Sleepless in Sweetwater
Ike McSwain tossed and turned on his bunk above Cody's, as his mind replayed the horrible events of the day. He had been on his way back to Sweetwater when he had encountered a stagecoach being robbed. He had ridden in to help the lone female passenger who was struggling for her very survival against the outlaws. He had shot two of the men, helped the hysterical woman onto the back of his steed, and started off at a fast gallop away from the scene, when the third outlaw had shot and killed her.
He could hear her agonizing scream echoing in his ears and he could not make it stop. Worse yet, the incident had trudged up painful memories of the day when his entire family was massacred in front of him and he had been powerless to stop it from happening.
Knowing he was not going to get any sleep, he slid down from his bunk and headed outside, pausing beside the door long enough to grab his gun from his gun belt on the hook on the wall. Anger and pain swirled within him as the images of the helpless woman and the murdered faces of his family members continued to dance before his eyes. He stalked out to the vegetable patch and took aim at the scarecrow, recalling the outlaw's face that had killed the woman he had tried to save, and fired until his weapon was empty. If he ever came across the man again, he would not hesitate to kill him. The man deserved to die for what he had done.
Gunfire startled the riders awake. Buck was the first one out of bed, reaching for his gun, and declaring to the others that the gunfire was coming from Emma's garden.
Buck led the way out of the bunkhouse with the others following close behind him. They arrived together to find a visibly upset Ike standing with his gun aimed at the ground, his head down, chest heaving, and silent tears streaming down his face. They exchanged alarmed expressions.
"Damn it, Ike, you scared the hell out of us!" Cody exploded.
Ike leaned his head wearily against the scarecrow, ignoring Cody's outburst.
Kid laid a hand on his shoulder. There was concern in his voice when he asked, "You okay?"
Ike did not respond to his fellow rider's question. He did not know what to say as his thoughts and emotions were too jumbled together.
"Let me talk to him." Buck said to the others.
He handed Lou his gun as the others headed one by one back to the bunkhouse. Buck laid a hand on Ike's arm.
"What is it?"
Ike shook his head, turning to face Buck.
"Why won't you speak to me?"
*I don't want to talk.* Ike signed.
"What the hell happened out there? Why can't you tell me?"
Ike knew that Buck was only trying to help him, but he just was not ready to share with anyone what he had experienced that day.
*Leave me alone.*
"Okay, I'll leave you alone. When you need to talk, I'll be here."
Relief flooded through Ike as Buck headed back to the bunkhouse. He sank to the ground in front of the scarecrow and wept. It was a long time before he climbed wearily to his feet and headed inside to bed.