Principles of Magic

by Linda B

"Geez, Buck, you shot Santa's reindeer?"

"It wasn't a reindeer, JD! It was a man! With a gun!"

The men gathered around the spot where Buck had last seen this 'man with a gun'. Doubtfully they shook their heads. They could all see clearly enough in the dim light of the fire-lit street the deer tracks all around them.

"Looks like you got 'em, anyway, Buck, here's a little blood."

"So, guess maybe we'll have venison for Christmas, huh?"

Vin moved slowly up the street toward the rest of the seven gathered there with Mary and a few of the townsfolk. Too slowly, thought Chris, considering the gunfire that had brought everyone else running.

"So, Mr Tanner, can you ascertain what happened here?"

Vin leaned over JD's shoulder to where he pointed at the ground.

"Looks like deer tracks. Kinda strange, comin' into town like that." He looked up at Buck. "You made the town safe for us, though, huh?" and laughed.

"Ain't funny, Vin. There was a man with a gun, hangin' around here and when I hollered at 'im he pointed his gun at me."

"He did? Santa packs?"

"What the hell's wrong with you? That's what I said." Buck waved his hands helplessly in front of him, at a loss to convince these men of the danger of a man lurking the streets of Four Corners on the eve of Christmas Eve.

"Well, I'm gonna git some sleep. Reckon we can track 'im in the mornin' and gut him out then."

Chris eyed Vin warily. Something wasn't right with the man. He'd never known Vin to quit as long as he could see a track, and he knew Vin didn't care to let a wounded animal go. Vin caught his eye and shrugged. Then he just stood there, watching the others.

"Yeah, ok, well, let's all get some rest, then." Chris slapped Buck on the shoulder lightly. "Got any angels waiting for you?"

"Always do, pard, always do."

Josiah headed for the church, Ezra for the saloon, Chris walked Mary back toward the room behind the newspaper office, Nathan and JD turned toward their rooms, and Buck headed for places unknown.Vin continued to stand there a moment, looking down, then shot a quick glance after Nathan, and began to walk after him. When Nathan began to turn the corner to go around to the stairs behind the building, Vin spoke up.

"Can I talk t'ya a minute, Nathan?"

Nathan turned back. Vin? Talk? He smiled.

"Sure."

Vin followed him around the corner as other men continued on their

+ + + + + + +

When Mary was returned safely to her room, Chris strode purposefully right up to Nathan's room and pounded heavily on the door. He waited only a moment before turning the latch and stepping inside.

"Sure, Chris, c'mon in." Vin said sarcastically. He sat on a chair, sans shirt, blood running down his bare arm, as Nathan tried to clean away blood from the bullet wound there.

"What's goin' on?"

"Got shot."

"No shit. What's goin' on?" he repeated.

"Just havin' a little fun. Got interrupted. OW!"

Nathan had begun to scrub at the ragged edges of the wound.

"Quit yer whinin', Vin and hold still."

"It hurts! Damn him, who's he think he is, shootin' me?"

"It's just a little hole." Chris was beginning to smile. He'd get the whole story, now, he knew, he just had to be patient.

Vin sighed. He wasn't gonna get outta here without spilling his guts, he knew that. Shit, it had seemed so easy when he thought of it.

"I was just puttin' some tracks around the street, there, by the office; so's Billy'd think Santa'd come. That's all, no big deal, when Buck comes out and starts shootin'."

"He said you pointed a gun at him."

Vin shook his head. "Nope. I pointed my deer leg at him."

Nathan laughed along with Chris. Then stopped. "Ya'all shouldn't be laughin' about this. He coulda killed you."

"You're the one's laughin', Nathan." Vin winced again as he was bandaged up.

"You're telling me Buck couldn't tell it was you?"

"Had a buffalo robe over me, 'case someone saw me."

"That's why it took you so long to show up."

"Yep. Had to ditch the robe and leg and get my coat on so's no one saw the blood."

Chris and Nathan shook their heads, grinning.

"Hell, you don't need to worry about no hangin', you're gonna get yourself killed pulling some stupid stunt like this."

"Go t'hell."

+ + + + + + +

The next afternoon, Chris was walking down the street towards the saloon when he saw Vin approaching him from the other direction.

"How's the arm?"

"What arm?"

They turned together and joined Josiah and Ezra for dinner. They were talking about how Billy was looking forward to Santa Claus when Buck came in and strode up to the table. He put his hand on Vin's injured shoulder and leaned down. Chris watched as Vin's eyes widened and then hardened, and his face paled. Vin sat silently while Chris rose and left the table.

