Make My World Go Black

Chapter Nine

"Miss Emma!"

Mrs. Cullen looks up from collecting stray guns from the battlefield of Rose Creek. There were a ton of townsfolk walking around the fields and bending down to either attend a wounded soldier or help with dragging a dead body back into the town to be buried, funnels of smoke still hovering the grounds soaked in blood, both from men and horses. Emma had gagged from the stench alone, the sights of how some people died would haunt her for years, but she needed to get this town cleaned up in order to have a brighter future.

She could hear Teddy Q calling her name in the distance again, and he sounded in distressed. Terrified that her friend was in trouble, she picked up her skirts and ran in the direction she heard the wind carry his voice, her heart pounding in her ears as the smoky wind stung her eyes.

"Miss Emma! Hurry!"

She was out of breath by the time she reaches Teddy, who was still bleeding by the shoulder and favoring one of his legs. He was staring down at something lying down in the long grass, just by the side of the river. He turned to her with wide eyes as he pointed a finger in the direction he was looking.

Emma gave him a puzzled look before walking towards him and turning her head to see why he was stunned like a deer caught grazing out in the open. At first, she didn't see anything, since the grass was nearly as tall as her shoulders. Where her eyes betrayed her, her ears didn't as she heard something that didn't sound like rustling grass or running water. It was a small sound, like an injured animal. Emma walks forward, still trying to catch her breath while she pushes the grass aside, trying to take a closer look. Her fingers grow cold at the sight, and she nearly screams as she leaps forward to check for a pulse.

"Oh my God! He's alive!" She announces with joy.

"Just like the others..." Teddy adds, his grin widening, "It's a miracle!"

"Well, don't just stand there! Go get help!" She orders the young man; although the smile can't be fought. As Teddy leaves, she turns back with both of her hands on either side of the injured man's face, avoiding most of his body since he was barely held together by the seams of his clothes.

"Faraday? Mister Faraday, can you hear me?" She asked loudly, knowing that any explosion the injured Irishman had gone through and stand so close would be enough to destroy his hearing.

Faraday's eyes were practically sewn shut, unwilling to move. There were bloody cuts over the bridge of his nose and lips with one of his eyes swollen, his hat long gone and his light red hair disheveled. Both of his ears were leaking with blood, his face almost unrecognizable due to the bruising and dirt also covering his physical features, and don't even get Emma started with the condition of the rest of his body. She could hear people shouting in the distance as they try to get to her and the injured party. Apparently, Teddy had told everyone on his way to finding a doctor and half of the town was running over to see their fallen hero alive and breathing.

She turns back to stare down at the unconscious gambler, trying to coach him into waking up, "Do ya hear that Faraday? You're gonna be alright. You're gonna live."

The only response she got was his heartbeat.

~~~~~~~~~

It was dark out now, Rose Creek far behind and out of sight to Vasquez. He and his compadres were too far away now to change their minds and go back. The four remaining heroes had contemplated that maybe they should have stayed there for a few days to rest up and heal, but Sam didn't want to be in that town any longer than he needed to be, and the only injures the four had come from Vas and Matilda, but the wounds were minor. Nothing a few stitches and alcohol couldn't fix.