*Author's Note*

Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows.

This chapter's a bit heavy. Clearly Novella's views on the pawpaw incident's a bit different then the rest of her family. The fact that she's seen the damage the McCoy boys did to Ellison and was there when he died and Cotton freaked plays a big role in why she's more understanding to why her husband and his brothers aren't coming home alive.

This is another long chapter, FYI. Anyways have fun reading.

The Pawpaw Trees

Novella POV:

Two days, it's been two whole days since Cap sent me 'way to wait for somebody to fetch me for my final goodbyes for Tolbert, Pharmer, and Bud and I felt like a nervous wreck. I knew what was comin', just not when. It was currently mid-mornin', bright rays of light shinnin' thru the windows, while a slight breeze rustled the leaves on the near bare trees outside. Apples were fallin' randomly off the yard tree due to gravity an' them bein' over-ripe, unpicked.

I was keepin' busy, tryin' to stay sane, by cleanin' my kitchen. Rihanna was in her room takin' her mid-mornin' nap while Moses was over keepin' me company, sittin' at my kitchen table sippin' on a cup of coffee. Dear lord, since when did my 12-year-old brother start drinkin' coffee? He was growin' up too fast, 'fore long he'd be a young man. I mean soon he'd be 13, his voice'll start changin', and all that jazz. I dunno, it just felt weird that my little brother, that only came into my life a few weeks 'fore my marriage to Tolbert, was growin' so fast. Eh, guess everythin' goin' on's makin' me all sentimental.

"They'll prolly get their posse rounded up an' ready t'go today. It's been two days; the posse'll be huge." Moses piped up from the kitchen table, givin' me a pointed look from behind his coffee mug.

"Yea." I simply told my brother, wipin' my counters clean wit' a rag soaked in a hot water and lye solution.

"If Devil Anse and his don't do their revenge justice soon then it ain't gonna get done. Posse'll stop it." My brother told me as he set his coffee on the table wit' a loud thunk.

"Do you want a ribbon or somethin' to tie your hair back outta your eyes with?" I asked, changin' the subject off of my husband's impendin' death and the posse gatherin' to save him and his brothers, since I noticed Moses kept pushin' his near jawline long hair 'way from his face. Bet Uncle Perry must hate how long Mo was growin' his hair out.

"Sure." Moses nodded, causin' me to drop the rag in my hand onto the counter and to go into my room to grab the offered ribbon. I grabbed a brown one from the small box on the dresser and went back into the kitchen. Wordlessly I went over to my brother and handed him the ribbon. "Thanks, sissy." He told me as he took it from my hand.

"You're welcome." I simply replied to him out of reflex 'fore I went back to the counter.

As Moses pulled the top half of his hair back, creatin' a sloppy half-bun, I resumed my cleanin'. I could feel his cerulean eyes burnin' into me, studyin' me, as I wiped off the counter. "Does this put a damper on your affair wit' Cap? Y'know, him havin' to put a bullet in Tolbert and all."

"Mo, I'm not havin' an affair wit' Cap. I don't know where ya heard that, but it ain't true."

"Ah, then it was once true wasn't it?" As asked, a knowin' tone laced in his voice, as he grabbed his mug off the table.

"Why're ya askin' me this?"

"I overheard Uncle Perry and Nutty Nancy talkin' 'bout your affair wit' Cap once or twice when I was workin' as his file clerk after school. They hate him an' you're not high on their like list anymore either." Moses revealed, his voice a bit heavy and serious, as he thrummed his fingers 'gainst the table.

"You're worried that after the McCoy boys get killed by the Hatfields that Uncle Perry and Nancy, who ya shouldn't be callin' nutty, are gonna come up wit' a scheme of some kind? Somethin' that might affect me?"

"Pretty much, yea."

"Don't worry, I can handle myself."

"If ya can't I'm sure Cap'll help ya out. He likes ya likes ya."

"No he don't, 'sides I ain't gonna need his help."

'Fore Moses could open his mouth an' say anythin' a knock sounded at the door. Oh god, this was it. I was bein' fetched for my final goodbyes. I dropped my rag on the counter while my brother just eyed the door, tiltin' his head to it in a silent gesture lettin' me know that I better get it. Quickly, I made my way over to the door and opened it. In front of me standin' on the front porch was Reverend Garrett, a somber look on his face. I saw behind him in his wagon Aunt Sally was sittin' on the front bench holdin' a basket in a white-knuckled grip. Ah, she was bringin' her boys their last super.

