Home Sweet Home - A Red Dead Redemption II story

Where Sinners Lie

Ruth never fancied the idea of being on all fours for a man just so she could eat. It was a life she never wanted, but beggars can't be choosers so she had to grin and bear it.

She hadn't been at it long, yet she already had a whole group of regulars and she held a distasteful passion for each of them, as most adorned charming wedding rings.

Ruth felt nothing but pity for the wives of these men yet she couldn't turn her customers down otherwise she would never get by. She was undoubtedly living a selfish life.

Ruth didn't take the same responsibilities as the other women, she hardly let the owner take charge of her. Ruth still held herself as her own, despite being friends with one of them, a fair looking woman named Margaret. Ruth tried to distance herself from most of them but Margaret was the only one to push through Ruth's rejection.

If Ruth needed to know anything from the owner or the other women, Margaret had to carry the message on to her. Ruth liked it that way. She figured if she was doing work she didn't like, she might as well set certain conditions for herself.

Her work wasn't a total loss though. She'd take more than what she was given while the men she slept with were resting. There was a never a time where she didn't steal. It was good as a side thing, while it lasted. However, it soon came back to bite her in the ass. Hard.

The whole situation was a blur to her, the haziness of it all was either because it was out of the blue or because a bottle had been smashed over her head when she was least expecting it.

"Teach you to take what ain't yours, you thieving little whore!"

The commotion in the saloon came to a halt as the bottle smashed and Ruth's body slowly dropped to the ground, glass crumbling around her like dry leaves.

Nothing new could register, and the trauma to her head made sure of that. Ruth could only hazily make out the silhouette of the man responsible as he dealt his final blow, a boot to the ribs. Satisfied, the man left.

"Darling, are you okay?" Margaret and another woman came to her side.

She didn't answer, not because she couldn't, she just didn't want to.

Ruth felt a thousands eyes on her as she slowly propped her body up, she looked around the room, migraine beginning to form. Her eyes finally settling on the women by her side, her image hazy and blurry, barely human through her eyes.

Things slowly began to fade as the sight of black circles took over her vision

"She's bleeding!" Margaret called out as she quickly rose.

"We need to get her to the doctors, somebody help!"

The women gathered and assisted Ruth against her wishes, even though she couldn't fight it.

She was only just hanging on to her consciousness.

-

Undoubtedly concussed, she woke up to painful stinging at the crown of her head, she winced. Eyes blurry but still looking around, she was in her room in the saloon; one of the women by her side, her head slumped over as she fought off sleep.

"Margaret?" She spoke groggily.

Her head lifted hastily.

"Ruth! Oh thank goodness, you're awake!"

She reached over to hug her carefully but gratefully.

"What happened?" Her eyes were still adjusting, seeing double of Margaret.

"A man smashed a bottle over your head and you were out. We got you to the doctors in time. You had a pretty nasty gash on your head."

Ruth brought a hand up to feel her head, wincing again as she got close to some stitches.