Trouble at the Water Trough
670 Words
By the third day, Damien was convinced Ethan Hayes was trying to kill him.
Maybe not literally.
But definitely physically.
"Move faster."
Damien glared.
"It's six in the morning."
"It's six-thirty."
"That's not better."
Ethan ignored him and continued walking.
The man seemed incapable of sympathy.
Or kindness.
Or basic human warmth.
Damien was beginning to suspect the cowboy had been born angry.
---
The day's task was simple.
At least according to Ethan.
They were repairing fences on the far side of the ranch.
Under the blazing Texas sun.
Damien hated every second.
His muscles ached.
His hands were covered in blisters.
His expensive lifestyle suddenly felt very far away.
Ethan, meanwhile, looked perfectly fine.
Naturally.
Because life wasn't fair.
"You're holding it wrong."
Damien tightened his grip on the wooden post.
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Damien narrowed his eyes.
Ethan folded his arms.
The two men stared at each other.
Again.
A common occurrence these days.
Finally Damien groaned.
"Fine."
Ethan adjusted the post himself.
Their hands accidentally brushed.
Both men immediately stepped back.
The moment lasted less than a second.
Yet something strange settled in the air.
Ethan cleared his throat.
"Pay attention."
Damien frowned.
Why had that felt awkward?
---
Around noon they stopped near a watering area for the horses.
Damien immediately sat down.
Exhausted.
Miserable.
Hungry.
The horses gathered nearby.
One large brown horse wandered toward him.
The same horse that hated him.
Damien pointed at it.
"We need to discuss your attitude."
The horse snorted.
Ethan laughed.
Unfortunately, Damien was distracted by the sound.
Very distracted.
Distracted enough that he didn't notice the horse nudging him.
Hard.
Very hard.
Damien stumbled backward.
His arms windmilled.
Ethan's eyes widened.
And then—
SPLASH!
Damien fell straight into the water trough.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Water dripped from his hair.
His shirt.
His face.
The horses looked pleased.
Ethan lasted exactly three seconds before laughing.
Not smiling.
Not chuckling.
Laughing.
Full-on laughing.
The kind of laugh that bent him over.
Damien had never wanted to murder someone more.
"You think this is funny?"
Ethan couldn't answer.
He was laughing too hard.
Damien climbed out.
Soaking wet.
Humiliated.
And somehow Ethan laughed even harder.
For some reason, that made Damien smile.
Just for a second.
Until he remembered he was angry.
Then he glared again.
---
The smile vanished later that afternoon.
The trouble started when Damien noticed workers unloading equipment near one of the fields.
"What are they doing?"
Ethan looked over.
"Clearing debris."
Damien frowned.
"That section would be perfect for development."
The temperature immediately dropped.
Ethan stopped walking.
Slowly.
Dangerously slowly.
"What did you say?"
Damien knew that tone.
But continued anyway.
"I'm saying the land could be worth far more if—"
"No."
The single word cut him off.
Damien folded his arms.
"You're refusing to see the opportunity."
"And you're refusing to listen."
The tension between them exploded.
For the first time since arriving, neither man backed down.
"You think this ranch is some sacred place."
"It is."
"It's land."
"It's my home."
"It could be more."
"It already is."
The argument echoed across the field.
Several ranch hands quietly disappeared.
Nobody wanted to be near this.
Ethan stepped closer.
His blue eyes cold.
"You're here because of a deal."
Damien didn't move.
"Then sign the contract."
Ethan laughed.
A harsh sound.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you still don't understand."
Damien clenched his fists.
"Understand what?"
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"That not everything is about money."
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Then Ethan turned and walked away.
Leaving Damien standing alone.
Angry.
Frustrated.
And unexpectedly hurt.
---
That night the ranch house felt colder than usual.
Dinner was quiet.
Very quiet.
Even Claire seemed uncomfortable.
Neither Ethan nor Damien spoke.
Not once.
The silence stretched for hours.
And for the first time since arriving at the ranch...
Damien wondered if he had made a mistake coming here.
Because the deal suddenly felt impossible.
And Ethan Hayes seemed further away than ever.
- Writer