The reverend stood tall wit' a caring look on his face as he told me in a steady, but sincere tone, "Mrs. McCoy, Captain Anderson Hatfield's sent me to fetch you to see your husband an' his brothers one last time."

With a nod I told him, "Okay, I'm ready to go, Reverend Garrett."

"Are you sure ya don't want to bring them anythin'?" Reverend Garret asked me, a questionin' look on his salt an' pepper bearded face.

"No, I'm sure Aunt Sally's taken care of that." I told him, to which he just nodded. Lookin' over my shoulder I told my brother, "Moses, take care of Rihanna til I get back."

"I will. Got nothin' else t'do anyhow." Moses responded, sippin' on his coffee. God, my brother was such a mouthy sarcastic shithead. The total opposite of our uncle, how those two live in the same house is beyond me.

I just nodded at my brother 'fore turnin' my attention back to the preacher standin' in front of me. "Well, lets be on our way." He told me, steppin' aside so that I could walk out the door.

Silently I walked out of my cabin and 'cross the porch. Reverend Garrett followed behind me as I made my way down the steps and over to the wagon that Aunt Sally was sittin' in. When I reached the wagon, I climbed into the back, with the help of the reverend. Aunt Sally just looked over her shoulder at me with a sad look on her face while the reverend made his way over to the front of the wagon. "Perhaps their hearts can still be changed. I'll ask if he'll reconsider lettin' me take the boys home." My mother-in-law told me, a broken hopefulness in her voice, as Reverend Garrett climbed up into the driver's seat next to her.

I didn't have a reply for Aunt Sally. At least not one that she'd want to hear, so I remained quiet. Just opted to nod at her an' give her a sad line of a smile. I knew that Devil Anse wasn't gonna give her the boys back. Not after how brutal his brother's death was and how bad it affected the family. Devil Anse and everyone that was his kin and friends wanted revenge for Ellison and by god they were gonna get it. I understood why they felt that way. Legally this was a touchy matter, since the penalty for death is death, but that verdict has to be handed out by a judge and jury not vigilante justice.

Maybe Aunt Sally had hope that she'd be able to change Devil Anse's mind wit' her mother's tears an' pleas, but I knew it was useless and wouldn't work. Hopefully when we arrive to wherever Tolbert, Pharmer, and Bud are she doesn't make too much of a fool outta herself wit' her pleas and cries. I don't think I can handle watchin' Aunt Sally loose it while I'm tryin' so hard to keep it together.

We crossed over the Tug into West Virginia and got onto the path that led to the old abandoned schoolhouse. A path that I walked everyday for months after comin' to these backhills, that is 'fore my uncle took me out of the school due to a fight. The pathway was a bit overgrown wit' wild bushes an' foliage, but I still remembered it. The only sound in the air as we rode down the dirt path was the crunchin' of wheels rollin' over fallen leaves mixed in wit' the light taps of hooves that belonged to the team of horses pullin' the wagon.

The further on the path we went the more my anxiety started to kick in. It was hittin' me like a hard slap 'cross the face that this'd be the last time I'd ever see Tolbert, Pharmer and Bud too. But Tolbert was my husband and the fact that this was it, my last few moments I'd ever spend wit' him, was a lot to take in. I could see Aunt Sally slightly shakin' in the seat in front of me and I felt so bad for her. I was sayin' goodbye to my husband, who I hadn't exactly felt a lovin' connection wit' for a while now, and his brothers, but she was sayin' her final goodbyes to her sons. As a mother that's lost sons my heart ached for my mother-in-law. The pain she was in I could relate with, losin' a child is a horrible feelin'. So horrible that I don't have any words to describe it.

But I couldn't turn a blind eye to what my husband an' his brothers done to get to the point where their lives were bein' cut short so soon. I couldn't ignore the fact that they killed somebody all cause Tolbert was drunk an' in a foul mood. They had Ellison's innocent blood stainin' their hands and the Hatfields' cries for revenge was just too loud not to understand their pain and where they were comin' from.

Lord, I felt like I was stuck in the middle of this tricky situation. I didn't condone the unlawful execution that was gonna be done on my husband an' his brothers, but I didn't condemn it either.

