Ch 17
"Lou you ok?" Asked Buck.
"Yeah." Rasped Lou.
Kid ran to Teaspoon as he was coming to.
"Teaspoon?"
"Where's Jimmy? Lou?"
"Lou's right here. I'm going to check on Jimmy." Said Kid.
"Where is he?"
"He fell through the window."
"He alive?"
"I'm not sure, Dot and Shannon are dead. I'll be back."
Kid ran down and found a crowd had gathered. He pushed his way through and found Ike standing over Shannon. Noah was by Jimmy.
"Ike?"
Ike shook his head, standing back.
He ran to Noah.
"Noah?"
"He is cut from the glass. He keeps going in and out. We need the doc."
"I'm going."
Kid pushed his way through. He made his way back shortly with help. Jimmy opened his eyes.
"What's his name?"
"Jimmy." Said Noah.
"Jimmy, can you hear me?"
Jimmy tried to focus. He felt drowsy. He looked around.
"Jimmy, look at me."
He tried but he couldn't quite get a grasp on sanity yet. His mind was sleepy.
The doctor looked in his eyes. He pulled his sleeves up. He looked to Kid and Noah.
"What's wrong?" Asked Kid.
"He has been given something and looks like it has been for some time. Look at his arms. He is coming out of it but it will take a while."
"He was taken. We found a needle thing and a bottle. Our local doctor told us it was morphine."
"That explains the marks. I have one. Did it look like this?"
The young doctor dug in his bag and pulled out a needle.
"That's it."
"Our doc told us that it hasn't made it this far west. That it was in the east." Said Kid.
"I just finished my studies. I studied in New York. I brought this one with me. It is a very helpful tool."
"What do we do?"
Jimmy moaned. The doctor turned him on his side to look him over.
"Let's get him out the street and away from prying eyes."
Noah and Kid carried Jimmy through the crowd and into the doctor's office. Once he was settled, Kid went back to the hotel to find Buck and Lou speaking with the undertaker. Teaspoon was holding a rag on his head speaking to the Marshal.
"They are taking care of everyone." Said Buck.
"Teaspoon is clearing this all up." Rasped Lou.
"Lou are you ok? You sound horrible." Said Kid.
"My throat is killing me."
"Let's get you over to the doc's. You got some bad bruising."
Teaspoon shook the Marshal's hand. Buck and Ike helped Teaspoon over to the doctor's while Kid ushered Lou. They walked in and spoke to Noah.
"Doc says Jimmy should be fine. He had one bad cut on his back. He was able to clean and stitch it. He got all the glass out. He says he didn't break anything but he is pretty banged up from the fall."
"Good to hear." Said Teaspoon.
"He is still pretty shook up. Doc says he was drugged for a while. He is coming out of it now. He is surprised that it didn't kill him."
"Who would have known that all this would come about." Sighed Teaspoon.
The young doctor walked out. He saw all the others waiting.
"He should be fine. It will take him a little longer to get his senses back. He's almost there. He is a very lucky young man. Now let's see to you."
The doctor cleaned Teaspoon's head and stitched it. She checked Lou's throat. She would be fine as soon as some of the swelling went down. The group waited another two days before packing up to go home. Teaspoon walked over to the doctor's office as Jimmy was coming out the door.
"Morning."
"Morning Teaspoon."
"All set."
"Yeah."
"Feelin ok?"
"A little shaky but that's it. Sore all over."
"We got you a horse ready."
Jimmy nodded and walked over to the horse. It felt good to ride again. He looked at all his friends.
"Thanks for coming for me."
"You don't have to say anything. That's what we do." Said Kid.
"Just don't go getting any more secret admirers." Smiled Noah.
"Sorry about your friend." Whispered Lou.
"Me too. She killed him because of me."
"No son, she killed before she met you and she would have killed long after. She had lost her mind. Remember that." Said Teaspoon.
"Just remind me that next time Cody brings home a new lady love, to pack my things and run away."
"Don't worry bout that. He ain't gonna be allowed to date anymore."
"Yeah right."
"You ready to go home?"
"As long as I don't take any more runs with Cody."
"We might can arrange that."
The group laughed and turned their horses toward the horizon.
The End