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

Chapter 63 - Red Dead Redemption - Part 2

"We've wasted enough time in this hole. Let's get it done, Mr. Howard."

At these words, the man raised his weapon. Charles did the same. It all happened in a few seconds.

Bang

Bang

Bang

These gunshots still haunt me at night. I remember everything. The smell of the gunpowder, my body on the verge of fainting. Charles who takes two steps back before collapsing with all his weight, his smoking gun falling by his side.

Agent Ross approached me, but I couldn't take my eyes off Charles's body, still on the ground. Inch by inch, the red spread across his shirt. I had just offered it to him. What silly thoughts we can have at these tragic moments in our lives. As if our brains were vainly trying to distract us from the horror we were experiencing.

When the agent was a few feet away from me, I finally looked away, looking straight into his eyes. I calmly waited for the ball intended for me. I was ready to die. I had been since the day I sealed my fate to Charles'.

"I told you that I will be back for him. Did you really think I wouldn't come to Canada? But our justice is almighty Doctor Grey.

- Smith. It's Doctor Smith.

- If you say so. So, we had the last member of Dutch Van der Linde's gang. All the men of this savage are dead. Oh sure, there are still a few women left, and you Doctor Grey. But you don't interest me. I won't arrest you. I won't kill you either. Out of pure Christian charity, I am going to let you live with your bastards, you are already well enough punished." He said looking at my stomach, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

Unconsciously, I hugged my arms around my stomach, as if to protect this still unborn child. He didn't approve of our unconventional marriage, he had shot my husband. What could stop him from grappling this helpless baby, still unaware of the horrors of the world outside of his mother's womb. But Ross didn't do anything, heading back to his car and leaving as he had come, accompanied by the drizzle that finally decided to fall.

I ran towards Charles, pressing with all my strength on the wound, trying in vain to restart his heart which I knew to be extinct forever. I exhausted myself, refusing to stop. After several long minutes, my hands slowed down, helpless. I screamed in pain as I collapsed on that chest that had so often protected me. His blood spilled on my dress and I lay there, prostrate, unable to move. Unable to let him go.

---

A strong gust made me come to myself. Alice. Where was my daughter? Stunned, I got up to look for her, staggering to the house. I called her name softly without hearing a response. I went up to the bedrooms, places of so much happiness and drama.

Our wedding night, the loss of our child, the attack...

Everything came back to me like an uncontrollable whirlwind.

The attack.

I walked over to what was our marital bed, leaning down to see below. My little girl was there, hands over her mouth so as not to make a sound, sobs shaking her tiny body. I grabbed her and hugged her with all my strength. Right now, she was my lifeline. If I wanted to survive, I mustn't let her go.

Outside, my lover's body awaited for me in the coldness of autumn. He died standing up, trying one last time to protect his family. It was up to me now to protect him, giving him a home to finally rest in peace. It was the least I could do for this man who had loved me so much. For this man who had saved me.

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"♪ Goodbye my man

Where you go I won't go