I was shaken from my thoughts as my eyes fell onto the abandoned an' boarded up old schoolhouse in the short distance up 'head. Men were littered all 'long the trees in a small radius surroundin' the path leadin' up to the old wooden buildin'. I could identify Alex Messer, Lark Varney, and Frenchie in the beginin' of the men lined up. Further up I noticed that Selkirk, Johnse, an' Sawyer were near some trees a few yards from the schoolhouse. As Reverend Garrett pulled the wagon to a stop I noticed that right next to the door was Devil Anse wit' Cap by his side. Jim Vance was behind them, a bored expression on his tobacco stained bearded face. Flankin' the other side of the buildin' was Skunk Hair an' Lias, while some more guards that I knew to be the Maines brothers were standin' a few paces way by some trees.

Aunt Sally got out of the wagon with slow shaky movements while Reverend Garret got down an' went over to the back to help me out. Help I didn't really need since I was already half out whenever he got to me. As soon as my feet hit the ground Aunt Sally appeared at my side, large covered basket slung over her arm. She looped her arm into mine, wantin' me to walk wit' her to the schoolhouse for emotional support. Even tho she was the older woman and mother in this situation I had to be the backbone an' strength, she was to weak-spined an' was lettin' her emotions get the better of her.

The reverend nodded his head at us, lettin' us know that it was time to go to the abandoned schoolhouse turned makeshift jail. I walked wit' my head held high and my chest tight, I felt like I was draggin' Aunt Sally next to me instead of walkin' wit' her since her movements were so heavy an' weighted. Reverend Garrett walked a bit 'head of us and reached Devil Anse near the door 'fore we did. I don't know what the preacher told the hardened man, but whatever it was made Devil Anse snap out loudly with a deep rumble of, "Save it for your congregation, preacher."

As we reached the door to the schoolhouse Aunt Sally tore her arm from mine, set her basket on the ground, and dropped on her knees at Devil Anse's feet. Oh no, she was serious 'bout beggin' him for her sons back. "Please, Captain Hatfield, let me take them back to Kentucky with me. Please, please, don't do this."

Oh yea, now this was both sad an' awkward. Skunk Hair and Lias had sympathy in their eyes while Johnse in the distance looked like he was goin' to be sick. Selkirk couldn't even look, it was obvious seein' his estranged aunt beggin' for her sons' lives was a bit upsettin' to him. Sawyer was slightly shakin' his head, silently tellin' me that Aunt Sally's cries were gonna go unheard. Jim Vance rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed by the beggin' my mother-in-law was doin'. Cap was starin' at me, an unreadable look in his lone icy-blue eye an' it's milky-white twin.

Devil Anse looked down at the woman cryin' at his feet wit' an emotionless cold look in his eyes. He took a deep puff off his pipe 'fore pointin' it at her an' sayin' in a deep rough tone, "You'll get 'em back a'ight, I'll make sure of that."

Aunt Sally paled an' started to shake. Turnin' her gaze on me she said in a low orderin' whisper, "Tell 'em to give us the boys back. They might listen to ya."

I just shook my head, lettin' her know that I'd do no such thing. I've had a couple of days to mull ov'r the fate of my husband an' his brothers, to accept it. I've come to terms wit' it, as hard as that is. I just took a deep breath and walked into the old schoolhouse, leavin' Reverend Garrett to deal wit' a near hysterical Aunt Sally. I couldn't deal wit' her, don't think I could keep my senses straight if I did.

"Ella…" Fell off of Tolbert's lips as he watched me enter his prison. He was sittin' at an old desk, so were Pharmer an' Bud.

"Hi, Tolbert." I said wit' a weak smile as I walked deeper into the room. "Bud, Pharmer." I nodded their way, acknowledgin' them as well.

"I didn't think they'd let me see ya. Where's Rihanna?" Tolbert told me, his velvet gruff tone a bit wispy, as he stood from his seat an' rushed over to where I had come to a stop in the middle of the room.

"She's at home wit' my brother watchin' her." I revealed, nervously wringin' my hands. Lookin' at my husband an' seein' the days old blood stainin' his hands an' shirt was just sickenin'. Lookin' past him an' seein' that the blood was also stainin' his brothers as well was way too much. These men gone done murder, had the evidence on them, an' didn't show one ounce of remorse in their faces or body language.

