Note from Author: Please forgive any errors of all kinds as I have no one to read my work before I post it but myself. Which means, there may be quite a few. Thank you..KR
Festus moved up the stairs quickly. He needed to see doc and he needed to see him immediately. The matter of his friends weighed heavily on his mind. "Hey Doc! Doc!" He yelled opening the door and stepping into the office. He knew that Doc was an early riser, usually up with the sun, even though he may have spent the prior evening delivering a babe or settin' some unfortunate cowboys arm, he'd still be up with the sun. And here it was close to 7:00 in the morning as near as Festus could tell by looking at the sun. But the outer office was empty. "Hey Doc, you in here?" He bellowed out again.
Doc slowly and gingerly opened the door to the bedroom. He held up his hand to Festus who was about to say something to him. Closing the door carefully he shook his head at his old friend. "Why are you hollerin'? I just got her back to sleep." He said trying to rub the tiredness out of his eyes.
"Who, Doc?" Festus asked confused.
"Kitty." He said plainly. He walked over to the coffee pot on the stove and grabbed two cups and poured.
"But I thought she was at the Long Branch." Festus said looking at the door. He walked over to where Doc stood and held out a cup to him.
"She was, but last night when ya's returned with the prisoners…" He stopped to think about Kitty and how pale she had looked when she came into his office. The tears streaming down her face. She had woken in sheer terror and her clothes clung to her and she was hysterical. Doc had to convince her to allow him to get her cleaned up and then gave her one of his own nightshirts to wear to bed. "She came in here last night, scared to death. She couldn't sleep. I just got her back to sleep right before you came barreling up them steps." He said in a low-agitated voice. "For Goodness sake, take them spurs off will ya'. You're enough to wake the dead." Festus quickly sat down and as quietly as possible, unhooked his spurs and gently set them on the dresser.
"Sorry, Doc. I just needed to speak at ya is all." Festus said looking in the direction of the door.
"What is it, Festus?" He said sitting at his desk.
"How's she doin', Doc?" He asked in almost a whisper. "Has Matthew been ta' see her since we returned?" He asked expecting the negative response.
"No. Can't say that he has." Doc said scratching his head as he set his coffee down.
"What in thunderation is wrong with him?" He asked looking hopeful at Doc as though he had all the answers.
"He's scared, I think." Doc said looking at the door. "I don't think he knows what to say or what to…." He never finished his sentence as Kitty woke up in the other room, screaming in her sleep.
"NO! STOP! STOP IT!" She cried as she swung in the air at nothing in particular. But it wasn't hard to guess what she was dreaming or of whom she was dreaming. "NO! PLEASE! NO MORE!" She cried. Doc sat down on the edge of the bed and grabbed at her arms but she pulled away and swung at him, hitting Doc square in the chin and knocking him off of the bed onto the floor. Festus grabbed his arms and helped him to his feet. Doc pulled from his grasp and sat on the bed again, this time grabbing her wrists and pulling her hands down.
"Kitty! Wake Up!" He said but she continued to plead.
"No! Please, no more!" She cried, almost timidly this time, like a small child frightened almost to silence
Doc suddenly slapped her across the face and was about to do it again when Festus grabbed his wrist. "What the hell are you doin' Doc?"
Pulling his hand from Festus' grasp he looked up at his friend. "I'm trying to wake her before she hurts herself." He said. When he looked back at her, huge blue eyes looked up at him in fear. He always could read so much in her eyes, and what he saw broke his heart. She was terrified of him. "You were dreaming, you could have injured yourself." He said trying to make her understand. He was relieved when he saw her relax somewhat, but then the tears began to flow and Doc pulled her into a sitting position and held onto her as she cried.
Trying not to be noticed, Festus quietly walked out of the room and decided to wait out there for Doc. He closed the door behind him, giving Doctor and patient some privacy.
It tore at his guts to see Kitty like this. She was one of the strongest, kindest people he had ever known. The bile rose in his throat, burning in it's tracks. Festus quickly grabbed a glass and pour a glass of water from the pitcher setting on the table. As he drank deeply, the door to the room opened and Doc, quietly slipped out of the room.
"She's asleep again." Doc said exhausted.
"How long, Doc?" Festus asked him, setting the glass on the tray. Doc knew what he was asking him about. How long had she been having these nightmares was thee question on his mind.
"It started last night. She'd been doing fine, till you rode into town with those animals." Doc went over to his desk and opened the drawer where he pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses. He poured both glasses full and handed one to Festus. Doc quickly gulped his down, which made Festus stop and take notice. He watched as Doc shook the shock of whiskey out of his mind. Then sit down and slump back exhausted in the chair.
"She ain't doin' no better, huh, Doc?" Festus said sitting on the edge of the desk. He looked down at his spurs, hoping that they would provide him with some distraction so that he didn't have to look up into the deeply saddened eyes of his old friend.
"Physically, she's healing, but emotionally, she's, well she's just having a real hard time of it, is all." Doc said leaning forward and burying his face in his hands.
