RDR2: Taciturn

Chapter 10

I lost track of how long he held me, but I was losing hope for rescue. My days were spent being some sort of sick toy for Bronte, or sleeping after whatever he had done to me. Only I never slept, I couldn't. I feared what he would decide to do to me if I was unconscious.

I was broken inside, at this point a rescue would mean nothing to me. The things he had done, the ways he had used me. Could I ever look the others in the eye again? I didn't think I wanted rescuing anymore, I just wanted it all to be over. Too much bad had happened to me, was life even worth it?

But one day, during my time alone with Bronte, I was sure I heard Arthur and John's voices outside the window yet I felt nothing.

Gunshots went off outside and Bronte's face darkened as he got off me, pulling his clothes on and barking orders, he lifted me to my feet and held me in front of him, raising a gun I didn't know he had to my head. I swallowed with fear as he led me to the front door, I was naked and vulnerable, I didn't want my family to see me like this.

"Your friends, I presume," he growled in my ear as the doors opened, and the shooting suddenly ceased, my arms moving to preserve at least some of my dignity.

"Eliza!" I heard a yell, Arthur. The crack in his voice made tears sting at my eyes, I knew how I looked, and I never wanted him to see me like that.

"Well, I imagine you are her outlaw friends," Bronte snarled, "Do you really think this is the way to get her back? Gunning down my men, rampaging over my city? I gave you a way to get money, Van der Linde, and this is how you repay me? I think her life is more than ample payment."

"Oh, I think it is a more than effective way," Dutch told him, stepping into the open, "Because if you don't give her back to us, a bullet is going to find its way to your head and we will take her."

"What if she doesn't want to return with you anyway," Bronte snarled, "After what I've done to her, the pleasure I've offered her..."

A shot went off, a scream escaped me. Bronte's gun fell from my head, his arms letting go of me, his body slumping down. Gunshots filled the air again, I fell to my knees, gripping my head and crying harshly. I was going to die, this was it.

I didn't even notice the shooting had ceased until I felt a hand on my shoulder, followed by material being draped over me.

"Micah, that was stupid," John yelled, "You could have hit her!"

"I wasn't going to hit her," Micah growled back, "And I wasn't about to let him finish that sentence."

"We need to go, fast," Dutch said, "Arthur, take her on your horse. The law won't be far, but we can get away without them knowing it was us if we're quick."

"Eliza, can you stand?" The voice was barely a whisper and I looked up, Arthur was staring down at me with sad eyes.

I nodded slightly and he offered a hand, I noticed his normal yellow jacket was off his shoulders, quickly realising it was what had been draped over my own. I allowed him to lead me to his horse, helping me up then us galloping away, silence over all the men in the group.

Dutch. Arthur. Charles. John. Bill. Lenny. Sean. Javier. Micah. All had seen me at my lowest now, all had seen me at my most vulnerable. Sobs wracked my body as we rode in silence, heading back towards Shady Belle, Arthur put an arm around my stomach, squeezing my arm gently.

"You're safe," he whispered, his voice cracking.

We arrived back at camp. Arthur gently lifted me off of his horse, keeping his coat wrapped securely around my broken body. The air was heavy, nobody spoke, as Arthur walked into the house and climbed the stairs, setting me gently on the sofa that had been my bed.