"I've missed ya, darlin'." Tolbert told me, his smooth voice a bit soft, as he stood in front of me. He placed his hand, his hand stained wit' the dark crusted crimson blood of Ellison, on my cheek. He pulled me in for a kiss, one that sadly I couldn't respond to. When he pulled 'way from me he was searchin' my eyes for a sign that I missed him, his stormy-slate blues narrowed in confusion.

My stomach was flip-floppin' an' I felt like I was gonna be sick. My husband had innocent blood caked on his hands an' he expected me to kiss him, love on him, like nothin' had happened. Dear lord, Tolbert wasn't quite right in the head.

The door creaked open, causin' a burst of light to enter the boarded-up room. I knew who had entered, Aunt Sally and Reverend Garrett. My instincts were tellin' me to bolt, which I did as I heard Bud's voice behind me exclaim, "Mama!"

"Ella, come back 'ere!" Tolbert shouted as I exited the schoolhouse, slammin' the door shut behind me.

I braced myself on the wooden corner of the buildin' as I started to shake an' spit up bile. It was just too much seein' my husband and his brothers covered in blood, knowin' they killed somebody. What trigged my shot nerves an' upset stomach was Tolbert touchin' me wit' his blood tainted hands. I felt my knees give way an' I collapsed to the ground, heavin' up dry spit.

"Sweetlin', ya a'ight?" Cap asked me, placin' his calloused hand gently on my shoulder as he bent down next to me.

"He touched me wit' his bloody hands, Cap." I told him, turnin' my head to look at him, as my flowin' voice started to shake. Wit' my bottom lip tremblin' I admitted, "I just couldn't take it. Felt too wrong."

"Ssh, calm down." Cap's deep rollin' timbre softly whispered into my eat as he rubbed my back soothin'ly. "Ya gotta put yourself together, can't be fallin' part now when ya got a girl at home dependin' on ya." He reminded me of why I needed to be strong as his hand went back to my shoulder, his thumb grazin' me slightly.

"I know." I whispered, noddin' my head at him. He was right, I needed to keep my wits 'bout me.

"Come on, let's get'cha up." Cap suggested as he stood up, bringin' me up wit' him. "Just lean 'gainst the wall an' take some deep breaths t'calm down wit'." He instructed me, standin' by my side in case I needed his help to calm myself down 'gain due to an anxiety attack.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me, but I knew they weren't judgmental tho. No, they were more sympathetic. I was Sawyer's cousin who had a thing goin' on wit' Cap an' happened to be married to one of the killer McCoys. Talk bout bein' thrown into a feud, no matter what I was stuck in the middle of this shit. That's why the eyes on me were sympathetic an' not judgmental.

Tolbert POV:

"Ella, come back 'ere!" I shouted at my wife as she ran out of the room lookin' like she was gonna break. My poor Ella, seein' me locked up like a caged animal's sendin' her into a deep grief. She can't handle it.

"I brought some foods from home." Mama announced as she went over to a stool an' small table that was near the entrance. "Some bread your sister baked." She said, pullin' out two loaves of warm fresh baked bread, as me an' my brothers walked ov'r to her. "Some chicken, apples from the yard tree, an' cheese." She listed off, takin' ever'thin' outta the basket. "One ya like, Bud." She added in 'bout the cheese, givin' my lil brother a sad smile.

Bud grabbed an apple and went over to take a seat by the window. The reverend stood slightly behind mama an' opened his bible while sayin', "Accordin' to the book of-" He started 'til I held my hand up an' cut him off wit' a forceful, "Hold up, Reverend." The holy man just nodded his head an' motioned for me to proceed. Lookin' at my mama I asked, "Is poppy comin'?"

"My boys, you'll never understand the pain that comes wit' birthin' a child." Of course not, we're men. I know how much birth hurt for Novella just by the screams an' cries I heard echoin' out of the cabin. Hell, Tol's birth must've been more then painful for Ella since he came breech an' nearly killed my wife. God, how I missed my boy. Nothin's been right since Tol died. "A pain I welcomed ov'r an' ov'r 'gain to have each of ya. I love ya'll, always." Ma told us, her lip tremblin' as she held back tears. Oh dear god, mama was sayin' goodbye to us.

"What 'bout poppy?" Pharmer asked, the weight of her words not hittin' him. He never had chil'ren, never had a courtship either, so I think that's why he wasn't realizin' what was goin' on. I don't even know if Bud was gettin' it either since he was just sittin' by the window eatin' a damn apple.

