(AN: Hello Fellow readers. SirRedFox here posting a new installment of "The Good, The Bad, and The Wilde." First off, if you're reading this, YOU'RE AWESOME! And, thank you.
Quick Update: I'm still working hard on this story and will be releasing two other chapters very soon. I've been working on several FanFics. So, sorry for the long wait, but I've finally released five chapters of The Long Hustle vol. 2. It's gotten a lot of good comments to which I thank you all. I got a new editing system that I hope will really improve my writing.
In the Previous Installment: We got to see what exactly happened to Stu on his trip and how he barely survivied the ordeal. After being found by Judy, time was not on her side to save her father. Bogo went on a hypnotic journey and became confronted by his father. Also, a train filled with riches are suppose to be on its way to Zoopotipa.
So enjoy this new chapter of "The Good, The Bad, and The Wilde." And please, fill free to leave a review or comment. Thank you.)
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Ch. 6, Parasite:
"You're trying your best, too. Well,
you love her, after all."
- Parasite, 2019
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From the doorway into her father's room. Judy watched as his bandages were being changed for fresh ones by her mother and the town doctor. Looking at her father, he had become restricted to his bed ever since she found him on the side of that rocky cliff side. Remembering brought shivers down Judy's back.
Judy remembers finding him cureld under a small rock bed to escape the sun's rays. His face was blistered from the heat, but his lips were what got it the worest. They were swollen, dry, and bleeding from the cracked shaped blisters. The inside of his ears were badly sunburnt as well. His ankle was swollen and all his clothes were covered in splotches of blood.
Judy had to lift him up to stand on his one working foot and use the Henry rifle as a crutch, barrel pointed up. She had to help him limp to Luna. It became frustrating as she wanted to get to Luna as fast as possible, but too fast and her father would wail in pain. With all her strength she lefted her father up on Luna's back. Her father hung tightly to the Henry rifle like there was nothing else to hang on to. Judy sat behind him to hold him steady and to make sure he didn't fall off. With a sharp quick kick to Luna's side they rode as fast as Luna could go. Not once did they stop. Not even as the suns light vanished. They would ride till the Hopp's ranch was insight.
Her mother ran out of the house to help bring her father down. After that Judy let Luna regain her strength before riding into town to fetch the doctor. She lead the doctor down to her father's room. On the floor was the Henry rifle. 'Guess he, couldn't hold on to it anymore' Judy thought. The doctor arrived he was able to work what little magic he hand in his medicine bag. They turned him on his side for the doctor to patch up the bullet wound that went straight through him and where most of the bleeding was coming from and then to stich up to gash across his back. Good as he could make it, they all three rolled Stu on his back. The doctor took action bandaging the bullet's entrance hole and the vacant gap in his ear. The Wound on his neck had to be stitched first, then bandaged. Done with all he could do, the doctor said that it was all up to God now, whether he dies or not. All up to God now.
"Judy" her mother called out. She snapped back to her mother and the doctor giving her father clean wrappings. In her mother's hands bundled together were the old bandages soaked red with blood. "Can you take these to the fire outside and burn them?"
Judy took the rags into her hands. They felt heavy from all the blood soaked into them. She looked at the wall where the 1860 Henry hung. Down the hall, all her younger siblings poked their heads outside their rooms and into the hall. "What are y'all doin? You know you all got chores, don't ya?" A few of her younger siblings nod their heads. "Well...? Get going. Now," came Judy in a stern voice. Her siblings left their rooms, running outside to work their family farm.
Judy exited the house and brought the used bandages to the fire, like her mother had asked. Tossing the bandages into the fire, they ignited as soon as they touched the flames. Fire ingulfs the bandages and spill a thick black smoke. She became hypnotized by it for awhile. Something about the way the flames moved and danced gave a certain comfort, as if all their problems were burned away with the bandages.
Judy heard the front door to the house open. She turned to find the doctor and her mother talking in the door way. She had to find out how bad the damage was with her father, and how bad their financial situation was to be.
"He seems to be doing fine. At least he's in a stable condition."
"Thank you doctor," her mother whimpered in a soft tone, like one speaking a prayer.
"I know things are tough for you right now." The doctor comforting to her mother. "For you and your children. So, I wont be charging for my services at the moment." The doctor hopped into to a carriage buggy to ride him back into town. "I'll come back in a day or two, just for a quick check up. You ladies do take care." The doctor took his hat off to Judy and her mother, as respect and curtisy towards them. He then opened and stepped into the buggy awaiting him. The driver whipped the riens up for the horses to start moving.
Judy looked at her mother. Her eyes wide, holding back tears. She takes in a deep breath and turns to her daughter. "Judy, you sure there's no possibility of recovering anything from the wagon? Because I know it wont be long before the doctor comes back with a bill of payment due." Judy only shook her head no. The wagon was gone and broken, Bruce was dead and gone, all that remained were the dead bodies Judy had witnessed lying everywhere about. The birds worked on stripping their flesh to the bone, and then they'll be gone like the rest.
Judy's mother saw from behind her. Turning around, Judy could see the true horror barreling down the dirt road to their farm. It was the Welson's Banking Co. blood red carriage, speeding down the dirt road. The sheep driving the wagon pulls on the horses reins, making her come to a stop, which kicked up a large cloud of dirt.
