Outlaws for Life (Red Dead Redemption 2)

Chapter Fifteen: An Interesting Hunt

Charles, I'm sorry but... I can't come with you. It's easy. Really easy. I just have to tell him.

I take a sip of coffee.

After all, he's big and strong and he knows how to hunt. He doesn't need me. And I surely don't need a day full of embarrassing looks and bad impressions.

I take another sip.

Yes, I'll tell him and we will forget about everything and I'll try to never be alone with him again. Ever.

"Morning Fred. How are you?"

"Abigail! I'm fine, how are you? Listen, yesterday, was there something you wanted to tell me? You looked worried."

"No, no, I'm good don't worry. How was that job with Hosea?"

"Different. He is quite a character. We went to the saloon in Rhodes and..."

"Are you ready?"

With a jump I spill some coffee on the ground and on Abigail shoe. She takes a step back and looks at me reproachfully.

"Sorry" I whisper and then I turn around to look at Charles.

"H-hi. Err, there's a problem. I-I can't come. Y-you know Miss Grimshaw asked, err, she gave me an important job to do and..."

"Uh...okay."

I look at him carefully, trying to catch a change in his voice, on his face, something that tells me he is disappointed, hurt, annoyed, but nothing. The man is a rock.

"If you have something to do, I can take your place. So you can go with Charles."
I turn around again to look at Abigail with wide eyes and pursed lips, but I soon realize she isn't truly understanding what she'a doing to me.

"Oh... no, there's no need, really you don't..."

"It's not a problem. You've done so much for Jack and me. This way I'll repay you."
Yeah, of course, this way you will just put me in an awkward situation!

I give her a meaningful look that she doesn't catch.

"So, we're good. I wait you by the horses" says Charles walking past me.

I take a deep sigh and give Abigail the most severe eyes I can make.

"What?"

"Never mind" I say shaking my head and leaving her the cup of coffee before heading towards the horses.

.....................

We ride silently towards north, passing forests and rivers. I don't know why this time he is taking me so far. Maybe he has something special in mind, some rare animal he wants to hunt. I even tried to ask him where is he taking me, but he answered with an ambiguous, "I want to show you something", and I didn't inquire further.

So, we ride, and ride, and ride, until we reach the Dakota River and ford it, entering the West Elisabeth.

I trust Charles with all myself and I know that whatever it is he is doing, it's important, but the curiosity is eating me alive anyway, and I can't but be a little nervous.

When he finally makes Taima stop, I pull Isabella's reins and give a look around, frowning slightly.

I dismount, following his example, and then follow him towards the wooden wall and inside the... camp. It's a camp made of Indian tents, teepees, but it's abandoned. Some of them are still upright, even if a little creased, from others I can only see the ripped pieces of cloth and wooden sticks they were made of.