Blood on the Road: Part one

a follow up to Blood in the Sun

Page | 6

He stood on the edge of the boardwalk, his once fine suit showing signs of a man who had ridden far and hard with covering distance on his mind. Peering up and down the Main Street of Cassoday and rolling the well-chewed cigar in his mouth, he thought, 'they must of skipped this hole.' A block further and across the way, he read 'Dodd's Store' painted in large yellow letters across a larger display window. "Might 'en as well, get supplies," he grunted and turning he stomped down the sun-warped boards of the walk as if the townsfolk did not exist. When a pure moment of revelry swept over him and spitting out the cigar, he leapt to the muddy street below, "Hannibal Heyes!"

Hannibal and Jed's mouths dropped open, their eyes darting in unison to a voice they well recognized. It was Frank Rucker, the man they had double-crossed. Well, not really a man, but a monster, as Hannibal had labeled him, after the blood baths they had witnessed Rucker and his gang perform. Looking back to each other, their frozen state broke, and they bolted for their horses.

The first shot flew from Rucker's Remington before it had scarcely cleared the holster.

Grabbing his reins while clutching the burlap sack of goods in his off hand, Jed swung aboard his gelding before the second shot was fired. The bullet missed him, thwacking into the hitch rail and shooting splinters into the muzzle of Heyes' long-legged mare; whinnying sharply, she reared, twisting her head.

"Easy, girl, easy..." Hannibal rushed forward with his hands held out to her.

Her eyes rolled white, she snorted at him with her backside slinging about like a knot on the end of a rope.

Another crack from Rucker's pistol reverberated off the building's tall, false fronts and with a final plunge the mare snapped the reins. A third shot followed rapidly on the heels of the others and Hannibal stumbled backwards. His brown eyes became a stark contrast to his pale face as he watched his horse run away while not even realizing he had crumpled to his knees.

"Han?" Jed yelped, flinging down an arm while removing his foot from the stirrup, "Han!"

Hannibal shoved off the ground, lunging for the swaying stirrup. His toe hit the mark and he knew all would be fine, despite the undiluted pain expanding with molten heat across his chest. Because, it had to be, he and Jed were together and that always made everything alright. But, then his muscles seized, his hand slipping, and he was falling. But, true to course, Jed was faster. He had him and was hauling him on when the buzz of a hornet breezed them and Dodd's display window erupted; jagged shards crashing both inside and across the general store's wide-covered porch.

"Grab hold," Jed barked, kicking his horse so hard, the gelding flung mud a good eight-feet in the air as it raced along Cassoday's Main Street.

Firing until his pistol answered back with a click, Frank's voice rose to a pitch bordering lunacy as he hollered after them, "Go on and run, I'll still get you...you hear me RUN, I enjoy the hunt."

The businesses bled into fine Victorian homes, little ornate boxes one after another lining the road, all with their perfectly tended gardens separated by even more intricate iron fences.

Turning in the saddle, to get a look at his cousin, Jed asked, "were you hit?"

Through gritted teeth, Hannibal replied, "just grazed me, keep going." Truth was, he could feel blood soaking his shirtfront and each hoot beat was like being slammed by a hammer.

The residential district slipped away, the homesteads becoming larger farms and the road began a slow curve, angling away from the banks of the Neosho. Reining the big bay in, Jed's adolescent voice cracked, squeaking, "should I go all the way down to the bridge or cross here?" .

"Cross...just cross, no time to waste." Hannibal gasped, clinging tight with his good arm.

Jed veered his horse from the road and his gelding snorted, eyeing the steep bank and water beyond. "Nate, I ain't got the time for you to look at it, 'till you figure out it ain't gonna bite you." Jed scolded, kicking the horse over and over until it plunged into the swirling current.

The river was deeper and stronger than expected and weighed down double, Nate was struggling to keep his head above water. Without discussion they slid from his back, each latching hold of a stirrup.

Hannibal sighed, as the water incased him, the coolness easing the fire building in his chest. But not the pain. It hurt worse than anything he had experienced and their escape was sapping his strength. Slipping his forearm deeper through the stirrup, he gritted his teeth, still a throaty groan escaped him.

"We're almost there, hang on." Jed pleaded, "Hang on. You hear me? We're close, don't let go."

