Chad had to choke down an exclamation of fear as the animal charged. The horse might have been breathing fire, he was so terrifying. However, Joe stood stock still, like he was completely unaware that a giant body was hurtling toward him. He merely held out his hands, palms out.
Everyone on the fence tensed, bad feelings momentarily forgotten as they watched in anticipation. It turned out that none of them had anything to worry about, for at the last moment possible the horse slid to a stop inches from Joe's hand. The black tossed his head fiercely but made no other move toward Joe.
From his position on the fence, Chad couldn't make out what was being said, but Joe was definitely talking to the sweaty animal. The horse calmed a bit, enough to where he was standing still. Joe gradually moved his hand toward the horse's face, and Chad's breath hitched when Joe's fingers made contact with the wet hide. He was still too close to the horse's mouth which housed huge teeth that could take a man's finger as easily as a sharp knife.
Joe continued to speak softly, all the while rubbing a little, his hand gradually working his way down the horse's neck. Eventually one hand was on the horse's head and the other was on his shoulder, touching lightly and caressing. The horse was standing as still as a statue, every muscle tense and ready to spring into action, but he continued to allow Joe to touch him. Joe's hand crept toward the saddle, touching a little as he went to let the horse know where he was going. In one quick movement, his strong hand yanked on the girth, tugging the buckle loose, allowing the cinch to fall. A low murmur rippled through the crowd, and Chad noticed that more men had gathered.
The horse had snorted at Joe's last action and stepped a bit away from Joe, but Joe just followed. He kept one hand on the horse's neck while pulling the saddle completely off the horse's back. The horse was too jumpy for this and leapt away from Joe, eyes rolling in fear, as the saddle fell to the ground. Joe allowed the horse to nervously dance around the pen for a moment before he started again.
Jeb leaned close to Chad. "What's he doin'? He can't bust no bronc without a saddle."
Chad smiled, his confidence building again. "You just wait and see."
Joe was repeating the actions of before, talking quietly and slowly bending to pick up the trailing lead rope. The horse had calmed considerably since the saddle had been removed and allowed Joe to advance toward him.
A few minutes felt like a heartbeat and an eternity at the same time as Joe continued to calm and gentle the horse until he had his large arm draped over the horse's back. The black stood tensely still again. However, he did not seem angry, but cautious. Joe rubbed all over the horse's back, leaning and pushing, becoming a little more heavy-handed. Chad could see a small smile begin to form on Joe's face, and Chad's tensed in anticipation. A collective intake of breath was heard along the fence as Joe crouched a touch. Was he going to jump astride now? He did jump a little, letting his body fall against the black, but he made no attempt to swing his leg over. The animal shied away, his teeth coming back to nip Joe, and then jerking away as if expecting a blow to fall. Joe did nothing of the kind. He merely kept a strong hold on the lead rope and leaned against the animal's side again. The horse pivoted around Joe who continued to press he weight against the animal's side.
When he did jump completely onto the horse's back, neither the horse nor the observers were prepared. The crowd gasped as the horse tensed, his back arching a bit, but he did not make a move to buck. Joe sat loosely, his legs dangling a length past the black's lean sides. The horse uneasily stomped his feet and took a few tentative steps, as if trying to balance the unfamiliar weight on its back. He hesitantly jumped a little, causing Joe to bounce a bit, but he stayed on by squeezing the horse's back with his thighs. The horse responded to the pressure by suddenly surging forward, serving to narrowly avoid crashing into the wooden fence. They moved as one around the pen in irregular patterns, the horse leaping and rearing high before landing lightly on all four feet. Joe stayed in his seat, his powerful legs keeping him there along with a strong grip on the horse's ebony mane. A long period of time stretched by while the horse raced about, testing his rider. Finally, he stopped abruptly, standing immobile in the center of the corral, head erect and alert. Joe patted the sweaty neck fondly. Pulling on the rope lightly, he turned the horse's head while nudging it a bit with one knee. The horse responded well by turning and walking. The two circled the perimeter of the corral slowly, the proud black prancing, its head tossing in spirit rather than anger.
The breathtaking moment was broken when Jeb swore loudly, tossing his hat to the ground. The black jerked away in fear but calmed quickly by a hand on the neck. His ears twitched about nervously but would turn backward to hear Joe's reassuring voice. "Easy, boy, don't pay no mind to him."
"How!? How did he do that?" Jeb was enraged again, perhaps even more so than before.
Chad smirked. "Ah, my friend. I forgot to mention that my friend here is an adopted member of the proud Comanche Nation."
Jeb exploded. "That's…not sportin'! How was anybody supposed to stand a chance against a red devil?"
The old cowboy intervened again. "Just pay the man, Jeb. He won fair and square."
"We'll see how well that demon's broke in," Jeb said hotly and leapt down into corral, murder in his eyes.
Chad watched in a panic as the cowboy charged toward Joe and the horse, his heart rising in his throat as the animal shrieked in terror. Jeb swung his arms and yelled, startling the horse. The black blindly reared up and to the side, fully colliding with the corral wall. He fell on his back, splintering the rails and crushing Joe underneath.
