Blood on the Road, Part Two
a follow up to Blood in the Sun
Page | 7
Pulling the cumbersome Colt Dragoon from its holster, Hannibal Heyes laid it across his lap. The longer he sat there, the more alive the forest sounded and the more forsaken he felt. After a bit, he began fumbling with the buttons of his blood, crusted shirt; only to find it was stuck to his skin. Frowning, he rubbed at his brows until with a long exhale, he set to peeling the fabric free. He gingerly inspected the torn flesh, amazed how swollen and hot it all was. When hearing a strange, harsh sound, he looked up, and realized it was his own breathing. That was when way, down, deep in a twisting panic began to build. Raising his dark eyes to the green canopy above, the leaves seemed to sway as if in a storm and he felt like he was falling. Which he knew was silly, because he also knew he was seated on the ground. Shaking his head, he looked up again, but still it felt like he was falling, falling, and then nothing.
"I knew it! I knew, I got you."
Hannibal's eyes snapped open.
"Looks like I did a far-sight better than I thought, too."
Over where he had come off Jed's horse, Frank Rucker was squatted admiring the tips of his fingers. And, seeing him so close, Hannibal's jaw clenched tight.
"Damn, but I sure hope it hurts something fierce." Rucker said, rising to his full height, he tilted his head to the side. "Hmm, what the hell were y'all up to here?" Then in ever expanding circles, he studied the torn up ground.
Each time, Rucker crossed the space of ground leading to the cedars, Hannibal held his breath, until at last Frank Rucker swung aboard his horse and headed west. The same direction Jed had taken. Hannibal drug his lower lip across his teeth, his blood pounding in his ears so loud, he could hear nothing else. Crimson faced, he clenched the pistol, tighter and tighter hating himself for ever talking their way into being members of Rucker's Gang. "Damn it, I should've killed him while I had the chance," he muttered and then the reasonable side of his mind stated, 'you would've missed using your left hand.'
His eyes darted to the heavy Colt and he dropped it, "No, Pa taught me killing was wrong. It was one point, he was always adamant about." Frustrated, Hannibal thunked his head back against the tree trunk, 'still, I should've tried. Nothing else, it would've drawn that monster to me and away from Kid.'
'That's it,' he thought, smearing the moisture from his thick lashes, a tremulous smile tracing across his mouth. Taking up the pistol, he awkwardly thumbed back the hammer; knowing once he fired, Rucker would return to kill him. Even as his finger began to tighten on the trigger, it came to him, Jed too would return. Frowning Hannibal, reset the hammer, 'no, I won't lead Jed into an ambush, least this way, out there, he has a chance.'
Outside the trees, Jed's eyes watered, as he rode straight into the sun. Throwing a look over his shoulder, he could see little more than his shadow trailing out, long and black behind him and he prayed the searing, orange light was blinding Frank Rucker just as badly.
When his horse's hooves clacked across rock, he pulled Nate to a halt, hopping from the saddle. Leaning tight against the gelding, Jed closed eyes, counting to twenty. The red ball behind his lids faded and once he opened his eyes, he was able to see enough to scan his backtrail. There was no sign of the predator, he knew, was tracking him, 'maybe, luck is on our side, for once.' But, recalling the state his cousin was in, he snorted, so loud Nate's ears twitched and the horse turned to look at him.
He patted the gelding and looking again down the trail, he untied his saddle bags and canteen, placing them over his left shoulder. Rubbing Nate's neck, he slipped off the bridle, "you've been a good horse, now go make a good run of it." And, stepping back, he whipped the reins across the horse's rump.
Nate bolted. However, it did not take him long to realize, there was no rider keeping after him and he ambled to stop. After looking Jed's direction a time or two, the bay gelding fell to grazing.
'Why couldn't you just keep running? Why's it always got to be the hard way?' Jed's face twisted into a scowl which aged his boyish features and with a shake of his head, he unsheathed the new Peacemaker; Hannibal had gifted him. He hefted the pistol, its blue steel glowed in the fading light and he could smell the oil he cleaned it with daily. Reluctantly, his blue eyes lifted to Nate contentedly grazing. Then Jed's mouth tightened into a flat line and his arm rose like a released spring. The Colt discharging, destroying the evening calm as its bullet plowed a groove across the gelding's hind quarters.
Nate's head flew up with a scream, his rear feet kicked out, and the gelding took off. He was running flat out, tearing up sod, and crushing vegetation; truly creating a trail that could be followed even at night.
Dropping the pistol back in its holster, Jed muttered, "sorry boy, but, you gotta lead him away, so I can get back to Han." He rubbed at the back of his neck, hating what he had just done. And, knowing the shot would draw Frank straight to him, he slipped off to find a hiding spot.
He had not been hunkered down long, before he heard Frank. The fact was his gray horse was now standing on the same spreading chunk of limestone, Jed had been standing on minutes before. Staring at the barrel chested man, Jed considered shooting him, shooting him dead. Yet, as much as he hated, even feared Frank Rucker, he had never shot anyone. And, the thought of actually killing him, twisted his stomach, making him feel more than queasy. But, his moment for action or inaction disappeared quickly, because seeing Nate's obvious path, Frank with a 'hurrah' spurred his horse.
