Chapter 2
Liechtenstein eased out of sleep to the sound of shuffling and pebbles clattering against rock. She opened her eyes and stretched her stiff arms with a tiny yawn. The fire was nearly out, barely glowing under the charred wood and the white moon cast a pale ghostly glow across the deep blue-black landscape. Liechtenstein could make out the sound and shadow of America's horse pawing at the ground snorting uncomfortably. The air had an eerie stillness to it making her uncomfortable, no coyotes howled, no crickets chirped, just still cool night air in a vast empty land. The large rocks and canyons reminded her of tombstones silhouetted against the dark sky.
She hugged her arms feeling a cold shiver run up her back as her eyes scanned her surroundings. She tuned to look beside her, thinking of waking America, but when she rolled over to gently shake him he was not there. Only a blood stained mark in the dirt where he had been laying.
She suddenly grew very nervous, "A-America?" she whispered sitting up more griping the duster tighter around her neck. "A-America?" She could just make out his horse, snorting its ears pricked forward tail swishing back and forth nervously. The young girl let the duster slip from her shoulders as she sat up looking for him. "America?" she asked louder.
Just as she asked a hand shot out covering up her mouth and she startled looking up. "Shhhhh." A familiar face came into view as America shushed her holding his other finger to his lips. Liechtenstein blinked and watched his eyes shift to the rocks just behind them and he reached down slowly drawing his gun. She gulped hugging her hands to her chest as his warm gloved hand lowered from her face. He sat beside her pressing his back against the rock face looking over his shoulder, his eyes straining to peer beyond their cover. "What is it?" she whispered to him scooting back further against the rock. America unholstered both of his navy colts and pressed the safeties down. "Not sure." He answered with a muffled click of his guns. "But whatever it is, it aint good. Stick close."
Liechtenstein nodded and inched closer to him looking out beyond them, her eyes searching for anything out of place. The sound of smaller rocks being knocked loose echoed around them and the young girl startled and America jerked his head towards the noise. He gritted his teeth then glanced to his horse as it snorted and twitched its ears pointing towards the rocks beyond them. He watched the creature carefully as it sniffed the air and looked around. Mac could help him pin point where there was trouble. "Hey Liechty," he whispered turning back to her. "Can you grab that stick right there?" he nodded towards a long branch she had cut off the tree earlier for firewood. Liechtenstein nodded and reached out. "Careful now." America advised.
She pulled it back slowly and handed it to him perplexed. "Perfect thanks, now sit back." He then reached stiffly for the duster beside her. "What are you doing?" she asked nervously watching him as he draped the duster over the branch testing it to be sure it could hold the weight. "Seeing what we're up against." He answered softly and pushed it up above the rock like a scarecrow or flag. No sooner had it reached up beyond the outcrop did a loud shot ring out and large shotgun shells burst through the fabric, scattering the frayed cloth over their heads. Liechtenstein yelped covering her ears as America dropped the branch and pushed back against the rock. Macaroni reared with a loud whinny and startled shying away.
"Yup, figured they had guns." America sighed. "W-who are they?" Liechtenstein asked lowering her hands from her head. "I dunno and I really don't wanna know." America said then looked to her. "Alright Liechty we gotta get out of here before they box us in. What I'm gunna need you to do is grab as much stuff up as you can and run towards those rocks there." He nodded towards the entrance of a small canyon, which rose up out of the bottom of the hill beyond their outcrop. Liechtenstein looked to him stupefied. America nodded, "I'll cover you." He said making sure his guns were fully loaded.
Liechtenstein shook her head. He was crazy! "Yes Liechty," he was cut off as a bullet clipped the rock by his head. However he barely flinched, he more twisted his face in annoyance and whipped around firing a return shot. "You have to Liechty, otherwise we won't be able to get out." He continued sitting back down reloading the gun nonchalantly. "B-But." She stammered looking to the horse in question. "We need cover. And we can loose them in the dark. Galloping off to the prairie right now won't do any good except get our asses blown to bits. If you can get the canyon first I'll cover you and we can ride from there." He explained sensing her question. "Now it's your choice little sister, those rocks, or our friends back here." He said as the shotgun fired smacking the rock behind his head this time causing him to flinch. "Damn! DO YOU MIND!? I'm trying to have a conversation here!" he shouted over his shoulder.
