Breaking Down Defenses (3rd in Breaking Series)

Breaking Down Defenses

"Don't move." Tough words for a ten year old boy to obey but the harshness in the strangers voice had Nathan wanting to obey.

"What are they gonna do to my mama?" Nathan whispered. The man's gray eyes narrowed and he frowned.

"Kill her." Nathan's eyes widened and he stood to run around the barn and save his mother but the stranger grabbed him and held him tight, clamping his hand over Nathan's mouth so he couldn't cry out.

"There's nothing to be done for her, kid. I wish I could save her but it would be me against twelve armed men and if they get me, then there wouldn't be nobody standing between you and them. What do you think they'd do to you?" Nathan struggled against the strangers arms but then his mothers screams filled the air and Nathan clamped his hands over his ears and sagged against the stranger as he sobbed giant tears from his ten year old eyes.

The stranger patted his hair in an attempt to be comforting and when Nathan tried to move his hands the stranger held them in place and shook his head.

"Leave them there." he mouthed and Nathan swallowed hard and nodded. There was a haunted look on the mans face. A look that told Nathan he had better listen. How had this happened? Just this morning he and his mama had sat together at their tiny table eating breakfast. He had come out to the barn to milk the cows and he'd heard the sound of thundering hooves riding toward the house. He had tried to run out but this stranger had stepped out of a stall, where he had obviously bunked down without permission for a night, and grabbed him. Taking him behind the barn and keeping him there.... That had been what felt like an eternity ago.

"Okay kid." The stranger said after he'd moved Nathan's hands away from his ears. "They're gone." Nathan tried to pull out of the mans arms and run to his mother but the stranger held him tight.

"I think it would be best if you didn't see kid." he said as he glanced around the corner of the barn. Nathan was kicking and screaming but the man was big and strong and held one large hand over his eyes as he carried him across the yard and into the house. The man carried Nathan into the bedroom and then tied Nathan's arm to the bed.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" Nathan yelled angrily as he glared up at the tall stranger. It was then that Nathan noticed the Texas Ranger star on his vest beneath his black duster coat and his brown eyes widened.

"You're a ranger?" Nathan asked with awe. The stranger nodded slowly and then frowned.

"I gotta tie you up, kid, or else you'll come out here and see something you don't need to be seeing. I'll come back in for you once I'm done."

"Wait! Where is my mama?" Nathan demanded as the stranger turned his back to walk away.

"She's dead, kid." he said without turning and Nathan curled up to the pillow and cried as the man walked away.

888

Nathan had dried his face and squared his thin shoulders against the pain when he had heard the man coming back a long while later. He would be brave in front of the tough ranger. He wouldn't let the man see him cry anymore.

"It's done." the stranger said when he walked in the room. He had taken off his duster coat and rolled up his black shirt sleeves. His tan skin was sweat covered and streaked with dirt. He had pulled off his hat and his thick blond hair was wild and messy. Without the shadow of his hat covering his face, Nathan saw that he had a long and jagged scar starting at the top of his forehead, running across his left eye and stopping just below his cheekbone. The stranger ran his rough, scarred hand through his ear length hair and offered Nathan a smile that scared the ten year old more than it comforted him. There was something about this man that told the young boy he didn't smile very often.