The Red Wolf ~ A Red Dead Redemption story

Chapter 65: Arthur Morgan

15th October 1894

Three days went by, three long days. It felt like a millennium had passed for someone in particular. But it was over...all over. For the posse of outlaws had defeated the O'Driscolls largest camp and burned down the manor that had brought much conflict and suffering.

Time passed as Arthur and Robert were on the mend. Though the fight with the deceased Double Axe Pete had badly wounded them, for Arthur he got the worst of it physically with broken ribs, broken leg, burned back and multiple bruises and cuts over his face and hands. But for Robert he couldn't care having a broken arm, a stab wound, burns and a head injury for he hadn't said anything in those days, just motionless. But everyone understood, for he only thought of the woman of his dreams and his unborn child that he'd never meet....

He imaged it all in his head, being back to the local hero status he had in Jamestown living in Jessica's house with children running around playing and her to be a wife by his side...He would've had his dreamiest of dreams....but now it would seem it would stay a dream, a fantasy he could never get now. All he thought about was Jessica in her deathbed with his child and how she would've thought of him right now with what he did. But all the same he thought of her final moments before she died in his arms. How his enemies conspired to wrath their cruelty and torture to someone who had nothing to do with them. It just crazed onto him as he felt he was still stabbed in the heart.

He might've broken Liam's when Oscar died, but this...was a backstab, even though they were enemies. It was a line that he'd never thought he'd cross. But he did.

Perhaps it was because Robert deserved it, for how he has lived his life. How could he of people just forget that he couldn't have everything in his life with how he's lived it being a killer. In a way Peterson succeeded....he had his monster.

He'd been staring at the lake for so long, just taking it all in. With a sling holding his broken left arm. The bruises and swelling had gone down along with a bandage across his forehead and covering the left side of his head. For the three days that had passed, Robert and Arthur stayed at the manor as they were injured severely. John and Shane took it upon themselves to stand guard and to clean up the dead O'Driscolls everywhere.

They tried to search for a certain Green Wolf amongst the bodies but they were burnt to far that no-one could recognise a face. The bodies were thrown into the manor ruins were sparse of the fire was still alive. Though it took an entire day for the pair to dispose of them all.

After that, John went to retrieve the girls and Copper, who were spared the sight of the horrific massacre that took place. Though the burnt woodland glade was in sight along with the ruins. Soon after, the girls came and took care of Arthur and Robert. Mary-Beth had to properly control herself tearing up just seeing Robert in that state he was in along with hearing that Arthur saved him from death. But even her presence didn't affect Robert as he was motionless aside from the occasional tearing up. It was worrying to all as they all tried to reach for him, to get him to talk and they'd comfort him. But he didn't give in.

Thankfully the manor fire had not brought the attention of the Jamestown lawmen, for they were all still dealing with the loss of their old sheriff and finding about his own crimes from what Allison said. It had seemed as though destroying the O'Driscolls main camp had seemingly driven them out of state weakened and humiliated.

But eventually the lawmen would find out about the massacre, so they needed to leave soon. But they couldn't do that, not without Robert....nor could they leave without burying Jessica or the baby. Especially with Robert in his mental state .So Arthur took charge and ordered Shane and John to head into town and lay low as they retrieved some important items.