Another bullet answered him this time striking the ground near his foot. "They're so impatient! And close." He glanced back at her, "Now or never Liechty." He said holding up his gun ready to give her cover or have a one sided gunfight. How was he not at all scared? How was expecting them to get out of this?!
But she had no choice. She had been in war before just like the rest, only this time there were no soldiers behind them, no leader's advice and for her, she gulped, Switzerland was not here this time. But this is what he had been readying her for; for the day when he could not be there for her and she had to stand on her own again. Liechtenstein squinted her eyes and took a deep breath with a nod. America smiled. "Right on. On the count of four grab as much as you can and run like hell ok Liechty?" she nodded. "Atta girl, alright…One for the money," Liechtenstein crouched and readied herself holding the hem of her skirt up in her hand. "Two for the show. Three to get ready," America reached back aiming his gun, his other palm resting on the safety. "And four to go! RUN Liecthy!" And he began firing off a volley of bullets one after the other.
Liechtenstein got up and ran grabbing the horse's bridle on the ground, and water canteen as quickly as she could as the bullets began to fly. One clipped the sleeve of her dress and she yelped jumping back. "Run Liechty! Just run!" America shouted as he grabbed his second gun and began to fire again. Liechtenstein got up and sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her towards the canyon mouth. It was hard to see in the dark, she stumbled and tripped the whole way dodging sagebrush and rocks she could barely see. She had just gotten out of one of these canyons earlier and was not looking forward to being in another, but she had no choice. "KEEP RUNNIN' LIECHTY!" she heard America shout to her as bullets nipped at her heels.
America began picking off several of their shooters one by one, the small shadows darting in and out between rocks, but the darkness made it hard even for him to see properly. He nudged his glasses further up on his nose flinching from another bullet. He had to figure out a bigger distraction otherwise they would both get shot. Then as if conjured by thought an opportunity presented itself in the form of a large bolder teetering on the edge of another large loose rock face. He fired several shots at the underside of the large bolder loosening the dirt. Soon the ground shook and caused the mighty rock to give way and fall scattering their shooters with a loud rumble. "Yes direct hit!" he cheered to himself.
However this wouldn't hold them off for long and America heard that sickening, click, click sound, letting him know he was out of bullets. He cursed under his breath looking to Liechtenstein as she was reaching the canyon's mouth the bullets now turning to her. He had no choice now; he jumped up and quickly reloaded running after her, his boots slipping on the dirt. Another shotgun shell blew up the by his feet as he clicked the cartridge back in place and fired back behind him. As he ran weaving and dodging, he gave a sharp whistle and Mac galloped up beside him. In one sweeping motion he grabbed the horn of the saddle and swung on.
Liechtenstein could feel the bullets popping at her feet, tears rolling down her cheeks as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. The dark canyon seemed so far away and she was running out of breath her lungs felt like they would burst. "Liechty!" she looked over her shoulder just as America reached down and swept her up in his arm. She cried out and clung to him with one hand, her other desperately keeping hold of their supplies as the horse tore down the hill. She blinked and buried her face in his shoulder as a bright, bullet, whizzed by her ear. "You ok Liechty?" he panted looking down at her. She nodded swallowing a dry lump in her throat catching her breath. "Good!" he smiled and gave his galloping horse an encouraging kick. "Alright Mac get us out of here!" the horse grunted giving a small buck and took off into the mouth of the dark canyon, the bullets fading behind them.
The black rocky walls yawned into vast crags and hills, Mac's hooves clattering across the dark, shadowy, rock ground echoing around them. Liechtenstein kept her hold on America as he situated her in his lap better. She hugged him keeping her face in dirty fabric of his shirt. She knew well she didn't want to see anything right now, not that she could it, was so dark in here. Running at a full gallop into blackness unnerved her, she was terrified enough as it was; she just wanted to get out. She did however allow her eyes to look down at the grey canyon floor as it swept by under them. She quickly slipped the handle of the canteen and horse bridle's reins over her arm so she could use her other hand to hold onto America better. Though in all honesty he seemed to be doing alright holding her up by himself. "Don't worry Liechty I'll get us outta here." He called over the echo. She nodded and took a deep breath squinting her eyes as she felt the horse stumble a little.
Then just as she was starting to get slightly comfortable the soft thundering of hooves bounced off the canyon behind them and she looked back to see dark shadows coming for them. Men on horse back galloping in pursuit coming into the pale light cast by the full moon. "A-America!" she cried.
