They finally met again.
The sun was high up in the sky, the clouds darken the horizon in promise of a storm. The rain they all expect, the one they all wanted to feel on their skin when Tomorrow would become their Today. But here, in this bleak and dusty plain, on their exhausted and slobbery horses, the posters they rolled or crumpled in their bag, on the inside of their jacket or still in their closed fist, never felt so heavy.
Each one was here, looking for the head of a comrade, a friend, a lover.

Her guns were pointed at her targets. Sophia never shakes when the time to kill or mutilate her victim came, but with the face of Goncharov and Andrey at the end of her guns, she started to feel each ounce her weapons really weigh.
Their guns point toward their targets. She knew that today, she would see at least one dead body on the floor. But if one of them decided to shoot, they might as well all die here.

Sweating under her wide-brimmed hat, her eyes jumped from one familiar face after another. She tried hard to not cry in anger upon seeing Katya taking aim of her head. Her face firmly turned toward Andrey, avoiding her glance.

A dry airflow passed through Katya’s hair and Sophia heard the wind whistling at the feets of their horses. The sound was like a relic and she heard the melody of her olds memories in it.
That was an old song where light stories were once told. A time where the four of them were still together...
She recalled a summer afternoon, in a small house they had claimed for themself. Close like a pack of wild dogs they were living all together, not wanting to go too far from the other.
In need of security. And the need naturally became instinct...
The table of their 'family room' was often full with a light buffet. There were fruits and beans, some nuts, and dry meat when they were able to find a bit! Their home was a little nest where they could always find peace.
Sophia could remember a warm kiss on her cheek, her own hands wrapped around Katya's rough clothes, while she hummed with her face settled in the sweet smell of her hair. She could still hear and see Goncharov laughing with Andrey, their legs tangled while they were counting the loot of their last robbery, gold bars on the floor…

A click cracked the stifling silence they were all wrapped in, and Katya lowered the gun she was pointing toward Andrey, then the one pointing at Sophia. She was now defenseless and Sophia felt a shiver go through her spine as she looked to Goncharov with worried eyes.
Andrey strengthened his grip on his pistol. Narrowing his gaze to Goncharov and Sophia; with a discret hesitation showing in his eyes he slowly changed the line of sight of his gun to point Gonch'. Not entirely sure of the next thing they were about to do.
The mouvement made Goncharov followed his lead and pointed his other gun toward Sophia.
The three of them forgetful of Katya.
The three of them pointing nervously at each other.

Thunder started the growl at the end of the plain, resonating through the ground and making the horses snorting of discomfort. The wind came harder and the dust started to rise a little, making Gonch' cough.
Suddenly Andrey looked like the whole world was on him; his shaken shoulders and his shooting stance were broken. His arm began to bend and he brought his hand back against his face. Hiding obvious tears, he lost himself in his long loved memories.
Sophia felt something twisting his stomach and her vision beginning to be foggy. She thought rain has started earlier and she hasn't notice it.
But it was only her tears.
Her cheeks wet with salt water and nostalgia.
She turned her face to Goncharov. Searching in his eyes for something familiar and reassuring.
she would feel too.
What Goncharov saw in her own eyes ? Did he noticed something ? Did he saw her distress and her willingness to live ? Her craved to drop her guns and avoid someone to got killed. To jump from her horse and ran toward them to embrase them ?
From the beginning even after they were forced to split she kept a sparkle of hope in her heart, an hope that said they could all became again the family they were. Because there was a time where they could deeply trust each other...
Was it truly all gone ? Can't they returned to the crew they formed for many years ? Back then it was like family. Like friendship. And more than that, theirs dynamic was an emotional bond who made them feel alive ! Each one of the group was a part of the other. A part of herself and she needed them to be peacefull...
Despite the uneasy meeting she never felt that proprely situated than at the moment. The guns pointed at her head or heart, she still found stillness surrounded by the ones who means so much for her.

Goncharov started to lower his pistols and Sophia mirrored his moves.
The clouds were above them and the rain started to fall abruptly. Washing all the dust they all carried on their face for weeks, thickening their clothes with the weight of all that sudden water.
Katya looked exhausted, Goncharov’s eyes were sticking with Sophia's and they shared a gentle smile while Andrey's head was leaning back. His eyes closed and appearing to enjoy the rough drop of rain on his face.
Tomorrow will soon become their Today. And they were all still alive.