Retribution

Hanging Dog Ranch

   We got on our horses. Sadie looked over at me. At first I thought she was gonna tell me to go back to the tent but she didn't. She just motioned with her head to come along. "Ride with me" Sadie said. "Always" I said, following her and Arthur.

   We rode fast and didn't say a whole lot. Sadie explained the situation and said a thing or two about wiping them out clean. "This is for Jake" She said. "The fat one with the beard. He's mine" she said. "Don't either of you touch him. He's going out by my hand" she said.

   Must've been extra personal. This whole thing with the O'Driscoll's was a deeply personal thing for Sadie to begin with but that guy... to make sure we save him for her, it must be even more personal to her somehow. Arthur and I both nodded at her, understanding.

   We got off our horses. "Let's go" she said. Her voice always dropped an octave or two when she was like this. I found it sexy to tell you the truth. Now was not the time, though. She ran far ahead of us, eager and yelling.

   It all happened pretty quickly. Arthur and I covered Sadie as she ran in, taking out other's as we moved forward. There were a lot of them still. Sadie was not phased in the least, though. "Jake Adler" she yelled. "Sadie Adler" she added.

   "You remember me?!?" She screamed. "You took everything!" She screamed, as she killed a man with a knife. "You're all going to die!!" She shouted, slitting a man's throat. "You guys, in the barn" she commanded. We did as told. We took out the men in the barn and around it.

   Then we followed Sadie into the house. There were eight dead O'Driscoll's on the first floor, a few more on the stairs. We followed them up, and the sound of Sadie grunting. As we came up, she had the fat, bearded guy by the neck.

   "Remember me?!?" She said. Then she plunged her knife into his chest and twisted, repeating that action two more times. "I told you, you'd see me again" she said. Then she got off him and wiped the blood from her face. Arthur pulled up a chair, she sat down, catching her breath. That was the last one.

   The O'Driscoll's were all dead. "You okay?" Arthur asked. "Yeah... he was a good man, my Jakey" she said. "We was always sweet on one another" she said, her voice breaking. "I'm sure" Arthur said, patting her shoulder.

   "I miss him every day. Every moment" she wiped her nose. She wouldn't look at me. "Oh they turned me into a monster, Arthur" she said. "But my memories of him... they still pure" she said, voice cracking and innocent. My heart broke for her. I had tears in my own eyes. "I ain't even got that" Arthur lamented.

   "Aside from my Jake, you're the best man I've known" she said. "I know the company you keep" he shook his head. "The competition ain't too fierce" he said. Sadie smiled a little. "We um...We should get away from here" Arthur said, looking at Sadie and then me.

   "I think I need to be alone for a bit" Sadie said, looking at Arthur, then at me. "I understand" Arthur said. "You um... might wanna get yourself cleaned up" Arthur gestured to her blood soaked clothes. She scoffed. "Thank you Arthur" she said, walking away to her horse.

   I ran after her. "Wait!" I said. She turned around and looked at me. She was almost embarrassed. I struggled to find the words. "I'm fine" she said. I shook my head. I didn't know what to say to her. "Go back to camp" She said softly.

   "I need to be by myself for a bit" she said. "I understand" I said. I grabbed her hand as she turned away. She looked over her shoulder at me. I kissed it, even though it was all bloody. She turned around and looked at me. She smiled.

   "Thank you for being here... I... couldn't have done it without you and Arthur" she said. I nodded. "Where ever you go" I said. She smirked and nodded her head, remembering my word and how I kept it. "Yeah" She said softly. "Go on" I said.

   "I love you" She said. "I love you" I said back. Then she rode off into the distance. I got on my horse and began to ride away. I needed to get some distance between me and that place. I finally pulled over by a stream. I got up and sat on a log.

   I began to cry. I felt so many thing's. I felt all of Sadie's emotions, what she must've been thinking and feeling... I felt some of my own, hearing Sadie talk about Jake. I thought about their life together. I knew it wasn't a competition and I wasn't jealous but... it made me sad hearing her talk like that.

   I can't explain it. Maybe it was because I knew she still loved him. I knew that if he were still alive, she'd be with him. Not me. I... didn't know how to compete with a ghost and I wouldn't dare try. I just hoped that this was the final thing that helped Sadie get to the end of this.

   I hoped that she could let him go. Of course I know he'd always be a part of her and that that kind of thing didn't change but... she wasn't over him. I realized that a while ago. She couldn't give herself fully to me because part of her was still with him. I know it sounds selfish but I just wanted her to be able to heal.

   I loved her. I wanted all of her... I would do whatever it took and I'd never show it but sometimes... it was a lot. It was a lot playing second fiddle to someone. Someone you could never compete with. You see... it wasn't just him. It was her image of him.

   When someone passes away, their image of them becomes... rose colored. They don't see the faults anymore or the things that angered them about that person. They see this perfect version of them. I never wanted that version to be tainted for Sadie, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying that I hoped she could move past this and... live her life in the present with me, not the past.

   I wanted her to heal. I wanted her. All of her. I knew that took time though... I just needed to collect myself behind the scenes so I could be the woman she needed. I needed to give her all of me if I wanted all of her. So, that's what I planned to do.