "With no other option, I headed in the direction that seemed most appropriate and set out walking until I reached the foot of the mesas and came upon a stream. Once I found it, I felt confident that I just had to follow it to find civilization. Then night fell…" Reuben grimaced, his gaze lost in the events that followed, and he unconsciously clenched his fingers around the cup still in his hands. "I'd never seen anything like it. It was as if the colors of the sky were somehow both more and less at the same time. The stars began to flicker above my head like fireflies, appearing and disappearing without rhyme or reason. Then the moon appeared, so close and it shone with an intensity… and the whispers," he shuddered and shook his head, "voices talking over one another, nonsensical and nonstop, but no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find where they were coming from," he swallowed, "but the worst part was whatever was roaming in that place.

I have no idea what kind of beast it was, but whatever it was, I wouldn't want to run into it again for anything in the world. Luckily, I managed to hide until dawn, after which I continued on my way. From there, I don't know how much longer I kept going. I can't quite remember the moment when the terrain changed. My mind was barely functioning, and when I ran into you guys, well," he shrugged, "you know the rest." He finished his story and did his best to keep any self-reproach from showing on his face.

He'd planned to share, but not in such detail. However, once he started talking, the words just kept pouring out, refusing to stop.

Whatever. What's done is done. He just had to wait for their verdict.

He felt like a fool. It was such an unbelievable tale. There was no way they wouldn't see him as a madman after all that rambling.

"It sounds like you've had a really rough time, partner." Jonah remarked.

Reuben looked at him in surprise, even more so when he noticed genuine sympathy on his face.

"You believe me?" He couldn't help but ask incredulously, to which the man simply chuckled softly.

"The unusual isn't uncommon 'round here. Life on the Frontier is many things, but simple isn't one of 'em." His expression grew a bit complicated. "I'll admit, even so, your story does sound pretty outlandish. Still, it's not the first weird thing I've heard."

"Uh," Reuben wasn't quite sure how to respond at first, "I don't know if I should feel relieved or very alarmed."

His response made Jonah laugh heartily.

"Probably both," he said once he'd calmed down. "Well, that was all I needed to ask. Hmm…" He paused to think for a moment. "I reckon there's still the matter of what you plan to do now."

And wasn't that a pressing problem?

Reuben frowned.

"To be honest? I'm not sure. I think the first priority would be to secure my livelihood; I mean, I'm sure you noticed when you found me, but aside from my clothes, I didn't have anything else with me, so I'm kind of broke." He paused as he remembered something. "Uh, speaking of my clothes, what happened to them? I have an idea, but…"

"Sorry, Reuben. The only stuff that made it through is what you're already wearing." He made a gesture to his shoes. "The rest got completely ruined. We still have it, though, if you want to take it."

Reuben considered it for just a moment before nodding.

"Yeah, I think that'd be best. Who knows? Maybe I can make use of it somehow," he said with feigned optimism. Most likely, he'd end up simply keeping them as a memento, since they were among the few things he had left from his home.

Jonah nodded.

"If that's what you want. As for your coin problem, we can look into it tomorrow. Since you're awake and walkin', we can head into town to stop by the Doc's and have him check you out. Make sure everythin's in order, eh? And while we're at it, we can see if we can find anythin' to help you."

Reuben nodded in turn, more relaxed and hopeful than before, glad that he didn't seem to have misjudged them.

"Thank you. Seriously, thank you so much," he said, trying to convey just how grateful he felt through his words.

"You're welcome, partner. And don't worry about it," Jonah replied affably. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a few things to do," He noted as he picked up his empty cup, alongside his and his son's after offering to carry them. "Feel free to stay here if you want or take a walk around the property." Then he turned to Jebediah, "Jeb, go on ahead. I'll catch up with you later."

"Yes, Pa," He nodded and then waved to Reuben. "See you later, Reuben."

"Yeah, sure. See you later."

And with that, Jonah went inside the house while Jebediah headed toward the barn, leaving Reuben alone on the porch, leaning with his hands on the railing, gazing at the landscape accompanied only by the barking and giggles of a little girl playing nearby, and he allowed himself to feel a little optimistic about his future.

 

[Sebek]

His moment of solitude didn't last long, as he soon heard the sound of footsteps coming his way.

Turning in that direction, Reuben saw little Susan running toward him, followed close by Bongo, who was trotting calmly to keep pace beside her.

When she reached him, she stopped in front of the porch and smiled.

"Mister! Mister! Do you want to see the birdies?!"

"Birdies?" Reuben asked, to which Susan nodded exaggeratedly.

"Mhm! They're in the chicken coop! We're going to visit 'em!"

At that, Reuben raised an eyebrow.

"Visit them, huh? You're not just going to scare them away, are you?" He asked, skeptical as he remembered what her mother told him before.

"No…?" she replied, looking away. "We're just going to see how they're doing!"

"Oh, of course, my mistake," Reuben said, making an effort not to smile with amusement and remain serious as he considered the offer.

It didn't take him long to make up his mind.