Then Nate's stout legs were striking ground and when Hannibal felt his own legs drag bottom, he did let go, and fell to the muddy bank with a plop. Rolling on his side, he saw Jed was heading toward him in a stumbling run before he was even fully on his feet. "No! Catch up, Nate."

Spinning, Jed tore out after the gelding, deftly sweeping up a trailing rein. Nate looked irritably at the boy before shaking for all he was worth. The rigging flapped, jouncing about noisily, and the water spraying from him became flashing gemstones in the golden, evening light.

Climbing up the bank with one hand clasped to the bullet hole, Hannibal was biting so deep into his lower lip that a vivid white line had appeared. Though the rushing current had cooled him, his now wet shirt was rapidly refilling with blood that streaked ghastly patterns down his front.

"Sweet Jesus..." Jed cried, dragging Nate after him as he tried to run for his cousin, "what can I do?"

Growling and shaking his head, Hannibal went to Nate's off-side, hauling himself into the saddle, he slid behind the cantle, to once more ride atop the saddlebags.

Jed stood staring cow-eyed up at him, twisting the reins round and round in his hands.

"Kid, I'm fine," Hannibal cajoled, releasing one of his bright, dimpled smiles, "really I am, come on."

Back in the saddle, the dirt road once more became a blur and the constant rocking, rhythm created spasms of pain for Hannibal. It rolled brilliantly through him, over him, until he gave in slumping against Jed's back.

"You ain't passing out one me, are you?" Jed warbled, sounding every bit as young as he was. "I won't be able to catch you this time. Han?" Getting no response, he whipped the tail of his reins, one, two, three times across his cousin's thigh. Their sudden sting worked for he felt Hannibal sit up straighter, "stay with me. All right?"

"Tryin'." Hannibal answered and worried he peered back across his shoulder, hoping to not see a trace of Rucker, What he did see made the weak portion of hope he was holding onto crumble to dust. "Uh, Kid, you best take a gander at our back trail."

Doing just that, Jed saw a perfect, solid-line of hoof prints. His eyes squinted and he shook his head. All around them tall, undulating grass bent toward the road. The grass would leave just as strong of a trail, but at least, here on the road, Nate was not likely to lose his footing. 'What am I to do?' Jed thought, and feeling his cousin turn again, he asked, "You see 'em?"

"If I did, wouldn't I say so!" Came the quick retort.

"Don't be getting proddy with me." Jed snapped off just as quickly, realizing this had become pretty much an established reply for him. Well, at least, since they had run out on the Rucker gang several weeks back. For some reason, he could not seem to do or say much of anything that did not give Hannibal cause to bawl him out. Thinking this over more, a notion came to Jed, "Hey, I thought you read in the paper, the Sheriff's posse from Paulsville rounded up the Rucker gang?"

Squeezing his eyes tight, Hannibal swallowed, thinking, 'yeah, just not Frank.'

"You knew he was out there. You knew, didn't you!? That's why you've been keepin' us on the move." Jed exclaimed, not slowing Nate as he turned him down the embankment toward a thick, spreading line of trees.

It was all Hannibal could do to keep from crying out, as the gelding's jagged hops, jerked him about. He was afraid if he let himself holler even once, he might never be able to stop.

"And, it's why you been lookin' over your shoulder so much, it's like you've developed a twitch." Jed snarled, his anger starting to rise Damn it, we're supposed to be partners. That's what you said, ain't it Hannibal. And, here you knew and said nothing to me."

Clinging tighter to Jed as bright sparks dazzled his eyes, Hannibal grunted, "could we possibly have this argument later?"

At the trees, Jed saw right away there was no clear trail, "why can't we ever get a break?" He asked, half under his breath.

Only to hear his cousin mutter, "this won't work."

Wanting nothing more than to curse the world, his life, and especially his cousin, Jed ducked a thick limb, "I'll find a way." Unfortunately, he did not think to warn Hannibal of the limb and it struck him mid-chest to sweep him with a raspy shriek from Nate's back. Leaving him curled in a ball, both hands clutching his wound, keening and gasping all at the same time.

Jed jumped from the saddle, sputtering and squawking, "Ah hell, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...I'll pay better attention." Wrapping an arm about Hannibal's shoulders, he tried to get him to sit up, "I really am sorry, Han. Come on, let's get you back up on Nate. I'll be more careful, swear I will."

