•Tombstone• Brothers Under The Sun

Chapter 8

𝓢𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷'𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓪𝓵𝓴, 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓭𝓲𝓭...

The next morning Elle walked down the dusty city to the Marshall's office. Knocking on the door before entering, she was greeted warmly with Fred White's pleasant smile.

"Mornin' Miss Raycroft." He offered her a cigarette which she refused.

"Morning Marshall." The girl took off her hat and smiled at the old man.

"What did you want to talk about?" He asked.

"Mind if we take a walk, for some air?" She mumbled. Fred nodded and they made their way off of Main Street.

"It's about the cowboys, they uh, you see..." Elle scrambled to find the works but they were lost to her.

"I know." Fred said. Elle looked at the man in shock. "The cowboys have done horrible things to many people. I've heard them all." Fred now grabbed her shoulder and squeezed. "Whatever happened, You don't have to tell me, I already know."

Elle was thankful for the man. She didn't even know herself if she wanted to tell him. She felt like she needed too, but again, she didn't want to talk about. Swallowing her tears she thanked the man. "Thank you for your kindness." She said, "I've done nothing to deserve it."

"Just being here is enough to deserve it." Fred said as they stopped in the road.

Few people wandered into this area as it was more of a residential area, kids played and women hung clothes on lines to dry in the morning sun. Fred patted Ellanora one last time on the shoulder and walked back to Allen street. Elle watched the man walk away and disappear into the next street over. Smiling to her self, she walked back to the stables near the Grand Hotel.

Finding Ash she grabbed a brush and started to clean her mighty steed, with the protest of the stable boy. Handing him a dollar and telling him not to worry about it, she brushed her horse with no problem. Once the horse was cleaned she grabbed her saddle which hung on the side of his stable. Throwing on the horses back and leaning down to tighten it, a pair of boots appeared in front of her. Looking up, she found Doc Holliday looking at her.

"Leaving so soon Miss Raycroft?" He asked, cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"You shouldn't smoke in here. The hay can easily burn." She said not looking at him, tightening the leather straps on Ash.

"I thought you were staying a few extra days?" He questioned again. Elle ignored him again. Doc Holliday then took the cigarette out of his mouth, threw it into the dirt and smothered it with his boot tip. "Now," he started standing up straight, "the cigarette is out. Now will you talk with me?"

Elle stood up straight from where she was kneeling and narrowed her eyes. "Why are you bothering me?" Her voice sour. Elle then brushed past Doc to grab the reins for Ash.

"Why Miss, I only came to bid you a goodbye." As if he was offended, he puts his hand on his chest.

"I'm not leaving, not yet at least." She mumbled the last part.

"But you turned down the faro game with the Earp's."

"Let me guess, Wyatt told you that."

"Actually no it was dear Virgil, he seemed very distraught by your refusal."

Elle pulled Ash out into the street and Doc followed her. Finishing up all the loose ends on her horse, she turned to face the pale man. "I'm leaving tomorrow. No questions."

"Alright then." Doc threw his hands up, Elle then jumped on her horse. "Oh one last thing-" Doc said turning towards her again, squinting his eyes as the sun beamed under his hat, "That was quite the show you out on last night with Johnny Ringo." Ellanora looked at Doc as a smirk crossed his face, he turned away and walk off down the street.

Elle sat on Ash, confused at this Doc Holliday, he was quite the character. Pulling the reins and then telling Ash to ride, she trotted out into the street and went out of the city for a short ride. But she kept thinking of the Earp's and Holliday.

She had only talked with Morgan once, with Fred White. But he was a sweet man who followed his older brothers around with no hesitation. He also looked up to them, wanting to be like them and please them as best he could. Wyatt really loved Morgan, Elle had noticed that by the way they spoke with each other.

Wyatt was something of a mystery to Elle. He had been a peace officer in Dodge City, famous for his work in keeping order and being a well respected man. He came to Tombstone to retire, start a life with his wife Mattie. Mattie looked lost when Elle last saw her, a glossy haze shaded her eyes, she'd seen it before.

Virgil was a kind man, held those he respected very close to him, Elle included. Although she had met him once back when Peter the Quick was trying to gun her down, he did his duty in protecting the city. He respected Ellanora for her bravery and willingness to stand up, especially since she was a women. But Elle didn't want his respect, she felt as if she didn't deserve it.

Now lying on the grass as Ash wandered around, she watched the clouds roll by and the sun set over the western frontier. Sighing to herself she closed her eyes and listened. Waiting. What she was waiting for, she didn't know. She just lay there, thinking, feeling, waiting. She thought of Johnny Ringo, and the cowboys. She thought of blood, the smell of gunpowder, she heard a gunshot. Opening her eyes, she sat up in a hurry and looked around, realizing the gunshot was only in her head. It was a distant memory, one she longed to forget.