Doctor and the Kid, The (A Weird West Tale) (Weird West Tales) by Mike Resnick

Author:Mike Resnick [Resnick, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Published: 2011-12-13T06:00:00+00:00

H

OLLIDAY AWOKE IN THE MORNING and got painfully to his feet. He climbed into his clothes, rinsed his face off, donned his holster and gun, walked down the hallway to the privy, returned to the room, put on his hat, and pulled his flask out of his pocket. He cursed when he realized it was empty, replaced it, and walked down the stairs to the main floor. There was a new clerk at the desk, but he'd evidently been told who Holliday was, because he was positively obsequious in his greeting.

Holliday handed him the flask. “Get this thing filled up, please.”

“It'll be waiting for you this afternoon, sir.”

“I didn't say anything about the afternoon,” replied Holliday coldly, as Buntline joined him.

“Yes, sir,” said the clerk. “It'll just be a minute, sir. I'll be right back, Dr. Holliday, sir.”

Buntline smiled as the clerk raced off to get some whiskey. “I never knew your name was ‘sir.'”

“It's early in the day,” said Holliday hoarsely. “Spare me your attempts at humor.” He looked around. “Where's Edison?”

“He'll be along.”

“Damned well better be. It must be seven o'clock in the morning. There are days I don't get in from playing cards until seven.”

Holliday fell silent, and Buntline decided not to disturb him. The clerk returned about three minutes later and handed Holliday his flask. Holliday instantly opened it and took a swallow, then screwed the top on and tossed a nickel to the clerk.

“Okay,” he said, turning to Buntline. “I'm human again.”

“Shall we get some breakfast while we're waiting for Tom?” suggested Buntline.

“I just had mine. You go ahead if you're hungry.”

Buntline shook his head. “I packed some meat and a loaf of bread in a basket. One of the lads is loading it into the buckboard as we speak. We can eat as we travel. And this time I rented an extra horse, too. Three in a buckboard is too damned uncomfortable.”

“I hope you don't think I'm riding the damned horse,” said Holliday.

“I'll take turns with Tom.”

“Where the hell is he?” asked Holliday, looking up the staircase.

“He's not in his room,” replied Buntline. “He's out back with the buckboard, making sure everything's in order. This means a lot to him, even more than it means to you. If we can destroy the station, whichever of the devices does it might also work on the medicine men.”

“You're going to turn one of those things on Geronimo?” asked Holliday with a smile. “He'll just vanish and show up fifty miles away a second later.”

“We have to start somewhere,” said Edison's voice, and Holliday turned to see the inventor entering the lobby. “Are we all ready to proceed?”

Holliday grunted an affirmative, Buntline nodded, and the three of them went out the back entrance where a wagon drawn by two horses was awaiting them, as was a saddled gelding. Holliday winced at the sunlight, tried to ignore the dust that was blowing in his face from a gentle breeze, and climbed painfully up to the top of the wagon.

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