Jerimiah's Gold

Chapter 23

We left the church shortly after with no real lesson being learned. Dirt packed on the front patio that was built into the entrance of the church. The same dirt that monotonously crunched under my boots as I took each step. Eagle Eye led me back to his horse when we were stopped by two white men. One wore a flat wool hat that was placed more so on the side of his head, and the other seemed to be an Italian, with a similar cap, only this one was place so it covered his eyes. Eagle Eye began to help me on his horse when the more unkempt man spoke.

"How humbling, a wealthy couple coming to spit on the peasants." The two laughed.

"Ah, now off you go then?" The Italian began, "To your palace to bathe in your gold?" The two men bellowed.

"I don't think it's all the funny." I said slyly to Eagle Eye.

"Not now, men like these are not worth it, Klara."

"Not worth the bullet, you mean?" I remarked.

I mounted Eagle Eye's horse with his assistance. As he was starting to mount, the unkempt man came behind him and hit him over the head with the handle of his revolver. I promptly jumped off the rear of the horse to be greeted by a punch to the jaw, which made me fall to the floor. The Italian then kicked me in the ribs, and I watched Eagle Eye attempt to fight them both off. I lay there writhing, clutching the right side of my body as I felt excruciating pain where my liver must've been. I looked up from my pathetic heap to see Eagle Eye lift the unkempt man off his feet and slam his back into the ground, then roll to his feet and kick the Italian exactly where he'd kick me, which prompted him to fall to the floor and writhe in pain as well. A short smile spread across my face, then subsided as it was drowned by the pain I was undergoing. 

Eagle Eye hunched over to catch his breathe. His hair fell over his face as he panted, completely masking him in strands of black. I tried to get to my feet but could only muster the strength to crawl on my hands and knees, which I dejected to until I relied on a post to support my weight. I leant against the lamp post that was vacant of a light, and stared at the groaning bodies on the floor until I caught my breath. Once my lungs were satiated with a sufficient amount of oxygen, I retrieved my Colt 45 from my holster, only to come to the realization that it was confiscated upon my arrest. I exhaled sharply then looked up to see Eagle Eye glaring at me. 

"You were going to just kill them?" He asked.

"Oh no, don't start with me on that bull crap. They were trying to rob us, they certainly would've killed us. Not to mention what they likely would have done to me, especially since I am without a gun." I caught my breath after my rant. "Which is why you should give me yours, so I can justly end their lives."

"Justly? End their lives? Do you not hear yourself? The construct of justified murder is exactly the reason your America will never prosper."

"Trust me, I'm not the right person to lecture about patriotism. Can we just leave then? I would like to have Wiona back." I said through gritted teeth.

Eagle Eye inhaled slowly. "Yes, my men should have retrieved your horse by now. If not then I suppose you'll just have to wait it out in a tent, for your safety."

I scoffed at that which seemed to offend him. I knew he wasn't who he said he was, none of his reasonings make any sense to me. Nevertheless, I mounted his horse and we rode back to the camp. A look back showed me the two men crawling back to their feet, allowing another short smile to spread across my face as I relished in the idea that they shared the pain I felt. I had to be a little thankful for Eagle Eye, for if he'd not been there then that could've gone horribly. The bouncing that comes with riding horseback irritated my ribs and made me ache through my whole body with each bump. I leaned my head back and basked in the sun, but was snapped to reality when Eagle Eyes horse went over a rock the shot cannons through my ribcage. 

My jaw wasn't nearly as damaged, only brandishing a nasty bruise, I couldn't imagine the size of the one that was left on my ribs. I took deep breaths that were as slow and deep as I could make without hurting myself more. I closed my eyes, and they remained closed for the entirety of the trip. It didn't take long to arrive at the camp, although it's always faster leaving some place than it is going. At least from my experience with traveling with the family. It's comforting knowing we have a spot to settle in in California, the exact spot I needed to go to. I dismounted Eagle Eye's horse and entered the same tent that I slept in the night before. I sprawled myself out on the bedroll and was greeted by a woman who knew little English.

"Here, drink." She said offering me a bowl that smelt like medicinal tonics.

"No, really, I'm okay." I tried to reject nicely.

"Please, drink. Help with pain." She persisted.

I sighed and accepted the wooden bowl of mystery medicine. She smiled and left me alone. I smelt the liquid once more for a better sense of what it was. It smelt like cough syrup, or as if someone had taken both the strongest alcohol they could find and the foulest laundry, and stirred them into a soup. The medicines they'd given me at the camp helped extraordinarily, however they were all herbal, and this one most definitely was not. I decided against consuming it, and also chose not to pour it out. What would be the point? I'll just tell them I didn't want it, they can't force me, right?

I lied down on the bedroll once again, and rested my arm on forehead while the other was occupied clutching my ribcage. I attempted to fall asleep but only managed to just lie on the floor with my eyes closed. At least I was resting more, which is truthfully what I needed most. After the excitement that was escaping jail, to getting kicked in the ribs the day after, to just lie down and not do anything was more than a privilege.