II - Enter, Pursued by a Memory

The Grizzlies, USA

1899

I walked back into the cabin after a half hour of guard duty in the storm. It was still dark out and I had been relieved of the job for the rest of the night. I quietly walked into my shared room with Sadie and plopped down into the chair with a silent grunt. I was asleep within 2 minutes. Although my sleep was uncomfortable due to sleeping in a chair, it was somewhat enjoyable. I guess any sleep at all is enjoyable after not sleeping for 3 days.

- Time Skip -

I awoke a few hours later. Light flooded in from outside but it was still the blinding white snow of the storm. Wind could be heard flowing through open spots of the dilapidated cabin and it made the old building all the more eerie. Sadie shifted slightly but remained sleeping. I quietly left the cabin and made my way towards the main building in the small town.

I opened the door to most of the women sitting inside. I heard them talking about something but didn't care much for it. I threw another log into the small fire that the women crowded around. Arthur soon walked in and stood next to me, both of us putting our hands out to try and collect some of the warmth from the flames.

Abigail: Hello, Jonah.

Jonah: Abigail.

I nodded and turned my attention back to the flames.

Abigail: Jonah… how are you doing?

I got suspicious and knew that she was going to ask me for something. In this dysfunctional family, you don't ask someone how they're doing for the fun of it.

Jonah: Just fine, Abigail… and you?

I brought my hands to my side and shifted my body to be half looking at her. Arthur already had a look of suspicion on his face, and so did I.

Abigail: I need you to…

I looked at Arthur with a loud sigh.

Abigail: I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry to ask but…

Jonah: It's little John… he's got himself into a scrape again.

Abigail: He ain't been seen in two…

She slightly raised her voice but stopped to recollect herself.

Abigail: two days.

Jonah: Your John'll be fine. I mean… he may be as dumb as rocks and as dull and rusted iron but that ain't changing because he got caught in some snowstorm.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Hosea stand up and slowly walk towards us. Don't get me wrong, I love Hosea like a father. But sometimes I wish he would just stay quiet. Like now, for instance. He's going to tell me to at least go have a look.

Hosea: At least go take a look.

Called it.

Hosea: Javier, Arthur?

Javier & Arthur: Yes?

Hosea: Javier, Arthur, will you two ride out with Jonah to take a look for John? You're the three best fit men we've got.

Jonah: I'm flattered.

Javier: Now?

Hosea: She's… we're all… we're pretty worried about him.

Javier: I know if the situation were reversed… he'd look for me.

Javier stood up and handed me a sawed off shotgun. I took it and rolled my eyes with a loud groan. Arthur laughed and patted my back. We began making our way out of the building.

Abigail: Thank you!

Jonah: Yah, yah.

I waved her off and followed my brother and Javier out the door. We walked through the blinding snow and to the horses that were hitched near the entrance of the camp. We all mounted our horses and began riding out of camp.

Javier: This way. Last I know, John was headed up the river.

Arthur: For all we know, he kept riding north and never looked back.

Javier: He wouldn't leave. Not like that.

Jonah: Well, wouldn't be the first time.

We all continued riding through the never ending color of white. I swear, after this I am going to hate the color white.

Jonah: Hey, I see some smoke.

Javier: Well come on, let's take a look.

Arthur: Let's hope it ain't more of O'Driscolls' boys.

Jonah: Why you always gotta be a party pooper, Arthur?

Arthur: I don't even know what that means.

Jonah: Sorry, forgot you're an old man now.

Arthur: I'm older than you by 6 years.

Jonah: That's pretty significant depending on how you look at it.

Javier: Shut up, both of you.

Jonah: You too, Javier. You're all old now.

Javier: I'm older than you by 4 years. (I made him younger because he does not look 42)

Jonah: Again, pretty significant depending on how you look at it.

I finally shut up, much to the relief of Arthur and Javier. We rode up to a rather fresh campsite. The fire pit still had smoke slowly floating away from it and the ground around was still yet to be covered in snow.

Javier: Well… seems somebody left…

Javier dismounted his horse and looked for clues around the camp while Arthur and I stayed on our horses.

Javier: Recently… and… that way.

Arthur: Sure, well, come on then.

Javier got back onto his horse and led us along the tracks.

Javier: There's some tracks leading to the river.

We followed him to the river that was literally right next to the abandoned camp.

Javier: Let's cross.

We rode for a long while after that, making it to a mountain side. We rode closer to something that Arthur saw and realized that it was a mutilated horse.

Javier: John was riding that horse when we left Blackwater.

Arthur: Oh… Thats…

Jonah: Disgusting is what it is.

Arthur: Are you ignoring the fact that John was riding that mutilated horse?

Jonah: I mean, that sucks too but this is gross.

Arthur sighed again and shook his head.

Javier: Let's see if he can hear us.

Javier then takes out his gun and aims it towards the sky. He fires one shot and we all listen intently.

John: Hey! Help! Here!

Javier: Come on… up there.

Jonah: Alright, let's go get this idiot.

We ride up a bit further while John continues to yell for help. The path gets narrow so we decide to leave the horses behind. Javier advises Arthur to bring his shotgun so Arthur walks back to his horse while Javier and I continue walking. Eventually, Arthur joins us again and we continue. There is a slope that leads right off the cliff if you fall, so me being the delightful person I am decided that it would be funny to pretend I tripped.

Arthur: Jonah!

I quickly stand up again and smile at Arthur.

Jonah: Well, it's nice to know you care, brother.

Arthur: I hate you.

Jonah: You love me.

Arthur scoffs and we continue a bit further. John's yelling gets louder and louder as we get closer. Javier keeps reminding us to watch our step and make sure not to slip. At some point we reach a tunnel-like path. As we are going through it, Arthur speaks.