America looked over his shoulder as one man lifted his gun and let a bullet fly grazing his cheek. "Damnit what's with these guys they just won't leave us alone!" America growled as he leaned in, urging his horse around a turn and up a path along the canyon wall. The other riders spread out re loading their guns, one keeping right on their tail. Macaroni careened tightly around another turn as the man behind them took another shot at the horse's hooves. Liechtenstein wobbled in America's arms nearly falling as she started to slip out of his lap, her fingers clenching his vest. "Shit!" America nearly toppled over too as he gathered her up holding her in one arm, a shock of his horse's mane balled up in other his fist. "Hang on little sister, I gottcha." He pulled her back into his lap guiding her arms around his neck.
He glanced back over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. He had no free hands to shoot, if he let go of Liechtenstein she would certainly fall. He couldn't let her ride behind him, she'd get shot, and he could not balance the rough terrain, her in his lap and shoot at the same time. He was a great rider, but not magical. They had no choice but out maneuver and out run these men. The darkness of the canyon was a blessing and a curse. He had to put all their trust in the fact his horse knew the terrain and could see in the dark well enough. "Easy Mac." he advised to the horse as it charged forward.
Liechtenstein looked down as the pale incline climbed up steeper and steeper falling away from the shadow of the canyon floor. She gulped and buried her face in America's neck feeling sick. "Hang on tight." She heard him advise and gave a swift kick to his horse sending it leaping across a small gorge. She clenched his shirt tight and swallowed her aching stomach back. She had to be brave, with America guiding the horse in the dark she had to help be his eyes. "The more eyes the better you never know where or when your enemy will come out." She remembered Switzerland saying. She lifted her head and let her eyes adjust and search around the canyon as they loped down a winding hill. A quick glint above them caught her eye. "America, up there!" she called trying to point. America's whipped his head around and leaned quickly to the right Mac skidding around a corner with a gruff squeal just as the bullets smacked the rock where their heads had been. Down the incline they skidded, tripping and stumbling before finally the horse jumped to the ground and loped on. "Alright Liechty! Good call." America panted to her smiling. "Any more of them?"
The cover of darkness was now slowly ebbing to dawn and she could make out their attackers better, however that meant they also could be noticed easier.
Liechtenstein looked around catching her breath and watched as another horse's dark shape appeared coming down a hill after them. "U-umm," she racked her brain for the English, "9:00!" she cried using the hours of a clock's face as their positions like Switzerland had taught her. America turned his horse as the bullet fired. "7!" she called. Another shot rang out just missing them as they hopped from one incline to the next. America smirked sweat rolling down his forehead. "Right on Liechty. See that up there?" he called to her above the clattering din. She looked to see what looked to the large tight canyon walls. "It's a box canyon. Cowboys use it to round up strays or horses sometimes. Except the wild horses around here know a way out. We'll lose them in there, Mac knows the way, and only one or two horses can fit through at a time." He explained in between breaths.
She nodded and watched as the other riders began to try and close in on them. If they could just make it before the sun started to rise and one of them got a shot off. Suddenly another horse shot out from between the crags pulling along side them both horses knocking into each other with heavy grunts and squeals. The creatures stumbled but kept pace and riders managed to keep balance. The man who had rode up beside them quickly reached out grabbing Liechtenstein's dress. She yelped and tried to kick him away, his rough gloved hand tearing at fabric.
America growled his blue eyes flashing. "Goddamnit go AWAY!" he shouted and let go of the horse's mane and punched him off hard sending her attacker flying. The man tumbled from his horse as another rider came up behind them the rest beginning to file in. "You ok?" America panted looking to her. Liechtenstein nodded hugging his neck and looked to the blackened canyon entrance as they drew closer. One rider behind them raised his rifle. America gritted his teeth glancing back twisting the shock of mane in his fingers nervously. "Come on come on. Get on Mac!" he urged with a kick. Liechtenstein watched the man shoulder his long-range rifle as they bolted forward, the gun's long barrel glinting in the fading moonlight. They wouldn't make it!
She bit her lip. She had to do something but what?! Her eyes fell to the gun belt on America's hip. Just as the rider's finger itched the trigger, without thinking she grabbed America's gun, cocked the heavy safety, aimed, and fired. The shot split the air, startling horse and riders as the kick knocked her back. America fell forward catching her, but she hit her mark the man's hands snapped back and disappeared in the haze just as they dashed into the cover of the canyon.
