A/N:So this is the second chapter. Sorry about it taking almost a month to post, school and life has been hectic. I've got several chapters done after this so posting should pock up within the next week or so.
May 3rd
I woke up rather early, at least as far as I could tell. Nobody was still in the building other than me. I added a few more logs to the fire before standing up and stretching.
Might as well go see what the rest if the camp looks like.
I stepped outside and hurried over towards the house across from the one I had been in.
"Morning Mister Booker," said Miss Grimshaw as I stepped inside.
"Morning," I said, closing the door behind me.
All the women were in here including a new but equally familiar face, Mrs. Adler. Along with Hosea, Reverend Swanson, Uncle, Jack, and Javier.
"I hope you don't mind shitty coffee," said Hosea, walking over and handing me a tin cup.
I grinned, "I'm sure I've tasted worse."
I took the cup and took a swig and nearly gagged. That shit was so freaking powerful.
I coughed and sputtered as Hosea chuckled to himself along with a few of the women.
"Okay. That is bad," I said taking a sip this time instead of a swig.
Hosea chuckled and went back to his seat by the fire.
I glanced around the room as I took another sip, I could already feel the effects of it. I felt more aware and alert of my surroundings.
I noticed Abigail seemed extremely antsy today.
"He ain't been seen in days. The weather ain't let up. He's strong and he's smart," she muttered to herself as Arthur walked in.
"Strong at least."
"Morning Arthur," I said, taking another sip.
"Kid," he answered, throwing another log onto the fire and standing back up beside me. He was slightly taller, his eye was slightly above my eyebrows. While I was broader and a lot thicker.
"Hello Arthur," Abigail greeted.
"Abigail," he responded, holding his hands out to warm them.
She stood up, "Arthur. How're you doing?"
Arthur gave her a suspicious look, "Just fine Abigail. And you?"
"...I need you to-"
Arthur growled slightly and turned away, I took a sip of my coffee noisily as I glanced between the two.
Abigail glanced at me before looking at the older man, "Look I'm sorry. I'm sorry to ask-"
"It's little John, he got himself caught into a scrape again," Arthur said, jealousy tainting the edges of his voice.
"He hasn't been seen in two," Abigal recoiled as if she realized what she was saying, "...two days."
"Your John will be fine. I mean he may be as dumb as rocks and dull as rusted iron but that ain't changing because he got caught in some snowstorm," said Arthur.
"At least go take a look," said Hosea butting into the conversation, "Javier."
"Yes," asked the Mexican in a tired tone.
"Javier, will you ride out with Arthur and Mister Booker to find John," said Hosea.
I turned towards the conman in surprise, "Me?"
Hosea nodded, a small smile on his face, "Yes. You have nowhere to go back to, am I right?"
I shook my head slowly, "Well no but-"
"Relax kid," said Javier standing up with a sawed off shotgun in hand, "Here. I noticed you didn't have a gun. Here's some bullets."
He said handing me the shotgun, I grabbed it and the bullets before sliding them into my pockets.
"Besides you two are the two best fit men we got. And Andrew here can provide backup if the situation requires it," Hosea explained.
Javier looked at Arthur who still seemed reluctant, "If the situation were reversed. I know he'd do it for me."
Arthur paused before nodding, "Alright."
We all turned towards the door and started to walk out.
"Thank you! All of you," called Abigail.
Mrs Grimshaw turned towards Hosea, "What're you planning?"
Hosea shrugged, "The young man seems like he needed a distraction and something to do in life. He told me yesterday that his mother and younger brother are dead so he has nobody to go back too. This can be his family if he decides to stay."
"Charles! The kid is going to borrow Taima. Is that okay," Arthur called as they climbed onto their horses.
"Sure," Charles called from over by Pearson.
I climbed up onto Taima, as she was called, and pulled the reins back over her head. I had rode a few horses when I was younger but that was almost a decade ago.
"Come on. Last I saw John was headed up the river," Javier called from ahead.
"For all we know he kept riding and never looked back," said Arthur, bitterness ringing his voice.
"He wouldn't leave, not like that," Javier argued.
"Wouldn't be the first time," Arthur retorted.
