Grady Hart: A Thanksgiving to Remember (Episode 5)

The evening stretched long and cold as the four travelers gathered around a small, sputtering campfire. The Texas wind whipped dust and grit across the barren landscape, making every bite of the meal feel like chewing sand. Grady leaned back against a saddle, his hat pulled low over his brow, while Sam stirred the pot of beans with a stick, his face lit by the flickering firelight. Amos sat quietly on an overturned log, his broad shoulders hunched as he carefully worked at a piece of hardtack. Defiance, her hair loose and wild, chewed her beans without complaint, her sharp eyes darting toward the horizon every so often.

The smell of burnt pork fat lingered in the air, but the food did little to lift their spirits.

“I still don’t see why we didn’t just buy a proper meal back in town,” Sam muttered, breaking the silence. “We’ve got more money than sense right now, and here we are, eatin’ like cowhands on their last dime.”