*Author's Note*
Thank you for all the follows, favs, and reviews.
Election Day, 1882 Pt.3
Allie POV:
Since Cap was in the shootin' contest and I wanted to see him compete in it, I let Vera, Roseanna, and Johnse watch Captain W. and Lydia for me. Since they were sitting at a table with their own kids, talkin' and eating sweets, I didn't see any harm in letting them watch my kids. Vera was my best friend (had been so for years now) while Johnse and Roseanna where family, so I trusted them to watch my kids. So, did Cap. Uncle Jim still wasn't too impressed with Roseanna, but he was kosher and cordial enough with her.
After my husband won the shooting contest with a one in a million shot, that also almost started a fight, we decided to spend a few more moments alone and took off by ourselves to stroll around the festival. Uncle Jim took off to go find Shaw, or at least that's what he told us. Things were quiet between me and my husband as we walked side by side with our arms intertwined, but it wasn't awkward. No, the silence actually felt a bit peaceful.
The peace was broken by the sound of a gunshot echoing out from the food court area. Lookin' up at my husband, I asked a bit shakily, "What was that?", even tho deep down I knew what it was. Uncle Ellison had been shot by a McCoy.
"A gunshot, but the shootin' contest's over." Cap answered me, his brow arched up curiously as his black Stetson covered head twitched with concern.
Before either of us could say a word, pa's voice sounded out in a loud and worried cry of, "Ellison!"
Me and Cap shared a wide-eyed look before taking off in a run towards the food court. Since his legs were so long, he was running at a quick pace; literally dragging me with him since we were holding hands. When we finally came upon food court we were met with the grizzly scene of Ellison on his back covered in bloody stab wounds and a large gunshot in his gut with Anse kneelin' besides him puttin' pressure on one of the wounds with what looked like his shirtsleeve (that he torn off) while Doc Rutherford was next to him rippin' open his shirt to examine the damage of the wounds. Levicy was standing next to her younger brother-in-law, her hand covering her mouth as her shoulders shook, while Uncle Wall rubbed her shoulder in a soothin' way.
As we made our way over to Uncle Ellison, we saw Shaw and Jessa, who had Endor perched on her hip, run over with Sully, Uncle Jim, Silas, and Lydia hot on their heels. I also saw my brother emerge onto the scene, a look of anguish and shock on his face as his shrew of a wife was by his side. Nancy had a sick smirk on her face as she hiked her baby up higher on her hip.
"Cotton…Cotton…" Tumbled from Ellison's lips as me and my husband reached his side.
"Where's Cotton?" Anse asked, lifting his head up and looking around to try and spot his nephew. Not seeing Cotton anywhere, my father-in-law flicked his wrist and ordered, "Someone, go get Cotton."
Cap hurried off to get our slow-minded cousin right as Johnse, Roseanna (who was holding Captain W.'s hand along with having Sarah Elizabeth on her hip), and Vera (who had Bridie on her hip while holding T.W.'s hand) came up right next to me. "Someone gone done tried t'murder Uncle Ellison?" Johnse asked, his worried blue eyes flitterin' 'tween the giant redhead withering on the ground and me.
"Yes." I nodded solemnly right as Cap came running back to the scene, dragging Cotton right behind him.
"Oh my god…" Roseanna gasped, tears welling around her eyes, as she watched Cap direct Cotton to kneel down by his dyin' father.
"Cotton, comfort your daddy." Anse instructed my cousin-in-law as he grabbed the boy's hand with his blood stained one and put it onto Ellison's shoulder, all the while Cap gave Cotton a supportive pat on the back.
Levicy stepped out of Uncle Wall's supportive embrace and kneeled down next to Cotton. She just gave him a soft look and rubbed his back while he let out a scared whine of, "Can we go home now?"
Hearing sweet Cotton ask 'Can we go home now?' broke me and I started to sob. Cap wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into him. "Sshh…darlin'…sshh…" He softly whispered into my ear as I buried my head into his shoulder.
"Levicy, get him to a bed at the head house." Pa instructed ma before rising to his feet and stepping a few feet away from his ailing brother.
