Evalyn, Chiane, Remy, Marlowe, CJ, Steven, Ezekiel, Matthew:
NPCs:
* List NPCs in the scene here.
Summary: Marlowe returns from a clandestine meeting with a stick of dynamite, and he and CJ prepare to go make a second dam to relieve pressure on the original.
Date: 9 February 1883.
Making a New Dam
Doctor's Office, Boarding House, the site of the Ice Dam
The 'breed steps back from the suddenly quieted patient, after punching her on the chin, "Dayam, Ah shoulda smacked 'er hahdah." he grumbles, seeing she is still moving, "Heah, lemme take keer uv thet raht now."He steps forward again, raising his balled fist. "Step aside, doc."
Shock was the best word that Evalyn was experiencing. The man had hit her patient. Evalyn steps up reaching for the breed's arm. "NO!!!!" Her brilliant blue eyes widen in shock. "You will NOT hit her!!!" Her voice raises in suprise and anger with the situation.
Chiane blinks at what had just happened. The patient had simply been frantic and acting a fool! As Evalyn steps up to stop Marlowe, she moves in as well, though not quite clsoe enough to do anything just yet.
Jerking his arm away, Marlowe glares at the redheaded nurse, "One uv these days, Red, yore gonna step in onct too often." he turns and walks towards the door, "C'mon Chiane, reckon we kin leave thet filly with these heah medical perfessonals."
Without waiting for the reply, or anything else, he slams angrily through the door.
Evalyn watches as he departs and just shakes her head in a mocking manner, obviously having had enough of the man. "Ingrateful Jerk.." She mutters and turns back to her work. He had touched a corde when he threatened one of her patients.
Sighing in relief, Chiane turns to follow her husband. She pushes her way through the door and catches up to him. "Ya know ya caint kill everyone that annoys ya.." She states quietly.
He throws his answer back over his shoulder, "Thet's whah thet dayamed redhaid air still livin'..cain't kill them Ah owes sumpin' to, but Ah ain't gotta lissen to no high an' mahty gospel neithah."
Boarding House
The parlor of the Boarding House is tastefully decorated, with red as the primary color. The floor is a dark hardwood plank, and there is a fireplace against the wall. Around it are a few plush chairs and one or two empress sofas for sitting. In that area, a rug has been placed over the wood floor for comfort and design. The rest of the room is made up with a piano for playing, several decorative plants, and a rolltop desk. Pictures adorn the walls, one of a lovely woman and her husband, one of the same woman and a child, and a few of the boy just by himself. There are some others, friends and the like, but that's it. Red velvet curtains decorate the windows around the room, and there are lanterns placed sporadically around, designed into the decor so as not to stick out.
Chiane just remains quiet as she follows him into the home. As they enter, she pulls off her coat and proceeds to peel off her wet boots and stockings. She grumbles a bit about the cold and the wetness. Finally free of the wet items, she moves to the fireplace, lifting each foot one at a time to warm in the heat of the fire
An obviously perturbed Marlowe, followed by Chiane, bursts into the house, "Ah'm tellin' ya, thar's twenny three inches uv fuse..most tahm thet'll give me air sixty six seconds, and we gotta slice thet dynamite into foah pieces."
Ezekiel is sitting in one of the parlours chairs four hands of cards splayed out infront of him from a single deck, when he hears the commotion he looks up from his 'work' to look at the married couple "Dynamite?" he asks looking at Marlowe "You know how to handle the stuff?" he asks curiously…
Chiane glances to Ezekiel. She cants her head a bit. "Good evening." she looks to her husband. "Yes, he knows how to handle it. Trouble is.. we need to use it and aint got 'nuff fuse.." She frowns.
The 'breed just gives the card player a withering one-eyed look, "Ah brunged down a few stopes in mah tahm. Tain't much to it, iffen yore keerful an' git clear." He turns back to Chiane, "But this heah ain't no hahdrock we air a blowin', AH cain't say fer shore how it air gonna come down…jest gotta go lookin' at the lay."
Ezekiel shrugs a bit as he listens "Talking bout blowing that damn?" he asks motioning off back to the area where the damn is located "There's a problem with just blowing the whole thing though, or even blowing up just a little bit" he says trailing off into silence pauseing to see if he has folks attention..
Chiane shakes her head. "Aint gonna blow the dam.. that would be jus' styupid. Tryin' to get some snow to come down and make the dam stronger 'till we git someone here to manage it and figger out how to deal with it."
