Home Sweet Home - A Red Dead Redemption II story

Americans at Rest

Margaret was long awake and ready for the day by the time Ruth got up.

She lifted her head then blocked her eyes immediately. The sun was shining right through her window and onto her face. The woman winced quietly then sat up fully, looking around the room.

Part of her wished she was living a nightmare and that she'd wake up to her old life, but she could only dream of better days.

Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she wiped away the dry parts and swung her legs off the edge, letting out a big yawn and stretch.

There's was more commotion downstairs than usual during the day so she suited up and made her way to the stairs where she was pushed aside by Tommy who was trudging down the stairs. She stumbled to the side then paced to the railing to see a full on bar fight.

Margaret and the other girls made their way to her side, gathering to watch.

Ruth saw the man she tried to pick up last night pinned against the wall being beaten by three men, she turned to Margaret.

"What's going on?"

"You should have kept sleeping, honey." She replied. "It's a battlefield."

Ruth looked back to see Tommy pick up a man and throw him out the window, after that point everyone made their way out as a crowd formed.

Ruth ran down the stairs as well.

"Ruth no, it's not safe for us!"

"I don't care!" She ran out the door to watch.

"Come on, Pretty Boy!" She heard Tommy scowl as she made it out the door.

"You're kidding me? Pretty Boy?!" The opponent replied annoyed.

She leaned against the pillar as she watched with anticipation, not realizing she was next to the man from last night.

Margaret came up next to Ruth and tried to pull her back inside.

The fight didn't last long, especially since the town Do-Gooder decided to intervene. That ended the fight. To the crowds dismay, Tommy was left beaten and broken as the other man walked off in bittersweet victory.

Margaret finally pulled Ruth inside, the last thing she saw was Tommy being assisted to the doctors down the street.

"He's beat!" She whispered in disbelief.

Margaret brought her upstairs, then put a hand on her hip.

"What do you think you were doing?"

"It was just a fight! And I was only watching!." She replied with a heavy sigh.

"You oughta be careful, Missy!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry."

Margaret decided to drop it, noticing a couple of the women were talking to the saloon owner about what they were going to do.

"The bars closed, girls. Least till we get it fixed up. You can have a few days off." He told them.

That made Ruth perk up, it had been so long since she had a day off, she gave Margaret a very cheerful glance.

"You hear that? Let's get out of here!" She said, pulling Margaret with her outside.

"What are you going to do?" Margaret asked.

"Gosh, I don't know.. might take a walk down to the river.. maybe to the cliffs.." She paused to push her hair back. "It's been so long since I've been out of town!" She continued, then glanced at Margaret.

"What will you do?" She asked.

"I don't feel too safe leaving town.." she scuffed her shoe on the planks, shyly rubbing her wrist. "I'm going to stay back. You go.. have fun." She smiled.

Ruth gave her an unprecedented hug, which Margaret enjoyed.

"I'll be safe, I promise." Ruth said as she sauntered down the walk way toward the end of town.

She saw a couple of out of place characters as she walked passed the general store, dressed far too fancy for the likes of Valentine, they were accompanied by a large fellow who seemed to fit in with the men at the saloon.

It hit her again. It was the same man she tried to pick up the night before. She was seeing a lot of him.

What was he doing with a couple of fancy dressed gentlemen?

Alas, Ruth kept walking down toward the stables, pushing the thought of those men out of her mind.

Little did she know, the large man had his eyes on her.

-

Ruth was an acquaintance of the Farrier, Amos Levi, and he allowed her to visit the horses on occasion, so she figured that was a great start to her time off.

"Ruth, good to see you again." He greeted.

"And you, Mr. Levi." She replied with a respectable nod. "How're the horses doing?" She asked.

"They're fine. Couple of em might need some fresh air soon."

Ruth perked up, an idea transpiring in her mind.

"You wouldn't mind if I took one of em out for a ride?" She placed a hand on the gate and reached the other in to give a horse a scratch. It nickered in return as Ruth smiled at the creature.

"Ruth, you know I can't do that."

She turned her head to look at him, then back at the horse. "I understand."

Ruth had been trying to save up for a horse for some time, but had very little luck in making effort.

"Amos, what do you know about wild horses?" Ruth asked, still giving the horse in front of her many pats and scratches.

"Well, they're horses. Skittish and hard to catch. There's some in the heartlands I believe." He was quiet for a moment, and so was Ruth. That made him nervous.

"Why?" He asked.

Ruth shrugged her shoulders and turned away from the horse to head out

"No reason. Just thought I'd ask."

Amos turned away to get back to his work as Ruth exited. "I'll see you around, Amos."

"You too, Miss Bucker."

Ruth always had a liking for horses, always wanted to work with them but with next to nothing for experience, no one would hire her. It was a thought she dawdled on often.

She made her way down the muddy roads toward the auction yard.

'Maybe I should have just wandered into someone's farm.. they could've hired me.' she thought to herself. 'That's intrusive.. they would've shot me faster than I could speak.' She sadly dismissed the thought.

She came up on a large barn and the pungent smell of livestock became stronger.

"Hey little lady.. you're a long way from the whorehouse." One of the men scoffed.

She gave him a glare but held her tongue. It wasn't worth being bedridden for a few days, again.

Ruth kept walking through the auction yard, admiring the sheep and their cute bleats. She did her best to ignore the ogling of the working men, but she knew she was just a piece of meat to them.

"Come on over here, miss! I'll show you how a real man should handle a woman like yourself." A man called.

Ruth clicked her tongue. "Well gee, I don't seem to see any real men over your way, mister." She called back, spitting her words at him like venom.

That riled him up. One of his buddies had to grab his arm to stop him from causing a big scene in the auction yard.

Ruth just laughed to herself and made her way back into town. The men in town may have seen her as just an object of pleasure, but she still dared to stand her ground to them on occasion. She was still a human being.

Valentine hadn't entirely broken her spirit.

Not just yet.