Pointin' to Ellison's legs, Doc told my brother-in-law and my husband, "Johns, Cap, come get 'hold of his legs." Pointin' to Ellison's shoulders, Doc looked at Shaw and told him, "Shaw, help me grab his shoulders so we can get him in the wagon."
Johns, Cap, and Shaw all did what they were told and helped Doc pick up Ellison while Levicy ran off to clear the shine barrels out of Johnse's whiskey wagon since it was the closest wagon to place Ellison son. I was frozen in my spot along with Roseanna and Vera as we watched the men carry a gravely injured Ellison over to the Johnse's wagon. The only woman, other than Levicy, that wasn't frozen with shock and fear was Jessa. Jessa actually ran over to the wagon and jumped right into the back of it, tossin' barrels and bottles out of it faster than Grant went thru Richmond.
While the men placed Ellison into the back of the wagon, with Jessa's help since she was in the back too, Anse and Uncle Wall were sharin' words. I couldn't make out what they were sayin', but whatever it was seemed to be forgotten as Skunk Hair ran up to my father-in-law while announcin' in a loud semi-out of breath pant, "We got 'em, Anse! We got 'em bastard McCoys!"
"Oh, sweet Jesus, what have they done?" Roseanna cried, her sobs flowin' freely as she began to hiccup uncontrollably, as she realized that her brothers were responsible for Ellison's mortal wounds and grave injuries.
Shaw POV:
"Son, please, don't go with the posse. Just go to the main house; help Doc and the women there." Sully begged as I mounted my horse, which was right next to Jim's.
"Sully, he's comin' 'long." Uncle Jim firmly told my dad from his place on top of his horse, right next to mine. "You should be mountin' up too, nephew. Anse needs every man he can get t'help take 'em McCoys."
"Sherriff Maynard and his men have apprehended the McCoys. Anse taking them will only do more harm than good; he needs to let the law handle it."
Narrowing my honey eyes, that were blazing an angry amber, at Sully, I ordered him in a hard tone, "If you're not ridin' with us then move outta the way, dad."
Sully's face fell as he backed up a few steps, giving enough room for me and Jim to ride by him and join the other Hatfields that were gathered near the far end of the path leading to and from the festival. Right before Uncle Jim led the way over to the others, he looked at my dad and sighed, "You're too soft t'be a part of this family. Gotta blame your pappy for that one."
"Violence isn't the answer to everything." Sully told Uncle Jim (and in extension me) as we rode off towards the Hatfield men crowded around; waiting to be led by Devil Anse on a mission to take the murderous McCoys from Sherriff Maynard's custody.
Jessa POV:
I was in the back of the wagon helping Doc attempt to staunch some of the bleeding stab wounds on Ellison's torso while Levicy drove the wagon out of the festival. Cotton, the poor innocent soul, was sitting right next to me. Since he was scared and didn't know what was going on, he just held his daddy's hand. Ellison was in so much pain that he couldn't even utter a word or smile at his son, all he could do was groan and grunt. Cotton's eyes were as wide as saucers as he watched his daddy shake and grunt from the pain he was feeling in his gut and sides as blood flowed freely from his ungodly amount of wounds.
I looked up for only a second to see Shaw join the posse of Hatfield men gathered to ride after the McCoys responsible for Ellison's injuries. I also saw that Uncle Jim was with him, but Sully wasn't. As Levicy led our wagon further and further down the road I watched my husband along with the posse led by Devil Anse take off in a flash deep into the Kentucky woods. Before I placed my attention back onto Ellison, I did notice Sully just standing around and looking sorrowfully in the direction that Shaw and the Hatfield Posse. It was clear to me in this moment that Sully didn't want Shaw to get involved with the posse; that he feared the aftermath of this incident would surely be damning for him.
"Jessa, try to press down harder. He's losing too much blood."
"Okay, Doc."
"Levicy, speed up 'em horses or else Ellison might just bleed out in the back of this wagon."
Levicy snapped the reigns, causing the horses to pull the wagon faster. As the wagon sped down the road I could see, in the distance, a wagon pulling out of the festival venue. Sully was driving it while Roseanna, Vera, Allie, and numerous children were huddled in the back. No doubt they're crying and praying as Sully followed us to the head house, albeit at a slower speed since he didn't have Doc barkin' to speed up in his wagon.
