Chapter 7 "The Rider Who Fell from Heaven"

This is the second draft of the 7th chapter of “The Rider Who Fell from Heaven.” It will likely be different from the final version based on additional edits and YOUR INPUT!

Eliza settled the bill and they waited until the singer finished her performance. She got in close, touching her arm and talking in her ear, “There were a couple of Russians who said they were going to grab you on the way out.” She indicated Sera, who was waiting by the table and watching the door, “My friend and I would like to walk you home.”

When the singer spoke it was with a Russian accent. She looked worried. “That would be my brother’s friends. I saw them staring at me. They think they should own me.”

“Where do you live? We’ll get you there safely.”

The singer looked around nervously. “Are you sure? They can be dangerous. I can get word to my brother.”

“I have a feeling my friend can deal with them. He’s already scared them off once,” Eliza gestured toward Sera.

“I’m at the Ravencrest Hotel. It’s close.”

The singer grabbed her coat and the cash the owner paid her, then they headed to the front door. Sera exited first and turned left on the deck, heading toward the alley. When he turned the corner, he stopped. Eliza and the singer caught up and there were the two Russians. They had been waiting in the alley. The shaggy-haired man had an old double-barreled shotgun leveled at Sera, who had raised his hands.

The shaggy-haired man spoke in English with a deep Russian accent, “We’re going to take what’s ours. Get in our way, you’re going to be sorry.”

Sera stepped in, grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and pushed it into the air as it went off. The shot echoed through the streets and rang in her ears. The stench of gunpowder filled her nose. Eliza instinctively covered one ear with her left hand and reached behind her with the right to cover the singer. Kept her line of sight on what was happening. She wasn’t about to leave Sera on his own, even if she had no idea how to help.

Sera yanked on the shotgun from the barrel, easily pulled it out of the man’s hands and struck him in the gut with the wooden butt. Shaggy hunched over and fell face first into the ground.

She couldn’t believe what she had just seen. How did he disarm that man so quickly? Everything was happening so fast. Eliza pushed the singer into the wall to keep her from the fight.

Sera took a step toward the brutish man with no eye, who had assumed a fighting stance. Sera adjusted how he was holding the shotgun so that he was holding it horizontally like a baseball bat and swung it into the brute’s skull. He blinked his one good eye twice, shook his head, and then fell backwards, completely out.

Eliza had seen many fights since her arrival in Drythorne Junction. Fights with drunks, or miners who quarreled over stupid things. They were chaotic and uncoordinated, usually ending up with both men scraped up and tired with nothing much happening. What she had just seen Sera do was almost horrifying in speed and precision. It was impressive. But what sort of man knows how to hurt people so efficiently?

Sera handed the shotgun to the singer, “Let’s get you home.”

They walked past the shaggy-haired man who was moaning in pain and down the alley to the Ravencrest Hotel.

The singer withdrew into herself the further they retreated from the alley. Eliza was sure that she was just as shocked by the gunshot and the scuffle as she was. But when they arrived at the hotel she spoke up. Looking at them both through glassy eyes she said, “I’m Polina. There’s no way I can thank you two enough for what you’ve done. I’ll get my brother to escort me from now on.”

Polina walked into the hotel and waved at them before disappearing inside.

Eliza rubbed her hands together and hugged herself. The frosty night air and the fight chilled her. “My house is over the tracks.” She couldn’t look at him when she said, “How did you do that?”

He placed his large warm hand on her back. Maybe he could tell she was distressed. Sera looked at the ground for a while before answering, “I’ve been a soldier for a very long time.”

“I’ve seen soldiers fight. But never anything like what I just saw. It wasn’t just skill—but how fast and strong you are.”

“I was built for this. I didn’t have a childhood. Fighting is all I’ve ever done.”

“It’s what I know.”

“You’ve helped me, Polina, Lucien... but what gives you the right to do this?”

“Are you asking me if I believe that might makes right?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. You’ve helped all of us so much. And we are all in your debt. But what makes you any different from the Shaws?”

They crossed the tracks and kept walking into the night. The crunch of their steps on the cracked earth broke the silence between them.

Lord Tennyson reframed King Arthur’s Round Table with the selfless ‘Might for Right.’ They became a symbol of humility and service. But also a cautionary tale of how moral decay can destroy you.”

“Well sir, are you saying you’re King Arthur?”

Sera chuckled softly. “I’m saying that, unlike the Shaws, I’m guided by a higher ethos.”

“How can I be sure?”

Sera stopped walking and turned to her. His eyes blazed into her. “I would never harm you, Eliza. I temper my power with service and humility.”

“…And Excalibur?”