"Lissen, pard. I need some ideas for Blossom for Christmas. Think you could make me one'a your magic jars?"

"Ain't magic, Buck. It's just a jar. Do it yourself." The answer came out in a sort of half-choked whisper.

"Mary Travis says it is. That's what she calls it--her magic jar. Damn, Vin, I didn't think you had it in ya."

Buck rocked back and took his hand off Vin's arm. Chris returned to the table with a bottle and glasses, poured a drink and slid it across the table at Vin. Vin closed his eyes briefly, then picked up the drink and downed it in one swallow. Ezra and Josiah frowned.

"Bad night, Mr Tanner?"

"Go t'hell, Ezra."

"I can see you are in the proper holiday spirit."

Vin glared at him, then rose and left the saloon. The other men exchanged a shrug, then went on with their meal.

On the boardwalk, Vin leaned his good shoulder into a post and sighed. JD walked up the street and took up the opposing post. Vin shot him a long look, but JD didn't budge.

"How's come you didn't ask for some help?"

Vin looked out far into the street, past the people there, past the edge of town and the setting sun. He's always doin' that, JD thought, looking at something no one else can see.

JD spoke again. "I'da helped you, Vin, and Buck wouldn'ta shot you."

Vin looked over at him now and smiled. "Got it all figgered out, do ya?"

JD shrugged. "You were dripping blood in the street. Guess no one else noticed."

Vin could see he was still waiting for an answer. He sighed.

"If a whole lotta people know about it, it ain't magic no more. Then it's just . . . it's just . . ." He turned his hands palms-up and stared at them as if he could find an answer there.

"Then it's just a trick." JD finished for him.

Vin nodded. "Yeah. Then it's just a trick."

JD nodded back. "Just a trick," he repeated softly.

Vin continued to look at him, and began to smile. "Wanna see some magic?"

+ + + + + + +

Mary entered the church quietly, and waited for Josiah to look up. When he did, she smiled, but it was a false and troubled smile.

"Something wrong, Mary?"

"I'd like you to talk to Vin. He's been telling Billy stories . . . ." her voice trailed off.

"Stories?"

She nodded. "About Christmas. And the animals. He's got Billy convinced that the animals talk on Christmas eve, and Billy is planning on going to the livery at midnight and . . . "

"And you think Billy's gonna be pretty disappointed when the animals don't talk."

"Yes."

"Did you talk to Vin?"

"Yes. He just smiles and says Christmas is for stories; he doesn't understand how much disappointment Billy's already had in his life."

"Maybe he does understand, Mary, and that's why he told him the story. "

She sat down in a pew and rested her hands in her lap, staring at them.

"Mary, I haven't known Vin long, but I think I've known him long enough to know he wouldn't want to hurt Billy by telling him stories that won't come true. I think you should trust him."

She nodded at him and gave a feeble smile. "I have such high hopes for this Christmas."

Josiah laughed. "Well, you're not alone there, Mary, I think we all do."

She nodded, and her smile then was stronger and more true as she turned and walked out into the crisp December air.

God, Josiah thought, please don't let Vin disappoint Mary.

+ + + + + + +

Josiah kept watch late into the night that Christmas eve, waiting for midnight, waiting to see Mary and Billy go to the livery. When he saw them leave the Clarion office, a small lantern in hand, he left the steps of the church and joined them. Billy's eyes were glowing with excitement, Mary's with worry. As they approached the livery, where the liveryman kept not only horses, but a milk cow, several chickens, a duck, a couple of sheep and goats and his dog, he noticed Vin out of the corner of his eye, lurking in the shadows. As they stepped into the darkness of the stable, Josiah took the lantern from Mary and held it high as they entered. From the darkness there, they could hear the animals rise and come to their stall doors. The light cast by the little kerosene lantern illuminated their expectant faces; the cow began to bawl gently, and the horses snuffled, the goats and sheep bleated mightily, the chickens rose from their nests and cackled at the light, and the duck dabbled at Billy's pant leg, quackly gently. Billy squealed. "They're talkin' ma. They're TALKIN'!"

She looked up to the big man beside her as she answered her son. "Yes, Billy, they are, aren't they?"

He looked over at the dark door they had come through, where he could just see Vin leaning up against the wooden timbers, at the very edge of the light the lantern cast. When they took one more step into the barn, the darkness enveloped him, and he was gone.

The End