Shout out to StrikeKT again and Heywis124 for their reviews.
Chapter 17: Clemens Point
The two men talked amongst themselves but Sam could tell Charles was chastising Arthur just now. It brought a smile to her face. At least she wasn't the only one who cared. They got to the main road by the tracks and she slowed a bit as she followed the tracks. "Charles, do I got this right?" she asked him.
Charles trotted up to her and looked. "I think this is the right way. Give me a second," he said. As they crossed over the train tracks, they galloped again. "Okay, looks like they go down this way. So...what happened with those Pinkertons, anyway?"
"What Pinkertons?" Sam asked.
"Some Pinkerton detectives showed up while Arthur took Jack fishing a couple days ago."
"Oh. Right, who are they?"
"A detective agency out gunnin' for us since Blackwater," Arthur said glumly. "Anyway, they said they were onto us. Offered me freedom if I turned Dutch in."
Charles scoffed. "They picked the wrong man there."
"We should've moved right then, if you ask me."
Sam pouted. If they had moved, then she would have been left behind with no idea where they would've gone. Did Arthur really want that now? For her to be gone? "Wait, just let me make sure this is right."
They slowed down as they got to the water if a lake and they slowly turned left as Charles and Sam checked for tracks. "Continues along the shore here."
"Bastards told me they'd killed Mac. Said it right in front of Jack," Arthur said as they followed the tracks along the shore.
"Ah, that kid...it's gonna be tough for him."
"Yeah, but he has more folk lookin' out for him than most of the rest of us had growin' up."
"John said he was goin' back to the auction yard to collect the money for those sheep."
"He'd be a damn idiot goin' anywhere near that town right now."
"He reckoned he'd be able to slip in and out."
"Oh, well, if it's John's idea, it must be a good one," Arthur said sarcastically.
"What is it with you and him?" Charles asked restlessly.
"Well, he disappeared on us for a while...when Jack was real young, a long while, a year or more."
"Hold up, let me check this." Charles slowed then got to a trail. "They carry on along this trail. But John, he did that?"
"And we was...family, you know? Guess I still ain't fully forgiven him for that."
Sam frowned at Arthur. Well, that explained a bit about his hostility towards John. Sam looked out ahead of her, seeing a camp. "There's a camp up ahead," Charles said.
Arthur, Charles and Sam slowed down. "Be careful. Sam, you stay behind us, alright?"
Sam nodded and moved in behind the two gang members, raising her rifle and aiming as she rode. She's had a good week to practice shooting on moving targets with her gun, but to shoot people? Maybe just shoot them in the leg or arm, but not the head or chest.
"Seems deserted. Let's take a look," Charles said.
The three rode into the area past the tree line and Sam blinked. Hmm. This was a nice, secluded area of the lake. Definitely better suited for a camp than Dewberry Creek. As they got closer in, Sam dismounted with her gun still raised. "So where is this guy?" Arthur asked.
"I don't know...but you know something? This is a better camp spot than back there. Much easier to defend."
Sam giggled a little. "Yeah, I was just thinkin' how better secluded this area is."
"Maybe," Arthur said.
Suddenly Sam heard a muffled sound and she looked over to see a man, gagged and tied up. "Hey, I think that's our German guy."
"Quick, cut him free and let's get outta here," Charles hissed.
Just as Arthur was cutting the struggling man free, shots were fired all around them. "Take cover!" Arthur shouted.
Sam got behind some barrels next to Arthur. "Three comin' right at us!" Charles yelled.
Sam cocked her rifle. She had to be ready for this. Arthur and Charles started shooting. As much as Sam wanted to join in, she found it difficult. She got up and aimed for a man but could not shoot him. Arthur yanked her down and scolded her. "Just let Charles and me handle this, okay?" Sam sighed with a nod and she watched Arthur and Charles go after the men. "What are we doin'? This ain't even our god damn fight!"
Sam covered her ears as the gun fight continued. God damn, guns were so damn loud. But it was over quickly and Arthur came back to check on Sam. "You okay?" she asked him.
"Yeah, you?"
"Yes."
Sam slowly got up and shouldered her rifle. "So, what now?"
