His Cure

Paying a Social Call

I just could not seem to fall asleep last night. Maybe it was being on edge. Maybe it was the fear of these new people that have come into my life. Either way I only got 1 hour of sleep at most. I gave up as the sun started to rise and decided to get dressed and take care of a few jobs that I needed to do.
After I had finished feeding and brushing Wish, the sun had fully risen and the morning breeze brushed my face. Others in the group had started to wake up but I just kept my distance over at the horse hitching posts. As I was giving Wish an apple, another horse grunted from behind me."You want one too?" I asked as if he was going to answer. I pulled out another apple and fed it to the large black shire horse in front of me which got me an approving neigh.
"Can I help you?" A raspy, deep voice came from behind me. I practically jumped out of my skin and quickly turned to face them. "I was just feeding the horses." I said, patting Wish on the neck. "Well, thanks, I guess." "Don't get too excited! You might scare the horses." I replied sarcastically. "You're a funny one." He said back with just as much sarcasm. "You're Arthur, right?" I asked, looking him up and down. "Depends. Who's asking?"
I quickly looked around me before saying "You're right. There are SO MANY people over here that it must be confusing. I'm asking." With just as much sarcasm as before. "Yes, I'm Arthur." He said smiling and pinching the skin between his eyes. "Well 'Arthur' do you know what the hell I'm supposed to do around here?" "Ask Dutch. He'll probably give you 4 tasks and expect you to complete them all at once." Arthur replied, smiling. "God." I said, face palming.
"PLEASE! NO!" A terrified scream shocked my body. "What the fuck?" Arthur said while quickly running off towards the sound. I pulled out my revolver and followed suit. I was not prepared for the sight I saw next. There was a man, tied to a tree with his trousers around his ankles while 3 men held red hot shears next to his dick. I stopped in my tracks and watched it unfold.
"O'Drisscoll, you are going to tell us but whether that is before, or after we cut these little fellas off, your choice." Said Dutch. "OKAY! OKAY! OKAY!" He shouted while flinching. "They are held up near Valentine! That's all I know! I swear!" "Not good enough." One man said, moving closer to him. "HEY!" I yelled running over to them and pushing the man away. "He told you he doesn't know anything else. You've got your information. Leave him alone." I'm not usually one for sympathy but he looked so scared and I felt bad for him.
"Who do you think you are?!" The large man yelled, coming towards me. "Bill, leave it!" Arthur said and pulled the man away from me. "You best watch it, lady." The man I now knew to be Bill said, giving me a death stare and walking off. "I'd be careful not to step over the line." Arthur mumbled in my ear as he walked away. "Step over the line?! They were going to castrate this man!" I shouted in frustration.
"Hey, are you okay?" I asked the man still tied to the tree. "Wonderful." The man said, rolling his eyes. "Okay, yeah, stupid question." I replied. "What's your name?" "Kieran, Kieran Duffy." "I'm Elizabeth." I replied. "Could you cut me free so I can pull up my pants?" "I'm sorry, I can't. I only arrived here yesterday and I've been treated with the same hostility as you." I said, feeling bad for him. "Same hostility? Did they take a meat cleaver to your vagina?" "Fair point." I replied and stepped forward to pull the man's trousers up.
"O'Driscoll!" Dutch called out. "You and my friends here are going to go on a little ride to visit your gang." "Yes sir." Kieran replied, scared. "Elizabeth, go and feed the horses." "Already done." I said, smugly. "Fine, then go be sarcastic somewhere else." "One condition, this man's balls stay firmly attached to his body." I smiled at Kieran and he gave me one back in gratitude. Dutch frowned and pinched the skin in between his eyes before motioning for me to move on.

I watched from under a tree as a few people from the group got ready and left on horses with Kieran in tow. I was so tired from the sleepless night that I felt as if I could fall asleep right there. But I couldn't do that. I needed to stay—
***
I awoke under the tree to the sound of the others returning. How long was I out for? Kieran was still with them and this time they didn't tie him up, just let him wander the camp. I stood up, brushed myself off and made my way over to him. "What happened?" I asked, not wanting to ask the others.
"Mass shootout." "Damn." I replied. "So you're new around here too?" He asked, looking me in the eyes. "Yeah, they saved my life." "Really?" Kieran asked, shocked. "Yeah, but then they threatened to end it." I giggled. "Ah yes." He smiled at me. "Looks like we're both outcasts." "Looks so. Still have your balls?" I asked him, laughing slightly. "Yes, thanks to you. Thank you for what you did for me back there, you didn't have too." "No problem. us outcasts have got to stick together."
"You two!" A man came speeding towards us. "I find it highly suspicious that the new girl stuck up for the O'Driscoll." "I stuck up for a helpless man who was scared. His gang had nothing to do with it." I replied, giving him a death stare. "Maybe, or maybe you're an O'Driscoll." "For the last shitting time, I am not an O'Driscoll!" I yelled, getting annoyed. "Welcome to my world..." muttered Kieran from my left. "I'm still not 100% sure what an O'Driscoll even is!" I gave him a death stare. "Fine. But watch it girlie, because I'll be watching you." He said before winking at me and leaving.
"What the hell is his problem?" I said, rolling my eyes. "I think he was angry flirting with you...?" Kieran replied. "Charming..." I rolled my eyes once more. "That's Micah. Ignore him. He's an asshole." John said, wondering over to us. "I plan on it. Is it always this mental around here?" I asked, looking around. "Pretty much. It's been slightly worse over the last few days, we're all on edge after an attack we had last week." "An attack? By who?" I asked. "O'Driscolls." "Oh." I replied, suddenly understanding.