In Wilderness Found

Chapter 22: Retribution

Before Ellis has time to properly process and panic at Abner’s voice coming from inside the cabin, Gal rushes up onto the porch, her ear oozing blood. She gives Ellis a sharp bark, an obvious communication, and she turns to bolt back down the steps and around the house. He follows her without question. 

Abner knows the pistol is still lying somewhere in that empty room, and he knows that’s exactly where that bitch dog is taking Ellis. He shoves Madison away from him and she lands on the wooden floor on her hands and knees with a hard smack. Abner strides into the back room to grab the gun before anyone else can.

Gal leads Ellis to the back spare bedroom window and he immediately forces himself up and in through the open glass. Upon entering, he is abruptly met with the psychotic grin on Abner’s face.

“Welcome home.”

It feels like Ellis’ body is running on pure adrenaline. No rational thoughts are forming in his mind, and all he cares about is getting to Madison. He lunges forward and his hands reach for Abner’s throat, but before he can get a grip on the cruel man, a pistol barrel is pressed up to his nose.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Abner warns. He feels powerful with the .44 caliber pistol back in his possession, and the look of surprise in Ellis’ eyes only heightens the feeling.

“Where is she?” Ellis grits out through his teeth.

“Probably still recovering from the long, rough session I just treated her to.”

His words have the intended effect, because Ellis’ nostrils flare and his fist swings in an erratic motion towards Abner’s face. With a fist in the air, and the other poised at his side, Ellis has left Abner with a perfect view of his chest, and Abner doesn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.

The quick crack of a .44 caliber shot ricochets within the small room, but the sound of it is drowned out by the thundering boom of gunpowder from a Remington hunting rifle discharging at close range. 

From behind the barrel, Madison watches Ellis fall first, and he is followed by Abner’s lifeless body, which lands harshly on the dusty wooden floor with a glorious thud.

Madison exhales loudly and blinks through the tears she didn’t even know she had. As quickly as she can manage in her current frenzied state, she sits the rifle down and hurries to Ellis’ side. 

His eyes are wide as he watches Madison approach and crouch down next to him. She is so beautiful, even now - her green eyes are wild, and her fire-colored hair is even more so. Her hands are shaking as she grabs a hold of him. She’s an avenging angel, his salvation, and he’s never loved her more. 

“Oh my God, Ellis, let me see!” She shrieks and he’s torn away from his untimely lovesick thoughts long enough to remember the wound in his shoulder. 

Luckily for him, Madison’s unforeseen gunfire had tipped Abner’s aim just northwest of where he’d wanted it, putting the bullet through Ellis’ shoulder and not his chest.

“I’m fine,” he tries to say, but it comes out barely above a whisper.

Madison nearly gags on the stench of gunpowder that fills the small room as she puts pressure on the ragged hole in Ellis’ shoulder. The pistol had sent the bullet through skin and muscle clean to the other side, which is a blessing. That means they won’t have to rely on a doctor to dislodge a bullet.

She pulls Ellis to his feet and brings him to the rocking chair out by the front window, with his body draped over hers for support. 

Both of them try to forget the body in the other room, while she presses gauze against his wound.