"Alright," he decided. It wasn't as if he had anything else to do, and he was feeling a bit curious and eager to see more of the surroundings.

"Yay! Let's go!" cheered Susan, who, as soon as she heard him, set off running. Bongo, for his part, let out a soft bark that still felt like a gentle roar and followed her.

Finally, he allowed himself a smile, and with a leisurely stride, he stepped out from under the porch and began trailing behind them, taking his time to continue surveying the grounds without concern for losing sight of the pair, given how easy it was to keep track of Susan with her lively energy and Bongo with his, well, everything.

= = = = = = = =

Through one of the windows, Jonah watched the form of the young man they had helped walk by to accompany his little daughter.

His thoughts turned to the previous day.

The day had been a quiet one herding the bison, letting them roam freely while keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings in case any beasts decided to take a risk and go take a bite, or some outlaw got the idea to try to steal one for whatever reason.

Not a very wise decision, in his opinion, given how temperamental they can be; but desperation can lead even the most cautious to do foolish things.

However, nothing ended up happening, allowing the day to pass in a very relaxed manner; at least, until the end of the round.

The watering hole where they had stopped was the farthest south, on the edge of their land and relatively close to the Haunted Barrens.

The eerie place was still a good distance away, and despite all the rumors, and more-than-rumors, circulating about it, nothing overtly dangerous had ever ventured into their lands, so they saw no reason why their animals shouldn't rest there.

How surprised he was, then, when, after sending Jebediah to round up the cattle still drinking so they could set off back home, his boy shouted for him.

He wasn't going to lie. For a moment his blood had run cold, though that didn't stop him from immediately running to help his son. But while all sorts of scenarios had flashed through his mind, he never imagined he'd find Jebediah pulling an unconscious person out of the water.

He wasted no time in joining him to pull them onto dry land and check if they were breathing, which, fortunately, they were. He then took a closer look and realized that it was a young man who must have been only a few years older than Jeb and who was wearing strange-looking clothes in several bright colors, with his shirt pulled over his head, leaving his chest exposed and revealing red skin from what must have been sunstroke, as well as several wounds that, thankfully, didn't seem deep.

It took him a moment to figure out that he must have used it as protection since, for some unknown reason, he wasn't wearing a hat, nor anything else beyond his clothes.

At that time, Jonah had thought that perhaps the lad had been the victim of a robbery and left to fend for himself, which would explain his condition; but beyond a moment's consideration, he didn't give it any further thought, and they quickly put him on his son's horse and sent them home, where they could tend to him better, while he set about rounding up the cattle.

By the time he returned home, he found that they had put the young man in the guest room and cleaned his wounds, while Marie had sent Jeb to town to fetch the Doc.

And it wasn't long after that he returned along with Doc Graves.

Good man. A bit taciturn, but he knew what he was doing.

It only took him a quick glance, a few checks, and the application of an ointment he'd brought with him that had a scent which briefly brought back memories of a cool summer breeze after a hard day of work to the lad's skin and wounds before changing the bandages and declaring that he'd just need some rest.

Then he left.

Good man, though he could be a bit more sociable.

The slap of a towel against his side brought him back from his musings.

"What's that for?"

"If you have time to gather wool, you have time to dry off," Marie replied, handing him the towel she'd 'whipped' him with.

Jonah let out a snort but took it without complaint.

For a while, the pair remained silent, the only sound being the splashing of water in the basin with each movement of Marie's hands as she washed a plate.

"So, were you able to ask him?" Marie asked, passing a clean plate to Jonah, who took it to dry it while she worked on the next one.

"I did," Jonah said, putting the plate away on the shelf and proceeded to tell her what the lad, Reuben, had told him.

At first, Marie was listening with only half an ear while she continued working; soon, however, her hands stopped, her attention fixed on her husband's words.

When he finished, she let out a sigh.

"Poor boy," she said with sympathy before resuming her work. "Do you think that's what happened to him?"

Jonah made a thoughtful sound.

"To be honest, I'm not sure. Strange things happen in that highest-forsaken place. Whether what he says is what truly happened or his head was messed with by the madness of the place, I don't know.

What I'm sure of is that that's what he genuinely believes happened, and he doesn't seem any crazier than you or I; so, I'm inclined to believe him."

Marie sighed.

"It must be hard. I can't imagine what he's going through. No wonder he was actin' like a scared critter."

Jonah nodded. He, too, had noticed how unsettled Reuben was at times, and honestly, he couldn't blame him. If he suddenly found himself in a distant place, far from his family and without a single familiar face… No, Jonah didn't even want to think about it.

"Did he tell you where he was from?" Marie asked, and he shook his head.

"No, and I didn't ask either," he replied, and she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Don't look at me like that. The boy didn't mention it, and I didn't feel like it was somethin' I should pry into." Marie nodded and handed him another plate.

"Alright. Everyone's entitled to their secrets." She tilted her head. "I still think he must be from one of those big cities past El Paso. Maybe Silverpine?" She speculated and he hummed.

It was something they'd been discussing once things had calmed down the night before, once they'd been able to take stock.