Arthur went over to the German man and cut him loose. "You wanna speak some more German to this guy?"
Sam nodded and went to the man. "Hello, uh...um...oh. Ihre Familie hat uns geschickt, um Sie zu finden," said Sam. [Your family sent us to find you.]
The man smiled nervously. "Oh danke. Danke danke danke. [Oh thank you. Thank you thank you thank you.]
Sam chuckled and shook the man's hand. "Bitte." [You're welcome.]
"Charles, go find Dutch, get the caravan to divert here. This spot should work for us. Sam, you uh...do you think maybe you could start cleanin' up here while I take this guy back to his family? I'll come help when I'm done," Arthur said.
Sam looked around at some of the dead bodies and shut her eyes. "Uh, yeah. I think I can manage that."
"Good."
Sam looked at the man and got his attention as she pointed at Arthur. "Geh mit diesem Mann. Er bringt Sie zurück nach Dewberry Creek." [Go with this man. He'll take you back to Dewberry Creek.]
The man nodded and walked over with Arthur to Boadicea II. As Charles, Arthur and the German man left, Sam looked around her at the area and sighed. She had her work cut out for her. It didn't take her long to get rid of the dead bodies, although being near them was a hard task for Sam, but all she had to do was drag them out to the lake and make sure they wouldn't float back to shore. Sam.was surprised to find how physically easy it was now for her to pick up dead things. When she started working on the camp itself, she saw Arthur coming back in. She waved at him and looked over at the sunset. It was going to be dark soon. She knew it would take the caravan all night to get here.
"So, how did your trip with the German man go?" Sam said with a chuckle as Arthur approached her.
Arthur pulled out a gold bar from his satchel and smiled at her. "He was so grateful, he gave me this."
Sam's eyes went wide. "Wow. I've never seen a gold bar before."
"They don't got gold bars in your time?"
"They do, but we don't usually use them as payment. Not that I know of, at least. No, we use bank notes and coins for paying for things...and credit cards."
"Credit cards?"
Sam smiled. "Little plastic cards that contain our bank information. It's a...here, let me show you." Sam grabbed her wallet and pulled out her Wells Fargo debit card. "See?"
Arthur took a look at it and blinked. "You use this to buy things? And what's this little thing here?" he asked, pointing at the metallic chip.
"Oh, that's where all the digital information is stored on the card. The information for my bank account."
Arthur chuckled as Sam put the card away. "Your world is a strange place."
"I could say the same about yours."
Arthur cackled. "Fair enough." Both of them laughed a little then looked at each other. Their eyes locked on and Sam inched a little closer. "So...how do you know German?"
"My uncle Frank was German. He taught me." Sam looked down at her feet then back at Arthur. "Listen, I...I'm sorry for calling you an arrogant piece of shit. I was just mad because, well...because you're mad at me."
Arthur grasped his gun belt. "A little. I didn't like you bein' gone that whole time."
"...I needed time to think."
"And?"
"...Well, guess it doesn't matter."
"Whatchu mean?"
"You went off to go see your ex-fianceé."
"Because she was in trouble," Arthur explained with defense in his voice.
Sam pouted. "Yes, I bet she was."
Arthur narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't know." Sam turned away from him and started cleaning up. "Just...I don't know."
"Yes you do. What did you mean?"
Sam threw up her hands and scoffed, still not looking at him. "It means you went running off to your ex only a week after you and I broke up. I know it was just one date, but god damn, you sure work real fucking quick."
Sam felt herself jerked around and into the hands of Arthur. He was seething with anger. "I didn't go running to her, Sam! All I did was stop her brother from joinin' some cult!" he yelled.
"Oh really?! That's all?!" Sam asked loudly, glaring into his face.
"Yes! That's all!"
Sam shoved him off. "I don't believe you!"
"Well why does it even matter to you? You broke things off with me!"
"You act like that was something I wanted to do!"
"Wasn't it?!"
"No, you big dumbie! I hated doing it!"
Arthur blinked a few times. "Then why do it?!"
"To save us both the pain when I have to go back home!"
"Oh, for chrissakes! Why do you have to go home?!"
"Because it's where I belong, Arthur! I don't belong here!"
