The Hanging Noose

Forty-Nine

Much like Grace's body, John's body was laid in a trailer with all of his items, photographs and war records.

He was going to be burnt in his favourite trailer. A deep red and maroon trailer with steps inviting you in. Dottie remembers it from John and Esme's garden. Many times, Esme and Dottie slept in the trailer together. It just her more now that Esme didn't say goodbye to her.

When Dottie was saying goodbye, she noticed his rings her missing. However, she knew Esme would have taken them. Oh if only she had gone with Esme on the road. She could have escaped the gang life. The life full of death and treason.

Dottie was the last to say goodbye to John. She sat beside his body, not knowing what to say or do. She wasn't partially close to him, but it still hurt her. John always made her laugh, and he was the first to protect her.

Dottie sniffs, she wipes her hands on her dress, dusting off any dirt. She stands up, and looks down at John's body once more. She then notices a piece of parchment paper on a small cabinet. Curiously, she takes hold of us, unfolding it.

To Dottie,
I'm sorry for leaving without a goodbye, but I can't risk the kids being in danger anymore. John and I always talked of taking the kids on the road, so that's what I'll be doing.
Johnny Dogs will know where I am so if you need anything talk to him, and you'll find me. Don't be a stranger.
Love from Esme

Dottie folds up the letter and sniffs again. She slides the letter in to her bra, not having a bag on her person, before she looks down at John's cold and pale body once more. She then turns on her heels, and climbs down the steps, closing the trailer doors behind her.

"We're like sitting ducks here if the wops come." Finn moans as Dottie walks past him.

"Yeah, well, Tommy said we should do it in the open." Charlie Strong says back in a gruff voice.

Dottie finds Charlie Strong strange. When she first heard his name, she expected a tall and muscular man, however she was introduced to a skinny and old man.

"This is how John wanted to go." Tommy says, his hands clasped underneath him.
"On the smoke. And the truth is... we died together once before. Arthur, me,
Danny Whizzbang, Freddie Thorne, Jeremiah, and John."

Dottie sniffs, standing in between Isiah and Polly. Isiah wraps an arm around her, pulling her in to his chest.

"We were cut off from the retreat... No bullets left, waiting for the Prussian cavalry to come and to finish us off.
And while we waited... Jeremiah said, "We should sing, 'In the Bleak Midwinter.'" But we were spared. The enemy never came. And we all agreed...
that everything after that was extra. And when our time came... we'd all remember."

Dottie sniffs again catching the attention of Eliza, who stands beneath her. She looks up to Dottie and gives Dottie an innocent smile. Dottie smiles back, holding on to her hand as Isiah holds Florence.

"You remember that God spared you.
But what did you do with that extra time that he gave you, eh, Thomas?" Polly asks, almost growling.

Tommy doesn't answer, looking down at the floor as his hands fish around in his pockets. He pulls out a set of matches and turns around. He strikes a match and throws it on to the trailer.

Within an instant, everyone screams. The soundings of a gun firing irrupt Dottie's ears. She quickly pushes Eliza down on to the floor, protecting the girls body with her own.

"At ease! At ease." Tommy states. "Do not return fire. I repeat, do not return fire. Stand down. The men doing the firing are on our side."

Dottie looks at Tommy. A glare. Sending shivers down his spine. She wipes the glare of her face to pick up Eliza.