Arthur: So, are we gonna talk about Jonah and Mrs. Adler?

Jonah: Arthur…

Javier: What about them?

Arthur: I think it's pretty obvious that Jonah is sweet on her.

Jonah: I'm not!

Javier: Sorry to say it, compadre, but I don't think you have a chance. She just lost her husband.

Arthur: See, I was thinking the same thing. Then I saw how attached she is to him. And it got me thinking…

Jonah: Please shut up.

Arthur: Alright, alright.

Finally, they shut up. It got me thinking though. I can't like Sadie. Like Javier said, she just lost her husband. Javier passed Arthur a bottle of whiskey. He took a sip and then handed it to me. I took a swig, finishing it off and then tossed it to the side. We kept walking and John's yelling continued to get louder. They started yelling for John.

Jonah: Marston!

John: Here! Out on the ledge!

We then ran to where he was. He looked terrible to say the least.

Arthur: That's quite a scratch you got there.

John: Never thought I'd say this, but… it's good to see you, Arthur Morgan.

I hopped down onto the ledge where he sat and crouched down next to him.

Jonah: I'm here too, John.

John: And you too, Jonah Morgan.

Jonah: You don't look so good.

John: I don't feel too good neither.

I lifted him onto my shoulder and put him onto the higher ledge.

John: I'm freezing.

Jonah: Don't die just yet, cowboy.

Arthur and Javier helped him and Arthur put him on his shoulder. Javier helped me up and we all began walking.

Javier: Well, we can't go back the way we came. Let's try this way.

Arthur: Ain't you a sorry sight.

John: Can't… argue with you there.

Arthur: See, I told Dutch you weren't the right man for this.

John: I'm sure you did.

John then groans in pain.

Javier: You alright?

John: I think so.

Javier: Come one, hopefully this will lead us out,

We continued walking the much easier path and soon came back around the mountain. The horses had moved to a little farther down the slope. I walked with thoughts of Sadie going through my head until Javier's words broke my train of thought.

Javier: You see that, on the ridge?

I look up and see about 3 wolves. John leans up to look over Arthur's shoulder.

John: Shit.

Jonah: Well, looks like your friends decided to crash the party.

John returns to his previous position. Arthur then puts him down and pushes him to Javier.

Jonah: We'll distract them while you get to the horses.

Arthur: Go, we'll draw 'em off you.

While Arthur pulls out his shotgun, I grab my Cattleman Revolver. Javier picks John up and begins to walk.

Javier: Okay. Here we go, John. We'll leave them to Arthur and Jonah.

Arthur and I started yelling at them to get their attention when they came down the ridge. They ran towards us but Arthur shot one in the head when it came too close and I shot the last two in the head. We quickly made our way back to the horses.

Javier: Okay, let's get going, before any more of these bastards show up.

Javier put John on his horse while me and Arthur mounted ours. We quickly rode away and the storm started getting bad again.

John: I don't feel too good.

Javier: You'll be fine.

Jonah: It's just like a… a dog bite.

John: I knew a feller, got bit by dog. Died an hour later.

Jonah: Poor choice of words.

Javier: You ain't gonna die. Not yet.

We kept riding through the storm. Javier saw more wolves.

Javier: Up there, more of 'em!

I looked up and saw 3 more wolves running down the mountain and I grabbed my revolver again.

Jonah: John, your friends are very clingy.

Arthur shot one wolf while I shot one and accidentally hit the other with my horse. As we ran down the mountain, Javier called out that more wolves were running after us from the left. I shot one and Arthur shot the other.

Javier: You see anymore?

Jonah: Nope.

Arthur: Don't think so. You still with us, Marston?

John: Just about.

Javier: You're gonna be okay. We have some shelter now.

John: Thanks for coming for me.

Javier: Of course. That bullet in Blackwater, now this? You had a hell of a time.

Jonah: Some would say that you are extremely unlucky and lucky.

John: I don't get your meaning.

Jonah: Oh yah sorry, forgot you're as dumb as bricks.

John: Still witty as ever, Jonah.

Jonah: Still dumb as ever, John. Said with love.

Javier: We should ride in the water for a bit, try to lose the scent. Don't want to leave a trail right back to camp.

Arthur: You know, we're gonna need to come up with a better story for that scar.

John: So, freezing, starving, damn near getting eaten to death ain't good enough for you?

Jonah: Nope.

Javier: See those buildings up ahead, John? That's where we're camped. Nearly there.

We rode up the old mining town and stopped in the middle of camp.

Arthur: Can we get some help here?!

We dismounted while Arthur and Javier kept yelling for everyone to get John. Eventually Abigail came running out with Lenny and Bill.

Abigail: You're alive! You're alive!

Bill and Lenny pulled him off the horse while John yelled in pain.

Javier: Ay, careful idiotas, it's his leg.

They helped him walk into the building while Abigail thanked us profusely. They went inside and Abigail scolded him. Hosea came up behind us.

Hosea: Thank you, Jonah. Thank you.

Arthur: You got any other lost maidens need saving?

Jonah: Damsels in distress?

Hosea: Not today.

I chuckled and walked away while Arthur stayed to talk to Hosea and Strauss. I did catch a part where Hosea said that we have to keep heading east. Great, more civilization. I kept walking to the cabin and towards the room that I shared with Sadie. I walked in to find the room empty. I figured she's probably in the main building with the rest of the ladies. I decided to lay down on the vacant bed and finally get some much needed rest.

END OF CHAPTER 2 - Enter, Pursued by a Memory

Word Count: 2,328