Swallowing heavily, Jed set off east into thick, purpling light that turned to the deepest gray under the trees. He could make out where his horse and Frank's had passed and set to following the trail.
A pale, half moon lit the world by the time Jed found the area, he had rode roughshod over earlier. Striding toward the stand of fat, red cedars, he quietly called out, "Han, it's me... Don't shoot me, all right."
There was no reply.
Inching in, he stepped on Hannibal's Colt discarded in the dirt. "Han?"
The cursing twitters of small, roosted, birds were his only answer. Moving deeper, he found Hannibal slumped over. And, forevermore, Jed would swear, in that moment he felt his heart stop; at least for a beat or two.
Dropping to his knees, he lifted his cousin's head, not a sound or movement came from Hannibal. "Damn it, Han... no!" Jed's throat grew so tight, his voice sounded like it had to fight to squeak through, "you can't be dead. You promised. You promised... You'd always be here for me!"
With exaggerated slowness the dark eyes opened, "Hey, Kid."
"I thought you was dead."
"There you go thinking again." Hannibal said with a sigh, it had a haggard sound like ones that come from bone-tired old men. "Keep telling you, that's how you get yourself in trouble."
"Just shut your pan." Jed snapped, trying to cover how vulnerable he had not only felt, but sounded moments before, "you want a drink?"
Hannibal nodded.
Assisting him into a sitting position, Jed thought, 'he feels as cold as meat in a winter smoke house.' Uncorking the canteen, he held it out and watched Hannibal's handshake like a bare tree in a blizzard. Moving closer, Jed placed the canteen to his cousin's lips, feeling shivers slip down his own spine.
But, Hannibal drank, not just a timid sip, but, long, slow gulps, one after another until he pushed the canteen away with a gentle smile, "Look at you, taking care of me."
Spinning the top back on the canteen, Jed muttered, "someone's got to, you never do." Then scootching in alongside of Hannibal, he slid his arms about his trembling cousin, wrapping him in close. "Go back to sleep, at first light we'll be on the move. I gotta get you to a doctor."
Snuggled against each other under the fragrant, cedar trees, Jed tried not to worry, but his mind kept circling around, too... 'what if he dies?' Still despite this, his stomach gurgled so long and loud, it would have been humorous under a different circumstances.
"Dang, Kid, you best start in on some of that jerky, we bought back in Cassoday."
"Can't, I dropped our bag of goods when I hauled you on Nate."
Hannibal did not reply.
Silence settled all around them and Jed figured his cousin was asleep. So, inhaling deeply, he tried to encourage himself to do the same, when his stomach set up another ruckus.
Hannibal mumbled, "sorry, Kid," and with a cough cleared his throat. "Been thinking, we should've stuck it out back at the orphanage, ain't none of my plans been panning out."
"Ah, most days we make out all right." Jed gave him a slight squeeze. "We're just having a spell of bad luck. It'll turn around, you'll see."
Hannibal nodded and after a bit, his breathing became more shallow as he slipped into sleep.
Biting at his bottom lip, Jed thought, 'it has to turn around, don't seem like it can get much worse.' After what seemed more than an hour, he drifted off. However, his rest was fitful, he would wake often, his first thought each time, 'is he alive?" Then carefully, he would lay his hand across his cousin's damp chest, only relaxing when he felt a steady thump beneath his palm. At the pinking of dawn, he was going through what had come to feel like a ritual and Hannibal raised his head, giving him a crooked grin.
"I'm still here. You seem to forget pretty easy, I'm half-Curry and like all Curry's, I'm damn stubborn. You ain't going to get rid of me that easy."
A genuine smile sprung from Jed, the first one Hannibal had seen since before they exited the General Store.
"Let me have a drink and then get me on my feet."
Adjusting his grip, Jed tried to keep as much as Hannibal's weight on him as possible, as he did beads of sweat dripped from his face to splash on his shirt front. If a person asked him, how they had made it this far, Jed knew he would not be able to rightly tell them. All he knew was, he was tired and his tiredness mattered little to him, because whenever he looked over at his cousin, he knew he was worse. But, on the horizon, Jed could see the bridge spanning across the Neosho river and a faint smile came to his lips, "Ain't much further now. You'll be able to rest by the bridge, 'cause somebody's bound to come along heading for town and we can catch a ride."
Placing one foot in front of the other, Hannibal thought, 'screw resting, if it weren't for my promise, I would just give in. It would feel so good to give in.' His whole shoulder and everything attached to it felt like he was being stabbed with a white-hot poker. But, licking his lips, he swallowed and said, "If'n you're in need of rest, Kid, I suppose we can sit a spell."
Jed's mouth started to turn up in a smile, until the fear he felt walking with them, choked it away.