Sure enough just as America had said, the men thought they had them cornered. However all they were left with was an empty dead end without a trace of the two countries. Liechtenstein and America could hear their cursing shots as they sneaked away through a dark narrow passage up and out of the canyon leaving their attackers trapped far below.
Liechtenstein opened her eyes as Mac's hard run eased into a more comfortable lope as they pulled away from the canyon out onto the rolling planes above. America obviously was not giving them any opportunity to catch up or find out where they had gotten to and had no intention of stopping until his horse decided to stop. Liechtenstein sighed trying to relax resting her head against America's shoulder. The dark blue night sky was now muddied with the first lights of dawn peeking over the horizon, the landscape stretching out before them into an endless red, carved wilderness.
Liechtenstein watched the warm light waft over the ground and welcomed it gladly finally having a chance to think. Who was shooting at them? Why were they shooting at them? Were they the same ones from before? What about her big brother was he still ok? As these dizzying thoughts passed through her head she felt something wet against her side and she looked down to make sure the canteen had not been hit with a bullet.
However it was not the water but instead a red stain stretched across her dress. Was she bleeding? Wait no, it wasn't hers. She watched her shawl tied around America's side start to come loose soaked with blood. His injury! She quickly looked up at him as he gritted his teeth urging his horse on.
"America? W-Wait stop!" she cried. "You're hurt stop!" he shook his head giving his horse a gentle nudge with his heels. Liechtenstein reached up tugging on his shirt as blood started to drip onto his horse's hip staining the white and palomino patches. "Stop! You'll hurt yourself America! Stop!" she begged shaking him.
He held her tight in his arm as his horse picked its way up the rocky hills. "America!" Finally Mac slowed to a stop at the crest of a hill with a heavy, winded, snort, his chest and mouth foaming. America panted as Liechtenstein quickly slipped out of the saddle and looked up at him patting the nervous, exhausted horse's neck. "A-America?" she asked. He sat hunched over panting hands resting on the horn of his saddle. "P-Phew! H-hey you're not a bad shot you know Liechty. You saved our asses back there." He panted. She watched his hand grip his side as he leaned forward with a small groan. "Big brother taught me. I-In all honesty I didn't think about it I just did it." She said truthfully. "But herr America you should rest you're hurt." She suggested reaching for him. America shook his head. "N-nahhh I'm fine."
"You are not! Bitte! Please!" she begged. "Mac is tired too." America reached down patting the horse's neck scratching the crest of his mane staining it with the blood on his hand. "Good boy M-Mac, you sure showed them what for didn'tcha?"
The horse coughed grunting shaking its neck. "America?" Liechtenstein pressed. "Heh heh, don't worry so much I'm…I'm…" his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell forward nearly slipping from the saddle. Liechtenstein reached up catching his shoulder holding him up. "A-America!" she did her best to keep him up. His eyes fluttered back open weakly his cowlick drooping in front of his face. He forced himself to sit back up, Mac side stepping to keep balance. "I'm fine." He said drunkenly. "No you are not!" Liechtenstein argued stamping her foot. "We need to get you to a doctor right away."
"Uh…W-well Dodge is back that way." America said slouching in the saddle. Liechtenstein offered him his canteen of water and gently eased the bridle back onto the Mac's head rubbing its pink nose. "But I think here's a stage stop that way." He continued with a contented sigh wiping his mouth. "Den we will go there." Liechtenstein said taking the reins in her hand and mounted the bright painted horse sitting in front of America.
"B-but you," he began as he was eased back off the saddle to his horse's rump. "I can ride, and I won't make him run. Only walk." She reassured gathering the reins in her hand. "Which way?"
America sighed defeated and lifted a leadened hand pointing across the valley while he hugged his side with the other. "Alright den. Come on Mac lets go." She chirped giving the horse a gentle nudge. The animal groaned but obeyed and walked off sluggishly down the hill. America sighed and fell forward resting his head on Liechtenstein's shoulder. "Thanks… Liechty." He mumbled closing his eyes. "Don't worry I'll… I'll keep an eye out f-for bad guys." And he slowly drifted off to sleep. Liechtenstein looked to him and sighed worried but tried to smile. "Don't worry America you'll be ok." She looked up at the deep red streaks, bleeding into the pink and golden morning sky above them. She hung her head in worry. "Oh big brother where are you?" she said to herself.