"I don't know what to do, Doc! Tonight, he almost killed that animal. He done tried to squeeze the life out of him." He said as he scratched his scruffy face.
"I don't know either, Festus. I just don't know." He said looking up at the door behind which Kitty lay sleeping.
"He needs to see her. She needs him to be here. Why ain't he here with her?" Festus sand angrily.
"Calm down, Festus, I don't want you waking her again. She needs to get some sleep. And as for your question, your guess is as good as mine." He told him flatly.
"I just wanna go over thar and kick some sense into him." Festus said in hushed, but harsh tones.
"What good will that do?" Doc asked Festus, as he fidgeted in his seat.
"None, don't make no never mind no how, it's make me feel better." He said not really knowing what he was feeling. Matt was a good friend of his, but right now, he just wanted to grab him by the shirt and shake some sense into the big Lawman.
"No it won't neither." Doc said as he stood up. "I'll tell you what you're gonna do, you're gonna go over to the Long Branch and get Sally to bring me some clothing for Kitty." He said going over to his bag and picking up a note pad and pencil. He proceeds to write down a few things. "Give this to her and tell her to bring over these things, and anything I've forgotten." Festus looks at the piece of paper in his hand. To him, it looked like nothing. Being unable to read sometimes put quite a hindrance on life. Looking at the scribble for another moment, Festus looked up at Doc.
"I'll be quick as a whip, Doc." Festus said turning from Doc and grabbing his hat as he headed out the door. He was careful not to slam the door. Doc looked back at the other door. Slowly he walked over and opened it. Kitty was sleeping peacefully, in the bed.
Smiling slightly, he gently pulled the door closed and returned to his desk where he lay down his head and promptly dozed off into a light fitful sleep, subconsciously aware of the woman in the next room and her needs.
He knew that Sally would take at least 15 minutes to gather these things and then Festus would have to stop for a quick drink before returning. So he should be able to get about 30 minutes of shut eye, at least.
Matt lay sleeping in his bed. The covers were pulled low on his hips. His upper body was covered in a light perspiration as he slept restlessly in his bed.
Kitty fell to the ground as Jude Bonner slapped her hard across the cheek. She desperately tried to get up and get away, but he grabber her by the hair and pulled her to her feet. Grabbing her about the waist, he forced his mouth upon hers. She was desperately trying to push him away, but he was stronger than her. His men stood around laughing at him as he did so. He turned her around so her back was against his chest. "You wanna taste of this, Lawman?" He said. Kitty reached out to Matt. "Matt help me, pleeeease, help me!" She cried as Bonner turned her around in his arms. He then lowered her to the ground and ripped her blouse opened. "Noooooo!" she screamed as the men gathered around her, blocking her from Matt's view and preventing him from getting to her to help her.
Matt sat up gasping for breath. His heart was racing, as he sat there thinking about the nightmare he had just had. "It's all my fault." He said angrily, throwing the covers over his legs and getting out of bed. He goes over to the basin and quickly dips his hands in gathering water to wash his face. Reaching the towel on the hook to his right, he grabs it and dries his face and neck. His eyes closed as he heard Kitty crying out in his dream, "Matt help me, pleeease, help me!" Instantly, he felt sick, so he grabbed hold of the table to steady himself. When the shaking finally subsided, he straightened up and looked out his window. The evening sun was setting, he noticed as he looked out onto Front Street. The soldiers will be there in the next day or so to escort the Dog Soldiers to Hays City where they will stand trial and more than likely hang. He continued to pull on his pants, then pulled a fresh shirt from the drawer. Slipping his arms into it, he looked in the mirror and noticed the tiredness in his face. He never felt so exhausted in his life. It probably wouldn't matter if he had slept till next Sunday, he'd still feel tired. His heart ached, not so much a physical ache, but nonetheless, and ache that made him more tired. He also noticed, as he sat down, it took quite a bit of effort to pull the boots up. "God, what is wrong with me?" He asked to no one in particular. Buttoning his shirt, he tucked it into his pants and fastened his trousers. As he walked towards his door, Matt reached up and grabbed his hat and holster and headed out the door.
Matt walked down the alleyway, heading towards Front Street, while his mind began to wander back to the conversation he had with Doc, before he went after Jude Bonner. "She wasn't just raped, Matt, she was repeatedly raped, beaten and humiliated…." He heard echo in his head. "She was repeatedly raped….." Stepping out onto Front Street, he placed his Stetson on his head. As he headed towards the Jail, he saw Festus with Kitty, walking her back to the Long Branch. Festus had a protective arm around her. Matt moved back into the shadow for a moment, watching them. He watched as they neared the doors of the rowdy saloon and saw Kitty stop dead in her tracks just feet away. From where Matt stood, he could not hear what was being said between the two, but he saw Festus comforting Kitty. Gently rubbing her shoulder to calm her fears, and obviously speaking in loving, caring, tones to her. He watched as they walked past the door to the side alley and realized she was taking the backstairs because she did not wish to be seen by the patrons in the saloon. He felt shame and pity for her. Most of the people inside, were people she has known for years, and she was afraid. Or was it shame, she felt. He wasn't sure, but he gently reached up and touched his chest. Another rip into his heart. Bonner had probably changed her forever. How could she possibly ever want anything to do with him. "I'm the reason she was been raped, beaten and shot, let's not forget shot." He whispered under his breath. Shaking his head, he slowly moved across the street, to keep an eye on them. Festus held Kitty's arm as they climbed the back steps. He took her key from her hand and unlocked the door and they disappeared inside. Turning around, Matt headed back towards the jail.
