Outlaws for Life (Red Dead Redemption 2)

Chapter FortyTwo: Live Together

My mind goes again to Charles as we silently ride back to camp. I'm thinking about him because I don't know if I can go back to him. Not for now at least. Abigail and Jack have to go away, but they can't do that on their own. They need someone, someone who takes care of them now that John... I still can't believe it. How could that happen?

My eyes arbitrarily move on Arthur, riding ahead of me. It can be him: he can go with Abigail and Jack and take care of them, so I can reach Charles.

I shake my head vigorously as a great shame takes me. How selfish! How can you think something like this! Arthur is as much wanted as Dutch is and if he goes with them, they'll still be in danger. Besides, Arthur's health is not good. I can't ask him to do this. He has done enough already. No, it must be me, even if this will draw me away from Charles. The idea of the perfect life with him is becoming more and more a distant dream now, something stupid that only a stupid girl like me could think to be possible.

We reach the last crossroad right before the straight path that leads to camp, when a desperate scream makes us all stop.

"They came and took Abigail!"

It's Tilly, riding towards us with Jack seated on the saddle in front of her.

"I saved Jack, we hid, but they took Abigail" she keeps yelling. There are no tears in her eyes but her voice is shaking.

The shock paralyzes me and I can't do much more than stare at Tilly as a strange weight starts pushing on my chest. No. Not Abigail too. Why? Why taking her? What's her worth?

"Who did?" asks Arthur.

"Agent Milton and his men... took her to Van Horn to put her on a boat and tried for murder."

For what? Abigail has done nothing.The weight becomes heavier with every word she pronounces and now I feel like I can't breathe. With a great effort, I turn my head right and exchange a look with Sadie.

"I am sorry to hear that" says Dutch with the tone of someone who has already given up. Yes, there it is, he's doing it again, just like he's done with John. He's giving up.

"We gotta let her go" says Micah.

"John's a... well, sorry son" he adds to Jack.

"Without John she's just bait, we got a bunch of money, Dutch."

Little snake, he's whispering into his ear. That's what he is been doing in these months, right? That's the only thing he is capable to do. Whisper.

"She's just a girl, they won't do nothing to her. But, me and the boys know, we need to keep riding on this one, Dutch. You know it, every man here knows it."

"What?!" I exclaim.

"So we just gonna let the boy be made an orphan?" asks Arthur.

"I-it ain't like that" replies Dutch.

"But it seems" I yell.

"Unlike you I wanna live, I still got the choice" says Micah.

"You are a bastard!" I shout to his face.

"It's just a girl!"

"And you're just a dead man!"

I take out my revolver, cock it, and point it right at his face.

He doesn't move, he isn't scared at all. He knows he has most of the people here on his side. He is protected.

"Stop it! Micah is right!" says Dutch.

Mr. Joe moves his horse next to me and puts a hand on my gun making me lower it. When I look at him, he shakes his head with a menacing look.

"Dutch..." says Arthur dismounting his horse and approaching him.