Chapter 10
"There's something you're not tellin' me!" Lou had gotten up and took a decisive step in Natalie's direction.
"I'm not exactly sure myself" Natalie stammered, frightened by the look on Lou's face.
"You obviously know more than I do!" Lou was standing right in front of Natalie, staring her right in the eye with an angry demeanor. "Is it you fault he's here?"
Natalie didn't know how to respond to the girl, seeing the reactions her quick temper could provoke she was afraid of what might happen. "Lou..." she began in a hesitant voice.
"Dammit Natalie, tell me what's goin' on!"
Natalie had no choice, she saw that in Lou's eye's. She began to tell her the story. "I was living with my ten years older brother, the doctor, and his wife since my mother died. I've never really known my father. He went out West when I was very young. He provided for us by sending money, but I never knew him. Then one day my brother heard some rumors that my father was a criminal, shooting Indians for profit. We had always thought he was in the Army. Luke, that's my brother, heard that he was involved in some massacres of Indians, shooting up innocent people for money. My brother felt sick, thinking that the money that had enabled him to go to medical school was blood money. He had to know if it was true. So he decided to start looking for our father. We finally got word that he had been transferred to Seneca, waiting for a new assignment as Indian Agent in the northern territories. He has some kind of arrangement with the Government and would be in Seneca a few months to plan something, don't ask me what. By this time my sister-in-law was six months pregnant, so I decided to go instead of my brother."
Natalie threw a glance in Lou's direction. Lou still wasn't content, she had to tell her the rest. This is the ugly part, she thought. "Going through some documents and speaking to some people, I found out that my father had indeed promised a Lakota village rifles in trade of Buffalo-hides. The hides were provided and my father and his men shot the whole village, almost."
Lou gasped and Natalie's eyes were filling with tears.
"I almost decided to go home then, but I was so close. So I took the stagecoach to Seneca, and that's when I landed in Rock Creek. The stagecoach was attached by Indians, they obviously wanted me. But they were few and the driver and his men managed to hurt one of them and scare them away. I didn't know that they were after me, I swear Lou. They must have found out someway. And before you ask, I don't know what will happen next!"
Lou was coming even closer. "Ya mean you knew all this and still said nothing to warn us?"
Natalie took a hesitant step backwards, "Lou, I'm telling you, I didn't know, I mean I wasn't sure..."
"Goddammit Natalie" Lou was yelling "it's all your fault!"
"I didn't ask him to come, you sent him away!" Natalie yelled back at her.
Lou couldn't believe her ears. "You little...why didn't ya shoot him yourself, that would have..."
"Hold on Lou, I wasn't the one telling him he was as a substitute for somebody else!" Natalie lashed out.Lou felt a red cloud rising before her eyes. Natalie's adding to her already guilty conscience made her want to kill the girl. She swayed, having to take deep breaths to try to control herself. Her hand flew up by themselves to grab hold of the girl in front of her. "But I sure as hell didn't ...."
Lou's low menacing voice was abruptly stopped by Aganti who had stepped in, placing himself between the girls. Holding a protective arm around Natalie and the other restraining Lou. Lou's eyes were on fire.
"Hey," he started and was in his turn interrupted by a moan from the other side of the teepee.
Kid heard Lou yelling in the back of his head. He struggled to open his eyes, scared something had happened to her. He tried to move but he felt like he was pinned down. Every part of his body ached and his shoulder was definitely on fire. Struggling to wake up from the strange torpor he found himself in, he tried to move. But nothing happened. He felt desperate, he had to do something. With a deep breath and sheer willpower he finally managed to open his eyes to a slight crack. What he saw made his eyes crack wide open. He had no idea where he was. He saw a fire on the ground and on the other side Lou and Natalie were held by an Indian. He tried desperately to get up, but all he accomplished was a moan.
Then he witnessed the strangest thing. Lou turned around, and came towards him, the Brave and Natalie on her heels. Watch out! He's behind you, he wanted to scream but all that came out was another pitiful moan. The only part of his body he was able to move a little was his left hand, and he tried to point at the Brave. But Lou didn't seem to notice. He felt a terror like never before, his heart was beating fast and he could do absolutely nothing.
"Kid" Lou spoke softly, kneeling down besides him. He tried to speak, but nothing came out. Horror mixed with bewilderment as he saw her turn to the Brave "Aganti, he needs water!"
