Tonight… tonight is going to be tough. It’s 11:30, I’m exhausted, my back is sore from working out, I’m a little ticked off at my brother, and I’m at a point in the story where I truly don’t know what’s going to happen next.
Yeah, it’s a little scary. This thing could go several different directions right now, and I got no clue which one it’s going to take.
But hey, that’s the name of the game, isn’t it?
Okay, where were we?
John, Custer and Roswell were leaving to visit a local Lakota tribe, and I was thinking about why nobody from Fort Bennett has come to help them at all. Right now I’m thinking it’s just because nobody from Fort Bennett really cares. They’ve got they’re own problems defending other towns and settlements from real Lakota raiders than to go off chasing spooks that really aren’t hurting anyone.
So, the Lakotas. That’s where we are now.
Exhausted. So exhausted…
John, Custer and Roswell make they’re way southward.
Aw… crap. Just thought of something. Do any of them even SPEAK Lakota? How are they going to communicate?
Well, they’ll just have to figure something out, now won’t they?
Make me look good, boys.
Okay, heading south, trying to figure out what to do about Roswell, they stumble across a herd of bison. They really think nothing of them (bison are pretty stupid, after all) and are just passing by, until they see a Lakota warrior standing stone still in the middle of the herd. He just kind of appears there, studying them. The next thing they know, they are surrounded by Lakota on horseback. But then the buffalo stampede and come charging right at them. It’ll be a big action sequence as the Fultons try to dash their cart out of the way, not knowing really where they are going, basically being chased by the buffalo and thinking they’re being attacked by the Lakota, when in reality, the Indians are just trying to get them some buffalo. But, at least one Lakota will come swooping by on horseback when Roswell falls out of the cart and sweep him out of the path of the oncoming stampede and disappear across the grass. The Fultons will get a severe talking to in Lakota (and that talking to may include a rifle to the forehead), not understanding a word of it, but getting the gist. They realize that they have no way of communicating with these savages. They don’t speak Lakota. So they have to figure out a way to let them know they mean no harm and only want to talk to someone about the problems they’ve been having. Custer gets the bright idea to bay, hoping that they will recognize the sound of a coyote howl. And they do, only too well, reacting poorly. John is eventually able to communicate that they are looking for help with the coyotes. They lead them cautiously back to their settlement, but they still don’t know what happened to Roswell. They cannot communicate this to the Lakota.
At the settlement, they don’t have much better luck.
I am so tired my eyes are tearing up. This is not good.
552 words. Halfway home. I can do this. Really I can.
I need another drink.
Okay. Now that I am fully lubricated, let’s see what kind of messed up shit I can come up with. Assuming I don’t pass out in the comfy chair, here.
John and Custer erach the settlement notnkowing what they hell they’re supposed to do. The last time they bayed, they cgot a bunch of rifles and shotguns stuck in their face. They sidn’t like that. And they don’t know where Roswell is. They don’t like that either. That could be … problematic, especially if And they have no way of communicating anything to the Lakota. What to do, what to do…
How do they get through to the Lakota? They can’t speak the language. I don’;t want some sort of college educated Indian to show up, that’d be too easy. Icould have them take part in some sort of ritual that will expand their mind so they can understand one another. The peace pipe or something. A spirit gude of some sort. Something. How do you communicate with someone who doesn’t speak the same language…sign, gestures… what elsehow can they breakthat communication barrier? Vision, hopynosis, dream… what else. I’m sure I can get something… drawings… writing…music… dance… you don’t speak the same language.. how do you communicated something like, “our town is being terrorized by coyotes, but we think they’re really werewolves. Do you know anything about it?”
200 moer to go.
Wow, I am really dizzy right now.
Pheromones? I like the idea of a vision uest or something. Some way of communicating that appears like adream. Maybe it’s as simple as that… They spend the night with the Lakota after a frustrating evening of trying to communicate, and they commune with them in a dream kind of way. What do they learn, I wonder? The creation of the world… How Coyote was cheated, and how he tricks others. Maybe Coyote decided to make others like himself, as a big joke.
Seriously, I am going to lose my balance and crack my skull open when I stand up. I am convinced of that. I should not have had that second glass of wine. P eriod.
I have to admit, I like the idea of Coyote doing this as a prank against the Lakota. I just have to make sure that Coyote has a mythological importance to the Sioux. On the other hand, I guess it doesn’t matter. If he’s just important to the Apache or something, that would be even more ironic.
I gotta check that out.
Interesting… If I place this in South Dakota, like I want to, I can work in hints of the future to come, like Custer’s last stand, and the Massacre of Wounded Knee, which was started when US soldiers attempted to disarm a bunch of Lakota. One warrior named, what else, Black Coyote, refused to give up his weapon, and the shooting started.
Coyote evidently has a wicked sense of humor. I think this will work in well with my story.
I see a belt or a wolf skin in my future. I say that only because I want to remember that tomorrow.
And why tomorrow, you may ask. Because I’ve reached my 1,000 words for tonight, dear reader.