Arthur growled and threw up his hands. "Oh fine! Let's just get this god damn place in order for people!"
Sam huffed away from him and the two angrily went to work. It didn't take long for them to clean things up and by the time they were done, Sam and Arthur had set up their own little individual tents and went to sleep. Sam dreamed of the buck once again, and like always, she was unable to catch it. When Sam woke the next morning, she heard horses and people walking about. The Dutch van der Linde gang had arrived. Sam poked her head out and yawned, rubbing her eyes. Well, it was time to get to work making her own real tent. She'd scavenged some of the fabric, wood, and even a cot left over from the previous occupants and tried her best to make a bigger tent...but she wasn't doing very well. In the process of failing over and over again, Charles had come over to help her and soon she had a tent almost as big as Dutch's. When they were finished, the two stared at it proudly.
"Looks good," Charles commented as he crossed his arms. "But why make a big tent when you're gonna be leavin' us?"
"Because I don't know how long I'm going to be here and having a small tent makes me feel a little claustrophobic, if I'm being honest," she replied.
"Hmm, I see. You need help with your new bed?"
"Naw, I'm good. Thanks, though."
Charles pat her on the shoulder and walked off. Sam caught a glimpse of Arthur walking about camp and she sighed. She really missed being around him, but she was still very angry with him, so she was going to do what she did best in this time: go hunting. She walked over to Mr. Pearson's food cart with a smile.
"Ah, Sam," he said. "How are you doing?"
"I'm good. How are you?"
"I'm splendid."
"I was just wondering if you needed me to go hunting for food."
"That would be great, but don't be gone a whole week again, okay? We all missed you."
Sam's eyes squinted. "Really?"
"Oh yes. Even little Jack was wondering where his Aunt Sammy had gone."
Sam chuckled a little. "Well, I...that's sweet of him."
For the next three days, Sam dedicated her time to hunting, but one morning when she came in with a dead buck and some boar pelts, she overheard Mrs. Adler arguing with Mr. Pearson as she approached the food cart.
"Ugh, say whatever you damn well please, but I tell ya, if I don't get out of here soon, I'm gonna kill somebody!" Sadie growled with a knife on her hand pointed at Pearson.
Pearson turned around with his butcher knife in hand. "And if you don't stop hissin' at me, I'm gonna kill you!"
"You come near me, sailor, and I'll slice you up!"
"You put that knife down or you're gonna be missin' a hand, lady!"
"What is wrong with you two?" Arthur said behind Sam.
Sam almost jolted from his voice. Sadie slammed her knife down into the cutting board. "I ain't choppin' vegetables for a livin'!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, madam...was there insufficient feathers in your pillow?" Arthur asked jokingly.
"Look, I ain't lazy, Mr. Morgan! I'll work, but not this!"
"Well ain't cookin' work?"
As Sadie walked away to the other side of the cart and Arthur started talking to her, Sam dropped off the dead buck, the boar pelts, and some pork and venison. "Here you go, Mr. Pearson. Some more meat to work with."
"Ah, thank you, Sam. You really are proficient hunter."
Mr. Pearson hung up the buck and Sam looked over at Arthur and Sadie talking. "Hmm. So, uh, you and Mrs. Adler not getting along very well, huh? Perhaps a little lover's spat?"
Pearson laughed a little. "No, we are not havin' a lover's spat, Miss Burke. She's just a pain in the ass."
Sam shrugged and sighed. "Well, I best go cha-"
"...I'll skin this fat old coot and serve him for dinner!" Sadie snapped.
"Watch your damn mouth, you crazy god damn fishwife!" Me. Pearson yelled.
Sam got in between the two of them. "Woa woa woa!"
Arthur grabbed Sadie from jumping. "Enough! Both of ya!" Sadie growled and turned away. "Well come with me, then! You wanna head out there? Run with the men? So be it," Arthur said as he circled around Sadie. "But we go more than just huntin'. We're hunted. And them things huntin' us, well they got guns of their own."
Sadie looked at Arthur blankly. "I ain't afraid of dyin'."
Arthur nodded. "Good. You need anything, Mr. Pearson? Maybe me and Mrs. Adler are gonna take a little ride."
