The Devils Backbone

Looming Airs

A year later

Cotton Ran intoChyna's tack house, grinning from ear to ear. Chyna sat down on her bunk, made of hey and some sheets. She was patching up some of Ellison and Cottons clothing "Chyna! Chyna!" he called with asmile on his face. Chyna looked up at him and smiled softly, taking arest from sewing. "Yes Cotton Top what is it?" She asked He beamed at her "William Johnse and I are going down to the lake, I want you to come"He said blushing lightly. Chyna laughed lightly "Iwould Cotton but there's work to be done, I'm behind as it is, you go and have fun Cot" She said turning her focus back to sewing. Cottons looked down in disappointment. "Please Chyna?" He asked, as she looked up into his eyes she saw she could not say no. Chyna sighed and watched him, he flashed her even sadder eyes, and he knew what he was doing. Cotton knew just how to pull at her heart strings. Chyna sighed in defeat "Alright, alright, I s'ppose I can take this stuff down there and watch ya'll" She said Cotton smiled and helped her gather her things "come on" he called Chyna giggled as he lead her out of the tack house, so enthusiastic. He handed her back her things after she mounted his horse before mounting it himself. He lead the horse to the forest, Up ahead Chyna could see Johnse & William. Johnse had never really taken to her much, He looked at her with cold eyes and a blank face it had been a year now since she had been hired by the Hatfields. William smirked at her and tilted his head cockily looking between Johnse and Chyna. "looky their Johnse, Cotton is done brang your friend" He mocked Johnse rolled his eyes "that nigger ain't no friend of mine"He muttered, Chyna didn't even flinch at his words, she was plenty used to it and sat quietly with her arms latched around Cotton's waist. "Don't be like that Johnse please" Cotton asked a hint of sadness in his voice "Iwant Chyna to come with us.don' go scaring her off" He added. Chyna rolled her eyes "it takes a lot more than a rude peckerwood to scare me off Cot" Chyna muttered under her breath there was a sharpness in her voice. Cotton looked back at her and giggled nodding slightly "what that nigger say?" Johnse said squinting his eyes, "oh come on Johnse lets just go, you put too much focus on someone you ain't care to much for" William chuckled leading his horse through the forest.

At the lake Chyna sat under the Old Oak Tree, she kept herself busy sewing up the cloths she had brought with her. The boys where fishing and acting like boys, every now and then Cotton would call back to her in glee about having caught a fish. Chyna would smile at him and nod in approval. There was a large splashChyna looked up to see Johnse & William playing around in the water, wrestling each other over something petty like brothers do. Chynashook her head and stopped sewing for a minute to watch. "so him what for William!" Cotton called out "you old shaggy dog you ain't play fair! Let lose my leg!" William called out "you starting this William can't take that I'm finishing it?" Johnse asked. Chyna chuckled softly hiding her mouth with her hand. William looked up at her,his focus went away from his play fight and his eyes locked onto her. Chyna looked up and noticed his gaze; she quickly stopped her laughter and went back to sewing, cutting all eye contact. William tore his eyes back to Johnse and his fight. "Stop starin' at that bluegum over'er" Johnse said she shoved William back into the water the force of the splash rippled the water into large waves. One of the waves swept Cotton, who had waded into the water following the fight, into the lakes deeper center. Johnse & William were so caught up in their fight that they took no notice of cotton. Chyna watchedfor amoment as Cotton made movements like he was going to swim, but only started sinking. He called for Help but Johnse and William where to loud. Chynaput down her sewing supplies and got to her feet, stumbling a bit. "cot?" she called as he went under. "Cotton!" she called out loudly, breaking out into a sprint, she ran past the other two brothers. They stopped fighting to watch her as she ran far into the water before diving into the deep center. The murky and dirty water burned Chyna's eyes as she swam down,she could see Cotton he'd not lost consciousness yet. Chynagrabbed his hand and turned her body around heading for the surface. She pulled him up to her chest and with some trouble lifted his heavy body to the surface. Cotton coughing and gasping for air "Cot is you ok?" she asked gasping for air herself. Cotton nodded. William and Johnse swam out into the center of the Lake to the two of them. They took Cotton from Chyna's arms and started to lead him back to the shallows. Chyna swam behind them slowly but surely.