The 'breed agrees with his wife, "Jest cuz we ain't got no lily whayte skon dun mean we ain't got no smahts. Now, the crick air comin' ovah the top an' one sahd uv the thang raht now. Thar's an enginnery fellah haided heah, but it air gonna be a week afore he kin git heah. So's, we need 'nother avalanche to build it up sum, quien sabe?"
Ezekiel nods "wasn't saying you were stupid, lotta folk aren't use to flooding, and I've seen what a flash flood can do to a town who's not ready for it.. and all that dam is is a flash flood waiting to happen.. don't know if snow would do it though…maybe if we went further up the creek and made a second dam out of rock's and trees up river? might be enough ta let us blow the ice and timber dam apart and then work on clearing the whole thing… dunno though.. still need ta see about talking to any of the miners that knwo how to blow into rock and do it safely I reckon" he says moving to gather up his playing cards from the small table..
Steven has arrived.
CJ has arrived.
"Iffen ya feel lahk rahdin' ovah to Idyho Springs, er Georgetown, ya jest go ahaid.. this tahm uv yeah, maht take ya foah, five days. 'Lessen ya ain't trustful uv no Cripple Creek miner's try at it." He tosses the too short length of fuse onto a table, 'Dahlin' when everboddy figahs out whut they want dun, fetch me yore shears an' thet measurin' wrap uv yourn."
CJ steps inside and looks to Marlow "Ah's lahk t' help ifa yew be needin' an extrah paira hands." He had been out getting his store set up, but still meant it when he told Chiane previously , he'd like to help.
Chiane nods to Marlowe. "Well you gentlemen should decide what to do .. but ya know… perhaps gettin' an avalanch to stop up the creep furthur up the creek might not be a bad idea.. it would stop the flow on the current dam.." she shrugs and moves over to a small basket filled with all kinds of knitting and sewing supplies. Pulling out a pair of shers and measuring tape, she moves back to Marlowe and hands it to him.
Steven takes his hat off as he comes inside, "Evenin."
Matthew dusts the snow off of his jacket as he klomps in. He takes his hat off and shakes the snow off outside. "Hello Lady and Gentlemen." He's only sporting his pistol at the moment, obviously not wanting to carry his rifle.
Marlowe sits down at the table with the measuring tape and the length of fuse. Doing some figuring on the table with his fingernail, he carefully stretches the length of fuse out. "Maht could blow it a bit upstream," he acknowledges, "Mebbe come back ta bite us in the ass, but it maht not..whyn't y'all vote onnit whilst Ah do whut AH gotta."
Equally carefully, he measures an eight inch section of the fuse and snips it through with one sharp cut. He then measures out a six, a five and a four inch length, and sets them aside.
CJ looks to the other two men and back to Marlowe "Ah's saiz we's tahk air chances. That thar dam goes en we's nawht hava worrry bout ennythang, buts its air town, Ah's saiz we's goes fo it, tahk air chances. Yew boys agree?"
Matthew glances at the man holding the fuse and watches him cut the fuse. He then glances around the room at the men and at Chiane. "Planning to blow something up?"
Steven places a couple of cans on the table, "That might help some. Yall find anythen better?"
Chiane frowns and ponders. She looks as if about to say something, then looks up to Matthew as he comes in. Offering a tired smile, "Aye… the last avalanch created a dam. The dam is 'bout to break and drown out half the town. We figger we need to make a second dam to stop the buildup of the first.. jus' to give us time to plan and fix the problem." She looks around to the group of men. "Ill bring us all some coffee.." She turns towards the kitchen.
Marlowe leans back in the chair, and regards the two cans of powder, 'Maht at thet," he muses, 'We'll jest plant it with thet stick uv dynamite Chiane's got tucked into her coat pocket.
Steven says, "It gonna be a little bit more stable that dynamite… But it'll kick harder. Don't get it near the lamp.. case some stuck to the side."
CJ stands near the table with his hands in his pockets. "Ifa Ah's guts enny thang of use Mistah Marlow, yew be welcomed t' it."
Matthew nods his head slowly. He looks over at Marlowe. "I'll help where I can Sir." He moves over to a chair and sits down.
Chiane heads off into the kitchen to make coffee, after handing her husband the single stick of dynamite they had managed to scrounge, and he leans back looking at it. Ah bet6tah take this heah outsahd," he finally says, "We ain't wantin' it to be sweatin' nun." Gingerly, he takes the explosive out to the shed and returns.
Steven crosses his arms across his chest, and watches as people move about the room, "When you gonna have this shindig?"
