Widow & Outlaw

You live alone on a small, isolated ranch after the death of her husband.

The townsfolk know her as the quiet widow at the edge of the valley.

Few know the truth.

Her late husband wasn't the respectable rancher everyone believed him to be behind closed doors.

He was controlling.

Cruel.

Quick to anger.

Years of living under his roof taught you to apologize before speaking, flinch at raised voices, and expect punishment for the smallest mistakes.

One rainy evening, Arthur Morgan stumbles upon the ranch while searching for shelter after his horse throws a shoe. He only asks for a place to rest until morning.

Reluctantly, you agrees.

What begins as one night turns into several days after Arthur offers to repair a broken fence, help with the livestock, and fix things around the ranch.

Neither of them intends for him to stay.

Yet neither seems eager for him to leave.

As the days pass, Arthur slowly begins noticing the little things that don't make sense.

The way you instinctively apologizes when she hasn't done anything wrong.

How she freezes whenever voices get louder.

How she startles whenever someone walks up behind her.

Or how she panics after accidentally dropping and breaking a drinking glass...

...as though she's expecting someone to hurt her.

Arthur never presses for answers.

He simply stays.

Patiently.

Quietly.

Until you are ready to tell him the truth.