I remained silent and followed the two. The snow was biting into my skin as I pulled the blanket around me even tighter.
We followed along the river for about twenty minutes.
I looked around and spotted a small plume of smoke rising into the air, "Hey, there's some smoke."
The two ahead of me looked at the direction I was pointing.
"Let's check it out," said Javier turning his horse in that direction.
"Let's hope it ain't no more of them O'Driscoll boys," said Arthur.
We rode up the mountain a little, coming to a stop near a fire with some sticks stuck in the ground to cook something.
"Well...seems somebody left," said Javier climbing down and inspecting some tracks, "Recently."
He followed the line of them and pointed in that direction, "That way."
"Sure well come on then," said Arthur, taking the lead as Javier fell behind me.
"There's some tracks leading across the river," said Javier.
We crossed the river and continued up the mountain.
"Think its John," asked Arthur as Javier came up alongside him.
"You tell me. These are horse tracks for sure but...could be anyone. Let's just see where they lead," said Javier.
We rode in silence for a little while longer. Trekking up the mountain, slowly, the snow piling up even more than it had.
"So...you were there Javier. What really happened on that boat," asked Arthur.
"We had the money, it seemed fine...until suddenly they were everywhere," answered the Mexican.
"Bounty hunters," asked the older man.
"No, Pinkerton's. It was crazy, raining bullets."
We came upon a huge ravine, I rode to the edge and peered over. It was at least a hundred foot drop, I shivered and backed off.
"Dutch killed a girl in a bad way...but it was a bad situation," said Javier.
"That ain't like him though," Arthur said, confusion in his voice.
We settled back into silence as we rode around the end of the ravine.
"Back to what we were saying," said Javier, "Davey got shot. Mac and John, both shot too. Sean, we don't even know. By the time you boys showed up from the other side of town we were only just hanging on."
Arthur sighed and shook his head, "Bad business alright."
We were silent for a few minutes as we went higher up the mountain. The snow seemed to be coming down harder.
"The snows coming down faster," I said as I pulled the blanket tighter around me.
"We're gonna lose the tracks if we dont hurry," said Javier as we moved into a trot.
We settled into silence as we each fought off the cold. Around five minutes later we reached a narrow ledge.
I wonder if Momma and Joe even know if I'm gone.
"It's okay girl," I said patting Taima's neck, "We'll get there soon."
"Watch yourselves. It's not very wide here," said Javier from in front.
"Come on boy," said Arthur encouragingly, as he patted his horse's neck, "Horses are getting tired."
"They ain't lasting much longer," I added.
Javier sighed, "Yeah, lot of fresh snow here," he said, cresting the incline we were on.
Arthur gave a frustrated growl, "I don't know about this Javier. We-we can't follow nothing."
"Let's push on just a little further. Maybe we'll pick up the trail again."
We crested another incline, this one sharper than the last.
"Almost there boy. Come on now," said Arthur.
"Hey look, over there. You see that," asked Javier pointing at something in the snow ahead of us.
We went into a slow gait towards the object. Crows flew away as we approached to see a torn apart horse.
"John was riding that horse when we left Blackwater," said Javier pulling his revolver out, "Let's see if he can hear us."
He fired two quick shots into the air, the sound echoing on the mountains around us.
"Hey! Help! Over here," called a distant voice.
"Come on! Up there," said Javier excitedly.
We spurred our horses up the mountain, the snow fighting back to prevent us from finding John.
"Hey! Over here," called the voice again.
"It's coming from up ahead somewhere," said Javier climbing off his horse, "I don't think we can go much further on the horses. We'll have to walk from here. "
Arthur and I climbed off our horses, I nearly tripped and fell as I got off.
"Charles usually has a holster in one of Taima's saddlebags," said Javier, "Catch up with us when you get it."
The two older men turned and started heading down the mountain. I opened one of saddlebags and there indeed was a holster, I pulled it out and tightened it around my hips before sliding the shotgun into the holster and some of the bullets into the cartridge loops.
I followed after the two slowing at a steep incline. I looked over the edge and gulped, "Jesus we're high up here."
"You're telling me," said Arthur, just ahead of me.
"Careful, there's a drop here," said Javier dropping off a six foot ledge.
