Dodger dug the shovel into the hard red dirt. With a grunt he lifted the shovel over his shoulder and threw the dirt on the ground.
The hot sun beat off his back like a thousand pound weight. With another grunt he repeated this action.
"work faster come on!" the sharp voice of a guard bellowed.
He gave his head a slight shake then forced himself to move faster. It had been especially hot that day. Or maybe the work had been especially hard.
He could make out a girl with a water canteen around her neck several men away from him. The man she was giving water to was fat and burly. He grinned at the girl making a grab for her waist.
The girl jerked away, the water spilled on the ground making the red dirt turn into mud.
He sighed. There went his water for the day. He wiped away a trail of sweat from his brow. Curiously his eyes skimmed back over to the girl.
The man had her in his arms much to the girl's dismay. He played with her like a child to a rag doll. Her small hands pushed the man's chest but he held on.
Dodger sighed. He hated himself for what he was going to do. He dropped his shovel then jogged over to the two.
The girl's face was hidden in the man's chest.
He rested one hand on his hip. "Come on, let er' be." he said. "don't ya think she's a little young for you, Markus?"
The burly looking man chuckled. "but she's pretty ain't you lass?"
The girl squirmed letting out a noise of defeat.
Dodger pushed the man on his arm. "let her go." he insisted. "come on I want me water."
"you don't want me to let her go do ya?"
He pushed him again tearing his arm off of the girl. He pushed the man again than spat on the ground. "leave her alone." he said through gritted teethe.
Unthinking or even looking at her, Dodger took the girl by the arm and dragged her several paces. He noticed she was hanging behind slightly.
"are you all right…" his eyes grew wide. "Brianne?"
She blinked at him. "Jack?"
He nodded. "I didn't know you- it's nice seeing you."
"yeah."
She smiled at him. "thank you." she said. "for-"
"I would have done a lot worse, if I knew it was you."
She looked away. "thanks."
"can I have some water?"
Good one Dawkins,
She nodded. "I have to go get it though."
"all right."
She turned on her heal then hobbled down the long path to the river . He felt bad for her having to walk all that way on her ankle. He almost went to go offer to get it for her before he remembered the punishment for leaving the job.
She came back several minutes latter with a bucket of water. A spoon pressed to his lips, hungrily he drank. "thank you." he breathed.
She pulled the spoon away from his mouth and dipped it back into the bucket of water. "hot it is." she nodded. "want more water?"
He nodded then took the spoon from the bucket. He took a large sip, the cold liquid relived him. He went to dip the spoon back into the water but she pulled away.
"not too much you'll get sick."
He nodded. "oh yeah." he bite his lip. "so… fancy seeing you here?"
"uh huh."
"you don't drink too much either."
She smiled. "wouldn't dream of it."
With that she hobbled onto the next boy lifting the spoon up to his mouth too.
He watched her all the while.
The night couldn't come sooner. By the time quitting time had come around Dodger was exhausted.
The long line of men moved forward but he hung back. The young redhead girl walked alone down the path. He raced towards her suddenly finding energy in places he never knew he had.
"Brianne." he panted he pulled her in closer to his body. "how are ya?"
Her body tensed in his arms. "fine." the word came out like venom. Dodger pulled back and took his arm off of her shoulder.
"dose your ankle still 'urt?"
She nodded seeming to relax slightly. "only when I walk."
He laughed. "want me to carry you?"
She stopped. Her mouth parted but no words were released. She glanced down at her ankle then raised her eyes back up to him. "well…just to my cabin."
He smiled quickly he scooped the girl up into his arms bridal style. Her body melted perfectly into his. He found it no trouble to carry her it was like she wasn't even there.
Her eyes were trying not to close but were failing miserably. "it's all right." he whispered in her ear. "fall asleep."
She nodded then repositioned herself. Soon he was listening to the sound of her light shallow breathing.
The cabin came into view about a half an hour latter. He glanced down at the sleeping angel in his arms, a small smile grazing his lips.
"Brianne." he whispered. "Brianne wake up."
She moaned then inched closer to his chest.
"Brianne." he tapped her cheeks lightly. "Annie wake up."
The front door of the cabin opened. A tall girl with black hair stood in the doorframe. "Brianne?" she gasped.
Dodger bite his lip then dropped Brianne. Her green dazed and confused eyes met his.
The black haired girl took a step forward. "Brianne, what is going on here?"
She gulped. "Mary." she said. "this is… Jack-Mr. Dawkins."
"you call him Jack, Brianne?" the girl asked with one hand on her slender hip. "I didn't know you were that close to him?"
"I'm not!" the younger girl blurted out. "He's just a friend right, Mr. Dawkins."
He nodded. "me and Brianne, Miss? Why we're just friends we are."
"Brianne come inside." the women took Brianne by the arm then dragged her into the cabin. She gave Dodger a spiteful glare then slammed the door behind her.