Woman Overboard

Chapter 18 : Dread (3)

Edward

September 1st, 1820

(11:18 PM)

Edward had a clear objective when the shooting began, but now it was beginning to grow fuzzy in his mind. Now, he could only reload his gun as quickly as possible and hope for the best.

He knew they were losing, at least. With every minute, the militia pushed them back further toward the slave cabins. As they were here primarily as a distraction, Edward knew he shouldn't waste his bullets. He had hit two militiamen, and that was enough for him.

A bullet whizzed past his ear. Edward might not have a thirst for blood, but these men did. He took aim as if to retaliate when something across the yard caught his eye. Aless.

She was engaged in a shoot out with a man in front of her, but what she didn't know was that another was creeping up from behind. Edward rushed for the man who had just shot at him and caught him off guard enough to deliver a blow with the butt of his gun.

He knew Aless hated it when he "rescued" her, but he had no choice. By the time he started running, the man was lunging for her head with the side of his musket, letting it gather force in the air. Edward could already imagine the sickening crack Aless's neck would make as it snapped.

It happened too quickly for planning. Edward realized he wasn't on course to hit the man; he was headed for Aless.

Barreling into her, Edward caught the far end of the other man's swing. He felt the hair on the back of his head ruffle forward as the butt of the gun brushed over it. His body curled around Aless's, they rolled to the side and into the shadows.

"Edward!" Aless hissed. "You may have just given me a concussion, you idiot!"

He pulled her farther into the shadows, suddenly alarmed that she would die in his arms. "Are you alright?"

"Of course I am," Aless huffed back. She yanked her arms away from him, brushing off her dress. "Now, pray tell, why did you just do that?"

"I had to. No, really!" Aless gave him a skeptical look, but he went on, "That man was going after you from behind. He could have killed you!"

Her eyes searched him, then they flitted back to the battle. "Well, thank you I suppose. We ought to get back into the fight."

"Are you sure I didn't hurt you?" Edward asked.

She brushed his hands away, launching back to her feet. Whipping her pistol out of her boot, Aless grabbed him by the arm and yanked him out of their shadow shelter. "Quit worrying, Eddie," she said. "Everything will be alright."

He watched her go with a sense of dread thudding in his heart. But, he thought, perhaps she was right. He took a deep breath. Everything would be alright.