"I'll get some soothing tea for him," the Indian spoke and left. Kid's eyes darted from Lou to the Indian and to Natalie, making his head spin from the effort. What's going' on here. Why didn't they seem scared? What exactly has happened? He looked at Lou and wondered what she was doing here? Then he remembered what he had told Buck. He told him that if something happened to Jimmy to let him know. He closed his eyes as he understood what had happened. Somebody had finally caught up with Jimmy.
Opening his eyes again he scanned Lou's face for information. But she was just looking at him with the same gaze that used to make his knees go weak. He felt her hand on him and moaned. He had to close his eyes and remember what she had told him. She loves Jimmy, not me and I have to remember that! He felt Lou take a firm hold of his hand, her action almost made tears spring to his eyes, did she have to torture him like this?
"Kid, you still awake? Kid, hold on a minute longer. Aganti's bringin' you some tea to take away the pain!" Her voice was filled with concern. Kid understood next to nothing but squeezed her hand in a silent reply. Her hand on his face now, caressing it. He knew it was out of pity and that hurt him more than the ache he felt in his body. He moved his face away from her hand.
"Kid's what's a matter? Why are you shying away? Aganti will bring you some medicine, it'll take away some of the pain. Kid just hold on, I'm here beside you! Oh God, just hold on."
Lou's thick voice made him open his eyes again. He moved his lips and fought hard to utter the question he knew would explain everything. He finally heard himself say it, "Where's Jimmy?"
Jimmy and Noah were sitting in the saloon in Seneca. They had ridden hard to get there fast. Asking around in the hotels they found out no Natalie Shearer had been around.
"What if she used a fake name?" Jimmy pointed out.
Noah shook his head "You're clinging to the last straw of false hope, ya know that don't ya?" Noah knew that Jimmy intensely wished that their suspicions were false. Noah had gotten to understand they probably were right on. But his friend didn't want to admit that, seeing how things between him and Kid, and Lou, where when Kid left. "There ain't no wagon with a horse like Lollipop been throu' here either, you heard what the boy at Livery stable said."
Jimmy frowned "That boy didn't know nothin'. Probably couldn't see the difference between a horse an' a cat!"
"Give it up, will ya" Noah answered his friends unspoken protest against the situation.
"It just can't be, Noah, it just can't be!" Jimmy muttered removing his gloves in a violent manner, revealing the rage inside him.
"Well find them, Jimmy, and they'll be fine!" Noah stated in a soothing voice, praying with all his heart, that was going to be the case.
Buck had reached the camp the second time in just a few days. His brother was waiting for him in his teepee. Buck scanned the camp to see if Dawn was anywhere around. Still, he was sure his brother hadn't told her about his arrival, since Red Bear seemed convinced she wasn't the girl for him. Buck chuckled to himself as he made his way to the teepee, one day his brother just had to see eye to eye with the fact. He'd find her later anyways, now he had to find out about the Lakota-camps whereabouts. He stepped into the teepee and saluted the Kiowa braves around the fire. They all glanced at him in a curious manner. Buck felt something had happened? But what? Where they involved with the Lakota renegades and had decided not to cooperate with him?"Red Bear, I need your help!" Buck started but Red Bear interrupted him.
"I don't know how to say this my brother, Dawn is missing!"
Kid's words were still hanging in the air. Lou wasn't sure she had heard right, had he asked about Jimmy? And why?
"Is he delirious Natalie? Please do something to help him!" she pleaded in Natalie's direction as she found herself unable to help the Kid. She was afraid to touch him, fearing it would bring him more pain. Watching his pale face with his half-closed eyes directed at her, she began to cry of helplessness. "I don't think he knows what he talkin' about! Natalie please!" She was begging the girl.Natalie shook her head in despair "Lou, I don't know what to do, I don't know what's going on."
Aganti came in and they gave him the tea. Having to almost force it to him. Kid's face was a greenish gray that scared them all. His eyes were fixed on the Brave making him drink the tea. The pain of swallowing making him close his eyes again, concentrating on breathing. He felt the pain ease off and finally mustered to swallow and breathe easier. He felt somewhat calmer and he directed his gaze back at the Brave. Why was he helping him?
