My Twisted Heritage

Chapter 2

Gunsmoke

Spoilers: Twisted Heritage/Not really any spoilers, I really don't follow the original idea

too much.

Several hours had passed. Kitty staggered through the plains. The blood on her head and face had dried and crusted over. But the side of her white slip and petticoat were drenched in blood. Walking, blindly, she stumbled down a slight hill, then staggered to her feet, walking through the thick brush, not even realizing that the thicket, was full of briars and was biting at every inch of her body that it could get to. Tearing the slip, catching her on the thigh, cutting into her chest, arms and even her cheek. She was dazed and confused as she traveled through the brush. The sun beat down on her ivory skin and she felt the dryness in her throat, as he tongue seemed to stick to the roof of her mouth.

She wasn't sure of the time, but knew that the sun would beat down on her for a while longer before the cool evening breeze would give her a bit of relief.

Kitty came across a small stream and kneeling down she cupped her hands in the water, catching it, and brought her cupped hands to her lips. The water was cool and refreshing, yet instinctively she knew not to drink too fast or too much. Allowing the water to run down her chin and neck. The water felt cool on her hot skin, even though it burned her cuts and scratches on her chest and arms, it still cooled down her hot skin some. Looking down at her side, she winced for the first time, realizing she was really hurt. She pressed her hand against the wound, and immediately it was covered in blood. Kitty became alarmed, the fire in her side roared once again and she gasped for breath. 'Sleep, I need to sleep.' She thought to herself. "No! I've gotta keep moving." Looking down at her bloody muddy hands, she rinsed them in the water, but not before looking at her own reflection in the water. Reaching out to her reflection, she suddenly thrashed her hand in the water, disturbing the reflection as though she saw something frightening. Kitty slowly got to her feet and she began to cross the stream. Though it only about ten feet across and no more than one and a half feet deep, she stumbled on the rocks and fell to her knees, crying out in pain as she grasped her side. Breathing deeply, she suppressed the need to vomit. Her entire body ached from head to toe, but the burning in her side was the worst. Staggering to her feet, she continued on her way. Something in her head was telling her to follow the stream, but her body did not respond. She headed across the stream and traveled on.

Several more hours had passed, yet the sun was still high in the sky. She noted that it was probably close to two in the afternoon. The sun was still hot on her skin. She needed to find cover from the sun somewhere. Not far ahead, she noticed an embankment that looked like a road well traveled. Her mind was made up, make it to that road and follow it to wherever the hell it would lead her. Kitty fell to her knees as she began to climb up the embankment, it wasn't that steep, but she was weak from the loss of blood and the heat had just about drained her of any strength she could possibly muster. But she was determined to crawl up that eight ft rise.

Blane Copperton was in a hurry to get back to Copperton. Tracy and Jesse were patiently waiting his return. He had gone to the Nebraska Territory to complete a business deal with one of his former associates. Now he was well on his way home to visit his mother Jesse and his Daughter Tracy. He had been gone near on three weeks now and was rather anxious to sleep in his own bed. The hard ground made for a fierce mistress at times. He wasn't as young as he used to be, but then again, he wasn't that old either, it's just that he slept better with a roof over his head and his daughter down the hall where he knew that she was safe. He smiled at the thought of the look on her face when he'd pull the wagon up to the ranch. Something moved out of the corner of his eye and he barely had time to jerk the team to the left when he saw a woman stand up as she came to the top of the embankment. Terrified, she threw her hands up and stepped back only to fall down the embankment she had just climbed up. Pulling hard on the reins, he had gotten the team under control and pulled the rig off slightly, then hit the brake. He then wrapped the reins around the brake and jumped down from the wagon and ran to the side of the road. Lying on the ground, unconscious, was exactly what he thought he had seen, a woman. She lay on her back. Blane noticed that she wore only her petticoats and corset. Blane quickly ran down the hill and knelt beside her. He saw the numerous scratches on her exposed skin and the tears in the petticoats as well. There was a nice crease on the side of her head and he noticed a large spot of blood on her right side. Taking his knife from his pocket, he gently cut the material at her side to see an exit wound in her side. Gently, he lifted her to look at her back to find the entry wound. Normally, a bullet would make a larger exit wound, but it wasn't so bad, he thought to himself. Taking his shirt off, he wound it up and began to wrap it around her waist. Once tied, he gently checked her for broken bones. Once he was sure there were none, he gently lifted her into his arms and carried her to his wagon. He was gentle with her as he lay her on the edge of the wagon. Then stepped around to the front, climbed in and lifter her up, laying her on the blankets.

Blane opened a package and pulled out one of his new white shirts. He used it as he had the other one, wrapping it around her waist to try and staunch the bleeding. It was at this time, he noticed she had indeed lost a great deal of blood. Reaching for the side of her neck, he checked for a pulse and to his surprise, he found it to be quite strong, considering the blood loss. Grabbing another larger package, he pulled out a handmade quilt he had purchased for his Mother, Jesse. "Sorry Mother." He said as he unraveled it some and covered her with it. "You sure are a beautiful thing, aren't you?" He said gently touching her cheek. He quickly climbed into his seat and released the brake. Pulling on the reins, he yelled. "Yah!" The team quickly picked up the pace.

Within the next hour, he pulled the team through the entrance of the Copperton Ranch gate. Harry and Miller came rushing over as he pulled the rig up closer to the house than usual.

"Hey, Boss, what's up?" Harry said as he and Miller rush over.

"Where's Jesse?" He said as he pulled the break and tied the reins.

"Up at the house." Miller finally sees the woman lying in the back of the buckboard. "Who's she?" He asked.

"I don't know, I almost ran her over on the trail in." He jumps in the back, pulls the blankets off of her and lifts her up. By this time, Jesse came out to see what the commotion was. Blane handed Kitty to Harry, who held her until Blane jumped out of the back of the buckboard. He then gently took Kitty from Harry.

"What happened?" Jesse asked coming over to them. She looked at the barely dressed woman and saw the blood on her clothing.

"I don't know." He said walking towards the house. "I found her on the roadway."

"Take her up to your room." Jesse tells Blane. He entered the house and carried her up the stairs. Tracy stood watching her father with the lady. Harry rushed ahead of him, in order to open the door. He then pulled the covers back on the bed. Blane laid her down, then gently took her shoes off of her before covering her with the blankets. Jesse came in, with Miller behind her. Miller was carrying a pitcher and a basin, along with a bottle of whiskey and a medical bag. Miller and Harry leave the room, while Jesse and Blane undress her and tend to her wounds. An hour later, she lay naked beneath the sheets. A bandage wrapped around her head. Her side was bandaged as well. Blane sat in the chair watching her. Her pale skin was soaked with her sweat from fever. Jesse comes into the room.

"We need to put something on her. She's feverish." He stated.

Jesse leans over and gently touched Kitty's head. "Get me one of your shirts!" She told him. He goes over to the drawer and pulls out a white shirt. He then pulls Kitty up into a sitting position as his mother puts the shirt on her. Then she buttons it down the front. "I'm going to get Cookie to make her some strong broth." She touches Kitty's cheek. "She's a pretty little thing." She states. Blane looks at his mother and shakes his head in agreement. Jesse leaves the room and Blane leans forward in the chair and watches Kitty as she slept.

To be continued………..