Calamity Hitch

Chapter 8

I don't know what finely brought me out of that little personal Hell. Maybe it was Cato shaking my shoulder or Virgil almost dropping me into the street. Either way, I finely came to, lying in the dirt and mud on Main Street a couple blocks from the bar. It was another two blocks to Virgil's house. It was daylight.

"You all right?" Virgil asked. He was leaning over me, his concern evident as he crouched in the dirt.

"What do you think?"

He grabbed one of my arms. Cato was kind enough to get the other. With a little grunt they hauled me to my feet and drug me the rest of the way home. I appreciated the help. But something was still a little unclear to me. A second ago I had a bowie knife sticking from my chest in the bar. The next I was in the mud outside. I waited until we got to the porch to talk. As it was the walk had taken everything out of me. I was going to be sleeping for a while. Maybe the Doctor would be kind enough to bring me some more medication.

I sure hung on that thought longer then I should have.

"Ah! Easy Virgil!" I yelled. He pulled me up the couple stairs and dropped me onto the porch bench. Cato gave me a sympathetic look, but said nothing.

Laurel appeared in the doorway. She looked out at the three of us, seemed to make something up in her mind, and went back inside.

Cato stood, leaning on one of the porch beams. Virgil disappeared inside.

"Pony and Rose looking after the bar?" I asked.

Cato nodded.

"What happened to Royce?"

He gave me a strange look.

"We kill him?"

"What are you talking about, Everett?" Cato asked.

"Callico's cousin, thought he killed me outright but I guess not. He dead?"

"I think I'll run and get that doctor." Cato said. "You're not sounding right." He left the porch and started up the street.

Laurel came out onto the porch and handed me a cup of coffee. I thanked her for it and sat back to relax. She took off my hat and sat it on the bench. Then she started pulling off my boots.

I took my foot from her and she looked up at me.

"You don't have to do that." I told her.

Virgil was standing in the doorway now. Laurel looked at him, then back to me. I copied her.

"Virgil would have done the same for me, if that's what you're thinking. Don't feel like you have to pay me back for it." I said.

Laurel stood and tiptoed up to Virgil's ear where she whispered to him. He smiled and nodded.

"I'm sure he'd appreciate it." Virgil said.

Laurel nodded, came over, and pulled off my boots. She went into the house, taking my hat with her.

"What she say?" I asked.

"Says she's real happy you took care of me. And she wants to thank you somehow. So if taking off your boots is thanks enough, then she'll take off your boots." Virgil said.

I had to smile. "Awful nice of her."

"I suppose so. She never took off my boots before."

I laughed a little.

A silence fell between the two of us as we looked out over the town. It was early, the sun was still coming up down the row of houses on Main. I could see Cato up the way heading for the doctor. It reminded me of the conversation we had together. What happened? I decided to ask Virgil.

"You know Callico's cousin? Royce?" I asked.

"No." Vigil said.

"He was at our table. Threw a knife at me and you don't remember him?"

"When this all happened?" he asked.

"Before we left the bar." I said. "Big fella, kind of looked like a rat. Pulled a knife on us."

Virgil pushed off the door. He took a good look at me, and then pressed his hand against my forehead. "How you feeling?"

"I'm sore but that's about it."

I thought I was fine, but I couldn't quite figure out what they were so disturbed by. I wondered suddenly if I had thought the whole thing up in a delusion. That was an amazing delusion though.

"Where's Cato?"

"Went for the doctor. Virgil, was there ever a Royce?"

He didn't answer me. Instead he stepped off the porch to see how far Cato had gone. He went back to me after a time. "Can you walk?"

"Maybe I can." I said.

"I'm getting you to the bedroom. Now haul yourself up so we can go." Virgil was concerned again. I was getting a little tired of seeing that. After all, we had been friends sometimes longer then I'd like to admit. I had never seen so many emotions clear on his features. That was always a little disconcerting to me. Either it meant we were in a situation he didn't expect (i.e. not a good one) or he had forgotten something very important (like the horses) and I had to correct him. These were the little things I had come to see in him. He never made big mistakes, not anymore. Neither did he display big emotions. Except for right now. Sure I had been shot before. Usually me and him are standing together getting our hides handed to us. But we come out of it together, and alive if not mutually maimed. The last time we were in Appaloosa was the worst. We were shot up something awful by being lawmen after their wayward prisoner. That's the first time I busted my ribs and the worst we'd ever had it.

Now this was the first time I'd ever had more than a scrape without him drawling blood beside me. I'm not sure if that's what affected him. You're never sure with Virgil.

"Well, I'm tired of hauling you all over the town so just try and get your own feet under you this time. I'll stand and watch to see if you can do it."

I really didn't feel like getting up, but Virgil was watching, and in his own way demanding I do what he said. So I braced my palms on the bench and started pushing myself up. I made it to my feet. But only just. Call it lucky. Virgil kept his eyes on the street ahead. I knew he was watching me as well. I went for the door and pushed it open.

Allie was inside, cooking. It was the last thing we ever want her to do. But there she was, puttering around in the kitchen and waltzing into the dining room carrying her dishes. She looked up at me briefly. "Why, Everett! Where have you been? Where's Virgil?"

Same thing she always says. "He's outside, be in soon I imagine."

Laurel exited the kitchen holding a plain platter topped in hard looking biscuits and a glob of gravy in a dingy cup. She gave me a sympathetic glance, as if to apologize for not reaching breakfast before Allie got her hands a hold of it.

"You going to sit and eat something?"

I shook my head, no. "Thank you, Allie. But no. I'm not feeling very well right now."

Virgil walked in behind me, apparently to see my progress. I hadn't gotten far. But at least Virgil had a small house. I walked through the door on the immediate right and was met with the bed that had been my temporary home for the past week. I slipped onto the mattress and almost immediately knew no more.