III-XXXII — FOR NOW [INTRO — SPAGHETTI WESTERN | 6/8 ~80 | TREMOLO GUITAR | RESONATOR 1–♭3–4–♭5–5–6 | DISTANT TRUMPET] [MALE BARITONE — third-person throughout] [VERSE 1 — SHE CAME BACK] Next morning dust rose on the road. Same white cloth. Same black coat. Celeste Barrow crossed the field With fewer riders than before. Silas watched her from the ridge. “Well.” Sarah: “You expected her?” “No.” Jack: “Good sign?” Silas smiled. “With my family? Never.” Celeste reined up before them. “Jamie kept me awake all night.” Silas: “Jamie does have that gift.” “He harangued me.” “Another gift.” Celeste ignored him. “He convinced me.” [HARD STOP] [VERSE 2 — THE TRUCE] Celeste looked at Sarah. “The war isn't over.” Sarah: “I didn't imagine it was.” “But it can wait.” [TRUMPET — ♭5→5] “Until whatever is coming from the far north is dealt with, there will be a truce.” Jack studied her. “Between whom?” “All of us.” Della: “That's a large promise.” Celeste: “It's the one I'm making.” Sarah: “And afterward?” Celeste met her eyes. “Afterward, we can go back to hating each other.” Sarah almost smiled. “Fair enough.” [VERSE 3 — THE GUNS] Celeste turned to Jack. “You said you needed guns.” “Every one we can get.” “You'll have them.” Jack said nothing. Celeste continued. “I'll call on the other six counties. Every available rifle. Every shotgun. Every man they can spare.” Jack: “Who commands them?” “Jamie.” Silas's expression changed. “Jamie?” Celeste: “You trust him, don't you?” Silas: “I trust Jamie.” [PAUSE] “That wasn't quite my question.” Celeste smiled. “No. It wasn't.” [VERSE 4 — THE QUARRY] Jack: “And the obsidian?” “The quarry is yours.” Silence. Even Sarah looked surprised. “Yours to work. Yours to haul. Take what you need.” Jack glanced at Della. Della glanced at Sarah. Sarah looked at Silas. Silas was already looking at Celeste. Celeste: “Is there a problem?” Silas: “I'm waiting for the price.” “The price is surviving.” “That's unusually reasonable.” “Try not to sound disappointed.” Silas smiled. “I'll recover.” [VERSE 5 — GIFT HORSE] Celeste rode back toward Crown Junction. Nobody spoke until she was gone. Then Della: “I don't trust her.” Sarah: “Neither do I.” Jack: “We need the guns.” “And the quarry,” Sarah said. Silas watched the distant riders. “She gave us both.” Jack: “You think she's lying?” “No.” That got their attention. Silas turned toward them. “I think she'll give us exactly what she promised.” Della: “That worries you more?” “Considerably.” [VERSE 6 — TAKE THE GIFT] Jack looked north. “We don't have time to solve Celeste Barrow.” Sarah nodded. “We take the guns.” Della: “We take the glass.” Silas: “And sleep with one eye open.” Sarah: “You already do.” “Practice.” Jack looked toward the quarry. “Then we start hauling.” [INSTRUMENTAL — WORK RHYTHM BUILDS] [VERSE 7 — ONE MONTH] One month of picks and wagons. Black glass wrapped in straw. Crates stacked tight. Axles groaning. Powder. Lead. Food for the road. Della's riders guarded every load. Winter men worked beside them. The prisoner stayed inside his box, A warning nobody could ignore. And messages came from Crown Junction: Guns were gathering. Men were coming. Jamie would lead them north. [VERSE 8 — HOMEWARD] At last the wagons turned for home. A long black-glass procession Rolled toward Winter County. Jack rode near the leading team. Sarah beside him. Della watched the southern road. Silas kept looking back. Sarah noticed. “You expecting trouble?” “Always.” “From Celeste?” Silas considered. “Eventually.” Jack: “She kept her word.” “So far.” Della: “And her riders are coming.” “So she says.” Sarah: “You really can't enjoy anything, can you?” Silas smiled. “I enjoyed breakfast.” [OUTRO — DARKER RESONATOR] Behind them, Crown Junction disappeared in dust. Ahead, Winter Ranch waited. Wagon after wagon Carried black glass north. They had a truce. They had the quarry. Soon they'd have the guns. And Crown Junction had promised its riders would follow. [PAUSE] Silas looked back once more. “For now,” he said. [CUT]