Arthur jumped down and I followed right after him, my foot threatening to slip out from under me.
We walked down another sharp incline before crouching to go under an overhang.
"Watch your head," Javier advised groaning, hitting his head against the rock.
We emerged and turned to see a pretty narrow ledge.
Arthur slipped for a moment before catching himself, "Watch yourself kid. It's really slippery."
"Up this way," said Javier climbing up a wall.
Arthur followed behind and pulled himself up easily. I jumped and pulled myself up slowly but surely.
"Watch it, there's a gap here," said Javier jumping down.
"Hey! Over here," called the voice once more, now a lot clearer than before.
Javier jumped and pulled himself up over the overhand, "We're coming John."
Arthur jumped and pulled himself with ease too before turning and waiting till I jumped up and grabbed the edge. He grabbed my hand and helped pull me up. We did the same thing on the next overhang although he didn't have to help as much.
"Damn it's cold," Arthur said hugging himself as he walked forward.
We stopped between two cliff walls to rest for a moment, I breathed in and out deeply while rubbing my hands together to try and warm them up. The air biting my lungs and making it harder to breathe.
"How you doing," asked Javier.
"I'm miserable," Arthur stated matter-of-factly.
"Fuckin' freezing," I answered shivering, pulling the blanket even tighter.
Javier chuckling before taking a drink of what I recognized as Kentucky bourbon. He took a swig before tossing it to Arthur who took a swig as well, "That should warm you up some."
Javier turned and shivered, "Let's keep moving then. John?! John can you hear me?!"
"John," Arthur joined in calling.
"John, where are you," Javier called as the wind picked up again.
"Marston, you hear me," Arthur called.
"I'm here! Out on the ledge," came the reply.
"He's down here," said Javier hurrying down the small hill.
"Hey," John called once more.
"Alright! Pipe down Marston," said Arthur as we came to a stop on the ledge above the missing man.
He looked up at us, confusion riddled his bloodied face when he looked at me.
"That's quiet a scratch you got there," said Arthur, with both a teasing and biting tone.
"Never though I'd say this but...it's good to see you Arthur Morgan."
Arthur hopped down and squatted in front of him, "You don't look so good," he said with a sigh.
"I don't feel too good either," replied the bloodied man.
Arthur hoisted him onto his shoulder, "Ugh I'm freezing," John groaned as Arthur handed him to us.
We pulled him up and set him on his feet.
"Don't die just yet cowboy," said Arthur. I reached down and helped pull him up.
"Come on, compadre," said Javier as Arthur hoisted John back onto his shoulder.
John groaned as we turned and walked back up the hill.
"Well we can't go back the way we came. Let's try this way instead," said Javier leading the way once more. I followed Arthur to watch his back since he carried John.
"Ain't you a sorry sight," Arthur said as we trekked up the hill.
"Can't," John groaned in pain, "...argue with you there."
"See? I told Dutch you weren't the right man for this," said Arthur.
John shook his head, "I'm sure you did."
Arthur's foot dipped down suddenly as John let out a pained yell.
"You alright," asked Javier.
"I think so."
"Good. Come on, hopefully this will lead us out," said Javier as we crested a hill.
The three horses stood in a clearing, looking for something to eat.
"You see that on the ridge," asked Javier as we all came to a stop.
A howl followed the question, three wolves stood on a ridge a couple hundred feet in front of us.
"Perfect," Arthur growled out.
"I can distract them while you guys get to the horses," I offered, pulling out the shotgun and loading it.
Arthur gave me a look that I couldn't quiet define, maybe worry?
"You sure about this kid?"
I nodded without hesitation, "I got this," I could feel the adrenaline surging through me.
The others turned and started for the horses as I slowed my breathing down.
The wolves charged towards the others before I started shouting and waving my arms.
"Hey! Come and get me you fleabags!"
The wolves quickly turned and bolted at me, I shot one in the head. The other two ran past me and started to circle back around. I shot another in the back but it was too far away to do any real damage, so the wolf merely whimpered and dodged.
I pulled two more bullets out of the loops and slid them into the shotgun dropping to the ground to dodge an attack from the non hurt wolf while doing so. I stood back up and pumped a round into one of the wolves' heads before turning and doing the same to the other. I pulled up my blanket off the ground a corner of it now stained with wolf blood.
