Saving Arthur Morgan | rdr2

Chapter 35

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on ends. I slowly raise my eyes to his, the once brown-black eyes basically glow red now. Lack of sleep no doubt, obsessing over the money..

He slowly walks around the chest, closing in on me but I froze hands still clinging to the saddlebag.
"Hmm.. well look, no ones here to stop me now. You could've been it Isabella, my lover. But for some confounding reason, you chose Arthur Morgan.. never thought the man had it in him, betraying me for a..woman."

"He isn't betraying you for me. He's betraying you because you're a sick son of a bit-" the words were knocked from my mouth, the butt of the shotgun nailing me right in temple. My vision blurs but I shake my head to focus, crawling away.

Vertigo rocks me, the ground moves fast below me. I fall back onto my elbows, my eyes bouncing around the cave. I hear his chuckles, he gets closer but I can't focus my eyes on him. His figure dances around me, almost like smoke.

"Don't..hurt-" the words die, as he leans down towards me.

"I'm not going to hurt you sweet.. I'm just tying you up."

He surprisingly turns me over gently, tying my hands. I try to muster the strength to fight but my body is too heavy from exhaustion and the blow to the head. "Arthur will kill you." I whisper.

"No he won't." He ties his black bandana around my eyes, laughing victoriously.
__________

I lie in the dirt, eyes still covered and hands still bound. Silence once again settled, I knew he took of with the money..

"What the-" the sound of an enraged Arthur roused me.

His hands were on me, loosing the rope around my hands and disposing of the bandana with a look of absolute disgust.

He pulls me to his chest once his eyes met mine in the shadowy cave. "I didn't know you were in here." He whispered.

"What happened?" I ask, making him pause and pull back to stare angrily.

"They took off. I hurt Micah pretty bad..doubt he'll live."

"What about the money?" My question makes him obviously stressed.

"Luckily, I kept a little. Enough for us I guess. We gotta find John, I think he kept some too."

"He ran off to find Abigail and Jack."

"I saw him on my way here..I think I know where they are, let's go find em'."

___________

By the time we found them, the sun was rising. Arthur and I were visibly wore down now.

On the outskirts of Blackwater, they were held up in a little cabin. Arthur wasn't too keen on coming this close to Blackwater but this is where he planned to meet the women again if all else failed.

We hid the horses in the little barn so no one saw and rushed to the cabin.

It was quiet, all but the small whispers of Sadie and Abigail.

Arthur knocked, Sadie appeared moments later with a pistol pointed at us. "Get in here." She hisses.

Jack slept on the floor by the unlit fireplace, Abigail caresses his head as she stares worriedly at the pair of us.

"What the hell happened?" Sadie sat with a thud on the little wooden stool near the door, the exhaustion of this mess makes her eyes look lifeless.

"John is alive." Arthur says, not looking at anyone.

Abigail almost jumps up but stays put, she looks at Jack with a sigh of relief. "Thank God that idiot man is alive..I don't know what I'd do without him."

"Hey!" A rasp if a voice calls from outside making us all jump with surprise. Abigail jumps up without a care this time, rushing to the shutters to peep out.

"Oh it's John!" She exclaims, rushing towards the door only to be stopped by Arthur. His blue eyes narrowed at the door as John calls again.

"Wait till I see if the coast is clear.." he grunts, pushing past her and out the door.

She wrings her small hands nervously, shutting her eyes. She almost looks like she's praying.

Her green eyes meet mine, then a tired smile appears. What she says next almost breaks my heart.. "Now I see how Arthur felt when you left."