GLITTER GULCH

Chapter 21: Wishing Well

"KENTO! RYO! NO!" Cye's heart felt like it would break. Two men he desperately cared about were inside that burning hell. The flames created a perfect wall separating him from his friends, and he couldn't do anything about it. Frustration and anger turned to despair and hurt. Tears pooled on his eyelashes, and Cye screamed at the sky. "HELP ME!!"

The blue light was unexpected - the blue light that screamed from his body and toward the well. He saw the tin shed housing the well. He could feel the water churning underneath the surface of the earth, pulsing with lifeblood of its own. He could feel the cool, cleansing water and its underlying purifying essence. Then it was rushing past him and around him, feeding on the fire, licking at the flames, enveloping the heat. The water smashed into the barn. "KENTO! RYO!" The water surged outward and smothered the wicked flames.

Cye felt a pulsing, throbbing envelope of light surround him. In his mind's eye, he could see the energy encircling his body. It took shape. It molded itself to him like a second skin - a skin of light blue armor. He gasped and the armored vision flickered and faded.

Amazed, the schoolteacher watched as the water that he'd summoned coalesced into a giant pillar, gushing into the blue sky. Then it exploded, showering the surrounding area with a brief, pelting rain.

Sopping wet, Cye stood in front of the burned-out barn.

"My god," Rowan swore. "What the hell happened?" The Yankee's blue hair was plastered to his forehead, and his clothes clung to his body. He'd evidently been standing too close to the barn when it had been flooded with the well water. He shook his head to get rid of some of the moisture and made his way over to Cye. "Are ya okay?"

Cye automatically nodded. He didn't take his eyes off the barn. It was a mountain of rubble, but somehow, he knew Ryo and Kento had made it. He could feel it.

"Shit." Rowan lightly touched the Brit's shoulder. They stood there for a few seconds - neither one dared to breathe. Cye knew Rowan felt it too. Kento and Ryo were still alive. After several agonizing minutes, Rowan sighed. "I guess we oughta start…"

A huge pile of the rubble bulged upward. Rowan and Cye instinctively backed away. Then a board was thrown aside, and Kento was there, a silly grin on his face and soot covering his entire body. "Wow! Was that intense or what?!"

Cye muttered a blessing when he noticed that Ryo was tucked safely under the mountain man's arm. Before he or Rowan could move, Sage was rushing to the Indian's side.

"Whoa there, Sage! Stay there! I'll bring him to you, okay?" Kento started trudging over to the blonde who all but hopped in place while he anxiously waited. When the mountain man delivered his bundle, Sage scooped Ryo into his arms and lowered him gently to the ground. The cowboy sat there caressing the Indian's face and muttering incoherent phrases. Cye almost felt like he was intruding. Almost.

Cye felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to face Rosemary. "Here. I've brought them a blanket." He nodded and handed the blanket to Kento. As the mountain man draped the quilt over Sage's shoulders, Cye realized for the first time that neither Ryo nor Sage had on a stitch of clothing. He blushed and tried not to look. Really tried not to look.

"Ssshhhh…it's all right. Everything's okay." The blonde smoothed the black strands away from Ryo's face. "I've got you. Everything's going to be all right." He planted a light kiss on the Indian's forehead. His lips burned.

"I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…"

"Shhh. Ryo. It's all right. We're okay. You're safe. I'm here. I'll protect you." Sage gently rocked back and forth in an effort to comfort himself as well.

"He's coming, Sage. He's coming for me." The scared look in those pale blue eyes was heartbreaking. Cye bit his lip to keep from crying.

"Who? Who's coming, Ryo?"

"Talpa. Ringmaster Talpa. I belong to him."

Sage shivered at the mention of that man's name. "That's not true and you know it. Besides, I killed him. He's dead, Ryo. He won't hurt you anymore." The cowboy swallowed the bile that threatened to issue from his throat. The sinking feeling in his stomach started to get worse. Talpa was getting closer. He could feel it. And this time he didn't think it was going to be so easy to get rid of him. He hugged Ryo tighter.

Cye fought an overwhelming urge to hug everyone around him. "Who's Talpa?" he asked, and instantly regretted it. Several pairs of eyes singled him out. He smiled weakly under the glares.

"Only a despicable, two-timing, lying dirty son-of-a-bitch scumbag," Kento spat. He then had Sage and Ryo's undivided attention.

"You know him?!" Sage asked, concern tainting his question.

"Yeah. I know him. He's the creep who's been trying to buy Rosemary's farm and threatening to weasel me out of my property."

Sage and Ryo exchanged worried glances.

"What did ya mean by 'he owns me,' Ryo?" Rowan asked.

Ryo took a deep breath. "I guess I've got a lot of stuff to tell you guys, huh?"

Cye shook his head to clear it. "Well, not out here you don't. We need to get back inside and get dried up," he glanced at Kento, "and cleaned up. You can continue your story inside, and I'll make some tea." The Brit started toward the farmhouse. "Oh, and Ryo?"

"Yeah, Cye?"

"Talpa's going to have to get by me first. He won't be coming anywhere near you if I have a say so in the matter."

Ryo's eyes started watering. "Thanks, Cye."

Cye turned his nose up in the air and plodded into the house, Rosemary close behind.

Kento slapped Ryo on the back and laughed. "You know what, Ryo?"

"What?"

"That goes for me, too. I've got your back, buddy." The mountain man chuckled and ran into the house. They could hear Cye scolding him for getting soot everywhere. Ryo smiled.

"Ditto."

Ryo turned to Rowan. "Huh?"

"Ditto. That goes for ole blue hair here, too. Even if I am pissed at Sage. That doesn't mean ya have ta suffer just because he's a prick."

"Look, Rowan," Sage began, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

"Stow it, blondie." Rowan walked away. "I'll decide when I want ta forgive ya for being a dick. You're not getting off that easy." Then he too disappeared into the house.

Ryo leaned into Sage's embrace. "I guess we've should be going inside, too."

"Not before you promise me one thing."

"Sure, Sage. Anything."

"Knock off all this stupid shit before you get yourself killed."