NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY: RDR2

47. A DAY I RUED

"Has given my heart

A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I rued."

—Robert Frost

Abigail and I sat opposite each other in the back of the prison wagon. I looked around to see a small army's worth of Pinkertons following along behind in a uniformed line. Our hands were bound in front of us, in clear view of the guard sat between us. I leaned over to get a better look at his face, wanting a clear image of who to kill first.

"Sit back." He ordered, shoving me hard against the metal bars.

"Where are you takin' us?" I asked, doing my best to sound more confident than I was.

"Patience, Miss. You'll find out soon enough."

I scoffed, twisting in the seat to look at our surroundings. We had already passed the crossing into Annesburg, and they wouldn't be taking us further inland. The city would be too busy, I couldn't imagine it would do wonders for tourism to watch fifty men manhandle two ladies through the streets. That left one viable option nearby.

"Van Horn? You stickin' us on a boat?" I asked. The guard sighed, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

"If you don't shut the hell up you won't make it that far." He hissed, I snorted. Abigail glared at me in warning, but I ignored her.

"So what? You gonna ship off two little women and tell your bosses that we were the masterminds behind all this? Graspin' at straw's there, don't you think?" I replied, he looked over his shoulder to the driver of the wagon, who shrugged in return. And then it dawned on me. "Oh...oh!"

"What now, Miss?"

"We ain't your prize ponies, we're your bait." I said, grinning. The guard pursed his lips, resting his hands on his knees. I burst into fits of unhinged laughter at the realisation. "You idiots, he's gonna kill you all."

"Shut her up." The driver ordered.

The guard untied Abigail's gag, she remained silent as removed it from her mouth and stood opposite me, holding it out in his hands like a display. I grinned back at him, raising my eyebrows as if to urge him on. He grabbed the back of my head and pushed the rag into my mouth with forceful urgency. I didn't bother to push back against him. He tied it behind my head, carelessly getting my hair caught in the knot. Abigail shot me a look of warning, shaking her head cautiously. I looked away from her, watching the road as we crossed the railway and entered Van Horn, in all it's miserable glory. I supposed if we were to be the sacrificial lambs, there was no place more fitting.

As the wagon pulled to a stop just by the docks, another guard dismounted from his horse and unlocked the cage. Abigail was pulled out first, she struggled against the rough hands of the guards momentarily before giving in and following them. I however, was not so forgiving. I kicked at the back of the guard's knees as he followed Abigail, sending him tumbling into the mud below.

"You little shit!" he hissed, turning back towards me, backhanding me across the jaw. I didn't spent time dwelling on the throbbing pain that his hand left behind, instead leaning back against the guard who held my arms and kicking wildly at the man before me.

"Grab her legs!" one shouted.

"I will, if you hold her steady!" the other returned.

I thrashed against them, snarling like a wild animal as they tried to restrain me. The guard grabbed my legs, the other picked me up from under my shoulders, a third wrapped his arms around my waist and held me tightly. They shuffled down the dock, holding onto my wriggling form for dear life while I hurled muffled curses at them. As we reached the building at the end of the dock, the guard in front kicked open the door, to where Abigail was being tied to a chair.