[INTRO — NOIR OUTLAW WESTERN | 5/4 ~86 BPM, 2+3 | dry DREADNOUGHT | five-string bass | lazy snare | sparse TELECASTER] [MALE BARITONE — dry, intelligent, weary] Verse 1 — Twenty Miles Twenty miles due north from Crown, Horse near blown beneath him. Silas found the creek Jamie meant And turned west through the stream. Five miles walking water, Then south across bare stone. Stopped beneath a cottonwood And finally looked home. [TELECASTER — ♭3→4→5] “They'll search north first.” He thought awhile. “Good.” Then rode south. Verse 2 — Being Seen Silas knew he'd never vanish. Not if anyone came near. Smallpox wrote across his face A description far too clear. So he traveled before sunrise. Slept when towns were close. Bought his meals from distant windows. Kept his hat brim low. [ONE EXTRA BEAT] Can't hide a face like mine, he thought. [small laugh] But distance hides a man. Refrain Ride where they're not looking. Turn when they think you won't. Never hide where you'd hide yourself. Never do what you don't. A clever man ain't invisible. He just understands— [TELECASTER — 5→6] You don't have to fool the world. Just fool the nearest man. Verse 3 — Months Days became three weeks somehow. Three weeks became two months. Winter coat got traded southward For a shirt that breathed enough. Trees grew thin. Sky grew enormous. Grass ran yellow to the rim. Bare hills bent beneath the wind Like weather sculpted them. Road signs changed their spelling. Voices changed their sound. Silas crossed a county marker— [PAUSE] No Lester seal around. Verse 4 — Cantina [NYLON GUITAR quietly joins | 5/4 becomes warmer] Found a town of twenty buildings. Horse rail, smithy, dusty square. Sign above a swinging doorway Promised whiskey waited there. Silas entered. “Saloon?” Bartender frowned. “Cantina.” Silas nodded. “Right. I'll have whatever makes me Stop caring what it's called.” [TRUMPET — amused 5→6] Bartender poured. Silas smiled. “I like your country already.” Verse 5 — A Story [NYLON + muted TRUMPET | voices in background] Two vaqueros at a corner table Talked of thunder without rain. Three black birds born out of lightning. Woman walking through the flame. Silas kept his back toward them. Didn't turn or miss a word. One said, “Stormborn.” Other answered, “That's the story that I heard.” Silas drank. Probably nonsense. Then one word crossed the room: [ALL THIN] “Veyne.” [TELECASTER — ♭5] Silas stopped the glass an inch before his mouth. Instrumental — The Name [5/4 | DREADNOUGHT maintains Silas motif] [NYLON GUITAR — Della vocabulary 1–♭3–4–5–6] [TRUMPET — distant ♭5→5→6] [TELECASTER answers] [TWO MUSICAL WORLDS begin interlocking] Verse 6 — Questions Silas didn't ask about Della. Asked how business was down south. Asked who owned the grazing country. Who kept roads and who kept outlaws out. Bought the vaqueros another bottle. Complained about his aching horse. Mentioned maybe finding work. Let them steer the talk its course. By closing time he knew three things: Veyne was real. She had men. And every week another outfit Rode to swear itself to them. [TELECASTER — 1→♭3→4→5] He asked the bartender casually, “Which road goes southeast?” Bridge — Nell [FREE TIME | DREADNOUGHT ONLY] Outside, Silas saddled slowly. Thought about the name he'd heard. Veyne. His father would've smiled at that. Marriage. Blood. A useful word. Then he thought of Nell. [PAUSE] Didn't smile. “I'm not you, old man.” Wind moved through the grass. Silas tightened up the cinch. “But you did teach me how to plan.” Final Refrain [RETURN 5/4 | borderland instrumentation stronger] Ride where they're not looking. Turn when they think you won't. Ask about everything except The thing you really want. A clever man ain't invisible. Sometimes that's just fine. Let them remember scars and whiskey— [TRUMPET — ♭5→5→6] Long after you've crossed the line. Outro — Southeast [5/4 gradually feels like 10/8 borderland sway] Bartender stepped outside. “Stranger.” Silas turned. “You asked southeast?” “Yeah.” Man pointed past the bare hills. “Follow that road two days. When it forks— take the one toward the storms.” Silas looked toward the horizon. Clear blue sky. Not a cloud anywhere. [PAUSE] “Of course.” He mounted. “What's down there?” Bartender laughed. “Thought you already knew.” [TRUMPET — ♭5→5→6] Silas rides southeast. [DISTANT THUNDER UNDER CLEAR SKY] [CUT]
