Tough Times (Rdr2)

Chapter 2

I went and spent a week with Liza and Issac. I had left and went to town to get some thing for Issac. When I got back I found their bodies. While I was burying them some fellows came up on horse back and started shooting. I killed them both with a single shot right between the eyes.

I cried so hard I knew I had to be the one to tell my brothers. I found out all they died for was ten dollars. That was the day I decided I would never want children. It hardened me.

I rode back to camp and found Arthur. "Emily? What's wrong?" Arthur asked.

I couldn't breath. I shook my head and the tears kept coming. "T...they are dead! I killed two men," I said. "I buried them."

Arthur hugged me and I shrugged him off. "No Arthur," I said. "Just leave me alone. If I hadn't left they would still be here. It's my fault!"

I screamed and Dutch and Hosea ran toward me. "It is on me. I wasn't there. I could have saved them. I shouldn't have left! I killed the two men that came back. I shot them right between their eyes. I didn't even blink. It's my fault!" I screamed.

I fell to my knees and threw up. I layer down in the dirt and cried. Everyone was gathered now. When anyone tried to touch me I would fight. So John laid down beside me. "Em, look at me," John said.

"It wasn't your fault. You did what you could," he said. "Your home, your safe, you are safe." He reached for me and I let him.

He pulled me to him as I cried myself to sleep. As soon as I went to sleep John picked me up and laid me on his bed. "How is she?" Arthur asked.

"She is asleep now," John said.

"She is gonna think you hate her Arthur," Hosea said.

"I don't hate her," Arthur said. "But I need to go see for myself."

"Arthur maybe you should be here when she wakes up," Dutch said.

Arthur nods and sits down beside John's bed. "John take my bed tonight. I'm not leaving her side," he told Johm.

"I'm not either," John said.

Arthur's POV
She had never shot anyone before and shooting someone between the eyes was something else. She said she didn't even blink when she shot them. That had me scared.

It must have been a horrible sight, one I was glad I didn't see myself but I hated my little sister did. I hated the fact that she had to bury them herself. I hated the fact she got to kill the bastards that killed my son. I would have made them suffer.

I just hope this didn't scar her to deep. She loved Issac. She was a great aunt to him. Since she had met him all her extra money went to him, spoiling him with toys, books, and clothes. She had bought him enough clothes to last until he would have been four.

Emily's POV

I woke when the sun rose over the tree line. I wiped my eyes and got up. Arthur went to grab my hand and saw it was covered in blood.

I walked down to the lake and got in. I scrubbed myself clean of the leftover dried blood. I soon saw the water start clearing up. I walked up to the shore line and sat down. I buried my face in my knees and wrapped my arms around them.

I wish I could get the images out of my head. I was glad my brother didn't see them that way. Little Issac body alone had ten bullet holes in it. It was over kill. It made me sick that someone would do such a thing.

I didn't move all day. I just sat there either crying or just staring off into nothingness. I felt someone sit down beside me. I looked over to see Arthur. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I couldn't tell him about how bad it was. That was a burden I would keep to myself.

He wrapped his arms around me and rocked me like I was his baby. I felt his tears as they fell on my head. "I'm so sorry Emily," he said.

Things seemed to get better about three months after their death. Arthur had met Mary and was smiling again. Though I was withdrawn. I had started keeping a journal. The things I wrote down the things I was feeling the guilt of it. I hadn't spent a lot of time with John since then, but I could feel him watching me.

I decided I would bury it deep down and keep it there. I got up and decided to fake it. I went day to day like I was alright.

Months passed and I became less numb. It still hurt but I was learning to deal slowly. John stayed close and kept an eye on me.

I was 16 when we met the Calender brothers Mac and Davey, John was 19. Mac was 20 Davey was 19 the same age John was and he was sweet. Davey was part Irish and had bright red hair. Mac was more like Arthur was, tough.

We met Sean when I was 21 and John was 24. Here I was at 21 never been kissed. Though I was still sweet on John, I don't think he thought of me the same way.

I was sitting by the lake writing in my journal about how I felt when John sat down beside me. "How are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm good John," I said. "Just these new people. Sean is a flirt."

"Yeah," he said. "He has eyes for you."

"At least someone does," I said.

"What's that mean?" He asked.

"I guess I can tell you now anyway it is crazy," I said.

"What's crazy?" He asked.

"Just that I've been sweet on you for years," I said.

"Oh yeah," he said. "Really?"

"Really," I said.

"Why haven't you said anything?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah what was I supposed to say? Hey, John I have liked you since I was 13 years old?" I asked. "What would you have said?"

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe something like this."  He brushed my hair out of my face and placed his hands on both side of my face and kissed me.

I ran my fingers through his hair and deepened the kiss. I heard someone clearing their throat and looked up and saw Hosea. "Just don't let Arthur catch you," he said.

I sighed and laughed, blushing like crazy. John kissed me again. "Come on let's go for a ride," he said offering me his hand.

I grabbed it and we walked over to the hitching post. John got on his horse and I got on mine. "Tell anyone who asks we went for a ride. That I needed to get out," I said.

"Alright," Bill said.

Bill was also fairly new to the gang. He was a couple years younger than Arthur, but a heavier build, with a big beard and mustache. He was friendly when he wasn't drunk. He brought in a couple girls too. Karen and Tilly.

John and I rode a while. "So what did that kiss mean?" He asked.

"I don't know John. What did it mean to you?" I asked.

"You're my girl, you've always been my girl," he said.

"I like that," I said. We stopped in Blackwater and went into the saloon, to have a drink to celebrate.