"JOE!" Chad screamed, jumping into the corral. The horse had gotten to his feet and was dashing around madly, and Chad was half knocked down as he went racing by. Other cowboys tried to get into the corral to help, but the horse had gone crazy and was charging them, teeth snapping.
Chad raced to where his friend had fallen, calling his name. "JOE! Speak to me!" Chad dove toward Joe's prone body, a prayer on his lips. He nearly wretched at the sight of Joe's broken body. "This is all my fault, all my fault," he choked. "Oh Joe," he howled brokenly. Behind him he could hear the thrashing of hooves and men shouting. A hand gripped his shoulder, but he shook it away in a violent gesture. "Get off!"
"Boy, that horse has gone loco! We gotta get outta here, and fast!"
"No! I won't leave Joe!"
The man pulled at Chad more desperately.
"LEAVE ME!" Chad was beyond hysteria as he pulled his gun and jammed it in the cowboy's side. The man, the older cowboy from earlier, raised his hands pleadingly.
"Come on, kid, you don't wanna do that." He looked as though he would argue more with Chad, but instead turned and jumped through the rails just as the black came charging toward them. The horse followed the old cowboy, kicking the fence right where he had been half a second before.
Chad once again fell to his knees beside Joe's body, his shoulders shaking in bottled-up grief. An outcry was heard from the onlookers, but he ignored them. His friend's shattered body was all that mattered now. Chad's mind went back to one his first encounters with Joe. The man had held him in the creek, keeping his head above the water as the sun fever was pulled from Chad's body. Now they were in a reverse role. Chad was the one protecting Joe from…what? Chad didn't do any protecting, only harm. It was his doing that Joe was dead. He felt hot breath on his neck….With a mighty roar of grief, Chad whirled, standing in the same motion. Directly behind him stood the black horse, its ears pricked forward and breaths coming in mighty snorts. "You…," Chad growled. He held the gun out, intent to kill that savage beast. The horse stood completely still, his black eyes swallowing Chad in their depths. He could not kill the animal, for this was not the horse's doing. He lowered the gun sadly. The horse seemed to understand, for he stepped forward and snuffled at Joe's hair. Chad swiped a dirty sleeve over his face, wiping away tears. He leaned against the horse's side, refusing to look at his downed friend. How could he go on now? His knees were shaking as most of his weight pressed against the horse's ribs.
A few brave men approached the man and horse, nearly taking to the fence again when the horse's head came up to snort threateningly. Chad patted the horse's flank absently, calming it. The older cowboy reached them first, his face grim and flushed. "I sent for the doctor, boy. He'll be here as fast as he can."
Chad didn't hear him over blood rushing in his ears. "Joe, Joe, Joe! I'm so sorry Joe…." The horse moved suddenly, nearly knocking Chad over, snapping him out of his reverie. Chad looked blearily at the animal, wondering what could have set him off. It was then that he caught a flash of movement in the corner of his eye, coming from the same direction as the horse had turned. Rage like he had never before experience bubbled up in his chest. "YOU STOP RIGHT THERE!" Chad's voice rose to a shriek.
Everyone, even the men huddled around Joe's body, jerked in shock to see what the noise was. They all watched in horror as the young man they had just met walked with gun extended toward Jeb. The cowboy appeared to have been injured, for he was hunched and holding his abdomen. However, when Chad screamed, he straightened abruptly.
Red was settling into Chad's vision. "Go for your gun, mister," he said in a dead-calm voice, his legs spreading apart to adopt a gunfighter's stance.
"I ain't got one, mister," Jeb gasped, his face pale and sweaty.
"THEN GET ONE!" Chad was beginning to lose touch with all rationality. He swore violently, calling all manner curses upon Jeb's head. "You killed my best friend just the same as if you shot him in the back. Now, you get yourself a gun," he whispered, "and then I'm gonna kill you."
Jeb fully faced Chad, his injury forgotten. "Just who do you think you are? You talk awful big, dude. That boy shouldn't have trusted that devil horse. Once a killer, always a killer."
"That horse is no killer," Chad growled. "But you are. And so am I. Get a gun now, or I will shoot you were you stand!"
A pain-filled groan distracted both men for a moment. What was that? It almost sounded like—
Chad's teeth snapped together as a body crashed into his, pounding him to the ground. At the distraction, Jeb had rushed across the space between them and collided with Chad. Despite his death grip, Chad's gun went flying. Jeb's hands were groping at Chad's neck, but Chad sent a fist right into the other man's face. Jeb rolled away from Chad, his nose bleeding. Both got to their feet, never taking eyes off the other. Chad's face was fixed in a deadly smile. "Fine. I like it better this way."
Jeb spat on the ground. "Just try it, mister. There ain't been nobody yet who could beat me." The cowboy probably had at least a good three inches and forty pounds on Chad, but that mattered not. What mattered was Joe's body nearby, and while Jeb had not directly killed Chad's only friend, he had set the course. If pounding Jeb into the ground was the way to vengeance, so be it. He would welcome the change in plan if only because he could draw it out longer.