Arthur and Javier came trotting over on their horses as Arthur lead Taima over too me.
"Nice. You got'em all," Javier called with an approving grin.
"Yeah...woo," I said sarcastically, breathing hard.
"Where'd you find this kid at," asked John.
"He was at the place we're at now, said that some O'Driscoll's captured him and a friend of his before killing his friend and leaving him there," explained Javier.
"Ooh boy. You're in trouble now kid, Miss Grimshaw is gonna kill you for staining that blanket," said Arthur a corner if his mouth quirked upwards.
I looked at the blanket and nodded as I climbed back onto Taima.
"We should get goin' before any more of these bastards show up," said Javier spurring his horse forward.
Arthur and I spurred the horses after him.
"I don't feel too good," John groaned.
"You'll be fine. It's like a-a dog bite," Javier reassured.
John grimaced in pain, "Knew a fella, got bit by a dog. Died an hour later."
"You ain't gonna die," Javier hesitated, "Not yet."
We settled into silence for around twenty minutes as we headed down the mountain.
"Up there," Javier called pointing towards our right.
Several more wolves ran down the hill in pursuit, they all had a vicious look on their muzzles.
"Get out of here," John yelled at them.
Arthur pulled out his revolver and I pulled out my shotgun and we both started to shoot at the wolves. He was more accurate but I had better firepower. I quickly cut down two of them while he cut down three.
"Some more on the left here," called Javier.
We both turned to see four more wolves run up alongside Javier and John. I was never good at anything with my left hand so I was only able to kill one of the wolves while Arthur killed the rest.
"See anymore," Javier called.
"No," I called back, looking around just in case.
There hadn't been any major changes to this world so far. So I didn't know if there may have been more rocks or not.
"Don't think so," Arthur replied, looking around himself.
"Jesus," John yelled, more than likely at all the chaos that had just happened.
"You still with us Marston," asked Arthur, putting his gun in his holster.
"Just about."
"Your gonna be okay. We have some shelter now," said Javier.
"Thanks for coming for me," said John, appreciation in his voice.
"Of course. That bullet in Blackwater now this? You had a hell of a time," said Javier.
"And Arthur always says I'm lucky," John said, agitation in his voice.
"None of us are lucky right now," Javier retorted.
A silence spread over us as we just focused on getting back. A few minutes later we were right beside a bend in the river.
"Let's ride in the river for a bit," Javier suggested, "Don't want to lead them to camp."
"You know, we're gonna have to come up with a better story for that scar," said Arthur over the splashes.
"So freezing, bleeding, starving, damn near getting eaten to death ain't good enough for you," John asked, sounding pissed off.
"Here let's cross to the left," said Javier, trying to break the tension.
"Yeah, come on. Let's push hard and get on back," said Arthur ignoring John as we went silent once more.
Ten minutes later the outlines of buildings could be seen.
"See those buildings up ahead John? That's where we camped. Nearly there," said Javier.
We rode past the snowed in wagons and into the main part of Colter, nobody was outside and rightly so since we were gone for at least five or six hours so it was more than likely late afternoon.
"Come on! Somebody come help John off this horse," Javier called.
"Can we get some help here," Arthur called.
Nobody came out of the houses, more than likely because of the wind drove their voices away.
"We need some help! Can we get some help here," Arthur called once more.
The door to the main building opened and Abigail ran out, followed by Bill Williamson and Lenny Summers.
"Come on help him down," Javier instructed.
"Oh you're alive! You're alive," Abigail exclaimed happily as Arthur climbed off his horse.
"There we go. There we go," said Javier as Bill and Lenny started pulling him off.
John yelled in pain as something hit his leg.
"Ah! Idiotas! Careful, it's his leg," Javier scolded as I climbed off my horse.
"Come on, let's get you warm," Abigail said to John before turning towards us, "Thank you. All of you."
We watched Bill and Lenny carry John to a table that could be used for a bed.
"This is a new low, even by your standards," Abigail scolded.
"Thank you," said Hosea, walking up to us with Leopold Strauss.
