A word from the author- Hello everyone who bothers to read this! I'll keep this short so you can get to the story, Basically a retelling of how John meets Bonnie. I'm not into the pairing of JohnXBonnie but I do like Bonnie but prefer Abigail also I'm sorry if it doesn't seem accurate to the game,I'm mostly doing this out of impulse and from memory,I already finished the game which is SO sad! WHY! anyway hope ya'll like,Quick to the story
"You've really done it now Marston," John thought to himself, it was the only clear thought he managed muster up through the excruciating pain he was feeling. He couldn't feel much of anything anymore except where his wound was which was burning in his left side abdomen. He crawled on his belly trying to as far as he could, he didn't want to be shot again in the back. With his vision blurring he grasped a deep breath and used whatever strength that hadn't seeped out him left to move further.
"Damn you to hell Bill!" he swore under his faint breath.
His body reached its limit and did want to respond anymore so he flopped over on his back and stared up into the now dark sky. It was sunset when he rode up here but wasn't sure it if was night already or if it was the old familiar darkness coming to claim him.
Unwilling to fight it any further John let the darkness take him in it embrace. He last thought was "Abby,Jack I'm sorry for everything…"
It is night time in the small town of Armadillo. Even though most of its residents were in their homes sleeping having to rise early in the morning, the night folk were already out and bout. Music along with laughter and profanity flowed out from the Saloon. Bonnie Mac Farlene wanted to be as far away from Armadillo as possible but her foremen was running late picking her up from the train station. She sat on a bench waiting inside; her arms were crossed tightly indicating she was upset, she sighed tiredly wanting to go home already. While waiting she overheard the train clerk speaking to someone and their conversation peaked her interest.
"You must be joking!"
"I ain't no kinda jester Charles, you know that'" said the Clerk to his friend
"I'm just saying that cause it sounds unbelievable is all,"
"I'm just telling you what I heard in the Saloon this evening when I went to get a drink,"
"So someone was actually crazy enough to head up to Fort Mercer?" Charles said in disbelief.
"That's what Jake said when he back after taking the fella up there,"
"You mean it was just one fella by himself?"
"I didn't want to believe it either but I did see them ride off together shortly after that fella got off the train,"
"That poor fool, what's he thinking!?"
Just then she heard her name, "Miss Bonnie?" it was her foremen Philip, he had just arrived.
He walked up to her, sweating and trying to catch his breath she knew he was trying his best to get there on time and felt a little guilty for being so angry.
"Ah Philip happy to see," she said trying her best to muster up a smile but her mind was elsewhere.
"The wagon is waiting Miss Bonnie," Philip said directing Bonnie outside where he left the wagon filled with supplies with another ranch hand.
She climbed up a board; the assistant hand got off and sat in the back while Philip took up the reins, with a click of his tongue and a flick of the reins the wagon jolted forth. Bonnie was happy to put some distance between her and Armadillo but be sides that her mind kept going back to that conversation she heard. Did someone really go up to Fort Mercer? The Fort had been abandon for quite some time until a gang of notorious bandits discovered it and made it their home terrorizing the locals as well, they were nothing but trouble and she would be more then glad `if something would be done about them but for one lone man to go all by himself? What was that idiot thinking? Was he crazy or just plain stupid? All these questions kept gnawing at the back of her mind that she didn't realize Philip was asking her something.
"You doing alright Miss Bonnie?" he asked
"Oh yes just fine thank you,"
"Sorry again Miss MacFarlene about the long wait, there were some problems with rustlers again at the ranch,"
She sighed, "It's quite fine Philip" then a thought came to her, "Say Philip pass on by Fort Mercer," she said trying to sound casual.
"What! Have you lost your mind?" he said turning to her.
"I know it sounds crazy but I heard some poor fool rode on up there,"
"Then God help him," Philip said turning to face her.
"Philip, please," she pleaded.
Reluctantly Philip veered the wagon to the left up hill. The road to Fort Mercer had dangerous turns but he knew how to navigate them, once they reached the top he slowed the wagon down as they approached the Fort.
"There! On the road," Bonnie cried pointing ahead; she hopped off quickly before he could protest. Halting the wagon to a stop he jumped down himself but not before having his ranch hand toss him a rifle.
When he finally caught up with her she was kneeled a man's body, this had to be the fool Bonnie was talking about and sure enough the fool went and got himself killed and for what?
"He's still alive, Philip help me!"