The moon’s cold silver light cast a glow across the land. A blanket of stars served as their companion. The crickets played their tunes accompanied by the rush of wind across the plains.

Eliza had found the crook of Sera’s arm again and their slow pace in the cool air snuggled them closer together.

This man appeared out of nowhere. But who was he? His answers were full but also evasive. He seemed too good to be true. Was he another bad omen wrapped in helpful deeds?

“What brings you to Drythorne Junction?” she asked.

Sera’s eyes were fixed on the stars, but his steps were certain. She marveled at how the heavens dazzled him, as if he had never seen them before.

“Man can be so cruel.”

A shooting star dared across the sky and burned out after putting on a brilliant show. Sera stopped speaking and mouth went agape at the sight. He looked at her to gage her reaction.

“That’s supposed to be good luck,” she said. Drythorne Junction could use some of that.

His eyes returned to the sky. “Not all people are bad. I’ve seen bravery in the face of adversity, kindness, and... love, even in darkness.”

“Sera, you’re a romantic.”

“I always pray that people will surprise me. I’m fascinated, always hopeful, but also cautious.”

He reached over and placed a hand in front of her to stop her from moving. The arresting sound of a rattlesnake shaking its tail cut through her. She drew in her breath and tried to find it in the gloam.

Before she saw it Sera had snatched the snake from the ground, holding it by the neck, just below its head. He held the snake in front of his face, so they shared a moment together, then tossed it past a row of dry bushes. The snake retreated into the night.

Eliza recomposed herself and linked arms with him again. “Most men would have killed that snake.”

“True,” he said. “And it was dangerous. But stopping it from hurting us was enough.”

He looked down at her again, “Life is precious.”

“You didn’t answer my question, sir. Even if you did just save my life,” she laughed.

“What brings me to Drythorne Junction? My fate is to wander the earth, to go where I’m needed, but never settle. I’m here because I was drawn here and I’ll leave when I’m drawn elsewhere.”

She moved closer to him to feel his warmth. To make a connection, “That’s no way to live. Don’t you want to build a life? With... someone?”

He stopped and looked to the ground. “I told you I’ve fought all my life. That creates enemies. Trouble hunts me. If I stay too long people get hurt.”

Even in the darkness she could see the pain in his eyes. “Staying is selfish. I refuse to endanger the people I care about. Redemption is my burden.”

She was alone. Even with him here beside her. Still entirely alone. Just like everyone else in this town, he wouldn’t be there when it mattered. She let go of him. It was a betryal, even if he didn’t really owe her anything. Maybe she had hoped for too much. Too fast. Or maybe it was her turn to be selfish.

“I think I’ll walk the rest of the way on my own, sir. I’m used to it,” she said, although she couldn’t look at him when she said it.

“I didn’t mean to...”

She held up her hand to stop him as she walked away. Better to leave this stranger now than to get her hopes up. She had survived this long on her own, and she would continue that path.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, sir. You can stay in the schoolhouse as we discussed.”

“As you wish,” he shifted and walked back toward the schoolhouse.

She hustled to her home, as her eyes filled with tears. Stupid girl, she thought. She knew better than to rely on anyone. And to get attached so swiftly. Stupid. She knew better.

Men always disappointed her. If she were honest, even Jonas was distant before they moved to Drythorne. But it became so much worse when they moved here. The grinding distance hurt her worse than anything. Men grew distant as they tried to solve problems on their own. They never gave her a chance to solve it together.

It wasn’t far from home. She hated living alone, but was used to it. Maybe Sera would stay long enough to fix the schoolhouse. She would carry on by herself. Eliza had learned to be resilient.

As she approached her small ranch house she noticed something was wrong. There were horse tracks and boots leading to her home. One chair, usually on the porch, was shattered into pieces and thrown into her yard. As she got closer, she saw something on the porch.

And screamed.

What amazes me is how much easier these characters are to write on the second draft. They are speaking to me now. I know instinctually if their dialog is hitting right or not, and the placeholder dialog from the first draft is giving way to much better stuff this time.

I’m still adding quite a lot from the first draft. Originally, the Russians were scared off in the last chapter. This time I had them waiting around the corner. The main reason is that I needed Eliza to see what Sera could do when he wasn’t holding back. It’s important to establish that for later.

Also, there’s a lot more discussion about his philosophy here. I think it makes a good contrast with the fight at the beginning and her concerns about how dangerous he is.

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I want to hear from you! What did you love? What did you hate? Did I miss something? Predictions? Let me know in the comments below! Your input could change the final version of this story.

This is the second draft of the book and will not be the final printed version.

To read from the beginning start here: https://kdhooper.substack.com/publish/post/199260832