Chapter II: An Upset On The Path

(Music: "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues", by Colin Linden)

It wasn't long before we approached the tucked-away little hideout I had fashioned deep within the woods near the Dakota River. During the short ride, I had noted how closed-off and evasive Arthur was during the entirety of the trip, often giving short, vague answers and especially avoiding any form of information-giving.

That, or he was giving back-handed compliments and sarcastic responses that, frankly, were just a bit irritating to me. Though...*sigh* Though I will admit, his wit is nearly unmatched- I have nary met another man who could come up with such clever responses, especially in this dumb hick province.

While most people might've been put in an uneasy state by this shady individual, I found his behavior rather refreshing; While he was clearly very secretive, he proved to be a great listener as I told him of my own endeavors, and much of the short lines of advice he gave were genuinely helpful and uplifting. I found myself becoming enthralled with the mysterious, yet humble nature of this ruffian; He reminded me of the stoic gunslingers that roamed Ambarino and Lemoyne during the late Antebellum days of the Civil War-

"We here yet, boah?"

The question shook me from my deep thought. I realized that my constant daydreaming was unbecoming for someone who needed to stay alert, especially during times like this.

"Y-Yes, I believe so." I stuttered, rubbing my eyes and departing from the horse. Arthur did the same, though I saw him pull a few items (and weapons) from the saddlebags of his horse before he started following me into the thicket.

"So," Arthur started, suddenly broaching a conversation. "Why're you out here, talkin' to debt collectors and givin' up yer personal money stash for dyin' charity cases?"

I was nearly knocked off my feet by how much disrespect the ruffian had packed into a single rhetorical question. If he started all of his conversations like that, it was no wonder he was a beautiful fit for loansharking.

"Uh…" I muttered, not really wanting to answer that question, but not having enough backbone to stand up to the man who was about to see my secret hideout. "...Well, some of us aren't given the best of luck, mister Delaney. Sometimes…"

A grimace surfaced upon my face; Dark thoughts had pervaded my mind.

"...We're forced to love those who will inevitably disappoint us."

A few moments of silence passed, as Arthur had seemingly decided not to respond-

"Okay then, Shakespeare."

I covered my eyes in shame, once again humbled by this silver-tongued scoundrel.

"...This is the worst foundation I've ever seen laid…"

I suddenly froze in my tracks- I could faintly make out words from a distance; In the direction of my hideout.

"Huh? Somethin' the matter, boah?" Arthur whispered, sensing danger the same as I.

"I'm hearing some men from afar. I think… they might have found my hideout."

(Music: "Red Dead Redemption", by Woody Jackson)

Despite my relatively-calm response, I was panicking like mad internally. Having my hideout, the place I had put two years of my life into building, sleeping, celebrating the small things…

Being invaded by the likes of degenerates!

I grit my teeth in rage.

"What the-!" Arthur exclaimed quietly, as I darted towards the noise, keeping low amongst the shrubbery so as to avoid being seen. I came closer to my hideout, until I saw the bastard faces of the degenerates that'd found my hidden enclave.

O'Driscolls.

I seethed in anger. Seeing their raggedy black shotgun jackets and nappy hairstyles, I knew it was them. They were the plight of this region, having robbed me more than once during my trips across the county, and having bullied Mister Downes during his charity raising. They were good-for-nothing thugs and lowlifes given guns and the seal of approval to do whatever the hell they wanted by their crime lord.

They were the worst of the worst! Degenerates! Pig-slimy bastards! And now they were invading my sanctuary, my hard-built home!

It filled me with great anguish to realize that I had kept my varmint rifle hidden under my bedroll, and only had a hunting knife on me at the moment. I looked to the bedroll, relieved that it had not been turned over by the O'Driscoll scum yet. Aside from the money stash, that was my most valuable belonging, and my only form of surviving and eating out here. They were seemingly just peering at my hideout for the moment, but I knew it wouldn't be long before they started upturning everything for anything of value.

I began to unsheathe my knife-

"Hold on, boah."

I felt Arthur's hand stay my blade; I glanced back at him with worry, but his gaze was reassuring to me. I saw him suddenly unholster the cattleman revolver in his right hand, offering it to me along with a small box of high-velocity bullets. I was doubly surprised by this- both that he was trusting me with his own revolver and that he was willing to fight alongside me for this endeavor. As in, risk his life to help me.

"Y-You're gonna help me, Mister Delaney?"

"Aw, shut up, kid," Arthur said with an admonishing tone. "Tell me you know how to handle that thing."

I softly grabbed the revolver and ammo box from his hand and quietly opened the chamber, checking that all of the bullets were in there, and nodded to Arthur.

"Absolutely. My father gave me lessons in-"

"I don't need the context, boah. Just tell me yer ready to take a life."

I froze. I did realize what I was about to do. Even if they were invading my hideout, it would not take away from the fact that I was about to kill another human being. But…

Looking back and seeing those greasy fucking degenerates looking through my place…

I wouldn't mind if it was their lives I was taking. Arthur clearly saw the change in my demeanor, as I readied myself with murderous intention, and grunted.

"Good. Then let's get to shootin'."

In those few seconds, my view of Arthur had changed drastically- from suspicion and awe to that of deep respect and trust. He unslung the carbine repeater around his shoulder, quietly checking to make sure a bullet was chambered. I handled my revolver with the utmost care, checking to make sure it was loaded.