The more Levicy snapped the reigns the faster the horses made our wagon go. After a few minutes, Sully and his wagon full of women and children were nothing more then a cloud of dust behind us on the road. The quick pace seemed to make Cotton nervous, causing him to warily look around a few times in fear of the wagon toppling over. Even tho Levicy's fast driving scared him, he never stopped holding his daddy's hand.
"Are we almost home yet?" Cotton asked, looking innocently between me and Doc. "I wanna go home." He added in as a quick after thought as his eyes fell back onto Ellison, who's quick and labored breathing was stressing out his diaphragm and causing blood to flow out of his numerous wounds at a gushing rate.
Sympathy shone in Doc's eyes from behind his wire glasses as he looked at Cotton. He let out a sigh before shaking his head and gently telling him, "I'm sorry, my boy, but we're going to your Aunt Levicy's house so that me and Miss Jessa can try an' patch up your daddy."
"Oh…" Cotton nodded, his voice trailing off into the air as he watched his daddy with wide and worried eyes.
Doc looked at me and whispered, "It don't look too good for Ellison, Miss Jessa. As soon as Levicy stop at the house we need to get him in bed an' operated on."
"I'll help anyway I can, Doc." I assured the man whose brow was furrowed as he tried with all his might to staunch Ellison's bleeding gunshot wound, which was more or less a hole blown right thru the middle of his gut.
"Good cause I'll need ya to help me get him inside; act as my assistant." Doc told me as I quickly tore off a piece of my underskirt and pressed it firmly against the piece of cloth that was soaked with his blood on top of his wounded side.
Shaw POV:
It only took us a few minutes of riding to come upon the McCoy boys and Belcher, who were tied up and being led thru the woods by some of Sherriff Maynard's deputies while he sat on his horse, trotting right behind his deputies and prisoners. A couple of posse members (most likely volunteers or wannabe deputies) flanked the lawman as they rode their horses with guns loosely slung over their shoulders. The site was something out of an old western. You know, the bad guys get rounded up by the lawmen who didn't even have strong enough backbones to be in law enforcement.
Pharmer, who was on the left of Bobby Belcher (who seemed to be the new ringleader now that Tolbert was dead), saw us ride up and turned a ghostly white. Lookin' over his shoulder and up to Sherriff Maynard, Pharmer pleaded, "Sherriff, you can't let them take us."
Bobby Belcher, a pain in the ass neighbor of the McCoys, just cut his eyes at us while Devil Anse stopped his horse and silently signaled for the rest of us to do so as well. Bud looked 'bout ready to shit his pants as his hazel eyes landed on the posse, I was a part of. The usually quiet and reserved McCoy looked afraid as Devil Anse cut him a deadly look. Devil Anse gave Belcher and Pharmer death glares too before turnin' his attention towards the Sherriff.
Before my cousin could even voice up his intentions, Sherriff Maynard made the remark of, "Anse, I'm sorry 'bout your brother Ellison, but these boys committed a crime here in Kentucky and shall be held 'ere; charged and judged by the Kentucky courts."
"I don't give a damn 'bout the Kentucky courts." Devil Anse bluntly told the sherriff. Unholstering his gun and pointing it at the lawman, he announced, "I'm takin' 'em with me."
Judge Wall turned to his brother and reprimanded him with a simple, "Anse.", while giving him a hard look. Devil Anse holstered his gun, but only cause he knew his older brother had something up his sleeve.
All of us just stared down the men a yard or so away while the sherriff shifted in his saddle and told Wall, "Judge Hatfield, I understand how you and the other Hatfields feel, truly I do and I'm sorry 'bout what happened to Ellison."
Before Sherriff Maynard could utter another word, Judge Wall bluntly told him, "The essence of the case is that the victim of the crime's a West Virginian citizen there West Virginian law prevails." Taking out his gun and aiming it at the sherriff, my cousin declared, "We're takin' the boys, ya sumbitch."
