Speaker 1: Welcome to into the night. I'm Narri your guide on
today's excursion down a twisted path. Be careful not to
get lost. Be it dark or light, It's easy to
lose your way. Are you ready, then let's begin? Full
moon overcutthroat draw, dust sprang into the air with every
footstep made by the large bay stallion. The fine sand
filled its rider's nostrils as it mingled with creosote and
bloomy Mesquite his destination lurked just beyond the horizon, near
the Santa Rita Mountains and Birch. Hamlin knew his journey
needed to be finished quickly. He'd suffered under the midsummer
sun for more years than he cared to remember, and
this year he didn't want to repeat the misery. But
there he was raised in the high country, he never
developed a fondness for the stark desert. In his mind,
the worst the nature should throw at a person was
a foot of snow, or maybe an avalanche or bear attack.
Not this damn sand pit filled with vipers and stinging insects.
Not to mention the cactus patches. I come from God's country,
This place Satan's doing. He paused and reconsidered. No, it's not.
This place means a lot to my best friend. I'm
just hot and tired as spoones. I really shouldn't complain
about this. Oscar needs my help, and I'm not going
to let him down, not now, after we've spent a
lifetime as friends. He adjusted his hat and squinted at
the land. A lizard scampered in front of him to
find shade in a thick shaala. Not much would go
after you there. Those thorns would ruin the day of
anything that tried. Damn, I'm lonely here I am talking
to myself about a lizard. Come on, Comanche, let's put
some distance between us and here. He clucked at his
horse and gently nudged at sides with his knees. I
wouldn't even be doing this if it wasn't for Oscar
Forsyth being in such a bad way right now. I
thought I'd be relaxing at my cabin north of Bayfield,
maybe catching a nap. But I have more important things
to do than sleep, and time is running out. His
friendship with Oscar demanded he help him out. Not because
Oscar pressured him either. The simple value of a lifelong
friendship made it impossible for Birch to ignore his friend's request.
I'm the only one he can trust to do this.
Outsiders may have wondered how the two men became friends
in the first place. Oscar had a quick wit and
could make almost any situation more enjoyable with his sense
of humor. Yes, he laughed a little too loudly, and
he was known to give advice at times when it
wasn't asked for, but he had as true a heart
as anyone Birch had ever met. Birch Hamlin, on the
other hand, was quiet but drawn and not a people person.
Content to spend time on his own, he marveled at
his best friend's garrulous nature. The two shared a strong
bond since childhood, however, and Oscar trusted no one more
than Birch. I need you to do this for me.
I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. I know that, Oscar.
Don't you worry. I'll take care of this. This is
something you shared with me when we were no more
than nine or ten, and we knew this day would
come sometime. I'll take care of it. So in the
July heat here, Birch found himself on a trip he
dreaded yet was committed to making. Heat waves shimmered over
the land, and he stopped briefly to take a drink
from his canteen. The water was warm and stale, but
it quenched his dry throat. Don't worry, boy, we'll be
there before too long. There's always water where we're going.
I haven't forgotten about you. Comanche reared his head and
neighed in what Birch hoped was understanding. Birch was true
to his word. Within two miles they came to their destination,
a cutthroat draw. Carefully making the descent down the slope
to the small creek bed below, he chose a spot
to set up camp. Birch unsaddled Comanche and led him
to the clear water running through the sandy bottom of
the arroyo. Green Grass grew along the creek bank, complements
of an artesian well that kept water flowing continuously, and
soon Comanche grazed in the shade cast by the sides
of the draw. For all of his complaining along the way,
Birch shook his head as he looked down along the
water lined by green grass. Yes, I have to admit,
this place is beautiful, and I see what Oscar loves
about it. Comanche gave a whinny as he happily grazed
his tail flicked back and forth. A slight breeze ruffled
his mane. Comanche seemed content, and Birch busied himself by
starting a fire and cooking a small meal. It's nothing fancy,
but it's all I need. Shadows grew long in the
draw as the sun hung in the western sky. Desert animals,
the ones that preferred the night to day, stirred farther
down the arroyo. Birch spotted a coyote, warily staring at
him as he braved Birch's presence and took a drink
of the cold water. Don't worry, I'm not here to
pester you. This ain't no cattle drive. I'm on After dinner,
he settled down on his bedroll and stared up at
the sky. Light finally gave way to darkness and stars
dotted the sky. Birch hummed a tune he learned long ago.
Knowing his reason for making the trip was close at hand,
he wouldn't fall asleep. He simply laid on his bed
and watched as constellations came into sharp view. While the
next few hours passed, the night sky moved ever so slowly,
slightly changing the positions of the stars he viewed. Comanche
snorted and paced nervously where he was tied to a
cottonwood tree. I know, boy, it's ok. You don't have
to be afraid. Oscar would have come himself if he could.
But that's why I'm here. He needs us, and I'm
not going to let my best friend down. Soon Burch
saw what most would consider a falling star. He made
the journey in time, standing. He watched as the soft
glow slowed down and hovered, before silently landing on the
grass next to his camp. He reached in his saddle
bag and removed a pouch containing precious cargo. Birch, still
in awe, walked slowly toward the glowing vehicle. A door
opened and a woman slowly emerged from the light. She
grasped Birch's hands. Thank you, thank you for coming so
far to save my son. You've always been such a
good boy, Birch. The man blushed under her praise. Don't
be embarrassed, be proud. Not everyone has a friend as
true as you. When Lona died, Oscar almost gave up
on living. You are the reason we didn't lose him.
That's what friends do, and you are a true friend.
We must hurry, however, She held out a glowing bluestone
in her right hand. As Birch opened his pouch and
removed a dim bluestone, he handed it to her and
she placed the pulsating bluestone into the pouch. This new
life for will ast him for many years to come.
I'll leave right away. Oscar wanted to come here himself,
but he's just so weak. I know, Birch. Time is
running out. Birch turned to go. She reached out and
gently grabbed his arm. Wait, ma'am, She extended her left hand.
In it, she held a glowing greenstone and placed it
in Birch's hand. The green light flashed and glowed even
more brightly once he held it, and he felt a
surge of well being. This is for you, Birch. We
love you, and this is our way of thanking you
for saving Oscar. It wouldn't be right for him to
lose his best friend, and now he won't. Now I
must go, and so must you. She entered the craft,
which shot into the sky. Birch saddled, come in, Come
on boy, Oscar needs to be restored. I promise I'll
share my good fortune with you too. You and Oscar
are all I have and I'm not losing either one
of you. With that, Birch and Comanche made their way
by moonlight, and a piece settled into both of their hearts.
Thank you for joining me for this episode of the
Into the Night Anthology podcast. Written by Caroline Giamanco, narrated
by Nari Quack. Theme music by Nico Rodriguez. All other
original music, sound design and editing by Omenhawk Studios. You
can find our links in the show notes. Into the
Night is on your favorite podcatcher, so make sure to like,
subscribe and leave a five star review to help other
excursionists to join us. I'll see you next time, and remember,
whether in the shadows or in the daylight, all twisted
paths lead you into the night. Into the Night Anthology
is a creative typo entertainment production high Excursionists. It's me Narri.
I wanted to take a minute to let you know
that I'm going to be launching my own website. This
will be a place for all of my excursionists to
keep up with my current and future projects. The site
is going live and there is a place to sign
up to become a story in my library. Library members
will receive special perks that will be announced later. I
look forward to seeing each and every one of you
over at Nary narrates dot com so that you can
join me on all of my upcoming adventures.