Outlaws - An American Youth - [Charles Smith x OC]

Chapter 48 - Micah

I woke up sweating after a violent nightmare. My heart was heavy, and a bad feeling was preventing me from regaining my composure. As if something terrible was going to happen. I walked over to my living room to pour myself a glass of water, before looking out the window. The full moon flooded the street with light, where only cats and dogs roamed the deserted road. I went back to bed without being able to sleep. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that I did, as the city began to wake up.

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After too short a night, I went to open my practice. As usual, patients succeeded at a steady pace. All morning I could hardly concentrate. My nocturnal troubles refused to leave me. I waited for the inevitable bad news. It remained to be seen which one.

As noon struck, a young boy rushed into my dispensary. I had seen him before, he often ran errands for the people of Blackwater. Abandoning my patient, I went to meet him, more worried than ever. Listening to him, my breath hitched. I was expected at Beecher's Hope as soon as possible.

I hurried to treat my patients before I left. I have never made the trip so quickly. When I arrived, Abigail rushed over to me, crying. I couldn't understand what she was saying, her sobs making her incomprehensible. I looked around for John or Charles, but the place seemed deserted. In the flood of her moans, I managed to make out a word. Or rather a name. Micah.

I took her by the shoulders, trying to calm her down. I had to know. She told me between gasps that Sadie had found Micah's trail. The two men had followed her to end it once and for all.

My blood ran cold. Letting go of Abigail, I walked over to my mare. I had to find them, I couldn't let them fight alone. But my friend grabbed my hand, holding me back as best she could. It was madness. I would never find them, they had been gone for hours, and she didn't even know in which direction.

Hearing our cries, Uncle arrived. He also tried to reason with me, but I didn't want to hear anything. I couldn't believe they had left like this, without even telling me. I was struggling against those hands that wanted to keep me at the ranch. It wasn't until Abigail collapsed to her knees, her body shaking with sobs, that I gave up.

She finally had everything she wanted. A home, a family and soon, a true marriage. She, who in her youth had only known the harshness of men, had her dream finally came true. And now it seemed to be breaking again.

Letting go of my anger, I helped her up before supporting her inside. I made her sit in the living room before making her coffee. I slipped a drop of whiskey into it. I had learned from my mentors that sometimes a little alcohol could ease even the most overworked nerves. Later, I convinced her to go lie down. Closing the door to her bedroom, I came face to face with Jack.

"He's not coming back, is he?

- I... You remember Micah?

- Yes. He terrified me. Is he going to kill my father?

- Don't worry about that. He's with Sadie and Charles, they know how to defend themselves. Everything will be alright.

- But Arthur was the best shot, right?"

The mention of this name made me crack. I nodded with a few tears, grabbing the boy, and hugging him. He let me do it without saying anything. Years without a real father figure had made him skeptical of John's feelings for him. But I knew it, he loved his son. He just did not know how to show it.

I let him go back to his reading. After putting a log in the fire, I went to stroke the wood of the piano, a gift, like the rest of the furniture in the house, from John's former boss. I sat up, and without thinking let my fingers run over it. Later, I tried to distract Abigail with some light music, without much success.