The white cloth of the tent isn't thick enough to block the light of the morning sun, at least not completely. I open my eyes staring at the white top and saying goodbye to my sleep.
From the outside I can already hear different kinds of noises: birds, voices, crockery, footsteps. Noises of everyday camp life.
I raise from the hard ground and walk out in the sun light, heading instinctively towards the kitchen. There must be some coffee around here and surely I'll find it there.
From the distance I spot the woman I met yesterday, Mrs. Adler, with something that looks like a coffee pot in her hands. Next to her there's another girl with black hair. Full of hope I speed up grabbing a cup from the table as I walk past it.
"Morning, is that coffee?" I ask as I get there.
"Morning, yes it is" answers the girl with black hair, and blue eyes, as I'm able to observe from close up.
"We still haven't met, I'm Fred. Morning Mrs. Adler."
"Morning" she murmurs.
"I'm Abigail. You want some?" asks the girl handing me the coffee pot.
"Sure" I say taking it and pouring some.
"Morning ladies."
The low voice makes me turn around and I force a polite smile to Mr. Morgan walking in our direction.
"Morning Arthur" replies Abigail.
He stops to look at each and everyone of us before fixing his gaze on me and, for all I'm able to perceive from it, he seems annoyed.
We are about to leave for the West Elisabeth and rescue Sean, so maybe this look means he already thinks I'm going to be useless, only a burden.
"Are you ready? It's a long ride for Blackwater" he says.
"Ready. I just have to saddle up my horse."
"Come on, then."
Yes, he definitely thinks I'm useless. Well, he's wrong.
"See you" I quickly say to Abigail and Mrs. Adler and I head to the horses taking some big gulps from my cup. Some minutes after we leave for Blackwater.
...................
We ride fast until we reach the Dakota River, ford it, climb the upland and enter the West Elisabeth.
The landscape changes: the ground is more yellow than brown, the vegetation a couple of shades lighter, even the sky seems different, gray instead of blue.
It's then that Morgan slows up and we start to trot one next to the other.
Too focused on the road ahead of me and what waits for us in Blackwater, I truly don't expect him to talk, so when he does, I'm surprised.
"I saw you talking with that Kieran boy yesterday."
His words are cold and direct and I can smell the incoming reproach from miles away.
"Yes" I say, but it's just a way to make him keep on more than a true confession.
"Dutch doesn't like when we fraternize with the O'Driscolls."
I knew it. Too predictable. But now the question is: what's the wrong in talking with the O'Driscoll? Aren't they all criminals?
Then, I remember what Kieran told me, about that sort of mutual hate between O'Driscolls and Van der Lindes. This means I have to play their game if I want them to trust me eventually.
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Outlaws for Life (Red Dead Redemption 2)
FanfictionFred Faraday is a strong willed girl with a troubled past. She spent the last few months looking for the Van der Linde gang, but no-one understands why. When she finally finds them, she seems to regret that immediately, but everything is more compli...