The idea had come about because of the strange clothes he'd been wearing when they found him. Clothes that didn't look like anything worn by a local or suited for life on the Frontier. The conclusion they'd reached was that he must have come from one of the big cities far to the north. Huge places with tall, colorful, bustling buildings; or so the gossip went.

Both of them were born and raised on the Frontier. Neither of them had ever the chance, nor the need to ever visit one.

"Perhaps. Maybe even farther away. Though I don't know where that would be." He shrugged, placing the plate on top of the previous one.

"Hmm. We'll just have to wonder. At least 'til he feels like tellin' us." Marie said, and now it was Jonah's turn to look at her curiously.

"Oh? Already thinkin' 'bout takin' him in, Honey?" He teased her, which earned him a wet slap on the arm.

"Shush, you. The poor lad's lost and going to need all the help he can get if he's going live 'round here. Or am I wrong?" She arched her brow imperiously.

"Some would say we've already done more than enough." He commented lightly, clearly not being serious.

Marie, for her part, sniffed.

"As if we cared what others say. That's why things are the way they are." And she continued in a soft voice. "Besides, he looks like a good kid." She shot him an amused look. "He passed the Bongo test, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he did," He replied with a low chuckle.

Truth be told, the fact that he got along so well with Bongo was the main reason neither of them felt concerned about Reuben's presence.

Bearhounds were a wonderful breed for the Frontier. Not only were they incredibly strong and resilient, capable of holding their own against many of the wild beasts that roamed the area, but they were also extremely loyal, intelligent, and, above all, exceptionally good judges of character.

To say that they could literally smell malice wasn't an exaggeration.

That's why the fact that Bongo accepted Reuben to the point of letting him pet his belly was a clear sign that, if nothing else, he wasn't a bad person to have around.

"Alright," He said, and Marie smiled at him. "But let's wait 'til tomorrow 'fore offerin' anythin'. Let him get a good night's rest; besides, I plan to take him into town."

"So the Doc can check him out?" She asked, and he nodded.

"Better safe than sorry. And maybe see if some of our friends can help out." At that, Marie gave him a look.

"Helen?" She asked in an annoyed tone.

"Helen," He acknowledged, a little embarrassed, and she huffed.

"I guess that's the best option," She said grumbling, then shot him a warning look. "But no hangin' 'round too long, okay?"

"Promise," He replied, raising a hand in the air with a 'serious' expression, one that threatened to break into a smile.

She narrowed her eyes for a moment, watching him carefully, and let out another huff.

"Fine." And she turned her attention back to what was left to clean, at least until she let out a little squeal when Jonah reached over to kiss the side of her neck.

"Sorry. Couldn't help myself. You look lovely when you're like that," He said with a chuckle. A chuckle that quickly turned into a gasp of surprise when the towel he was holding was snatched from his hand and, a second later, used to mete out justice by his embarrassed wife.

"Jonah Tobias Howard! Don't you go surprisin' me like that when we have guests in the house! Do you understand me?! What if someone hears me?! How embarrassing!" She scolded him furiously.

"Yes, Honey. I'm sorry, Honey," He replied between 'smacks', a smile on his face, clearly not the least bit remorseful.

After one last swat, she harrumphed with flushed cheeks, handed him back the towel, and turned her attention back to the water; however, there was no way to miss the hint of a smile at the corner of her lips, which made Jonah feel satisfied.

With that, he continued drying the dishes in silence, his mind briefly returning to the image of Reuben chasing after his little pumpkin, and he found himself wondering what kind of mischief his little girl was trying to get him into.

= = = = = = =

Reuben had followed Susan and Bongo until they reached a well-tended chicken coop, surrounded by its own fence, inside which numerous chickens wandered, clucking and pecking at the ground.

Not that the fence was enough of an obstacle for a few stubborn birds who had managed to get to the other side, much to Susan's delight and with excited giggles, she ran toward them.

When she reached the first one, before the hen could do more than let out a startled cluck, the girl grabbed it from below and, with a single motion and a cheerful shout, tossed it into the air inside the pen, where, despite flapping its wings in alarm and squawking, it landed perfectly.

Susan laughed again and ran toward her next target.

By then, the rest had realized what was happening and began to run in an attempt to get away; however, that was when Bongo sprang into action.

The enormous hound simply trotted over to cut them off and force them to change direction, keeping them close and within Susan's reach.

It was quite an amusing sight; Reuben, however, found his attention drawn in another direction.

Reuben swallowed hard, his body frozen in place and eyes open wide with wonder as standing off to the side was a massive four-legged creature with a heavy body covered in green scales, speckled with lighter patches that ran along its back to the tip of its tail.

His eyes drank in every detail, paying special attention to the beaked head calmly chewing hay and adorned with a large crest and three frontal horns, two long ones above its placid eyes and a small one between its nostrils.

His mind practically went blank for a moment out of sheer shock before the reality of the situation forced it to start working again.

'T-that's a real dinosaur!' He screamed inside her head with a mix of disbelief and euphoria.