•Tombstone• Brothers Under The Sun

Chapter 22

𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓫𝓸𝓽𝓱 𝓸𝓷𝓮. 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓳𝓸𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸𝓰𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓹𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴.

The days passed with bloodshed and many days of travel. Hearing rumours of the cowboys whereabouts, the gang followed their trail in hopes of running into a cowboy or two to hunt down and kill. Even though the days passed, Elle still remembered what that cowboy told her, how they were coming. This was a war now, there was only one winning team.

Another rumour suffered its way through the cowboys grape vine of Curly Bill seeking his own revenge on the group. McMaster's had heard from a dying cowboy that Bill was traveling west up the river that ran near a town where other cowboys were hiding out. Upon hearing this, the group travelled to the north side of this river.

"Are we sure he'll be here?" Texas Jack questioned as the group rode to the edge of the woods where the river was.

"We can all this way," Elle said, "he better be."

The group mounted off their horses and grabbed their guns, loading them, Wyatt spoke up.

"Just keep your guard up, I don't believe he'll play a fair game." He said loading his shotgun.

"A man like Curly Bill," Doc scuffed, "never played a fair game in his life." Coughing a few times, he turned to grab his pistols.

Elle watched Doc for a moment, he was getting sicker. He should be resting, living the last bit of his life relaxing. But here he was, treating everyday like it was his last.

"Let's go." Wyatt said leading the group down a trail to the river.

The sun was high in the sky as the cool air filled the trees. The trees danced upon the wind, like little fairies. The forest was quiet, nothing moved, but the trees and the group. Elle found herself wondering if children from traveling families would stop here for a rest and play in the woods. Seeing the ghosts of children playing and having fun made her miss the simple life.

She never thought of settling down, not for a long time. She felt like she didn't deserve that life, she felt like she would always be running. That Ellanora Raycroft would always be running from something. From her past or the law, maybe even herself. She always ran.

Walking down a small hill, the group saw the rushing river come into view between the trees. The birds chirped, as the sound of rushing water filled the forest. It's blue hue shined and reflected from the sun and the water sparkled under its light.

Wyatt stopped, looking out over the river, waiting. His eyes scanned the other side, looking for something.

Suddenly, a gun shot fired in the air and a bullet hit the tree next to Wyatt, causing the group to scramble to the ground. Wyatts hat was suddenly shot off his head as he ducked behind a tree root. Doc Holliday leaned his back against a dirt hill that was just large enough to shield him from the oncoming bullets. Not too far was Elle, tucked behind a tree, sitting there holding her shotgun close to her chest, she could clearly see Curly Bill peek his head out from the woods on the other side of the river.

"Hey Wyatt!" He laughed from across the way. "How the hell are ya?" Bill mocked him.

Reaching over the hill, Wyatt shot at the oncoming bullets, so did everyone else, despite not knowing where they were coming from. A bullet shot the tree where Elle was hiding and grazed her shoulder, causing a rip in her sleeve and blood to seep out of her skin. Grinding her teeth she reached out and fired her gun towards the river.