Jack opens his eyes. He looks up to see Cleetus with his mouth open, blood pouring slowly out of it. His body drops to the ground.
"Cleetus!" Gus yells out.
A second gunshot goes off, Dylan groans and falls from his horse. Gus' horse rears in fear, bucking Gus off. He tries to reach for his gun, but a third gunshot goes off and Gus goes limp. Jack opens his eyes, he sees everyone looking at the far end of the camp, his eyes follow and they reach the shooter, his eyes widen.
"Sweet baby Jesus," Jack says, his eyes still wide.
At the far end of camp stood Beth with a rifle in her hands, she made her way down the camp, everyone's heads followed. She reaches Jack, drops the rifle on the ground, and kneels next to Jack.
"You a'right Jack?" Beth says softly.
"Don't be getting all soft with me now girl, what in the hell was that?!" Jack says amazed, "I mean where did you learn how to shoot like that?" Jack adds.
"Well ever since The Smitty Gang attacked us, and I froze with the gun in my hands when I could've saved Jesse, I told myself I'd never freeze again. I've been going to my own little area far from camp, far enough you can't even hear the shots" Beth explains, she smiles.
Sue and Rodrigo, and Tashe make their way down to the middle of camp with the others. Sue runs over to Beth and hugs her tightly.
"You're so brave, I'm sure Jesse'd be proud of you right now," Sue says into her ear.
Beth starts crying, tears rolling down her face, "Please don't let go" Beth says sobbing.
"Never, baby, I'm gon' hold on to you all night if I have to" Sue brings Beth's face close to her chest.
"Don't mean to intrude on this moment, but I'm pretty sure I see a light and I'm going to die if I don't get patched up" Jack says suddenly.
"Give me a hand here Reverend" Rodrigo bends down and wraps his left arm around Jack, Tashe takes the other side.
"Valdez, you need to rest, I get you're trying to be a good man, but you'll be no use if you push yourself to death," Jack says, chuckling.
"It's my fault you got shot, now save your energy 'til we get you patched up," Rodrigo says.
Together, Rodrigo and Tashe take Jack to the medical tent. Sue looks around at all the people sitting around, some with their eyes wide.
"Y'all waiting for something? Get to work, look at the mess these men made, dump them in the lake, we can keep their horses" Sue demands, still holding onto Beth.
"Ms. Sue? You wan us to give Mathews a proper funeral?" a woman asks.
"As far as I'm concerned, he's no better than the other three, throw his sorry ass in the lake" Sue orders the woman.
"You really not gonna let go?" Beth asks, chuckling.
"Girl, do I not do as I say?" Sue pulls back to look at Beth.
"Yeah, I'm just getting a bit warm and I think we should help the others to clean up," Beth says softly.
"Alright then, only cus you said so, I was ready to hug you all night," Sue says with a smile.
The two walk over to the group dragging the bodies towards the lake. They walk over to two women dragging Mathews' body, Sue spits on Mathews' face, then she grabs one arm and Beth the other and the four carry him down to the lake.
Later that day, Rodrigo sat outside the medical tent, Tashe was inside helping Jack out with his wound.
Sue approaches the tent, stopping in front of Rodrigo, "You alright outlaw?"
YOU ARE READING
A Beautiful Western Story
Historical FictionCan this bandit overcome his old habits and become the person he needs to be? He's done a lot of bad and gotten himself in situations he's tired of. He told himself he was leaving the life, but found his way back. Previously, he'd promised the love...