Natalie noticed his bewilderment and spoke to him "Kid, don't worry, he saved your life."
"With her help" Aganti smiled at Natalie and Kid saw the warmth in his smile. This made him relax, but it still didn't answer his question.
"Lou, why are you here? Has something happened to Jimmy?" he finally succeeded to speak, the tea having taken the edge of the pain away. But his voice was still faint and full of hurt.
"Kid dammit, Jimmy ain't here, an' I really don't care where he is right now!" Lou realized that Kid's mind was still set on the words she had blabbered out, that dreadful evening. Leaning her head against his chest she sobbed out "I came for you".
Kid's eyes wandered over to Natalie.
She answered his question with a nod "She came for you, she's been sitting here with you all the time. She damn near killed some warriors for hurting you, and was nearly killed herself getting to you."
Kid involuntary jerked at this revelation. His body answering him with an acute fit of pain that made him clinch his teeth. He tried to place a hand on Lou's shaking head, but had no force to do so.
"But Lou, you..." he started, talking still hurt, but he had to find out what the truth really was. And he had to find it out from Lou. She raised her head and read the question in his eyes.
Aganti realized the two needed to be alone so he laid an arm on Natalie's shoulders and carefully dragged her out of the teepee. "Let's leave them alone," he whispered to her.
"Hush Kid," Lou was still talking with her head against his chest. "That day is the day I regret most of all days in my life. All went wrong from the start. I was scolded at Blue Creek for being late. Then Lightning dropped a shoe and I couldn't go as fast as I wanted to. To top it off, she threw me when she stumbled. It was my fault, I made her run too fast. I should have known then, the day was just going to get worse. But that day I blamed everyone but myself. Then when I got to Thompkin's I saw you laugh and talk with that Nelson girl. The one with the fancy dresses. That really made my day. I know it ain't any excuse for what I did, I'm just tellin' you."
"You kissed him." His voice came out as a hoarse moan. She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. He saw her eyes fill with tears and couldn't help himself from feeling the hurt she was in. He suddenly felt ashamed. They hadn't even been together then, so who was he to talk?
"Kid, that just happened, both Jimmy and me knew right away we weren't acting ourselves. And we knew right away it wouldn't happen again. Kid, please, that kiss meant nothing, it just was to prove what I always knew. And when Elias was hung I instinctively turned to you, not to Jimmy, but to you, Kid. And we weren't even together then, don't that tell you how I feel." She sobbed into his chest, desperate in her effort to make him understand.
He finally managed to take her hand into his as she continued.
"That night in the barn, I was dead jealous. An' I know how often I've accused you of being jealous, but this time it was my turn. I hate to admit that. That's why I told you all those things. I didn't think you'd believe me anyways. And I know you've been thinkin' Jimmy and me's got something, but he's a dear friend. That's nothing compared to what I feel for you. But I used that to make you jealous too. And I added all those things coz' I'm a cruel an' mean human being, and I understand if you don't love me anymore. Hell, I hated myself for sayin' those things. That's why I turned and walked out on you. Coz' I couldn't believe what I just had said. I still hate myself for that. God knows I tried to tell you that before, but you wouldn't listen. When you went away, I just knew I had to find you. To tell you I've never loved anyone the way I love you and I know I never will. And Kid, please don't hate me for what I've done, you don't have to love me, please just don't hate me."
She was sobbing heartbreakingly by now. Kid's couldn't help the tears falling from his eyes too. What a fool I've been not listening to her, if I had, this wouldn't have happened. It's all my fault and I'll have to live with that if something happens to her now, he thought while the darkness kept creeping up on him. With the last of his strenght he laid his hand on her head, feeling her trembling under his hand. Her desperation had him shivering.
"Oh God, Lou, I'm so sorry I didn't listen. Lou, you know I love you, ain't nothin' gonna change that," he uttered with his last strength, before darkness overcame him.
Feedback?
|Chapter 1||Chapter 2||Chapter 3||Chapter 4||Chapter 5||Chapter 6||Chapter 7||Chapter 8||Chapter 9||Chapter 10||Chapter 11||Chapter 12||Chapter 13||Chapter 14||Chapter 15||Chapter 16||Chapter 17||Chapter 18||Chapter 19||Chapter 20|
Back to Nesciri's |continuous stories| |completed stories| |reading room|