Chapter Text
The Game
by GV Butterworth/HighKillerHK
The night was a typical night in Montana. It was cold, the winds were high and the trees were close. Logan had sat on his front porch until even his heightened metabolism couldn't take it anymore. He shuffled into the old cabin, shutting the door he and Miriam had nearly destroyed in a good-natured DIY attempt. He winced against the memory and plodded to the bedroom.
Logan put off visiting the bedroom until the final few moments before sleep. If he didn't view it as such a sign of defeat, he would have just slept on the sofa. It didn't help of course, that the sofa had been a wedding present. So he had continually braved the bedroom.
It had only been six months. And Logan was still mourning.
Remy sighed to himself for what he guessed the 12th time that hour. Yet again he got into a spat with whomever he picked up in a bar a few weeks ago.
"What was 'is name ag'in? Pet'r? Clark? Stev'? Ferget it, no' lik' it matters now anyway."
Fishing his cigs out and taking a final puff from the one already in his mouth, he wished he didn't have such bad luck with people. Taking another glance around the town he made a decision. "If'n ah'm neva comin' back migh' as well get somethin' ta 'member this place."
He strolled along the sidewalk until he found a near-by Motorshop. It only took a few flirts with the cashier woman to get a good bike at a low price, very low price. "Thank ya' kindly Mon chere~. Might Ah also bother ya fer one o' them road maps?"
Procuring what he wanted he left and took a gander at the closest state. "Montana? Didn' know Ah was tha' far north. Guess it betta than nothin'." Hopping on his new bike the sped off. Curious as to what he'll find in the state below Canada.
Logan was due into work at 7 am. He arrived at 6 and that was only because he made himself eat breakfast to stall for time. HE got to the lumbar yard and immediately went to work, swinging his axe at the trees with a ferocious severity that made the forest shudder with each blow. When his co-workers arrived, not a one of them dared talk to him, although he was granted several sympathetic glances.
It wasn't until 1:30 someone got the courage to interrupt him.
"Logan. Lunch." It was the foreman, Jacob. He was well into his 50's, half Injun and good hearted. He was still known to pick up an axe and swing it with his men despite his superior position.
"Didn't bring one."
"S'all right, I brought an extra."
"Not hungry."
"Would you put down that goddamn ax for just a second an' eat this bloody pastrami sandwich? Hannah an' Ellen made it..."
Logan's axe swings finally slowed. "Hannah made it?"
"Six years old an' already knows the way to a man's heart..."
"A good sandwich?"
"A damn good sandwich. Get yer ass over here an' eat it."
They'd settled on one of the pines Logan had felled earlier that day. The scent of a fresh flora kill still hung in the air and made their sandwiches taste better. Logan couldn't help but smile when it became apparent that his sandwich had an ungodly amount of mayo.
"She's yet to really get a handle on proportions."
"Uh huh."
"Listen, Logan..."
"No."
"What?"
"I said no," Logan reiterated simply, the dried pine furs crunching as he resituated his feet on the earth.
"I didn't even say anything yet."
"I ain't stupid. No one has their kid make a pastrami sandwich unless they're gearin' up fer a big talk."
"Thought it was less obvious than alcohol," Jacob chortled.
"Gotta wake up pretty early in the mornin' ta get one over on me."
"That's kinda what I wanted to talk to you about."
"Relax, Jake, I'm not tellin' the labor union on ya cause I got issues to work out."
"It's not the unions I'm nervous about, Logan, it's you. I wantcha to take this week off. I'll pay ya for it."
"No."
"I'm not giving you an option. Go into town. Visit family. Logan, you haven't stopped once since she died..."
"There's a reason fer that," Logan snapped, his voice going steely, "I gotta keep my mind on other things."
"Maybe you should stop tryin' to avoid it. I'm not telling you what to do, Logan. But, by god, if I see you anywhere near this forest before next Monday morning, I'll tan your hide somethin' fierce."
If there was one thing to which Logan had surrendered gracefully in his long life was the wisdom of others. Granted, he didn't want to take a week off and have to face the agony of his loss, his confusion about what to do with his life, the feeling of complete helplessness. But he needed to. With a sigh, Logan just nodded and licked a glob of mayo off his thumb.
Yawning to himself Remy drove into town, he wasn't sure where exactly he was. He knew it was somewhere in Montana, but was tired after the long night drive to really care. The bike and gas took a toll on his wallet, he knew he wouldn't have enough for a Comfort Inn or some other fancy hotel. He guessed he could bare a night in a motel.
'Guess Ah could try an' find a bar er somethin'. Play a few games an' get my wallet back ta normal size." One thing Remy couldn't stand since he first learned to care for himself, not having a sizeable ammount of money with him at all times. "Can' help it now, migh' as well get som' sleep firs'. Think more on it tomorra'."
Parking his bike in a Motels driveway, and make sure to lock it in place with oter precautions, he walked to the desk. To his luck a busty Blonde was popping gum and reading some fashion magaine.
"My oh my It's Remys lucky day~" He winked to her, happy when she flushed and stood.
"M-may I help you sir?" She smiled her best smile, making sure she made herself seem nice.
"Well mon ami Ah was hopin' fer a room, bu' Ah'm not sure if yer prices are enough fer me. Mind if Ah gander at yer... Roster?" Flushing even more she handed him the price list. "Hmm Ah'm not sure these are righ' mon amour. Fer such small rooms, ya'd think it'd be a bit more....."
"Well sir we do have a special on rooms!" she was anxious to get him into a room, hopeing beyond hope he'd invite her in as well. "The uhh new price roster hasn't been printed yet, I'm sorry I forgot to mention them." A few dollars out of her wallet would be worth it to get him to stay there.
"Why thank ya my dear," Placing his money on the counter and taking the key from her. He made his way to his room. "Well at least Ah got a few hundreds lef' on me. Gotta find a bar tomorra'."
With another yawn he quickly made himself at home in the room, and slept for the rest of the day.
He awoke hours later to some children running down the hall, grumbling he decided it was time to get up and find some quick cash. Quickly grabbing his coat, he walked to his bike. "Now then, where is tha' neares' bar."
Logan sat on the bed that he never could think of as 'his' without considering it 'hers' too. A whole week. The only thing he could think of to do would be to go to bars and drink. But that always made him depressed and angry. He could work in the garden, of course, but that's what he always did with her... and he didn't need those memories.
"Fuck," he said dully. He flopped back on the bed and stayed like that until it was dark out.
end part 1
(I tried not to tweak it too much from how the RP is going, Feedback is loved! And tell me if this back and forth gets confusing if so I'll transit them in the next chapter. Thank you!)