"Yeah, sure. Here's my list and..." Pearson started, handing Arthur a piece of paper and a letter, "...can you post this letter for me while you're there?"
"Sure. Come on, princess." Sam's eye twitched at Arthur's voice. "Are you comin' with me then, woman?"
Sam's eye twitched again. She scowled as Sadie walked towards the wagon. "Can I come with?"
Arthur stopped to look at her. "Uh, no, I think we got this," he said with a smile.
Sam frowned, then looked at Mr. Pearson. "You need any more meat, Mr. Pearson?"
"No, I think we're good for now." Mr. Pearson leaned over the table. "You've been hunting a lot lately. You should rest."
Sam shook her head. "I gotta earn my keep somehow, but I suppose I should take a break. Maybe go swimming in the lake."
"Yeah, wash off all that animal blood on you."
Sam looked down at her red shirt and black pants and laughed. "Yes, I suppose I better get the blood off."
It was weird how the sight of blood on her no longer seemed to bother her. As long as it was animal blood, at least. Sam went to her tent and grabbed a blue button down shirt and brown pants before heading over to a secluded area of the woods. She looked around to make sure she was alone, undressed herself and got into the water. She took the hair binder out of her hair and let her ponytail free before going under the water. It felt good to get all the blood and grime off her, although it did take some time to get off. But afterwards, she just enjoyed her time skinny dipping. Sam couldn't even remember the last time she went skinny dipping. When she finally got out, her fingers and toes were pruny. She quickly dried herself off with a drying cloth and got into her clean clothes. She grabbed her dirty ones and walked back to camp just as Sadie and Arthur were heading back in. She put her dirty clothes in her wicker laundry basket and searched around in her tent for cigarettes. She lit one up and took a deep puff in. She exhaled and shut her eyes gently. Suddenly Mr. Pearson came walking to her tent. "Hey Sam, uh, you know what? There is something I do need. I need some bison meat and pelts."
Sam blinked a few times. "Oh. Okay, well, I'll have to ask Arthur or Charles to come-"
"Ask Charles. Um, Arthur's busy right now."
Sam looked past Pearson to see Arthur talking to Sadie. Oh great. Now he was chatting up another woman. Sam scowled at the two then looked at Pearson. "Alright, I'll ask Charles."
Conveniently enough, Charles was walking towards her tent. "Hey Sam, what are you up to?" he asked.
"I'm about to go hunting for bison, per Mr. Pearson's request. You coming?"
"Sure."
Sam grinned and the two walked towards their mounts Taima and Orion. They mounted up and galloped out of camp to the north.
It was almost night time by the time Charles and Sam got back. As they got in and got off their horses, Sam grabbed her bison pelt and was barely able to carry it. "You sure you got that, Sam?" Charles asked.
"Yeah, I got it," she said with a groan. She wobbled over to Mr. Pearson's cart and set the pelt down on the ground. "Alright, Mr. Pearson, we got...your..." Sam looked around. The whole camp was deserted. "What the hell?"
"SURPRISE!" she heard behind her and she nearly jumped out of her skin as she bucked around.
"Jesus H. mother fucking Roosevelt Christ!" she screeched.
The whole camp started laughing at her as she held a hand to her heart. Sadie was holding a cake with candles. "Happy birthday, Miss Burke."
Sam blinked a few times as she looked at everyone. "H-How did you know it was my birthday?"
"Arthur told us," Sadie replied.
Sam spotted Arthur coming up with a wrapped up box. Happy birthday, Sam," he said.
Sam took the box from him and opened it. Inside was part of a buck antler on a bracelet, recognizing the antler immediately. She grinned and looked at Arthur. "Hey, isn't this the-"
"I know I shouldn't have gone through your stuff, but...well, I wanted to have something special made from one of your kills, so I-"
Sam embraced Arthur in a big hug. "I love it. Thank you."
Sam pulled back with a smile and Arthur lowered his gaze. "Well, ahem, we better get this party started, huh?"
Sadie held out the cake to her. "Make a wish."
Sam put the bracelet on and smiled as she looked at the candles. She made her wish then she blew them out. People cheered her on.
'"Okay, now let's have some alcohol!" Uncle shoured. This made everyone laugh.