"Poppy'll always love you too." Mama told Pharmer, her voice shaky an' high-pitched, as she looked at him wit' sad eyes.

"We saw poppy try an' come for us earlier. When's he gonna get us-" Pharmer was tellin' our mama, only cuttin' his sentence off when I placed a heavy hand of his shoulder, silently lettin' him know that we weren't goin' home an' were gonna die. His face paled as the weight of everythin' finally hit him. Bud, now realizin' what was goin' on, let his apple on the windowsill an' went ov'r t'stand next to Pharmer.

Reverend Garrett started to read a bible verse 'bout meetin' the sword of death while mama gave us each a kiss goodbye. God, no wonder my wife bolted from the room, she knew I was gonna die an' couldn't handle it.

Novella POV:

The door creaked open an' out walked Aunt Sally, empty basket slung over her arm, accompanied by Reverend Garrett. Aunt Sally turned her head to look at me as I was leanin' 'gainst the wall wit' Cap by my side. Her eyes suddenly got the glossed over out of it look that took ov'r when one of her seer visions took hold. Oh no, not now. I quickly went over to my mother-in-law and placed my hand on her shoulder, givin' her a concerned look. Aunt Sally looked at me like I was a spec of dirt on a freshly moped floor as she hissed, "How could you? He kills your husband."

"Let's go, Aunt Sally." I told her, placin' a hand on her upper back as I started to usher her towards the reverends wagon.

"That man kills your husband an' you choose to-" Aunt Sally began to hysterically hiss at me til I roughly cut her off wit' a snap of, "Not here, not now." As I dragged her over to the wagon I told her, "Let's go, ya can babble bout your stupid sight later."

Reverend Garrett didn't say a word, just followed behind me an' my mother-in-law to his wagon. I let him help Aunt Sally into the front of the wagon while I quickly scrambled into the back. I just wanted to leave, everythin' was too much to deal wit' and now Aunt Sally's sight was kickin' in. Somethin' I wanted no part in at the moment. She could save her seer's visions til a time where I wasn't ready to crumble to the floor feelin' weighed down by my emotions.

As the reverend snapped the reigns and made the wagon move I watched all the men 'round the abandoned schoolhouse turned makeshift jail. When my eyes met Cap's mismatched ones I noticed that even tho his face was a stone-cold slab his eyes had a sliver of compassion in them for me. Somethin' that I wasn't expectin'.

As the wagon went deeper on the wood surrounded path the old schoolhouse got smaller an' smaller til it an' the men guardin' it disappeared from my line of sight completely. Now's the time for Tolbert, Pharmer, an' Bud to face the music an' meet their maker. Hopefully it'll be quick, they won't suffer too much in whatever Devil Anse has planned for them.

Tolbert POV:

Shortly after mama, Ella, an' the reverend left the door open an' in walked Skunk Hair an' Lias. They had rifles ov'r their shoulders an' ropes in their hands. So, it was time for 'em to tie our hands up, drag us to our doom. I didn't say a word, just turned my nose up in disgust, as they walked ov'r to us. They set their guns 'gainst a desk, knowin' we wouldn't try nothin' since there was a hoard of HAtfields outside the room. Lias went ov'r to Pharmer an' tied his hands t'gether infront of him, Bud sittin' next to them lookin' wit' fearful wide eyes. Skunk Hair grabbed my hands an' tightly bound them t'gether. He roughly pulled me to my feet, then went to Pharmer an' roughly pulled him up, while Lias had gone ov'r to Bud an' tied up his hands. Lias pulled my Bud to his feet a bit nicer then how Skunk Hair had done to me an' Pharmer. I think he was just nicer to him cause of his age, bein' so yung.

They grabbed their guns an' held them pointed to our backs as they ushered us 'cross the room an' outta the door. Hatfields an' their ilk s'rounded us as we were shoved ov'r to a sled that was hitched an' ready to take us to our death. We were roughly shoved to our knees on the sled. Lias tied up Pharmer to the sled while Skunk Hair tied up Bud, he was actually nice to him. I sat 'tween my brother an' nearly had my arms yanked off by Cap, who roughly tied me up to the middle of the sled. He was starin' at me wt' his hard-cold eyes, they both looked dead even tho only one was blank.

