Chapter 14

Jimmy moaned as he opened his eyes. He focused in on the ceiling overhead. All he felt was pain. He laid still trying to breath slower. He needed to get it together. He moved his arm and felt a burning sensation. He lifted it to look. He saw dried blood and something black smeared down it.

"You ok, mister?"

Jimmy laid his arm across his chest and turned to see Levi sitting there.

"No. I'm not."

"Your arm is ok. They gave all of us one but your leg, they cut you deep. You lost a lot of blood.

I think it's broke again." He said as he held his arm out for Jimmy to see.

"I know. Think you can help me up against the wall?"

"Yeah."

Levi got him under his arms while Jimmy pushed up. Together, he moved next to the wall. Jimmy put his head against it and closed his eyes. He took a few breaths before opening them. He looked down at his arm. He had a Q then the number one fourteen carved in his arm. Blood and black ink still lightly oozed.

"What does it mean?" He looked to Levi.

"The Indian says it's for his name and then the number that you are."

"A hundred and fourteen people through here. God."

"I'm one thirteen."

"Where's the others?"

"Men took three that were here. They took the Indian and the others out. They told me to watch you til they came for you."

"Came for me?"

The door flew open. Jimmy looked to see the skinny man and two men standing there.

"Get him."

"No." Jimmy said as he tried to fight but he was so weak.

They pushed Levi away and kicked him. The boy looked on knowing that he couldn't stop them. They unchained Jimmy and carried him out the door.

"Stop!" Yelled Jimmy.

They carried him out into the yard and across to a small odd looking barn. They got him inside and tried to hold him down on a table. He grabbed at their faces as they held him. One of them punched him in the stomach. He fell back gasping. Before he could try again, they had secured him down with two leather straps. One across his arms and the other across his legs. He screamed out as they tightened the one across his broken leg. He fell back panting when Phin walked over to check it out. He tugged on the straps and seemed satisfied.

"Now one fourteen, what's your name?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." Jimmy gasped.

"It would be more formal to call you by your name once we start rather than a number. Also, if I fail again, it will let me know what to put on your grave marker."

"Fuck you."

"One fourteen it is. Shall we get started then?"

"Don't you touch me."

"Such harsh words from a hopeless man."

Jimmy watched as he went over to his desk. He pulled out a log book and wrote a few things. He stared at it for a few before putting his pencil down. He picked up a knife and walked back over.

"I need something from you. Hope you don't mind."

Phin stood and grabbed Jimmy's wrist. He tried to wrestle it away but it was pointless. He gritted his teeth as Phin slid the blade across his skin making a small incision. He scooped up the blood that seeped out on a piece of glass. He walked back over to some weird looking thing and proceeded to look at it. The blood ran down Jimmy's hand and dropped onto the floor. He watched the skinny man come back over.

"Perfect. Trial one." He said.

"What are you doing?"

Phin stood at his table crushing some rock looking things and some other herbs. He stopped when they became a powder. He added some whiskey and rolled it all into a small ball. He came back over.

"Just relax. Open up."

Jimmy clamped his mouth shut and kept trying to turn his head. A guard came over and held his head still. Phin took a spoon and pried his mouth open. He tossed in the small wad. Jimmy went to spit it out but the big man put his hand over his mouth. He couldn't do anything as he felt the horrible taste flood through his mouth. He immediately lost his focus. Everything became blurry.

"Step back." Phin told the guard.

He stood and observed rubbing his chin. He walked back and forth taking notes in his book. He watched as Jimmy lay relaxed in a daze.

"One fourteen?"

Jimmy didn't acknowledge him.

"How are you feeling?"

Jimmy just stared ahead with dead eyes. Phin looked closer at his eyes. He felt his heartbeat. He shook his head and went to write in his book.

Teaspoon and the others rode steady. They only had to stop once for Cody to rest even though he said he didn't need to. They stopped a few miles outside of Cheyenne. Buck helped Cody sit down next to the fire before he went about checking the horses. Lloyd walked around with Kid. Teaspoon just sat watching the fire next to Cody.

"Teaspoon, think we'll find him?" Asked Cody.

"I hope so, son."

"I'm worried. He didn't look good that night we tried to run. He had a fever and his leg looked bad. I tried. I did." Cody started shaking.

"Cody, I know you did. It was out of your hands. I know you're hurting. Just take it easy for a while."

"This is my fault."

"You didn't plan on this."

"But I convinced him to stop when he wanted to keep going. Me and my big mouth." He said as he started coughing.

"Here. Drink this. It will be ok. We will find him and we will all go home."

Cody nodded as he closed his eyes. Teaspoon watched him sleep. He rubbed his face. If only he could believe his own words, he would feel better. He looked up at the stars in the sky and hoped that his boy was doing ok. Tomorrow they would find him. Tomorrow they would all go home.