"Ah shot Miss Bonnie!" Philip said with panic in his voice, his eyes kept darting back and forth from Bonnie to the Fort. So far there was no movement but he was not about to stay and find out.
Bonnie could believe the man was still alive; there was a large pool of blood underneath his unresponsive body, his breathing was barely noticeable in the dark but Bonnie could hear the shallow exhaling and inhaling, she also notice a trail of blood leading away from the Fort, he must of crawled away when he was shot, what an idiot throwing his life away. Bonnie felt a spurt of anger course through and she hoped out of spite he survived so she could give him a piece of her mind.
Philip moved quickly laying his rifle down on the ground and started to grab the man by his arm to hoist him up, Bonnie helped as well by getting the other arm and together they lifted him up until he was limply on his feet. With all the strength Philip could muster he bent his knees and shoved in with his weight into the man's stomach and lifted up wards until the man was slung over his right shoulder. Bonnie had taken up his rifle and kept an watchful eye out as he hurried to the back of the wagon, once there he carefully laid the wounded man onto the back with help from his ranch hand then he ran and hopped back on the driver's seat, Miss Bonnie followed suit and with the snap of the reigns they were off, his heart that hammering in his chest was now starting to relax a bit as they moved away but he was still alert for any ambushes, he heard Miss Bonnie breathe a sigh of relief herself. He snapped the reigns again urging the horses to go faster as they were making their way back down the hill they came from taking the sharp turns carefully then pass over the train tracks.
"Where we heading to Miss Bonnie?" he asked uncertain.
"Back to Armadillo, if he's to be saved he needs a doctor fast, he'd die before we made it to the farm," she said taking a look behind them, she was half expecting someone to come after them but when the passed the train tracks down the hill side she knew she could almost relax.
With the horses running full gallop now the time it took to get to Armadillo didn't take too long and when they got there they wasted no time heading straight to the towns doctor, Nathanial Johnston. The office looked closed for the night but a light could be seen upstairs by a window, as soon Philip stopped the wagon Bonnie jumped down and marched onto the porch, she started pounding on the door until she heard a movement inside. The door finally open and the Doctor with bloodshot eyes did not look happy.
"What in Mary mother of God do you want at this hour?"
"Doctor I'm very sorry to trouble you but we have an injured man here who's going to die unless you help him!" Bonnie pleaded.
Nathanial took a look behind her to see Philip and the other man carrying the lifeless John in their arms; he scratched his chin then moved back gesturing for them to come inside. When they did he pointed them to bed, Bonnie quickly noticed faded blood and other stains on the worn mattress before they laid the man down. The doctor quickly went to work undoing the blood staid shirt, all watched as he examined the wound he then got a grabbed his doctors bag and a small stool to sit on. There was movement behind Bonnie she took her eyes off to turn to see Amos the ranch hand walking out, Philip who was right behind stayed where he was. When she turned back to the doctor he had laid out some tools and bottle and set them on a small table bedside. Rolling up his sleeves he turned to Bonnie.
"Ma'am if you're going to be in here I could use a hand," he said tiredly.
"Why of course Sir, What can I do?" she said drawing closer.
"It's simple enough, when I point to something just hand it to me like that cloth right there," he said pointing, she handed to him quickly he then began to fold it in to square, grabbing a bottle with clear liquid off the table he poured a small amount into the cloth and wiped away the dry blood roughly, getting impatient he pour some on the wound itself this caused John to cringe in pain surprising Bonnie.
With the wound finally cleaned, pointed for his lantern on his small desk counter, this time Philip handed the lantern to Bonnie who handed it the doctor, he removed the glass cover and began heating what looked like a knife and tongs in the flames. As if sensing their nervous courtesy he explained what he was doing.
"This man's lost a lot of blood, it looks to me the bullet did hit anything vital, came close to his rib though with that being said I have to pry out the bullet before he bleeds to death, I may need both of yours help for this," he said never looking up at them.
"Miss I need you over here and Mister you hold the legs down real good," he empathized to Philip who looked very unsure.
Standing closer to the man Bonnie noticed various scars were already present throughout his exposed chest, what sort of life has this man lived? She wondered to herself.
"Alright looks like were about ready to get started," said looking over his heated tools that were glowing a dim orange. "Miss I need you hold down his arms just in case he start flailing around, you two make sure to hold on if not it could cause me to make the wound worse possibly killing him" he tired look changed to full alert and Bonnie could tell he was an experienced physician. She criss crossed the man's arms so she could control both without have to lean over and possible fall on him, she then took a deep breath to stead her nervous.