Newly sat at the desk reading the newspaper. The Dog Soldiers were quiet in their cells at this time. As the door opened, he looked up from the paper and saw a rather haggard looking Marshal enter the jail. "Evening, Marshal!" He said as Matt walked in.
"Newly." Matt said throwing his hat on the table. He walked to the door and looked into the cell. They were lying around and or standing around, not saying a word to each other. Three of the men in the cell directly across from the where he stood, were sitting around playing poker, paying him no attention. Bonner lay on the cot in his cell, his back towards the door. Matt pulled the door closed as he went back into the office. Newly kept an eye on Matt as he looked into the cell. Matt walked over to the wood stove and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Any news from the escort detail?" He asked looking out the window.
"Festus was going to check after he…..he was gonna go check." Newly said not wanting to broach and obviously sensitive subject with Matt.
Matt sipped his coffee as he continued to stare out the window. He knew what business Festus was taking care of, that Newly did not wish to speak of. He was escorting Kitty back to the Long Branch, probably from a visit with Doc.
Just then the door opened. "Evening Matthew. I stopped off at the telegraph, got this hear message for ya!" He said as he began to search through his pockets. "I know it here, somewhere, I just had it." He looks into the vest pockets, but came up empty. He then looked into the inside pocket and found it there. "Here ya go, Matthew." Festus said handing him the telegram. Matt set his coffee down and opened the telegram.
"Well, Captain Reiner and his regiment will be here tomorrow morning. Looks likee I'll be leaving for Hays City, sooner than I thought." He said sitting on the edge of the desk.
Festus raised a brow in alarm. This was not good. He hadn't seen Kitty since she was brought in almost two weeks ago. Now he was leaving and she was in need of him.
"Newly, did ya get yer supper yet?" He asked as he sat on the edge of the table.
"No, I thought I'd wait a bit….." He noticed Festus' slight nod. "But I'm kinda hungry…" He starts to get up. "I think I'll go over to Del Monicos." He grabs his hat and heads out the door. "Be back in an hour or so." He said heading out the door.
Festus waited until Newly was gone. He moved from his perch on the table and walked around to the coffee pot where he poured himself a cup.
Matt felt uneasy, he knew that Festus had urged Newly to leave, and he knew why too. But the last thing he wanted to do right now was talk about things, especially about the things going on in his head. The nightmares were getting more frequent and more vivid.
"Okay, Festus, I'm gonna make my rounds." He said opening the drawer and placing the telegram in the drawer. He gets up and picks his hat off of the edge of the desk and headed for the door.
"Now, hold on a minute, Matthew, I wanna talk to you." He said as Matt walked up towards him.
"I have things to do." He said putting his hat on.
"Now just a dang blane moment, Matthew, I wanna talk to you and I wanna talk now." He said grabbing his arms. Matt looked at his hand on his arm and then up at Festus' eyes. He saw pure determination in his old friends eyes.
"What do you want, Festus?" He said looking at his friend. Festus could see the anguish in his friends eyes, but he also knew a little bit about what Kitty was going through.
"You can't just leave, Matthew, you gotta go see her." He said pleadingly.
"I have to get some work done, then I've gotta get some rest. Reiner will be here by sun up and wantin' to head out." He said finally pulling his arm from Festus' grasp.
"What about her? Do you know what's she's goin' through? She can't hardly sleep a night without waking up screamin' full of fear." He was angry. There were only few times he had been angry with Matthew, and Matt could count them on one hand. In all the years they had been friends, only twice before had they cross this path of anger.
"No! I have things to do right now. When I've got things settled and Bonner in custody in Hays City, then I'll go. But right now, I'm trying to do my job, that is if you'll kindly let me." He said with venom in his voice.
"The hell with that thar job of yours, there's a woman sitting in her room, crying herself to sleep, waking up terrified, a woman who could use a little comfort from the man who loves her!" Now it had become a shouting match. They stood toe to toe. And even though Matt had a good 12 inches on him, Festus looked him square in the eyes, without flinching.
"Festus, this is none of your concern!" He said taking his hat off and slamming it into his thigh. "I'd appreciated it if you would mind your own business." Angrily he turned away from Festus and headed out the door. The sun was just about gone and the dusky sky was turning dark. He had to make his rounds and then get some rest. He would be riding to Hays City in the morning. Slamming the door behind him, he headed down the boardwalk to check out Dodge. Making sure that all was secure for the night. The trip to Hays City would give him the chance to clear his head and think things over. And if he got real lucky, they'd be attacked by Indians, and Bonner would be missing his scalp.
To be continued……