Innocence and the Outlaw

Chapter Two

"Cowboy change your ways or with us you will ride, trying to catch the devils herd across this endless sky."   Johnny Cash 'Ghostriders in the Sky'

“What do you want?” Benjamin demanded of the men in a shaky voice. Leah was too frightened to talk. She kept trying to lean in closer to Benjamin as she caught flashes of the strangers eyes glowing in the moonlight. They seemed like demons. Like minions come to earth to do the devils bidding.

Her knuckles whitened as she clutched her reins tightly and prayed this wasn’t really happening. Leah didn’t want to admit that her parents and her brother had been right. She didn’t want to admit that this land was dangerous and Benjamin couldn’t keep her safe. But these men made that hard. They looked very dangerous indeed and she knew that she and Benjamin would be no match against so many.

“What do we want?” One of the men asked with a smile in his voice as he tilted his hat back. The only thing visible were the mans eyes and they were merely a shining glint in the moonlight. His bandana hid the rest of his face from view just as the other men‘s hid theirs as well. “What do you got?” he asked Benjamin.

“I have money. You can have it all.” Benjamin replied as he reached a shaking hand into his saddlebag and pulled out a sack of money. Leah nearly cried out when he tossed it in the air to the outlaw. There went their future. That was all the money they had. Now she would have to crawl back home to her mother and father and beg for their forgiveness.

“Thank you kindly.” the outlaw said as he caught the bag in the air and then tossed it to another man beside him. “Now what exactly are you fine folks doin’ wanderin’ ‘round these parts at night?”

“We’re on our way to Billings, sir.” Leah said as she sat up straighter and nodded toward the lights in the distance. “Now if you’ll be so kind as to move aside so we can get there.”

“Move aside?” the outlaw asked humorously. He laughed loudly and slapped his knee. “Boys did you hear all that polite talk? Why I ain’t never heard a filly talk so pretty and proper in all my life.”

“I would prefer if you did not refer to my fiancee as a filly.” Benjamin stated and Leah was proud of his bravery.

“And a sweet talking little man too. Why it’s almost too much to take.” the outlaw said. Leah noticed Benjamin swallow hard and saw the knot in his throat bobbing up and down. “What do you think, boys?” There were several grunts, nods and chuckles of agreement.

“She’s pretty, boss.” A thin, shortly built man said with a tone in his voice that caused shivers to pass over Leah’s spine, though she didn’t know why.

“I’ve given you gentleman all the money that we have. Can you let us pass now?” Benjamin asked and Leah could hear the fear and uncertainty in his voice. She could hear Chance’s smug voice in her head chiding her and telling her that Benjamin couldn’t keep her safe. That Benjamin wasn’t a brave man. But wouldn’t any man be just as terrified given the situation they were in?

“Can we let ‘em pass, boys?” the main outlaw who seemed to be the leader of them all asked as he looked around at the other men. Each man shook their head in unison except for one. He sat tall yet relaxed in the saddle and his face was completely hidden both by a black bandana and his hat, which was pulled down low.

Leah found her eyes drawn to this man and wondered why he didn’t seem to be joining in the other men’s excitement.

“I don’t think we’re gonna let you pass on your way. I think you have something else we want.” the ’boss’ said matter of factly as he looked Leah up and down. Leah felt her heart stop beating and the first true terror she had ever felt filled her senses. What would these men do to her? Would they hit her? Would they kill her?

“Just take our horses and let us be on our way. You have no need to be taking my fiancee.” Benjamin stated uncertainly.

“No we got enough horses. See we got a whole camp of men and we’re always looking for fresh whores to bring in. We got some men there that like the women with a bit of meat on them and the fact that she’s innocent will be a big plus.”

“I… I’m not innocent.” Leah lied and she heard an owl hoot in the distance and it sounded almost as if the bird was laughing at her weak attempt at deception.

“Yes you are. You’re as fresh as the first snowflakes of winter.” ‘boss’ argued. He reached out one gloved hand and ran his fingertip down her arm. Leah shivered and jumped away, nearly falling off of her mare.

“Keep your hands off her!” Benjamin shouted angrily as his hand went to the gun on his hip.

The next events happened so quickly that Leah barely had time to realize they were happening at all. Benjamin pulled his gun, the men all shouted, a single shot rang out and as the horses all stomped, jumped and fought against their riders, Benjamin tumbled from his saddle.

“Benjamin!” Leah screamed as her heart raced and her vision blurred. She felt a hand grab the reins of her horse and pull her. Faintly she noticed it was the tall, quiet outlaw that seemed somehow removed from the others. He pulled her away from the chaos as Benjamin’s cries of pain filled the air and the other outlaws jumped from their horses with loud laughter.

Leah squeezed her eyes shut tight but that did nothing to block out the sound as boots struck against flesh with dull thuds followed by yells of pain from her beloved.

“Stop it!” she cried out in a choked sob as she buried her face in her hands and shook with tears. This was the worst kind of nightmare. How and why was this happening? Benjamin had never hurt a soul in his entire life. They were supposed to be getting married and starting their lives together and now it looked as if his life was ending.

Leah felt a gloved hand touch the back of her neck but before she could scream in protest, the hand pressed just the right place and Leah’s whole world went black.

***

“Got what you want boys?” Boss asked loudly as the men finished going through Benjamin’s saddlebags and pockets. They had stripped off everything of value from his body as well as he lay bruised, bloody and moaning in the grass.

“No, I want that.” Petey grumbled as he pointed at the unconscious woman currently occupying the rump of Chase’s horse. She was out cold and tossed over the back. Her bonnet had fallen off and her long dark hair was tumbling loose of the bun she’d tied it in. Her legs were bouncing as Chase’s horse moved from side to side with anticipation. Boss knew that horse was nearly as unpredictable as its rider but Chase’s father had been a good friend and so Boss had taken the boy in out of respect when Leslie had died fifteen years ago.

Since then the boy had turned into a man and he was quiet, temperamental and more deadly with gun, hands or knife than any man Boss had ever seen.

“Well if you want that I guess you’ll have to take it from Chase. He seems to have claimed that prize as his own.” Boss replied.

“You’ll let me have a turn on her won’t ya, Chase?” Petey asked as he rubbed his hands together with excitement. Coal black eyes could be seen flashing in the moonlight and Chase said nothing as he turned his horse and started back toward their hidden camp.

“I think that was a no.” Yancy said with a laugh as he elbowed Petey.

“Boss!” Petey exclaimed. Boss shook his head and jumped on his horse. Some days he felt like a goddamn babysitter instead of the leader of a gang of cutthroat outlaws.

“Petey, you deal it on your own. If you want the woman then talk to Chase about it.”

“Chase don’t talk!” Tig exclaimed in his loud, overly animated way. “He shoots. Boom! Boom! Petey’s dead.”

“Mount up!” Boss yelled over the dull fleshy thud of Petey’s fist connecting with Tig’s jaw. “We need to get back to camp before day break.” The men all rode off, with the grunting of horses and the pounding of hooves, leaving their victim to bleed out in the dry dirt of the plains and choke on their dust.