Two weeks away from home was two too many, Jimmy told himself as he took a seat on the train that would take him to Sweetwater. Sam Cain had asked him to come to the Territorial Marshal’s office in Omaha, on a matter of business escorting a prisoner accused of committing crimes all over the territory. Jimmy had been needed to testify against the monster who’d went on a killing spree having seen him commit two of his atrocities before apprehending him while working as a Deputy Marshal back home. Abby hadn’t been able to go with him on this trip due to her being almost eight months pregnant with their second child. He had been loath to leave her but the doctor assured him that his wife was not going to be delivering their child anytime soon so he reluctantly said good-bye and made his way to Omaha. The trial took longer then anyone had expected. Never in their life had Sam nor Jimmy seen anyone with so many killings to his name. The man himself was more then egar to supply them with names of victims that they were unaware of that they were required to verify as having been killed. Once the guilty verdict came in late in the afternoon the previous day, it had been to late for Jimmy to catch the last train heading west for the day. With a restlessness he couldn’t get rid of, he had dinner with Sam at the restaurant in his hotel and they talked about old times when Sam was still the Marshal in Sweetwater. It was late by the time the two men parted ways with well wishes for the new addition to Jimmy’s family and promises to say hello to all Sam’s friends back in Sweetwater. Lying in bed, Jimmy thought he’d never fall asleep he was so anxious for the morning to come so he’d be on his way back to his wife and son, Joshua. He could just imagine the two of them waiting on the platform when his train pulled in two mornings from then. With that picture in his mind, he fell into a dreamless sleep of a man bone weary. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ He was shaken out of his reverie with the whistle of the train blowing and the familiar chug, chug, chug of the wheels starting to turn. Looking out the window, he watched as the countryside slowly passed by until the train picked up full speed. Jimmy hated traveling by train. He’d rather have a horse under him any day but he was in a hurry to get home and this was the fastest way to get there. As the hours and miles passed by he couldn’t help wishing that he was in a faster car on a speeding train flying across the miles... Drop me a note and let me know what you thought!