"I object to this, Judge Wall." Sherriff Maynard stammered while Skunk Hair and Lias led the McCoy boys and Belcher away at gunpoint while the rest of us just trotted off, following the prisoners while keepin' our guns trained on them in case one of 'em got the stupid idea to run.
"They're shakin' in their boots cause they know what's waitin' for them 'cross the Tug." Uncle Jim darkly chuckled as we trotted off into the direction of Mate Creek, West Virginia.
"Yep." I popped my tongue. With a wiry smirk, I added in, "Some bullets with their names on it." The less McCoys in the world the better, especially when it came to the ones that were murder happy and had a taste for blood.
Jessa POV:
We reached the main Hatfield house in record time due to Levicy's erratic driving. Who knew that she could rival a NASCAR driver when it came to speed and sharp turns. She parked the wagon by the backdoor so that we could get Ellison inside and to the master bedroom without having to carry him too far. Cotton was sitting in the wagon, in a state of shock, as Levicy ran into the house to quickly prepare the bed while me and Doc attempted to get Ellison out of the wagon. Doc told me to hold his legs while he held his upper body, meaning that I'd be walking backwards towards the house as we carried Ellison.
The gentle Hatfield giant felt as if he was made out of brick or lead as I helped Doc carry him. I was using all of the might and strength I could muster to help carrying him a few feet over to the backdoor. Doc's brow was sweaty as he held Ellison up from underneath his arms, clearly struggling with the man's weight just like I was.
"Careful, ya got the stoop steps right behind ya." Doc warned me, tilting his hat covered head at me.
"Door's open, Jessa. Just walk in slowly." I heard Levicy's voice sound out from right behind me in a kind, but informative matter. Worry was evident in her tone and it must've been on her face too since Doc's expression seemed to turn grim as he looked at the middle-aged woman behind me. I did was I was told, only to have Levicy say, "Bedroom door on your left's open. Just bring 'im on in; set him on the bed."
Me and Doc just nodded and walked inside of the house as quick as we could. In a hurried shuffle, we brought Ellison into the master bedroom and placed him onto the bed. As soon as his large body hit the mattress, Ellison groaned out in pain and began to shake uncontrollably. Blood was also flowing out of his wounds only to quickly soak into the mattress.
"Levicy, bring in a bowl of water and some bandages will ya." Doc Rutherford told Levicy, who just nodded before going to do as she was asked. "Strip off his shirt and wash his wounds once Levicy brings in the water. I needa go fetch from bag from the back of the wagon." Doc told me before rushing out of the room and out the back door.
I tentatively removed Ellison's shirt from him while Cotton shuffled into the room. "My daddy's hurt really bad, huh?" He asked me with a childlike innocence as I tossed the bloody and torn shirt off to the side.
"Yes, Cotton, he is, but me and Doc's gonna do our best to make him better."
"Can I sit by my daddy?" He asked me before adding in as an afterthought, "He always sits by my bedside when I'm sick."
"Of course, honey." I nodded, a small, but sad smile on my face. "I'll get you a chair." I kindly told him before going over to grab a chair from a corner, tucked between a chest and a window.
Levicy POV:
When I walked into the bedroom wit' a fresh water bowl an' some tick bandages my heart was touched by the site of Jessa pullin' a chair over to the bed for Cotton and gently guidin' him t'sit down in it by Ellison's bedside. I knew how close my nephew an' brother-in-law were so seein' Jessa bein' kind to him an' lettin' him sit by his ailin' daddy bought a small, albeit sad smile t'my lips. Jessa had both heart and backbone, her treatment of both Ellison an' Cotton was proof of that.
Clearin' my throat to announce my presence, I entered the threshold while statin', "Here's the water an' bandages."
"That you, Levicy." Jessa told me as I brought the items ov'r to the bedside table.
"I've got my bag. Let's get t'work." Doc announced as he rushed into the room right as Jessa grabbed a rag and dipped it into the water; washin' the blood from Ellison's broad middle wit' it. "Levicy, Sully just pulled up with some of the women and chil'ren." Doc informed me, causin' me to let out a sigh. I knew as well as Doc did that this weren't the place for women an' chil'ren. No, not when at any moment Ellison would be screamin' in pain from gettin' operated on.
