Open Range: Sugar in The Camp
(Disclaimer: I don't own the movie or the characters and I am getting no compensation from this story. There is so much that's not told about what happened between Button and Mose when Boss and Charley left them at the camp together. Here's just one explanation. This is entirely my creation.)
After Boss and Charley left, Mose grinned over at Button.
"I got some sugar when I went to town," the big man giggled, a bandage wrapped around his head. His left eye was still swollen and bruised although not as badly when he was being held in the jail. The last thing he wanted to do was to think about what the Sheriff and his henchmen had done to him. "Want some?"
"Si'!" Button grinned back widely. The two ran for the wagon giggling like little girls where the white cotton bag was stored. "But won't Boss get mad if we eat it?" Button asked, ever the worrier. He had his own demons from his past and he feared being beaten like the saloon owner used to do just a year before.
"Nah," Mose answered plopping down on the ground by the campfire. Carefully opened the bag and he peeked inside. Taking a tin cup he dipped it into the bag and withdrew some of the white granules.
"I'd be real good if'n we had some butter. We could spread it on some bread and make sugar sandwiches," Mose said, admiring the sugar, his eyes twinkling at the thought.
"But we don't haves no butter," Button stated the obvious. "Maybe when we get to 'nother town we could buys some," he grinned widely at the thought.
"Maybe," Mose chuckled, "but until then we'll just have to eat it raw, I reckon."
Button laughed at the thought and, taking the cup, poured some into his mouth then handed it back to Mose. As though sipping tea from fancy china cups they delicately handed the cup back and forth until it was empty.
The sugar sweetness was a delight as it melted in their mouths. Ol' Tig laid by Mose's side watching with interest, he panted happily. In a short time, both of them were laughing, feeling hyper from the sugar rush. Tig saw a rabbit hop across the hillside and, giving a yip, bolted off in pursuit of the hare. Laughing, they both ran after Tig. Mose stuck out a big foot and tripped Button, sending him tumbling head over heels across the grass.
"I'll git you!" Button yelled, a huge smile on his face as he jumped up and charged after Mose. Big Mose ran a short distance then simply grabbed Button shoving him back to the ground. Button tackled one of Mose's legs causing the big man to tumble. Hitting the ground and howling with delight Mose gingerly jumped to his feet with Tig also jumping and barking with the same carefree joy.
Suddenly Tig stopped and stood his ground, growling menacingly. "What is it, boy?" Mose, who had just pushed Button to the ground again, skidded to a halt realizing the dog was warning them.
Alerted now by Mose's reaction Button quickly sat up and looked in the direction both Mose and Tig were looking. Neither of them had realized anyone was watching.
"Is that Boss and Charley already?" Button asked perplexed as he stood by his friend's side, squinting at the onlooking group of riders looking back. "That don't look like Boss and Charley."
As Mose studied the riders his eyes widened in disbelief. "That's 'cause it's not," he answered Button, trying to make out who the five riders on horseback were watching back.
Button shot him a concerned look, "Then, who is it?"
"I don't rightly know," the big man said, "But I think we oughta get our guns."
Button nodded understanding but not moving until the riders began to move towards them in unison.
"Mose?!" Button looked open mouthed at his friend uncertain of what to do.
"I know, Button. Git back to the wagon! Fast!"
Mose hadn't realized they had gotten so far away from the covered wagon as the two ran towards it. The sound of approaching horse hooves seemed to be nearly upon them. Glancing over his shoulder Mose could see smoky mists snorting out of the horses nostrils from the cool evening air looking as though they were from hell itself.
Reaching the wagon just moments before the riders did, Mose grabbed the rifle that laid just inside the wagon as Button sprinted for the other rifle that laid on the ground that laid by the campfire where they had previously been snacking on the sugar.
Shots rang out.
The five riders were on them, whooping like crazed men, burlap sacks with slits cut for their eyes disguised their faces. A thought went through Mose's mind. 'If they're going to kill us then why wear bags over their heads?'
As he turned to confront them the butt of a rifle hit Button across the side of his head knocking him senseless as he fell face down on the ground.
"BUTTON!" Mose yelled at the sight of his friend being attacked and raised his rifle in defense but before he could fire a round, a bullet struck him shattering his shoulder. Mose spun as he cried out in pain. His rifle fired wildly, missing its intended mark. Tig nipped at the horses heels causing them to spin and buck. One of the horses kicked the small dog sending it rolling across the grass. The little dog yelped in pain.
Mose tried to get up on his feet, his shattered shoulder bleeding badly, as a bullet shattered his chest. A fine mist of blood exploded outward as Mose collapsed back to the ground.
Wearing a brown derby on top of the bag, one of the horsemen rode over to where Mose lay writhing in pain and squeezed the trigger on his pistol. The shot bore through Mose's head. His body jerked then moved no more.
Button was on his hands and knees, blood pouring down the side of his face blinding him as he struggled to see. A rough hand lifted him up by his shirt collar dragging him across the ground.
"Let go!" he yelled as he struggled, his rifle helplessly discarded to the ground. Button was dropped on the hard ground, pain shooting through his head.
"We don't like you free grazers," a man now standing next to Button, hissed then kicked Button hard inn the ribs with the toe of his boot. Button cried out again as he rolled. Finally coming to a stop he was saw a big hulk on the ground that was his friend.
"MOSE!" he cried in agony for his friend.
"Stand up!" the man growled out an order. "I said, stand up!"
As Button rose to his feet as a fist smashed into his face causing his head to jerk backwards. Violently he fell back to the ground looking upwards, his head spinning. Another boot kicked him in the ribs again causing him to roll nearly under the wagon.
Their furious attack stopped as they laughed and moved away from Button to where the little dog was yelping in pain and started kicking him mercilessly. Seeing their cruelty Button gathered what little strength he had left and, with great determination, grabbed the rifle he found then rose to his feet.
"WATCH OUT!" one of the riders yelled as Button raised the rifle at them. If he could have he would have killed each one of them. Firing he hit the man wearing the brown derby in his shoulder. With a loud cry the man grabbed his shoulder as blood poured through his fingers. The loud report of a weapon firing echoed across the open range as a bullet struck Button in his stomach. He crumpled to the ground and moved no more.
"Serves 'em right! Filthy free grazers," one of the men who spoke as he pulled off his mask and replaced his derby on his head. A bloody circle spread through the expensive silk shirt.
How long he had been out Button could not say but when he came to he was alone in the dark and bleeding badly. Seconds before blacking out again he wondered how his rifle had gotten under him.
"Boss," Button spoke the name looking up into the familiar sympathetic face.
"It's alright, boy. We're gonna take care of you," Boss reassured him.
"Mose?" he asked but before getting an answer his world went black.