After a few tugs, makin' sure I was tightly bound, Cap stood up an' grabbed his Winchester. He shot me a blood freezin' look 'fore steppin' to the side of the sled. I saw the Skunk Hair was on the other side of the sled wit' Lias. Jim Vance walked up to the boy holdin' the reigns of the horse hooked up to the wagon an' told him in a drawled-out order, "Anse says its time. Get goin' to 'em wood 'cross the Tug."

Oh god, we're gonna be murdered on our home Kentucky soil. My brothers flankin' me were snivelin' an' wimperin'. They were 'fraid, didn't wanna die. Hell, I didn't wanna die either, but I weren't gonna be a snivelin' brat showin' fear. Wouldn't let the Hatfields get the sastifaction.

Jim Vance took his place next t'Cap as the sled started to move, takin' us to where our death lay 'head.

The sled sloshed thru the water as we crossed the Tug. The wood planks kept us from gettin' wet. Cap's long legs stirred up the water, soakin' his legs a bit as he trudged wit' his Winchester pointed at us. Don't know why he's got his rifle trained on us tho, not like we're goin' anywhere we ain't s'posed to be. Jim Vance was givin' me a heartless cold stare as his legs waddles an' splashed thru the Tug. Jim Vance wanted me dead, I knew he did by how his eyes cut me in half.

As we went further long in the woods I figured out where the Hatfields were takin' us. I knew the area well. I was the woods full of pawpaw trees in Blackberry Creek, not that far from home. They were gonna kill us where our family'd be able to easily find us. I pray that Ella nev'r had to witness what my corpse looks like, the aftermath of them killin' me. I think it'd break her, make her snap.

The sled came to a stop at the word of Jim Vance. He pointed to Lias, Skunk Hair, an' Cap, then to us lettin' them know t'untie us. As they were untyin' us Alex Messer, Johnse, an' Selkirk came ov'r to stand by them. Devil Anse was walkin' by, tall an' stern wit' his rifle in his hand. "Bud." He told Skunk Hair an' Alex Messer, pointin' to a tree. They silently nodded their heads an' dragged my lil brother to his tree. Pointin' to the next tree the devil told Lias an' Johnse, "Pharmer's here." Lias an' Johnse nodded then nudged my other brother t'his tree. Last was me. I was stuck wit' Cap an' Selkirk. Devil Anse didn't say a word just pointed to the tree next to where Pharmer was bein' tied to. Cap didn't nod or made a motion that he understood, just grabbed me by the collar an' drug me ov'r t'my tree o'death. Selkirk shuffled b'hind us, lookin' pale an' distraught.

Cap shoved me 'gainst the long trunk of the pawpaw tree an' crouched down, long rope in hand, to tie up my legs. Selkirk was standin' next to me, tyin' my shoulders up to the tree. I was cuttin' Cap a hard-hateful look, lettin' him know that if I wasn't tied up wit' guns trained on me I'd be beatin' his ass. Cap looked up at me wit' a bone chillin' look. As he tightly tied the knot on the rope 'round my legs his deep voice rumbled, "Ya reap what ya sow."

Dumb one-eyed bastard. His fault, his family's fault, I' gonna die tied to a damn tree. Nothin' I sowed caused this, it's them Hatfields always wantin' t'give us McCoys hell's what did it.

After makin' sure my legs were tightly bound to the pawpaw tree, Cap stood up an' walked ov'r to his disgustin' pungent smellin' uncle, Jim Vance, while Selkirk gave me a sympathetic look 'fore shakin' his head an' fallin' into the line that was full of men ready to kill on the devil's command.

Cap POV:

As soon as I joined Uncle Jim in the line he pointed at Tolbert while tellin' me, "Tolbert first." Great, just great, I was gonna be shootin' that sonuva bitch. I was the last, or first dependin' on how ya looked at it, in line an' I was directly standin' 'cross from Tolbert. He just kept givin' me dirty hollow looks. Damn bastard's gonna die an' he's still as hateful as ever. I always knew he was a crazy drunk, but bein' hateful the day of his death that's a result of committin' a damn murder just proves it.