"Good, I'm goin to try to do this as quickly as possible," he said putting the lantern back on the small table, taking his knife in one hand and the small tongs in the other, without any warning he plunged the tongs in the wound, instantly the man body lurched and the man cried out in pain and she heard the sizzle of singed flesh. Bonnie did her best to use her weight to hold him down as he jerked, she could see Philip was struggling as well, she got pushed back into the small table a little and feared she would knock it down sending the place up in flame so she leaned in closer to the man that she got a closer look at his face. His eyes where pin shut and he was gritting his teeth in pain she noticed he had two scars on the left side of face. More scars.
"Got it!" the doctor declared in triumph rising up the blood covered tongs. He placed the tongs on the table quickly and used his knife to close the hole fast. Another violet jerk and struggle then he pulled away and wiped his sweaty forehead with his sleeved forearm and let out a sigh of relief.
"Ya'll can let go now, I think the worse is over now," he said getting up and walking over to one of his cabinets opening it up and rustling through it. Bonnie let up as well as Philip; both gave each other a relieved look.
The doctor came back over with rolls of wraps and some more white clothes and set them on the table taking the blood drenched tongs and knife and dumped them in a wash bowl on his desk.
"So is he going to make it Doctor?" Bonnie asked.
"Well for the most part it all depends if he makes it through the night till the morning, say how do you know this fella anyhow?"
"Found the fool up at Fort Mercer on the side of the road!" Philip chimed in and Bonnie gave him a look, he could only shrug.
"What is God's name was he doing over there? Did he have a death wish?" said clearly disgusted, he plodded back on the stool this time face them both.
"Apparently so, look where it got him now," Bonnie added crossing her arms in her own disbelief.
"We can leave him in your capable hands now right Doctor? We should get back now to the ranch Miss Macfarlene," Philips said looking anxious to leave.
Before she could say anything the Doctor quickly rose from his seat. "Now hold on just a sec here I'm not going to be responsible for anyone crazy, I appreciate your kindness that you saved him but when you did pick him you made him your problem," he said in a gruff aggressive tone.
"What're saying Doctor Johnston? That we should have left him there to die like some animal?" Bonnie inquired getting a little upset.
"What I'm saying Miss-"
"MacFarlene please," she interrupted.
"Miss MacFarlene what I'm saying is he is your responsibility and as such you are required to pay his debts," it was the Doctor's turn to cross his arms.
"So how much Doctor? How much for a man's life?" she said unfolding hers and stepping forward to him.
"Fifteen dollars," he said blandly not threatened.
"So be it, Philip give the man his money so we can be on our way with our newly acquired Charge," Bonnie said nodding her head over to the Doctor. Philip clearly upset dug into his pocket and handed over the paper money, the Doctor then counted it and Bonnie could help but chuckle in disbelief.
"There you are Doctor your debt is all cleared but now this stranger here now has a debt to pay to me so let's hope me makes it through the night or you'll be hearing from me very soon," she said not caring if he understood the sarcasm.
"We'll take our leave now then, Philip call in Amos to help take our friend here to the ranch we'll have look after him there." She said walking out into the cool night air with Philip right behind her, Amos was nowhere to be found by the wagon but Philip must have spotted him because he stepped away from Bonnie heading towards to Saloon, Of course Bonnie thought.
Both came over, Philip was scolding Amos and both headed back inside the Doctor's office until they came back out with unconscious stranger in tow and laid in the back of the wagon again. As soon as they finished all three climbed up and were about to head out when the Doctor came out, he walked around to Bonnie's side.
"What is it Doctor?" she asked looking down at him.
"I just wanted to apologize for my behavior, Please don't take it as a personal insult to you Miss MacFarlene I'm just doing my job and have a business to run, I meant no disrespect," he said seeming sincere.
"It's alright I understand but make sure next time someone comes with someone dying to your doorstep you ask them is they have money first not after rather than giving false hope," she replied
He nodded but looked unmoved, "I know Everett Knox that son of a bitch owes me money but he's a good man I know that passenger of yours will be in better hands with him then me,"
"I'm sure he will,"
He was about to leave when he stopped and turned, "Oh and if that boy makes it through and get back on his feet have him come by office for some medicine at no charge," he said with a small smile.
"Thank you, I'll be sure to do that," she said firmly.
With that he walked back into his office closing the door behind. Philip snapped the reigns and they launched towards home.