They were nearly to the old cottonwood spreading its full limbs out toward the bridge when Jed caught the sound of a galloping horse. An uneasy feeling crawled over him, almost as if somebody had walked across his grave. Standing straighter, he popped his shoulder, bouncing his cousin up and off him, "Han, step behind me."
Hannibal stumbled, his boots twisting in the dirt, and Jed reached over; steadying and herding him, "get behind me."
"What?"
"Behind me... NOW!"
The horse coming into view, was exactly the big gray Jed feared it would be. No, not feared, knew it would be and there was not time to find cover or hide.
Frank Rucker pulled his horse up so fast, the gray half-reared, throwing a shovel full of gravel across Jed as he slid to a stop.
"Done told you Lil' bastards, I would catch you. Hell, been easy, you've left a trail of blood a blind man could follow" Frank's eyes slid to Hannibal and he smiled giving him a wink. "Well, I'd say it don't look like you're long for this world."
Jed's shoulders squared, his right hand hovered over his Colt. "Turn 'round and ride away, I don't want to kill you, but I will."
"HA! YOU!?" Frank's mouth opened wide releasing a barking laugh, "Is you really baring them suckling teeth at me." He laughed harder and spit in the dirt, "Hellfire, I ain't worried, baby blue. I knew the day, I met the pair of y'all, which one was the viper. You think it was chance I shot him, yesterday?" Frank edged his horse closer and looking pointedly beyond Jed, he sneered, "put a gimp in your walk, didn't I?"
Head held high, Hannibal took a swaying, step forward, "Your quarrels with me, not Jed, leave 'em be."
"Boy, what you gonna do. There ain't no fight left in you."
Jed's eyes narrowed until all the blue disappeared, "Frank Rucker, this is your last warning, now ride away."
"Well, hell, Baby Blue, you gonna be this serious, leastways let me dismount, so we can do this right." And, slinging a leg across his horse's rump, Frank pulled his pistol, in the same move.
Even as he spun, to carry out his underhanded deed, Jed's arm flinched. The Peacemaker was in his hand, flame spouting from the barrel, and an eruption of bloody mist exploded from Frank Rucker's chest.
Frank's legs wobbled and when he fired, his bullet reaped a furrow in the dirt. Floundering backwards, he slammed into his horse, the gray spooked, running off the road. For a long moment, Frank drifted, back and forth, before landing hard on his backside. "Hellfire... " he gasped, blood gushing from his mouth. Looking to his hand, he raised the Remington pistol, with his arm wavering, he cocked the hammer.
Jed's Colt boomed, again.
And, Frank's wrist became twisted carnage, his six-shooter plopping in the dirt, with a puff of dust. The outlaw leader's breathing was coming in gasps, each gasp spattering blood from his mouth across his front. Clutching his chest, the blood ran thick through his fingers, "Damnation, Blue, you've done killed me."
Walking forward, Jed picked up the Remington, shoving it under his holster belt.
"Nope, didn't think you had it in you, sure didn't."
Looking calmly down on the man whose atrocities he had run from, Jed holstered his Colt, "I find, given enough persuasion, everyone has it in them. And, you persuaded me."
"Suppose I did, didn't I?" Frank eyed the pool of blood spilling out onto the road between his spread legs. "Hey, Blue, first kills hard, after that, they all come easy... "a horrible, gurgling laugh rose from Frank "... yuse a man-killer now, Blue, welcome to my world." His laughter turned to guttural gagging and with a final gulp, he slumped forward dead. The thick crimson stream inching toward Jed's boots.
Stepping back, Jed's shining, glazed eyes focused on the blood.
"Kid?"
Jed's breathing was speeding up, coming in quick pants.
Popping him hard on the back, Hannibal snapped, "Jedediah, get the horse."
Taking a shuddering breath, Jed rubbed a hand across his mouth, looked once at his cousin and then went after the big, broad-chested gray. The gelding skittered sideways. "Easy Gat, easy Gat, come on you know me," he said, soothingly, holding out his hand and easing closer.
Gat took a hesitant step forward, then his head flew up, his nostrils flaring wide, he snorted.
Jed leapt for the dragging rein.
Gat backed up faster, the rein flipping out of reach and with a spin the horse ran away with its tail flagging out behind him.
Kicking the dirt, Jed hollered, "damn it!"
"It's all right."
"No, it's not. We... You need that damn horse."
"Like you said, Kid, we'll make out, we always do."
"Suppose we do," Jed grunted, wrapping his cousin's left arm up around his neck and shifting his weight upon his own shoulders. They moved off once more together, their boots clomping hollowly on the deck of the wooden bridge. "Here have a seat on the railing."
Hannibal shook his head, "let's keep on."
Jed looked sideways at him.
"Feeling more like myself," Hannibal stated, stepping out, almost leading Jed.
With a sigh, Jed's eyes slanted to the wide railing where his cousin should be sitting, but kept walking
They had made it to the bend in the road, where they had forced Nate to forge the river, the day before and Hannibal found himself thinking, 'maybe, I should've stopped back there.' From the corner of his eye, he studied his silent cousin, 'No, we had to keep going, there is no way, I wanted him sitting there staring at Rucker."