"I'll tell Sully to bring them to Cap's. It's not too far of a ride down the road; they'll be close by." I told Doc Rutherford 'fore walkin' out of the bedroom an' into my kitchen.
It was gonna be hard to have Sully send the women an' chil'ren 'way, but it's be even harder to keep them 'round while Ellison fought for his life. I'm sure that Sully won't mind watchin' after them til Ellison's on the mend or, God forbid, in his shroud.
Shaw POV:
"Lock 'em up in the barn." Devil Anse coldly ordered as we reached his house. Lias and Skunk Hair just nodded 'fore draggin' the prisoners off towards the large loft styled barn. Cap and Johnse didn't say a word, just dismounted their horses and took them to be put up. Various other Hatfield posse members did the same thing as my cousins, but I didn't. No, instead I rode up to the house with Uncle Jim; following Devil Anse and Judge Wall.
Right as we all reached the hitch-posts by the porch the front door swung open. Levicy emerged with a solemn look on her face. "Anderson, Doc Rutherford needs to speak to ya." She told her husband before lookin' to me and sayin', "Shaw, you need to join your wife an' Cotton in the master bedroom wit' Ellison. There's somethin' he wants to say to you."
Neither me nor Devil Anse said a word, instead we just nodded our heads and dismounted our horses. After tying our horses up, we ascended up the porch steps and into the house. We walked by Levicy, who was in the kitchen puttin' on a pot of coffee, and went over to the doorway that separated the master bedroom from the kitchen. The door was open, makin' it easy to look inside of the room. Sprawled out on the bed was Ellison. He was in pretty bad shape. Blood was pooled all around him and his entire torso was rapidly heavin' up and down as he struggled painfully to breath. Jessa was runnin' a wet cloth over his brow to cool him off while Cotton held his hand. Doc's bag was on the bed, open with all of his surgical tools scattered by it.
Doc was washin' his hands, which were caked with blood, as Anse broke the silence in the room by asking the heavy question on, "Is he gonna die?"
Doc's shoulders slumped as he dried off his hands. Both me and Anse walked inside of the room as Doc walked over to the doorway. As I made my way over to Ellison's bedside, I heard Doc's baffled and sorrowful answer of, "He should've already.", sound out in the air.
"Hey, buddy." I greeted Cotton softly, placin' a hand on his shoulder as I stopped next to his chair.
"Daddy's hurt really bad." Cotton told me, his eyes full of fear and sadness as he looked up at me. "Doc an' Jessa tried t'help, but the McCoys hurt 'im too bad." He explained, most likely as a way to process what was happening in his childlike mind.
"Shaw…Shaw…" Ellison called my name in a mere whisper.
"Yes, Ellison?" I answered him, my honey eyes full of concern as I gently sat down on the edge of his bed.
"You an' Jessa loo-look after Cotton f-for me." Ellison requested in a muttered and hoarse whisper.
"Don't worry, Ellison, we'll look after him for you." I assured my dying cousin, who looked like he was gonna go at any time. I knew better tho. I knew that he'd linger on in pain for a couple more days before finally succumbin' to fate.
"We'll treat him as our own." My wife added in with a warm smile. Her hands were caked with blood and her dress was stained with it too. I knew just by looking at her that Jessa was hands on with Doc, acting as a nurse while the man worked on my cousin.
"Tha-thank you." Ellison told me and Jessa before convulsing in pain. God, I felt so bad for the guy. I can't imagine how it must feel to be in pain; to know you're dying and have no way to stop it.
Me and Jessa shared a look, honey eyes meeting indigo, and we knew that on top of keepin' Endor safe we'd have to keep Cotton safe as well. A large feat considerin' that my slow-minded cousin's destined to be hung in 1890 for the murder of Alifair McCoy during the 1888 New Year's Raid.
AN:
Yikes, talk bout angst! Did anyone see that coming? (You know, Ellison asking Shaw and Jessa to look after Cotton for him?) How do you think Cap and Allie are going to react to Cotton's living arrangement if/when Ellison dies?
Also, I have an idea for another H&M story. It's Tolbert/OC (Misty the whore) centric. Anyone interested in reading that? I know, I already have too many stories going on as it is. LOL.