Red walked his horse up to the hitching post out side of the old saloon. Doc was certainly an unwilling participant during the trip. Red had to keep a rifle on him the whole way.
Doc remained in the saddle and looked around at Old Dodge Town. Every time he came here it got less friendlier than before. The dry, hot wind caused dust devils to spin down the barren street. Doors creaked in the wind while missing windows cause and eerie sound that made it like people were within the abandoned buildings dying. Doc swallowed hard and his eyes shot back to Red when his name was called.
"Come on you old pill pusher. In here." Red kept the rifle on Doc as he slid out of the saddle. "Don't try anything foxy old man." Red shoved Doc through the doors.
Garrett sat at a table across the room. He scratched his growing beard.
Doc cautiously made his way into the dark and dusty room. A pungent odour hung in the air. He slowly drew his hand across his moustache and chin while surveying the room. Carefully he walked toward the man laying on the table.
Doc stepped up to the young man and looked at him. His complexion was pallid and sweaty. The doctor set his medical bag down on a chair beside him and took the glasses case from his pocket. "He don't look good." He said as he placed the glasses on his face and looked back at the man. Doc carefully peeked into the man's eyes. They seemed to acknowledge him, but that was about all.
Red moved closer to the doctor. "Is he gonna make it?"
Doc busied himself with items in his medical bag. "Won't know until I look at that hole he has in his shoulder. By that smell, I'd say he might not."
Red lurched nearer. "What do you mean by that?" His voice grew taut.
Doc looked up over his silver rimmed glasses. "I think that gangrene has set in..." He turned back to his work and continued to peel off the makeshift dressings that Red and Garrett applied earlier.
Red looked back to Garrett who just shrugged about the whole thing.
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Kitty, Newly and Sam all stood in shock in the middle of Doc's office. "Where do you think he's gone?" Kitty asked openly. Tears almost filling her eyes. She fought them away as she tried to make sense of the situation. They all were.
Newly was the first to hear the door open behind them. Louie stood small in the frame. "Lookin' fer Doc?"
Kitty spun around. "Louie. You know where he is!"
Louie stepped into the office and removed his hat. "Don't know where he is, but I saw him leave his office late last night with another fella. Never seen him before. A big man, like the Marshal."
Newly looked Louie in the eyes. "Where'd they go?"
Louie pointed toward the back alley. "They went out through the back. Didn't see them after that. Doc okay?"
Newly scratched his forehead. "Sure hope so."
Kitty's mouth hung open and Sam stepped up behind her noting her distress. "Newly. Do you want me to go with you?" His baritone voice made his question sound more like a statement.
Newly nodded. "Miss Kitty. Are you gonna be all right?"
She could only nod as her mind raced through one scenario after another. "Go. Go find Doc..."