Guest Post by Ellie: Dancer, Part 2

Dancer rode silently in the dark of night towards the warm glow of a candle in the window of a station. He yawned and looked behind him to see the mochila still behind him. He smiled widely at how easily he got the job and was set on keeping the job. He ran over the three don'ts out loud.

"No cussing, no fighting, no drinking," he said aloud as he rode up to the station. "No drinking," he repeated. "No... drinking," he said again this time a bit slower. "Dang, why the heck no drinking?" he asked aloud. He dismounted the horse and yawned again and walked to the door of the station and knocked on the door. A man answered the door and looked at Dancer.

"You must be the runner," the man mumbled and looked over his shoulder. "Are you planning on staying the night?" he asked. Dancer nodded.

"If you don't mind sir," Dancer smiled. The man nodded and took the mochila off the horse and set it by the door and took the horse.

"You can have the cot in the corner," he pointed the cot. Dancer nodded and walked over to the cot and looked at it and took off his hat and tossed it to the side and slumped on the cot and fell to sleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

The next morning Dancer woke up to the sounds of a busy town. He got up, grabbed his hat, and walked over to the man he had seen the night he arrived and looked at him.

"Good afternoon, you slept like a horse. Sorry boy, fresh our of horses, except for the one you had last night, she'll be ready in tomorrow though, so if you want to you can stay here again," he offered.

"Sure," Dancer answered. "I would enjoy that, a bar anywhere close?" he asked.

"Yeah, four doors down, can't miss it," the man answered. Dancer nodded and walked out of the station and walked down to the bar. He walked in and checked his pockets to see two dollars. He shrugged and then looked around and to see men playing poker, women tending drinks and even some men chasing after the women. The fresh smell of liquor hit Dancer's nose and he smiled and walked over to the bar and saw two men looking at him.

"What are you looking at?" Dancer demanded.

"Aren't you a little small to have a drink?" one of the men asked. Dancer laughed.

"I bet I could out drink you," he smiled. The two men laughed at this and looked at him.

"I'll tell you what, you out drink me and I pay for the all of it, if you loose you pay," the other man said. Dancer laughed and looked at them.

"I'd be happy to take the bet," Dancer grinned at them. "Bartender," Dancer called. "Two whiskey shots," he ordered. "And please keep them coming," he added. The bartender looked at the two men and nodded. He shrugged and pasted Dancer and the man each a shot. They each guzzled it down. This continued and a crowed had slowly began to form around them.

"Keep it up Carson!" the man yelled to his friend at they both finished their tenth shot. Carson have a small hick-up and Dancer laughed.

"Getting ready to pass out?" Dancer asked. Carson growled at him and waved for more. Two more shots came. Dancer looked at it and smiled wickedly and swung his head back and tossed it down his mouth. Carson glared and looked at the shot in his shaking hand and tossed it down as well. Dancer smiled and waved for more. Carson took the next shot and dropped it passing out. Dancer laughed and took the last shot. "I think this means you pay," he added to the other man. "Hope your friend can pay you back," Dancer got up from the bar and turned around seeming not hazed at all and walked out back to the station humming happily. He walked into though the door and beamed at the man. "Hey, howareya?" he asked his words drawling together.

"Are you drunk?" the man asked. "I was wondering what you were doing but getting drunk?" he asked. He walked over to Dancer and sniffed his breath. "How can you still be walking?"

"I'm German," Dancer sang happily. "I can do anything!" he shouted punching a fist in the air and loosing balance on his feet. The man caught him. "I'm Dancer by the way!" he added happily.

"I am Hank," Hank answered. "I think you should go sleep this off," Dancer looked at him and pouted.

"Whaareeya?" Dancer's words slid together as he spoke. "Mymaaaa?" he drawled hick-uping. Hank pushed the drunk in the cot and Dancer smiled lazily again and passed out.

Dancer woke up the next morning the a pounding headache. He moaned and slowly sat up and looked around. "Damn, I drank," he muttered.

"How are you feeling?" Hank asked. Dancer looked up at him.

"I feel like Hell," Dancer grunted back. "Ugg, I drank too much," he added.

"What the hell did you do?" Hank asked.

"I bet I could drink more then some idiot at the bar, I can take in liquor but it takes its toll after about ten minutes I stop drinking, while I am drinking I am fine," Dancer added. "Ugg, I need to get back to Green River's Station," he added standing up and tripping over his feet. "Do you have a horse?" Hank nodded.

"Yeah, I do, just be careful," Hank added.

"Yeah, the fresh air will do me some good though," Dancer answered. He stumbled out of the station and mounted his horse groaning. "Thanks for putting up with me last night Hank," Dancer added turning to Hank before he left. Hank nodded and Dancer rode off towards the direction of Green River's Station. "Well, broke one promise, oh well, they won't have to know," Dancer thought aloud.



© 2009 Ellie S. and The Five Dollar Mail