OBITUS

Death is a process...

It had been a cowardly act. Not a face to face call-out-in-a-dusty-street showdown, but concealed behind a rock high above where the odds were stacked in the long gun owner's favor.

He had heard Heyes' scream his name...and it had been a scream, not a yell but a gut wrenching, full of pain frightened scream.

By Heyes' reaction, Kid knew he must be hurt badly. Oddly, there wasn't much pain, only a persistent steady pressure to his right temple.

He could taste the blood mingled with dirt, gritty against his lips. The coppery smell of blood stung his nostrils.

This isn't good thought Kid...not good at all.

Had he envisioned his death this way? Guess he never thought of his actual death but the awareness that danger was always close. Closer than he imagined today.

He had felt the presence. A sixth sense that had caused him to stop his horse and start to turn in his saddle...an instinct that had he not stopped, he would have been killed instantly.

Instantly? Twenty minutes? Dead was dead, Kid conceded and maybe instantly was better. It wouldn't give Heyes the false hope that there was a chance

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Heyes turned towards Kid when he had stopped his horse. His mouth opened to ask him why he had stopped, but a single shot sounded before the question could be asked. In his mind, everything seemed to suddenly slow down as if he were watching it all unfold in slow motion. Kid's head jerked back, blood spraying a mist of red before he tumbled from his horse, as the question that was left unspoken suddenly became a long scream.

"KKKIIIDDD!"

Heyes leapt from his horse, gun in hand frantically searching the rocks above as he made his way towards his partner. A second shot sounded, causing Heyes to dive for cover as his heart pounded in his chest.

A familiar voice called out.

"Heyes! It's Preacher! You're safe. I shot the man that killed Kid."

Heyes frantically crawled the last few feet to his partner.

"NoNoNoNoNo!," Heyes managed to get out in a breathless agony.

He flattened out in the dirt, trying to look into Kid's eyes for any sign of life. One eye was closed, the other open held the briefest light of life left.

"Don't leave me! Don't you leave me." Heyes pleaded, almost angry.

Heyes' heard someone slide down the rocky incline. Heavy boots quickly made their way towards them. Heyes raised his head and met Preacher's eyes.

"He ain't dead" Heyes said, but his panicked helpless look told Preacher he wasn't sure for how much longer.

Preacher had never seen such anguish on a face. He knew both men and he knew how close they were, but to see it raw and unfiltered on Heyes' face caused him to feel a sudden tightness in his chest. Heyes wasn't only fighting for Kid's life, but his own too.

"Help...me." Heyes managed to choke out.

Preacher knelt on the other side of Kid's prone body, but his clear mind told them there was little for either man to do. It was out of their hands.

"Heyes I didn't know it was you and Kid we was suppose to kill."

Heyes looked up briefly, "You know I'd never hurt you boys. Said no once I saw it was you, but Logan got the shot off before I could stop him. But I made sure he didn't get a second shot off. The least I could do...just wish I was quicker."

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Kid wasn't sure who Heyes was talking to. The voice was strangely familiar. He knew he should recognize it but the effort seemed too great.

He felt his breathing and heart rate slow. Even though the day had been ungodly hot, he felt a coldness start to slowly inch up his body.

Ouch!

There was a sudden shock of pain as Kid was turned over on his back. Heyes pressed his blue bandana against his head trying to staunch the flow of blood. Kid knew head wounds bled like a stuck pig. The once dull throb of pain now screamed in his head.

Once the head pain started to subside, Kid was exhausted. His body felt incredibly heavy, as if gravity was trying to suck him into the ground.

Preacher pressed another bandana into Heyes' hand. He pulled the blood soaked bandana away and replaced it with the new one, crossing both hands gently over the wound for added pressure. If he could get the bleeding slowed enough he would be able to snake a finger into the wound to see how deep the bullet had traveled. Preacher was busy pulling blankets from the bedrolls and laying them over Kid. Heyes bunched one up and tucked it under Kid's head to elevate it.

Heyes stared at Kid's face hoping for any sign that would tell him what he was doing was helping. Kid's tanned face started to lose color and become pale as he breathing became more irregular.

"Come on Kid...Come on...You need to stay with me." Heyes' voice choked with fear and frustration as he struggled to get the words out. He could hear Kid's breathing continue to slow.

Heyes' raised desperate eyes to Preacher. Preacher turned away.

Heyes swallowed hard. He leaned across Kid's body until he was face to face with his partner

"DAMMIT KID! DON'T YOU GIVE UP!" He screamed.

Preacher stood up and went behind Heyes, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Heyes angrily swatted it away as he quickly stood up. Heyes pointed an accusing finger at Preacher,

"IF YOU HAD ONLY KILLED THE BASTARD BEFORE HE GOT THE SHOT OFF!"

He stomped away, before stopping with his back to Preacher as his shoulders shook with sobs.

Preacher walked over to Heyes again, and guided him back to Kid. They stood side by side over Kid's body.

"There is only one thing left to do," Preacher said softly.

Heyes raised hopeful eyes to Preacher. Preacher gently pulled Heyes to his knees as he knelt beside him. He nodded to Heyes and bowed his head to pray.

Heyes resisted, "I ain't religious Preacher. I don't know no prayers."

Preacher raised his head briefly to say, "Don't need to know any...just talk to Him. Just talk...you'll find the words." He bowed his head again and started silently praying.

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Kid had to admit, his life had always been a path of least resistance. Not that he was lazy, but why work harder than you needed? Seemed more like common sense than laziness. So it would have been easy to just let go. He felt that he was being lulled into the belief that that was his only choice. It was the easy path with no pain...no…

But no Heyes...It was time to fight harder than he ever had before.

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"Preacher..." Heyes said as he laid a hand on his shoulder before taking a seat next to him. Both men's eyes were drawn to Kid lying asleep in the hotel bed. A white wrap covered his forehead, with curls spilling out of the top. "I can't….What happened out there? You know Kid was good as dead. So…"

Preacher held his hand up stopping Heyes.

"Heyes, it ain't up to either one of us to know what kept the Kid alive. I've seen wounds half as bad as this kill a man in minutes.. It might be some Heavenly power. It might just be the Kid's stubborn constitution, or it might be you and me just did the right things at the right time. When push comes to shove, does it really matter?"

Heyes smiled and shook his head.

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Tweaked scene from "Never Trust An Honest Man."

OBITUS - the act of approaching or going towards…(death, etc)

Heartfelt thanks to "Sis" for her great ideas and input.

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