The carriage door opens and Warren Welson steps out. He was wearing his usual business suit, like last time, and again with his long ears down and pinned behind his head. He gave a spiteful smile as he jumped out of the carrage and started walking up to Judy and her mother.
"Mama, go inside and make sure pa's okay, I'll deal with him." Judy's mother hurried back inside the house, closing the door behind her.
Judy stood her ground and didn't move, letting Warren come to her. Behind Warren, Andrew stepped out of the carriage. He waved his derby hat in front of his face, trying to clear the dirt clouds away from him. Andrew had a sad and concerned face, having to come to the ranch with his father. Warren was only a few feet in front of her.
"Well, Judy Hopps. Aren't you looking mighty beautiful on this fine sunny day"
"Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Welson" Judy said. Warren slowed his pace as he approached her.
"Why, I've come to pay my respects to your father" Warren said. "Word gets out fast around town. Right now the word through out the town is all about how your father fought off and survivied battle with those heathen bandits." Warren was only a few inches from Judy's face.
"If that is all you've come for, I'll gladly pass it on to my father." She gave a cringe worthy thank you to Warren Welson, hoping that was all he truly was here for.
"And to tell your father that we're foreclosing on your property" Warren said. He side stepped past Judy.
Warren's words echoed in Judy's head. With speed she positioned herself in front of Warren Welson, blocking his path. "You're not going anywhere near my father, you hear me" Judy said. "Waking up with a rattler coiled beside his bed would be more welcoming than you, you blood and soul sucking parasite." Judy gave a lite shove to Warren, pushing him back a step.
"I'm sorry," Warren was making it clear he had no sympathy to her or her father. "Welson's Banking Co. had given you and your family more than enough time to have your payment ready, and now is the time to collect."
Warren side stepped Judy. Judy tried to block his path again, he gave a forceful push, knocking her to the side. Warren was only a foot or two from the house door when it jerked open and the barrel of the scatter gun swung up to greet Warren in the face, which got him to stop. Judy saw it was her mother standing in the doorway, aiming the single barrel shotgun to Mr. Welson's head.
"Now you see here Mr. Welson," Judy's mother said in a stern tone of voice. "Your not taking one more step forward until my Stu is back on his own two feet, ya hear? Not unless you want your head blown clear off."
Mr. Welson starred down the barrel of the scatter gun. If one was to bare their eye through the barrel of the scatter gun, they would see the grudging face Mr. Welson was making. Mr. Welson extended out his right foot, with the heel touching the ground. Judy watched as the whole thing unwravel. Mr. Welson leaned forward, and as he did Judy's mother cocked back the steel hammer on the gun.
"Pa!" Andrew yelled outto his father. "The ranch isn't going anywhere, and kicking an injured mammal out of his bed while he's still recovering from nearly lieing in his grave, will look bad for business. Like Mrs. Hopps said, lets wait till Mr. Hopps can stand on his own two feet. We will bring the law with us next time. That way no one gets hurt."
"Except to me and my family, who've worked on this land to make it a good home," Judy, spiting her words at Andrew.
"I'm sure we can find some possible accomendation for you and your family, Judy." He looked back up at his pa, who was still starring down the barrel of the scatter gun. "Lets go pa." Warren did not move. "You know I'm right when I say that doing this now will besmirch the Company of this town."
Mr. Welson turned around, muttering out loud to himself and stompping heavily back to the carriage. He passed Judy, she could just make out his muttering and his annoyance. Stating they're the only banking company this damn town has. He gave a forceful shove to his son to get back into the carriage. Once stepping in himself, he slammed the carriage door. The driver took that as his que to go. Barreling the buggy back down their dirt road.
Judy ran to her mother who had just lowered the single barrel shotgun. "Mama," Judy said in a frantic voice. "Are you okay?" her mother showed she was okay. Judy saw the gun in her hands. "Mama, I unloaded that gun when I got back. Did you reload it?"
Bonnie looks at her daughter. "No," she says and opens the barrel ajscent. The gun was empty, holding no bullet. "But It's probably best we keep it loaded for now on."
Bonnie handed the gun off to Judy and went back inside. Judy leaned against the door and took in a deep breath and let it out slowly while shaking head.'What are we going to do?' she thought.
Out in the distance, Judy could hear the loud steam whistle of one the locamotive in the far far distance. Probably miles away. The train was probably on its way to Zootopia. The place every mammal wanted to go to escape their problems. As if it be the land of milk and honey. How she envied the riders on that train.
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(AN: Thank you for reading, and Thank you for reading this. Again, YOU'RE AWESOME! I hope you enjoyed this new installment. Leaving you to wonder how will the relationship between Bogo and his father. The next chapter will reveal the Hopps after the sudden tragedy.
This chapter is pretty self explanatory, but next chapter is the one everyone has been waiting for. The arriving train to Zootopia filled with riches. Definitely a chapter you don't want to miss and will be released within three days time.
As I said before, please leave a commit on how you'd rather have future chapters come out. Thank you!
- SirRedFox.)