And then, we moved forward. My heartbeat quickened- pumping like a fast-moving train. I could feel my senses tingling, my adrenaline surging through me as I pushed the thought of death out of my mind.

"Oh shit, look at that there!"

Creeping ever closer, I saw one of the O'Driscolls raise up the bedroll and discover the varmint rifle I had tucked away. I felt an explosive anger surge in my gut as he picked it up, looking over it curiously.

"Damn," He said with a disappointing tone. "I was hoping there'd be loot here! It's just some dirt-poor vagabond with his peashooter rifle-"

BANG!

(Music: "Give Me The Night", by Des Rocs)

"WHA- JESUS CHRAAAAHST!"

"HOLY SHIT, JEREMY!"

"NO, JEREMY, YOU SUMBITCH! YOU STILL OWED ME FIFTEEN DOLLARS AND THIRTY-TWO CENTS FOR THAT BLACKJACK GAME, YOU DEAD BASTARD-"

BANG-BANG! BANG!

BANG! BANG! BANG!

There was no warning to the ensuing gunfight- As soon as I had stood up out of the brush and fired that initial shot, splitting that O'Driscoll's skull in half, I was almost immediately fired upon, and it was only by the grace of God (and luck) that only one of the flurry of shots had grazed my side.

"AUGH!" I cried out, feeling the searing pain of the passing bullet as it grazed the right side of my torso, leaving a trail of blood leaking down my shirt. Cursing, I ducked into the brush, only for Arthur to emerge from behind me, his rifle aimed precisely at the closest black-jacketed O'Driscoll.

BANG!-!

The rifle shot rang clear through the woods, reverberating against the sturdy trunks of even the oldest trees; A powerful, impactful sound that sent shivers through my body thinking of what might happen if I had been hit with that rifle shot.

I didn't have to imagine what that would've looked like, though- I immediately saw the O'Driscoll's throat open up into a small bloody explosion as the rifle bullet tore through him mercilessly. He spent only a second choking for air before collapsing violently to the ground, dead on impact.

Oh, GOD! I thought in absolute awe, feeling the sheer excitement coursing through every particle in my body. This was terrifying, but also the most adrenaline-inducing experience I had ever had! There were hardly any words that could describe the incredible exhilaration that filled my mind!

"FUCK YEAH!" I cried out in great excitement, rising up from the thick brush once more and firing on more of the O'Driscolls; Though my aim was absolute dogshit, I had managed to keep them ducking and finding cover, while Arthur picked off those unlucky ones that peeked their heads from behind the mossy rocks and tree trunks.

BANG! BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG!

BANG!-! BANG!-!

BANG! BANG!

The fight was violent, brutal, and overwhelming, with O'Driscolls falling to the ground in great succession. It was mostly Arthur's own bullets that brought down the O'Driscolls, though I felt I was good at keeping them suppressed and behind cover for long enough that they wouldn't overwhelm us with bullets.

And then-

"HUH!"

I gasped in complete shock as I saw four O'Driscolls simultaneously emerge from their cover, all of their weapons pointed at me. At that moment, I could feel the shadow of death hanging over me more clearly than ever before-

BANG!-!

BANG!-!

BANG!-!

BANG!-!

…

I was frozen where I stood, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The four O'Driscolls suddenly crumpled to the ground nearly all at once, each of them dead by a single bullet. I whipped my head behind me, seeing Arthur quickly reloading his rifle. Was that…

"THE HELL'RE YOU LOOKIN' AT, BOAH?! SHOOT!"

I shook my head, trying to focus once more on the gunfight. I saw most of the O'Driscolls had fallen at this point, with the few left hiding fearfully behind cover as they saw four of their friends suddenly perish in quick succession.

A sudden malicious thought came over me, and I leveled the revolver at the spot of one of the O'Driscolls, waiting for him to stand up. I could feel my heart pounding as the gangster stood up quickly, aiming his revolver-

BANG! BANG-BANG!

With a few well-placed shots, I killed the O'Driscoll where he stood, having lodged two bullets in his chest and one in his leg. He fell over backward, unmoving and with blood pooling under his body.

"THIS IS HOPELESS!"

I felt an overwhelming sense of victory and confidence as I saw the remaining O'Driscolls flee the woods, booking it for the nearby river-

BANG!-!

BANG!-!

-Only to be shot by Arthur's carbine rifle, their bodies crumpling to the ground.

"Can't have 'em revealin' yer hideout." He said with a grizzly expression, cocking his carbine rifle menacingly.

The woodlands became silent, the smell of gunpowder and the stench of death hanging heavily in the air like a brisk musk. I looked over the bodies of those dead, the adrenaline leaving my body. Replaced by….

Sadness.

I… I had killed these men. After all the excitement had left, all that remained was the sobering thought that I had taken lives. Though… it did not affect me as much as I had thought. Perhaps it was because they were scum trying to raid my hideout, or because they were O'Driscolls, or maybe even because I might have no longer held human life to such a high regard. No matter what the reasoning behind it might have been…

I had won.

"Not bad shootin', boah."

I was startled by Arthur's heavy hand being laid upon my shoulder, as he himself surveyed our handiwork. He suddenly removed a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket, lighting one up as he peered at the bodies of the dead.

"Welp. Let's take 'em out to the river and dump 'em."