"You need any more lost maidens need saving," Arthur asked, turning towards the con man.
Javier tipped his bowler hat before walking towards where the men bunked.
Hosea chuckled, "Heh. Not today."
"Have you and Dutch talked about how we are gonna get out of this," Arthur asked, lowering his voice.
Bill and Lenny walked out of the building shutting the door behind them.
"I was just discussing with Herr Strauss, when the weather breaks I suppose we'll have to keep heading east," Hosea explained.
"East," Arthur exclaimed, "Into all of that...that civilization," he asked with disgust in his voice.
"I know. But the west is where our problems are the worst," Hosea retorted.
Arthur nodded in agreement as he lit a cigarette.
"Come on Herr Strauss, let's get warm," said Hosea as he walked towards the building John was in.
"Thank you mister Morgan. Thank you mister Booker," said Strauss before turning and following Hosea.
I grabbed the lead to Taima and Arthur grabbed the lead to his horse. We lead them over to a hitching post before tying the lead around it.
"Come on kid, let's get warm," said Arthur walking towards the house he and Dutch stayed in.
I followed him, rubbing my arms and shivering as it seemed like the temperature was dropping every second.
"Hello Arthur," said Dutch as we entered, "Hello mister Booker, I hope you are feeling better than what you were when we got here."
I gave him a smile, "Well considering I'm pretty sure I was going to die I think I'm feeling a little better."
Dutch and Arthur chuckled. Arthur took a seat beside Dutch beside the fire. I took the only other available seat in the corner up against what I believe was once a desk.
"If you don't mind me asking, just how old are you mister Booker," Dutch asked, taking a drag off of his cigar.
I shrugged, "It doesn't bother me. And to answer your question I'm seventeen."
Dutch nodded as he took another drag, "Well it's getting late. So I'm off to bed," he said flicking the butt of his cigar into the fire.
"Here boy," Arthur said, gesturing for me to come sit by the fire.
I stood up and walked over and sat down, enjoying the heat that the fire was giving off.
My hair started to become damp from the melted snow and was causing my hair to fall into my face. For most of my life I had almost always had my hair cut short or into a mohawk but within the past year and a half I had let it start to grow out.
Arthur held out his cigarette towards me, as he blew the smoke towards the ceiling.
I hesitated before shrugging and taking it. I didn't constantly smoke or vape myself but I did take a drag every now and then if a friend asked.
I took a drag and handed it back to him before letting the smoke drift out of my mouth.
"So once we get out of this place are you staying or you going back to Saint Denis," Arthur asked looking at me as he took another drag before handing me the cigarette.
I shrugged as I took a puff, "I have nobody to go back to in Saint Denis. I never met my dad, he left before I was born and my mama died a couple months ago, some asshole killed her for five dollars. My little brother died five years back, some of the street kids thought it'd be funny to pick on my brother, when I told'em off they killed him."
I hissed as I felt the cigarette burning my fingers, I didn't realize I had smoked the last bit of it. I flicked it into the fire and turned towards Arthur, "Sorry about that."
He waved me off, "It's fine," he reassured me, his voice not as gruff as usual.
I turned back towards the fire and watched it. Silence settled over the two of us for a few minutes.
"It's getting late, kid. You should probably be getting back to where you sleep," Arthur said looking from the fire to me.
I nodded and stood up, "Night Arthur."
"Goodnight kid," he replied as the door was closing.
I shivered as soon as I stepped outside, I hurried back towards the building I was staying in. I quickly shut the door behind me and shivered one last time.
I turned to see only Charles awake, he sat by the fire.
"Hey," I said, taking a seat beside him.
"Hey."
"Thanks for letting me take Taima. She was really gentle," I said.
Charles' lip curled upwards, "That's just Taima. She's a sturdy one and she hasn't ever let me down."
"How come you don't stay with the other men," I asked.
Charles shrugged, "There wasn't enough room."
I nodded even though I didn't really believe him.
"Well I need some sleep," I said as I laid down beside the fire.
I hope everything will turn out alright here. I miss Mama, and Joe, and everybody.
A/N:
I want to go ahead and apologize in case any character seems OOC but since there is going to be changes they may seem that way. Anyway I've kept you long enough, cheers!