"Leave me be."

Jed sat back on his heels, "what?"

Hannibal's nostrils were flared wide as he hissed, "I want you to get on Nate and leave."

"Without you?"

"You'll be able to get clear without me...for Christ's sake, GO!"

"This ain't headmaster Milton back at Valparaiso I'd be leaving you for. It's Frank and Han, he plans on killing you."

Snagging Jed's sleeve, Hannibal hauled himself up, twisting the shirt's fabric as he did, until it cut into Jed's skin. "Kid..." They were nose to nose and it came to Jed there were tears on his elder cousin's face. He could not recall the last time he'd seen Hannibal cry, not even when Milton had whipped him like he was no more than a mongrel dog. But, beyond the tears the dark eyes were hard, serious "...Someone from our family has to survive." Then shoving Jed from him, his voice became so authoritative, it was obvious he expected to be obeyed, "now get the hell out of here!"

Jed looked to Nate huffing for air, his cousin breathing harshly in front of him, then to the trees surrounding them. A gleam came to his blue eyes as he studied a fat stand of red cedars, "All right...all right, but not till we get you hidden first."

"There ain't time."

"Then I ain't leavin'."

Despair appeared in Hannibal's eyes, "if I agree, do you promise to leave?"

Licking his lower lip, Jed nodded.

"Say it."

"I promise."

Shoving his legs under himself with a loud grunt, he let Jed haul him to his feet.

"I want you to walk light, try not to leave a trail straight to you." Jed advised, pulling most of his cousin's weight on himself. But, considering how skinny Hannibal was, it did not feel like much at all. Once he had him in the cedars, Jed reached for Hannibal's hand that was clamped across the upper-right part of his chest, "let me see."

Hannibal shook his head, "Nope, you promised to leave."

"I did." A corner of Jed's mouth curled up, "I just didn't say when."

"Kid, I ain't playing games. Get on Nate and ride out."

Ignoring the look of sheer rage aimed at him, Jed removed his bandana and then Hannibal's, tying them together, he fashioned a sling for the limp right arm. "How's that?"

Hannibal hissed through gritted teeth, "it's time for you to fulfill your promise."

Jed's jaw flexed.

"You dang well know what Grandpa Curry said about promise welchers."

Jed's chin dropped to his chest, after a few seconds, he peeked up with a slight grin, "I'd say, Grandpa would understand."

Hannibal exhaled, his dark eyes slanting toward Nate, "How about this? Once you lose Frank..." He pointed at Jed, "and, I mean lose 'em! You come on back for me."

Jed's lips became a flat line.

Recognizing the mule coming out, Hannibal rubbed his hand across his face and then peeked at Jed with a slight smile, "Think of it this way, you aren't really leaving me. Your leading that monster away from me. Come on, Kid, it's a good plan. Hell, I'd even slap my name on it."

Folding his arms across his chest, Jed stated, "I ain't so sure this one has the high-standards required for a 'Hannibal Heyes plan'."

"Why do you always have to argue with me?" Sighing out his frustration, Hannibal dropped his head back against the tree trunk, "Without me holding you back, I know you can lose him." Raising his head, he gave his cousin, his best smile, "Kid, don't you know I have faith in you."

In his chest, Jed could feel the heavy thudding of his heart, but more powerful was the suffocating sensation that seemed to be saying, 'you ain't never going to speak with him again.' Taking off his hat, he scrubbed at his scalp, his blond curls falling across his forehead, "Han-" he swallowed, his throat too tight to speak, he swallowed again, and squeaked out, "Hannibal...I-"

Nodding, Hannibal patted him on the leg, "I feel the same, always have. Now go."

Jed tilted his head to the side, biting on the inside of his cheek as he studied the one person he had in the entire world.

"Please, Kid, do it for me."

Running a hand back through his hair, Jed shoved his hat on, and rose to his feet, "I ain't leaving you, I will return."

Pointing at the ground he sat on, Hannibal quipped, "and, I'll be right here."

Jed Curry stared at his cousin when without a word he walked off, catching his horse, he climbed aboard and spun the animal until the area was thoroughly trampled. Glancing at the cedars, he frowned then left at a fast trot.

Hannibal sighed, feeling the burning lump of pain in his throat drop into his heart, "best of luck, Kid."