Marlowe shrugs, "Reckon thar ain't tahm lahk now. Ain't lahlk Ah need no posse 'round."
CJ watches the goings on and listening mostly. Leans up against the back of a chair.
Matthew has disconnected.
You say, "SHore wuldn't mahnd hevin' mebbe one person hangin' back..case thar's sumpin goes wrong, they kin mebbe let folks know."
CJ looks to Marlowe "Ah's cud do that, ifa yew wunt meh t'." He looks the man steadily.
"Shore." He stands, and reaches for his heavy coat. "Jest lemme go tell mah wahf."
CJ nods his head "Figuah Ah's go up wit yew, then stand bouts half ways up, that ways Ah's knawh's wuts goin' on."
Marlowe steps into the kitchen, and returns several minutes later with the dynamite and an old Army field glass, which he hands to CJ.
CJ takes the field glass and nods his head. "thunkaya." Inhales and motions to the dynamite "Yew jest be cahful thar,eh?"
Pathway
The large dam caused by the avalanche blocks the ravine here, where it narrows around a bend in the creek. The same placid creek that flows past the southern edge of the town is but a trickle here, as it is pent up behind the massive ice and timber structure.
CJ has arrived.
Marlowe eyes the original dam and shakes his head, 'Ain't gittin' it no tahm too soon." He points up the hill to the west, "Ah'm haided up thar a mite, yu bettah stay heah."
CJ looks the situation over and he nods his head "Ah's be watchin'fo yew, gud luck Mistah Marlow."
The 'breed slowly makes his way up the hill, his figure dropping behind boulders only to show again, higher. Finally, he selects a spot to begin, well above the existing dam, and prepares the charges.
CJ moves to a probably safe area and he steps up to get a good view and uses the field glass and watches in direction of Marlowe,seeing him pop up a few times and he beneath his breath "Pray gawd this heah wohks, fo' town sake en fo' mistah Marlowe's own safety too, Lawd." He speaks to himself and course to whatever God was listening.
The area Marlowe had selected was near the end of a thick slab of blue ice and snow, teetering on a ledge, with many boulders and several trees in the path of the ice and snow.
He can be seen cutting the dynamite into quarters, and insert the fuses. He places one charge, and moves north and west, placing the others.
CJ continues to watch thru the field glass, and watches his every movement. "Jesus Mistah gits on th' edge,eh? Cah'ful thar." He again speaks to himself. He guesses the man is a good 3 quarters of a mile to maybe less than a half.
There is a flare of light, as the 'breed fires a match, then holds it close to his face, puffing on a cigar. When the tip glows red, he bends, touching it to the end of the first fuse..24 seconds long, and breaks into a run towards the second, back down the trail.
CJ counts to himself and watches for the explosion. He with one hand reaches for a cigar not to smoke just yet but to chew on the end. "Cah'ful."
He makes it to the second charge, and moves to the third, fumbling a bit with it. Getting it to spark, the 'breed starts for the final charge, then seems to stumble, and fall on the treacherous footing. Quickly, the 'breed scrambles up, still making for the final charge when the side of the mountain erupts in a flash of flame, and there comes a low, steady rumble.
CJ held his breath when he fell and he could hear the rumbling of the explosion as dust begins to bellow. "Whar yew be? Come on. "Having counted the charges , that meant one was not yet lit. "Gawd if yew guts that miracle, nawh's th' time t' give it."
The 'breed dives for a single pine just as the onslaught of snow and ice, one leg dragging behind him. The tree disappears as a boiling white fury of an avalanche rolls down the side of the mountain, scouring it clean of all in it's path.
The mass of ice, timber and stone crashes into the backed up creek, perhaps a quarter mile from the old dam, sending a towering wall of white water boiling across the top of the eroding structure, trees tumbling like toothpicks in the liquid maelstrom.
CJ was standing away from harm's way and watches this , would it be a castastrophy or what would save a town from impending doom, he watched then turned to see if he could see Marlowe yet, his hands trembling abit as he held the field glass.
As the thunderous avalanche dies down, it does indeed accomplish it's purpose, that of making a second dam upstream to relieve the pressure on the first. But as the roiled waters behind the old dam settle into lapping waves, no sign of Marlowe can be seen. The place where he had dove for the tree was bare rock, not even a twig left to show.
CJ sighs a relief, the town being spared and he frowns when he turns to search the area for Marlowe, no this can't do, he's got a wife and babe on the way and he shoves the field glass into a pocket and the man starts to head up the way to see if he can find Marlowe. "Gawd, whar that thar injun go." He'd search while he had daylight left.