I held my gun loosely in my hands as I watched my pa, smokin' his pipe an' clutchin' his rifle, walk up to the McCoy boys. "Ya know what's gonna happen?" He asked them, gettin' nothin', but blank stares in reply. Pa took his pipe from his mouth an' pointed it at the McCoys while askin', "Ya boys know why?" Once 'gain the only reply he got from them were blank stares. Eh, Tolbert furrowed his brows, reckon that counts as somethin' other than a blank look. Pa just stuck his pipe in the corner of his mouth an' went back to the empty spot in the middle of the line. "Make yourselves ready." He instructed, his voice deep an' comandin'. Bud started t'ball his eyes out which caused Pharmer to grab his hand, to clutch it tightly. Clearly, they were tryin' to make peace an' ask for forgiveness from their maker, but their older crazy brother wasn't. No, Tolbert's nose was crunched up hatefully as a storm brewed in his slate-blue eyes. Reckon he didn't think he did nothin' wrong. Stupid prick. "Ready your arms." Pa instructed, causin' everyone to raise their rifles.

Uncle Jim actually took his pistol from his holster, cocked it an' trained it on Tolbert. I was holdin' my Winchester, but just couldn't aim it at Tolbert. I knew he had'a die, but Nova was married t'him an' I didn't want her to hate me for killin' her husband. I knew they had problems, but I don't think she wished him no harm.

"Come on." Uncle Jim hissed at me, smackin' my shoulder an' noddin' his head at Tolbert. Quickly I trained my rifle on the man directly in front of me, readyin' it for a shot.

"Harden your hearts." Pa instructed, warnin' us that the upcomin' moment would be the final breaths of the boys tied up to the pawpaws in front of us. "Fire!"

I let off my shot, sendin' a bullet to pierce right thru Tolbert's rotten black heart. Uncle Jim shot him in the chest, then took 'nother shot at him. It was a lazy shot that went in the gut. Sawyer was on the other side of Jim an' he made sure to shoot the crazy ginger-haired McCoy a few times. With all the bullets piercin' Tolbert the impact was makin' his tightly bound up body shake an' he nearly spun clean 'round the tree too. Pharmer's fat ass just drooped an' sagged from bein' shot at while Bud's leaned at bit. When all shots ceased Tolbert was the one wit' the most damage, his lifeless body hangin' wit' an arm over his face. Uncle Jim walked ov'r to Tolbert an' fired a bullet in his skull, makin' sure he was truly dead an' gone. He went over to the other two boys an' did the same.

Pa just nodded his head solemnly, guesturin' for us to leave. Lias took his hat off, bowin' at the dead in pity. Johnse looked like he was gonna throw up, he was pale an' shakin'. Selkirk looked torn, poor guy had to kill his kin. Skunk Hair's eyes showed a slight hint of sympathy as he looked at Bud 'fore walkin' off. It was clear that the youngest McCoy boy didn't stand a chance, he was always quiet an' did what his brothers pressured him into. The ring leader brother was the crazy one, Tolbert. Bud never stood a chance wit' him as the shot caller.

I looked at Tolbert one last time 'fore turnin' my back on his bullet riddled corpse an' walkin' way from the line of pawpaw trees. I felt no satisfaction in takin' Tolbert's life. My Uncle Ellison was revenged now, that was all. Truthfully I felt a mix of hollowness an' guilt. Even tho Tolbert was a mad dog that needed put down he was Nova's husband. True, I did want her to divorce him an' end the bad marriage, but I never wanted to be the cause of her marriage endin' or bring her pain. Even tho I knew deep down she didn't love him, at least not how she should, I also knew that on some level she'd be feelin' pain. I didn't want t'be the cause of her pain.

I didn't have the luxury to be pickin' apart the situation, life moved on an' I just had'a live wit' what I'd done. No goin' back an' changin' it, what's done's done. I only hope that Novella doesn't hate me, that she can understand that what I did was no easy task.

Novella POV:

We were on our way home whenever we met up wit' Ole Rand'l, Jim, Calvin, an' their posse of at least 20 men on the road somewhere near Blackberry Creek. We were surrounded by a canopy of trees, rust colored leaves shakin' in the autumn breeze an' fallin' to the ground. Reverend Garrett pulled the wagon to a stop right as Ole Rand'l signaled for the posse to stop wit' a wave of his hand as he too came to a stop. Aunt Sally was slightly tremblin' in the seat in front of me next to the preacher, I assume that she had a grief stricken look on her face. Ole Rand'l's eyes were wide, his face painted wit' dread an' shock. It was clear that the weight of what was goin' on was hittin' him now.

