Bad Beginnings (A RDR2 Fanfic)

No More

Arthur and the sheriff quickly walked down the snow covered dirt road. Many people parted and stared as the sheriff followed a child to who knows where.

The sheriff was making an attempt to make small talk with the boy, but it was kind of difficult, considering Arthur wasn't much of a talker.

"Yeah I came down to Aurora Ridge back in '53. Way before your time, and-"

"That's what this town is called?" Arthur asked, finding his voice.

The sheriff looked surprised. "Well of course son. Don't you see the sign?"

Arthur didn't reply. He saw the sign every day. He had even tried to read it at one point, trying to compare it to whatever writing they had in the house.

"I, um, I can't read, sir," Arthur replied, softly.

"Well that's okay son!" The sheriff laughs, clasping Arthur on the back. "I didn't learn to read until I was fully grown."

Arthur laughed too, feeling slightly less bad about himself. He thought that everyone could read, but apparently many people out here couldn't.

"Hold on, son," the sheriff says, removing his hand from Arthur's skinny shoulder. "Let's ride up to your house. Make it quicker."

"Yessir," Arthur replied, as they moved over to the horses.

The sheriff wiped the fresh snow off his saddle and climbed up on his pretty chestnut colored horse. "Well, hop on up!" the sheriff say, gesturing to the next horse over.

"Oh, um," Arthur stuttered, hands instinctively moving into his pockets. "I can't ride... I've never done it before."

"Jeez boy," the sheriff replied, almost equally as awkward. "That's okay... here, hop on up, I'll get you there."

"Thank you, sorry sir," Arthur replied quickly, hopping up onto the sheriff's horse and loosely wrapping his arms around the sheriff's waist.

"Don't give me any more of that sir nonsense," the sheriff replied, with his deep laugh. "Just call me Charlie. We're all friends here."

"Yes s-... Charlie."

Charlie laughed again. "Let's ride!" Charlie snapped the reins and his horse took off, causing Arthur to pull himself tighter against the man's back, so as to not topple off.

—————

They arrived at the Morgan home a half hour later. It was about 1 PM, and it was as cold as ever, despite it being a cloudless day.

Arthur clambered awkwardly off the horse, while Charlie maneuvered himself neatly and quietly.

"My father is just inside, sir," Arthur said to Charlie, as the larger man was feeding his horse a piece of carrot.

"Okay, son, let's go get him," Charlie replied, making his way through the snow and onto the porch. He reached for the doorknob, paused, then turned back to look down at Arthur. "You're doing a good thing, son," he says.

Arthur smiled. Finally his father was going to get what he deserved. "Thank you, Charlie. But can we please just go inside and get him, sir?"

Charlie smiled back. "Of course."

Finally they entered the house. It was dark and quiet, except for the raspy breaths in the nearby room. They entered Lyle's bedroom to find him asleep. The sheriff moved up towards the bed, and that's when the beast stirred.

"Sheriff!" Lyle exclaimed, quickly sitting up in bed. "What are you doing here?" He turned around, saw Arthur, then his expression turned sour. "It was him! That boy!"

"Mr. Morgan, just calm down," the sheriff tried to say, to calm Lyle down just so they can take him in for now.

Lyle climbed out of bed and went towards Arthur, his rage giving him energy Arthur hadn't seen in weeks. "You led the police right to us, boy!" his father yelled, as Charlie tried to talk him down in the background. He had left his gun on his horse.

Arthur quivered like a leaf, backing out into the living room, his father following. "I-I'm sorry, sir!" Arthur said, trying to repair the damage.

Without saying a word, his father punched Arthur across the mouth. Never before had Arthur been punched, but he saw stars as he crashed to the ground. Lyle kicked Arthur in the face, narrowly missing his nose, and went back for another one before Charlie was tackling him to the ground.

"That's it, you son of a bitch, you're definitely coming with me now," Charlie muttered as he tied up Lyle's hands behind is back and his feet together. After he was done, he went to Arthur who was still on the floor. "You okay, son?"

Arthur whimpered slightly, and, much to his embarrassment, Charlie heard.

"Oh, son, don't worry," he said, lifting Arthur onto his feet and brushing off his shoulders. "You'll be okay."

Arthur, without thinking, hugged the man around the middle. His tears didn't spill over, but his jaw quivered as he pressed his face into the tall man's jacket.

"He won't hurt you no more."

Arthur's tears spilled over, and he started sobbing into his jacket. The taller man held him closer and patted his back.

"You're safe now."