Sounds of the Prairie

Chapter 5 Essie

As tough as I tried to appear, this was horrifying. I was about to be burned with a scolding hot knife to seal up my stomach. Joe had been kind enough to find me a stick to bite on, at the same time Tucker poured whiskey over my wound, my body wanting to pull away from it out of pain.

I glanced in Colorado's directions and asked "Can we get this over with already?"

He didn't pay me any mind, just kept staring down at the blade sitting in the flames of the fire till it was a glimmering red.

"Give her a swig of the whiskey." Colorado said to Tucker who just handed me the entire bottle. Maybe he figure I would pace myself and only actually take a swig, if he did he was incorrect. I took enough gulps of the bitter tasting honey colored liquid to the point I was coughing from the burn in the back of my throat. Great, I thought to myself, I'll be burning inside and out. Colorado ripped away the bottle and gave me a stern look. Joe said something to me and I heard not a word of it because all of a sudden my side lit up in an explosion of pain and spots began to dance around my vision. I knew the boys were talking but nothing they were saying was registering to my mind. Their voices sounding of whispers and murmurs before I slipped into unconsciousness. When I came to I recognized the night sky dancing in my vision. The stars all sparkled and gleamed as if they were alive and moving, creating their own lives in the sky. All of my years of being alive on this earth, I don't believe I ever really appreciated the masterpiece before me like I was meant to. I wondered if my parents ever did or like me, did they just look at it as an everyday monotonous normal. I really hoped that was not the case. I gave a good effort to sit up but groaned as I became aware of the wound on my side yet again.

"You're awake."

Colorado's voice spooked me as I looked senselessly around in the dark for him. The fact that the only light source was faint and directly above me did not help. But then his hand slipped over mine and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Esther, Calm down."

Typically someone using my name would have irritated me, instead of using the nickname I was so accustomed to, yet for some reason when he said it I was okay with it. No raised hair on the back of my neck like I was in trouble. He gave my hand a squeeze before resting it back by my side.

As my eyes tried hard to adjust and make out the details of his face, I asked him why he was awake.

"It's my watch."

"Your watch?"

He chuckled before responding, "We all decided that one of us would keep watch and take turns doing so just to make sure we are all safe."

When he told me I felt quite silly not realizing what he meant, it all made sense considering who we were after. I stayed quiet after that deciding to spare myself future embarrassment by opening my mouth.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked. I was not sure I really wanted to talk but still I told him yes, if it was something I did not want to answer, I supposed I did not have to.

"Do you remember anything about the men?"

Once before I had been asked that by Richard. He told me if I could remember anything, it could help them figure out where they were going and I told him I could not. I lied. I could remember subtle things like the gravel tone in once of the men's voices, the stank of cigar smoke laced with a hint of whiskey, or the shine of satin on a wild rag a man wore about his face that was illuminated by a lit torch and the left behind smell of burning kerosene. I remember most the man with the steel gray eyes, steely in their demeanor as if they looked straight through you. He was the one who shot me and out of everyone, I wanted him dead the most.