As my in-laws stared at each other wit' painful looks shots loudly echoed in the air, comin' from the east closer to the direction the Tug was in. Everybody in the woods lookin' at each other knew what had just happened, the Hatfield firin' squad had just executed the McCoy boys. Once the air went still it was a moment 'fore a single shot was heard, makin' Aunt Sally flinch. It was the death blow, makin' sure the killed man was really dead. Two more shots shortly followed, then the air was completely still.

Ole Rand'l voice drawled out deeply an' broke the dead silence of the air wit', "Men, we'll gather my boys. Reverend, take them back home."

"No, I wanna see my boys." Aunt Sally protested, her voice shakily soft, but also loud as she stared at her husband.

I personally didn't want to see my husband an' his brothers all shot up, but the choice wasn't mine. Aunt Sally was their mother, had more sway then I did when it came to this situation. If she felt the need t'see them then so be it. I just nodded my head from my spot in the back of the wagon, lettin' Ole Rand'l know that I was fine with his wife's request.

"Lets go, this way." Ole Rand'l told everyone as he started to ride off into the direction that we heard the gunshots go off in.

The posse let the reverend go behind Ole Rand'l an' then they all fell into line. Jim n' Calvin flanked each side of Reverend Garrett's wagon, kinda like an escort of sorts. Yea, an escort t'see shot up dead men. One of which just happened to be my husband, my now late husband per say.

I just worried 'bout how Aunt Sally was gonna react to seein' her sons full of bullets an' dead. I was tryin' to brace myself for the sight as we rode further an' further east.

When we stopped in the woods only to look at the McCoy boys hangin' dead an' limp to trees, tied by rope, Aunt Sally let out the most gut wrenchin' scream I've ever heard in my life. The sight of my husband an' his brothers dead, shot multiple times, an' hangin' to pawpaws by a thread make me blink in utter shock. My mouth opened, but no sound came out. My cry was silent, my throat refused t'let a shrill sound come out.

I knew that Cap had made the kill shot on Tolbert, the clean bullet hole to his heart was proof of that. The fact that my one-time lover was the man that done in my husband was a lot to take in. I knew that the McCoys were gonna run wild wit' this, I also knew that whatever had happened 'tween me an' Cap was in the past. No way could anythin' ever spark up 'gain, not with me bein' the widow of the man he killed.

Lookin' right at me in the wagon my father-in-law said, "Novella, go with Jim to tell your uncle what's happened." I just nodded my head an' got out of the back of the wagon, quietly since I was in a state of shock. As I walked over to Jim's horse Ole Rand'l went on to say, "Sally an' Reverend Garrett, please stay sittin'. Me an' the men'll load the boys in the back to be took home for preparin'." As Jim silently helped me onto the back of his horse Ole Rand'l looked at Calvin only to say, "Cal, go home an' start cuttin' boards."

Calvin nodded his head an' then took off in the direction of the McCoy house. As Jim was started the horse into a trot to head to Pikeville I noticed the posse dismountin' their horses an' goin' over to the pawpaw trees where Tolbert, Pharmer, an' Bud were at.

As we trotted down the road Jim's voice sounded over the clankin' of the horse's hooves wit' the solemn swear of, "We're gonna get my brothers' killers. Your husband's death won't be for nothin'."

I was 'fraid of that. "They just died, let's not focus on that right now." I told my oldest brother-in-law since I didn't want to talk 'bout goin' after the Hatfields. The situation was a tricky one, they did what they had'a do, but the McCoys don't see it that way.

Jim didn't say a word in reply to me, just spurred his horse on into a faster trot that was more near the pace of a gallop. The sooner we got to Pikeville the sooner my Uncle Perry could start arrangements an' what not. I just hope that my uncle doesn't do anythin' stupid in response to the unlawful execution the Hatfields done on the McCoy boys. I ain't even gonna pray no more, after these last few days an' all the tragedy connected to them I'm not sure prayin' is even worth it anymore.

AN:

Only a couple more chapters and then off to the sequel, Surviving With The Devil's Son. I'm already working on the first chapter/prologue (whatever you wanna call it) for SWTDS. Yay! Anyways hope ya'll liked this chapter. I know it was a heavy chapter. Most of them up til the end are gonna be heavy so…McCoy boys are officially dead, Novella's now a widow.