Honors And Redemptions Of The Outlaw

Chapter 27: Ghost On The Hill

"I thought you said she was just down the road?" Archie questioned, holding his lantern up so he could make out the small trail we'd started making our way up. I rolled my eyes stopping for a moment before turning my head to him. He yanked Magpie's reins stopping her before she made contact with Junior. "Chrissakes, Archie.

We haven't even been ridin' five minutes." Archie narrowed his eyes humming a response. I turned Junior starting up the trail again when I realized this was where I had left her.

I stopped abruptly causing Archie to make an annoyed huff as he pulled on Magpie's reins again. "Peggy?" I called out. There was no response. "Peggy, you still 'ere?" I called out again, waiting to hear even the smallest response.

Goddamnit, you moron. Why did you leave her out here alone at this time with a crazy bounty hunter!?

"Miss Salazar?" Archie called out, swinging his lantern about as he scanned his surroundings. "I'm right here, goddamnit. He weighs like a ton." Peggy's familiar Spanish drawls called out as she dragged the man we'd caught behind her as he rambled on about God knows what. Peggy stopped just barely in the light of Archies lantern, inhaling loudly before she huffed in annoyance.

"No te quedes ahí parado como los árboles, pon tu aquí y ayúdame!" She hissed out. I looked at her having absolutely no idea what she said. Archie furrowed his brow tilting his head in confusion at her unknown words.

Peggy groaned loudly before speaking. "Get your ass over here, now, Morgan." Her tone was low, threatening in a way. I hopped down from Junior walking over to her.

"Archie you care if she rides with you?" I questioned as I inspected the bounty hunter for a moment, not seeming to notice me yet. "I- uh. I don't care as long as she speaks, erm. In understandable terms." Peggy shook her head walking over to him and Magpie as she spoke. "Que Dios me ayude, idiotas."

Archie helped her onto Magpie behind him when the man finally noticed me. "Ooo-eh!" He squirmed in a way as to get a better look at me. "She's back from the grave again, ain't ever seen that before." I was about to answer when he spoke again. "No, no. She was never dead. She only made us think she was dead."

I furrowed my brow, and he continued on, talking back and forth with himself. "Oh! And she brought a new one too!" He seemed completely oblivious to the fact anyone could put a bullet in his head any second. "Shut up," I said simply kicking him in the stomach causing him to cough. I dragged him over to Junior before picking him up and placing him on Juniors' back.

"I do fancy a better view every once and a while." He commented as looked at me with a grin. I rolled my eyes. "You mean we, dumbass!" He began again. I looked at him for a moment at his words before Climbing onto Junior's saddle and he started rambling on and on, and I could see Archie and Peggy were getting tired of it.

Quickly pulling my revolver out, I smacked the butt of the revolver across his face ending his little rambling trip. "Better," I commented, Peggy chuckled. I gestured for Archie to lead the way, and he nodded kicking Magpie's sides.

As the horses walked up the trail I felt a warm, fuzzy feeling building in my chest, this was home now, no other place, these were my people.

I pulled Junior's reins back spotting Thomas who had a dumbfounded expression. "I'll be damned," Thomas looked at me with a small smile. I grinned at him looking passed him to notice Iris and Ghale who were helping Shea out of the tent.

Shea whistled as she limped out towards us. "Haha, I knew you weren't dead."

I smiled at her, genuinely happy to see her. "I did too." Peggy and Archie dismounted Magpie before walking over to us with smiles on their faces.

I looked at everyone as they started gathering, this was what I had been pushing to see, everyone I loved gathered right here in front of me. Maybe it is naive, but right now all I could care about was this moment, not what was coming with Murtle. All that mattered was them.

(From Ansel.) I am sorry to say friends, but that is it! There will of course be another book and I know this ending was satisfactory but it leaves room for so much more to happen in the next book. I hope you enjoyed and to see you in my other fictions!