Unshaken

¿Son Realidad los Sueños?

Liam found himself in Beaver Hollow. He was sitting by a small fire where the camp used to congregate. There were no tents or the sign of the gang ever being there. He realized how odd the situation was and stood up. Why was he back at Beaver Hollow? The sun was on the verge of setting over the mountains in the west. He walked around to see nobody. He was completely alone. He flinched when he heard footsteps coming from the dark and treacherous cave. He listened as the clicking of the heels of a boot got louder. He watched in silence as a figure slowly started to emerge. He reached for his revolver to find that he had no gun belt on. His heart sank when Dutch Van der Linde slowly made his way out of the cave, locking eyes with Liam.

"Why, Mr. Parker? I took you in. Fed you, sheltered you, and this is how you repay me? You and John turning my best men against me? You were a parasite from the start." Dutch said in a dark, echoing voice. Liam tried to talk but couldn't speak. Dutch stared at Liam with a look of hatred. His eyes almost glowing. Liam grew nervous. He tried to move but was stuck in fear. He then saw another figure emerge from the cave. Micah Bell. Liam was confused because he had watched the man die. He looked normal until Liam noticed a hole in his stomach where Arthur had shot him. Liam could see right through it. Micah laughed a maniacal laugh that sent shivers down Liam's spine.

"We knew it, Parker. We knew it." Micah said. Liam watched in fear for a moment longer until the cave behind them bursted into flames. Dread filled his entire body. "Judas. You are Judas, Liam. Now that you've betrayed us, you're going to pay the price." Dutch said as he and Micah started to violently laugh. Liam felt a force pushing him towards Dutch, Micah and the cave. Liam tried to fight, but couldn't. He was gradually being pushed towards them. The closer he got, the crazier they started to look. Their faces started to shift. Liam tried to scream but nothing came out. He was on the verge of tears from fear. As he got up to them, they stopped laughing and stared a cold, dead and vague stare he could feel deep within his soul. He felt like he couldn't breathe. They stared for a moment longer before screaming and lunging at him.

"Hey, hey, son, wake up! Wake up, kid!" A voice said. He felt someone shaking him. Liam's eyes flew open and he pushed the figure away, gasping. He backed up against the wall until he recognized the voice. "Liam, son, it's okay, you're okay." Arthur said, grabbing his shoulders, stabilizing him. Liam almost hyperventilated for a moment. Arthur knelt down in front of him. Liam felt tears running down his face. "I- it- it was Dutch... an-and Micah." Liam said, catching his breath and wiping the tears from his eyes. Arthur looked worried. "Micah's dead. And Dutch is long gone. They ain't gonna hurt you, boy." Arthur assured. Liam felt the cold sweat on his body. "I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me." Liam said, looking down. He heard the bed creak and John get off. "Everything alright, kid?" He asked. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bad dream is all." Liam assured. John noticed how disheveled he looked.

Arthur sat him on the bed and handed him a wet rag. "Cool yourself down. Relax for a minute." Arthur said, sitting beside him. John sat on the other side of him. "You said it was Dutch, and Micah?" John asked. "Yeah. We was in Beaver Hollow and they told me I betrayed everybody. Then, they... just looked so evil. I don't know how to explain it." Liam told them. "All just a bad dream. They ain't never coming back. You're safe from them." Arthur assured. "I know. I'm alright. Thank you." Liam told them.

"Get some rest. It's two in the morning. We got a busy day tomorrow, kid." Arthur told him. Liam nodded his head and climbed back down onto his pallet as John and Arthur got back in the bed. He identified his surroundings. He was in Chuparosa, Mexico. He was with Arthur Morgan and John Marston, two men that would never hurt him. He was in a safe town. Micah was dead. Dutch disappeared. He was safe. There was nothing to worry about. The paranoid thought still lingered in the back of his mind, what if those dreams were going to get Arthur or John next? He laid for a moment thinking about it. He sat up and looked at Arthur and John, who were already back asleep. Liam worried for them, wanting to watch over them. He quietly climbed out of his pallet and went to his shirt and pulled out the eagle claw and feather trinket of protection and wisdom. Even if it didn't do what it said, the gift from Keokuk in the mountains still meant a lot to him. He held it in his hands for a moment before putting in in the pallet with him, taking one last look at Arthur and John. They were fine. He drifted off back to sleep peacefully, thanking his lucky stars dreams weren't reality.