When the Devil Cries (Arthur Morgan X Male OC)

1. Leave No Stone Unturned

From Eddie's POV

NEW HANOVER

I dragged my boots through the thick, slimy mud as rain poured down from the monstrous clouds above, my hands trembling with fear around the shotgun in my grip.

I had never killed a man before -- let alone an entire gang -- and I didn't know if I was ready at all for what was about to come...but Arthur's life was in danger. Those...O'Driscolls, I think they were called -- they had taken him. Something to do with a feud between their leader and Dutch van der Linde.

But no one in the gang knew where Arthur was. I was the only one here at the moment actually making an effort to save the man, and with every passing second, I could feel my heart racing faster and faster as Colm O'Driscoll practically drilled his revolver into the side of Arthur's head, threatening to shoot him right then and there.

"Look at the big, bad wolf now!" Colm taunted loudly with a raspy laugh, his wrinkled grin revealing the yellow teeth underneath. "Not so tough now, are you...Mister Morgan? Oh, if only good ol' Dutch could see you...! How mad that man would be!"

I raised my shotgun at Colm and inched closer towards him, gulping in anxiety as droplets of water and sweat rolled down my forehead.

"L-Let him go, O'Driscoll!" I demanded, sounding about as intimidating as a puppy barking up a tree. "...Or I'll...I'll shoot you!"

Colm's nasty smile only seemed to stretch wider at that and he let out a hoarse cackle, his men laughing brazenly with him.

"This..." he mocked, gesturing towards me as he smirked at Arthur, "...this...is your knight in shining armor...?! Some little lost soul come across the pond, searching for his one, true, love?"

Colm wiped away fake tears from his eyes and shook his head, afterwards pulling down the hammer on his gun.

"Hoo, I never knew you was such a hopeless romantic, Morgan. But I guess that's why you still runnin' with Dutch, ain't it? You lot is always chasin' some nonexistent treasure on the other side o' the world. ...Heh. Guess you finally found yours. Wonder what would happen...if I put a bullet in him?"

Arthur grew even more restless at that and attempted to wrangle free, only to receive a bash to the head.

"...Leave the boy outta this, Colm...!" He barked, somewhat dazed from the hit. "He ain't got...nothin' to do with this! He's just a goddamn kid...!"

Colm chuckled, smiling wickedly in my direction.

"So? Kids die as well as adults, I've heard. ...Mind if I test that theory?"

Arthur turned to me this time, his eyes full of distress.

"Eddie, listen to me. Get the hell outta here! NOW! It ain't worth it...! Go back home. Forget about me!"

Colm frowned playfully, tilting his head in a condescending manner.

"Aww, would ya look at that? The big brute ain't so emotionless, after all. Never would've guessed you was sweet on boys, Morgan. But I suppose it makes sense, seein' as how no woman's dumb enough to have you."

I ignored the snickers from his men and simply tightened my grip on the shotgun, steadily aiming the barrel straight at Colm as Arthur desperately tried to get my attention.

"Don't do it!" He shouted over the howling wind as the other O'Driscolls pointed their own guns at me. I knew there was next to no chance of me leaving this place alive, and I wasn't nearly as fast as Arthur with a gun, but I was still intent on at least trying to save him.

I owed him that much, no matter how much of a bad man he believed he was.

"Eddie!" Arthur exclaimed again, spitting out the rain that spilled over his lips. "Listen to me, goddammit! Put the gun down...and run!"