𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 | 𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐑 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄

This morning I woke up early and decided to get some coffee. I sat down at a table with John. We talked about the new camp.

"Well, look at you two." Uncle came up to us and John rolled his eyes. "What now?"

"Look at you two on 'rest'". He did air quotations. "You know, i'm still working and I got lumbago, and I never complain like you two."

"Never complain-?" John scoffed. "We heard you yapping on about it all night."

"Well, either way, I have a right to complain." He said. "It's a very serious disease."

"Very serious?" I laughed. "You have said the same thing for years now and you're still here. I'm pretty sure you'll outlive all of us, old man." I drank my coffee and Uncle shook his head. "A lady shouldn't talk the way you do." He walked away and I laughed.

John laughed too. "I have never seen that man work a day in his life."

"Maybe it's for the best." I took a sip of coffee. "He's almost as dumb as you."

"Don't compare me to him." John said as I stood up. "Maybe that's why you two can't stand each other."

"Now, you know that isn't t-." John said as I walked away. I looked back at him and shrugged. "It's true." I turned back around and continued walking.

John and I got along most of the time. He was around seventeen when I joined the gang. He and Arthur were almost like the big brothers I never had.

Miss Grimshaw approached me and I sighed coming to a stop. "Shit."

"Ms. Juarez." Susan came up to me and I crossed my arms. "Miss Grimshaw."

"Look, I hardly ever ask much of you." She started and I laughed. "That is an understatement."

And it really was. I robbed, and killed, and schemed, then I had to come back to camp and do chores.

"But i need you to talk to Mrs. Adler more." Susan looked back at Mrs. Adler. "That poor woman is grieving. She needs more support."

"Why me?" I asked. "Abigail seems to be comforting her."

"Abigail is raising a boy." Miss Grimshaw gave me an obvious look. "Now, I mean this with all respect, but ever since you had that injury, you haven't done much around here."

"Come on-" I laughed and she pointed at me. "Now either you talk to Mrs. Adler, or you go find a way to make money in town. And I don't mean robbing people, the men are already doing enough of that."

"Miss Grimshaw-" I started but she interrupted me. "I'm serious, Ms. Juarez. Everyone is pulling their weight around here except for you."

"Alright." I raised my hands up defensively. "I'll try to talk to her."

"Thank you." Miss Grimshaw thanked me and I nodded. I walked over to Mrs. Adler. I breathed out nervously. This is going to be so awkward. What do I even say? I don't even think she's in the mood to talk.

She was sitting on a rock staring at the sky. "Hey..." I approached her. "How do you like the new place?"

"I should be at home with my husband right now." She shook her head. "Those damn O'Driscolls. I'll kill every last one of them if I ever get the chance."

"Yeah." I sat down next to her. "I mean, you could do that. But Dutch always says that revenge is a fools game."

"You have no idea what they did to me." Mrs. Adler looked over at me. "What they did to us." She shook her head. "They're animals."