In Wilderness Found

Chapter 21: The Bastard Has Good Timing

Madison knows Ellis is worried. That much is clear as she sits next to the pistol and the loaded rifle, watching Gal guard the porch while he’s gone to town. He’d insisted that she stay locked inside the cabin with her hands near the weapons at all times until he returns. So, here she sits.

Gal seems to know that she’s supposed to be on duty. Instead of her usual lounging position, she is perched on the top step, her shoulders back and ears alert as she faces the front yard. 

Abner doesn’t even want to fool with the front door, because he knows it will be bolt-locked. 

He’d gathered that much from watching Ellis leave the cabin this morning. Plus, that bitch dog is guarding the porch steps like some kind of soldier. He’ll deal with her later; for now, he needs to figure out a way inside. He’d bet money that he could easily enter through a bedroom window.

After a full day and evening of anger-inducing difficulty, Abner had finally gotten off his horse yesterday. His whole body is sore from the compromising position Madison and Ellis had left him in, and his head still aches from the impact of the pistol hitting his temple.

He’d managed to make it home to rest for a little while last night before sneaking back across the mountainside to the Combs property in the early morning hours. Now, he sits crouched just past the woodline, looking toward the homestead. 

He'd waited a while to make sure Ellis had enough time to make it to town. What about that damn fool? Abner almost feels sorry for the man. If he hasn’t already, he’ll soon figure out how infuriating and utterly worthless Madison is. Or maybe he won’t even have a chance, not if Abner’s plan goes well today.

He is careful not to make too much noise as he slinks his way towards the backside of the cabin, still concealed within the woodline. Just as he’d expected, two windows are on the back of the house, which must lead into bedrooms.

Abner doesn’t have the money just yet to pay for another pistol, but he does have the resources to make his own weaponry. With a sigh and a last look around the property, he steps out of the woodline into the backyard. His grip on the newly crafted knife in his hand is tight as he walks slowly to the back of the cabin.

The glass of the windows is thick, much thicker than Abner had expected, and he hopes he won’t have to break them. He sticks his face up to the left window to peek inside. An empty room? He moves to the other window and finds a small bed inside.

For the sake of further concealment, he chooses the left window to enter. He presses up on the glass until it gives slightly. With a smirk, he pushes the lightly creaking window all the way up until he’s looking at the mesh screen behind it.

He begins to cut the mesh away with his knife, but an unaccounted for storm of tri-colored fur appears from seemingly thin air and bolts right into his legs. 

Gal attaches herself to his trousers, puncturing her teeth into him without warning, and Abner nearly drops the knife.

“You vile thing!” he seethes as he tries to knock the dog away from him with the hilt of the knife. When that proves unsuccessful, he uses the blade to cut at the dog’s long ears and she yelps and pulls away.

He holds the knife out towards Gal to ensure that she won’t attack again while he climbs through the window. The hound barks furiously in a clear warning call, and her fur is bristled as she comes dangerously close to sinking her teeth into Abner’s legs again while he shuffles into the empty bedroom. 

Madison frantically follows the noise of commotion, the .44 caliber pistol in hand. When she swings the spare room door open, her eyes immediately land on Abner. His blonde hair is disheveled and he has a crazed look in his eyes as he stares down at the bleeding dog through the window.