Jeb feinted at Chad's ribs, following with a quick jab to Chad's chin, sending him staggering back a step. Chad responded with a quick one-two to Jeb's already bleeding nose. The cowboys shouted in encouragement or anger, but Chad only heard his own internal mantra: "You killed my only friend. Now I'm going to kill you."
The blows followed quickly in succession. To the onlookers, the sight was truly amazing. Jeb was the more experienced of the two, using moves that were common in brawls and bare-knuckle boxing, but Chad had lightning reflexes, and what he didn't have in experience and skill, he made up for it by dodging punches. He also had a deadly calm about him while Jeb was becoming more enraged as his hits did nothing to stop the smaller man. Both were bleeding and bruised with only Jeb was showing effects of the fight. Chad had found his weak spot, an area just above the man's belt buckle, and whenever possible, Chad sunk a fist there.
Jeb was slowing down and knew it. In a quick and unconventional move, he grabbed Chad's hand as it shot by and yanked on the outstretched arm, effectively turning Chad so that his back was to his opponent. Jeb wrapped his arms around Chad's in a bear hug, squeezing tight. Chad gasped as he felt his ribs creak. He thrashed a bit but could not break Jeb's grip. He rested a moment, trying to get a breath. Jeb's voice sounded in his ear, sounding like the sultry voice of the devil. "Like I said, there ain't nobody who could beat me."
Chad gritted his teeth. "Joe did….Rode that bronc without…breaking…a…sweat…." It was getting harder and harder to get a proper lungful of air.
Jeb snickered. "Oh, he lost in the long run. I bested him, permanent."
Chad's rage reached an all-time high, and a bullet exploding from a gun barrel hardly had the same amount of power as he did. Howling like a wild animal, Chad threw his head back as hard as he could. His skull met Jeb's face with such force that Chad saw stars. The larger man grunted with the impact, and his arms loosened. It was at this moment when Chad propelled his hips backward, ducking his upper body at the same time. He flipped Jeb over his back, laying the cowboy completely flat in a cloud of dust.
Chad stood crookedly, his arm around his ribs, blood dripping from cuts on his face and hands. His breathing was ragged irregular. He looked at Jeb's prone form, waiting for him to rise again. He did not. It was over.
Chad staggered in Joe's direction, coming up short when his legs gave out on him. He fell to his knees in the dirt, head bowed. Vengeance…. He had beaten down the man that had ended his friend's life, despite the bully's confidence. However, Chad felt no exaltation but rather a sense of emptiness that settled into his soul. Where would he go now? What would he do? He was lost, his compass and steadying fortitude gone.
His bleary eyes looked across the corral. Men were still gathered around his friend's body, but at Chad's approach they had all moved back. Now, the older cowboy that had tried to pull Chad out came forward. Serious, knowledgeable eyes looked into Chad's for a moment. He broke the gaze and slowly knelt next to the fallen cowboy, hat in hand. Chad had tuned out the scene, not feeling or seeing anything. He was vaguely aware of several men running out into the corral, a couple stopping at Jeb's side and the rest going over to Joe. A few exclamations broke through his haze, one of which penetrated Chad's heart like a knife: "He's…dead!" A general scuffle was heard, men running and shouting.
Unexpectedly, Chad felt his arms grabbed. He screamed out, "No, I can't leave him!" He broke free, surging toward Joe's body, grasping. More hands pulled at his shoulders to which he responded by swinging his fists, striking flesh. A man cursed and shouted orders, which caused the men grappling with Chad to double their efforts. Howling like a rabid dog, Chad clawed and scratched until somebody decked him hard across the mouth. He was stunned for an instant and the men took the opportunity to pin him face down to the ground. Dirt filled his eyes and mouth, mingling with tears coursing down. "Joe, Joe! It's all my fault, Joe…."
His arms were wrenched behind him so hard Chad cried out. A coarse rope was cinched tight around his wrists, and when he continued to flail his legs, striking someone with his spurs, somebody took the initiative to restrain those too. Effectively hobbled, Chad lay on his stomach, silent sobs coming from his mouth in great spasms. His subjugators seized him by his collar and the rope that tied his hands, pulling him up. He couldn't stand on his own, a combination of having his ankles tied together and his own inability to support himself. The men started to drag him away…away from Joe. Chad wildly looked over his shoulder, trying to once last glimpse, but there were too many people around Joe's body. Grief claimed him completely. Sagging against the arms that held him, he let himself be dragged away, the toes of his boots leaving strange lines in the dirt.
The men took him into a building and threw him down. Chad fell limply, not caring, but was surprised just the same when he fell onto something soft. A door closed, and then another banged shut, throwing the room into relative darkness. Chad lay alone, face down on the yielding surface, letting the tears flow. He hated himself with all his heart. He had been uncaring of Joe's safety, only thinking of his own financial gain. Now, because of his own greedy desires, Joe was dead. Dead…dead…dead…. Joe's gentle, kind face rose in front of his eyes, though he had them squeezed tightly shut. Joe had been hurt so many times, but still he had trusted Chad…who let had him down just the same. Chad moaned both audibly and in spirit. "What have I done?"