Free Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

after he lost Maggie last year, he still figured how to be some level of happy. He’s a perfect example that living’s what you make it. Or at least what you
pretend
to make it.”
    â€œMaggie?” I says.
    â€œOur closest neighbor. They woulda married if she hadn’t died, I swear it, and all from a bee sting. Unfair, ain’t it? That something so small can kill a person?”
    â€œLife ain’t fair, Will. That’s one of the only things I know for certain. And that’s why I can’t stop chasing Rose. Maybe smiling and choosing peace and target shooting till he felt invincible worked for Jesse, but I ain’t him, and this is gonna destroy me if I don’t set things right.”
    Will leans back, settling into his mat.
    â€œYer deaf all right,” he says. “But I like that. I’m deaf too. It’s one of the reasons Jesse and I get on so well. He can’t help but ride with stubborn asses who drive him crazy.”

Chapter Eight
    The sky’s just beginning to
lighten when I decide to abandon my watch. We’ll be moving soon, and I gotta take advantage while the boys are still sleeping. I ease to my feet and pull a clean set of underthings from my pack, ’long with the fresh shirt I bought in Wickenburg. Then, with my blanket still slung over my shoulder, I creep for the pool.
    Testing, I dip in a toe. It ain’t very warm, but it could be worse.
    I strip fast as possible, wade in, and drop to my knees. The water’s like silk on my limbs. Sand and dirt float free. Where it’s worked into the creases of my skin, I scrub at it with my knuckles. I lean back, dunking my head and running my fingers through my hair. Its shortness is still a shock, a length I ain’t used to.
    Once clean, I feel so smooth, it’s like I’m a snake shed its skin. More than anything, though, my chest is singing with relief. I eye the wrap lying with my clothes. It were starting to chafe below my armpits after all the travel, and the thought of putting it back on sours everything.
    â€™Cross camp, one of the boys’ snores sputters.
    I dunk one last time and scramble outta the pool, drying myself fast with the blanket. Cringing and damn near whimpering, I wind the wrap back in place—over my chest, under my arms, cinching it down tight like I’m a horse being saddled. Then I cram my legs back into my pants and throw on the clean flannel.
    I’m working on the buttons when I hear earth crunch behind me.
    I yank the shirt tight and twist round. Jesse.
    â€œYou scared me half to death,” I says.
    â€œI thought something happened. You were supposed to be on watch.”
    â€œI’m fine,” I says, turning away and finishing with the buttons. That was close.
Too
close. “I wanted a clean and figured I could watch camp just as easy from here as my bedroll.”
    Jesse yawns, and it makes me yawn too.
    â€œYou want coffee?” he says. “I’ll start a fire.”
    â€œJesse, wait. ’Bout yesterday—Sorry I was so . . .”
    â€œPigheaded?”
    â€œI’s gonna said rude.”
    He shrugs. “It weren’t my place, I suppose. Yer gonna track down Rose. The fact that I don’t think yer capable really ain’t no one’s business but mine.”
    I frown at the insult and wrestle on my boots. Then I sling my pistol belt back round my hips and fasten it tight.
    â€œYer really eighteen?” Jesse says, squinting.
    â€œSwear it on my father’s grave.”
    He shakes his head. “You don’t look it.”
    â€œI reckon everyone looks a bit more youthful when they ain’t covered in days-old sweat.”
    I put my hat on over my wet hair. He’s still staring all doubtful. I’m gonna get caught. They ain’t dumb, and they’re gonna figure it out in time.
    â€œHow fast are you really?” I says, changing the focus.
    â€œWhat?”
    I nod to his