Lifesaver [Engl.]

8. In safety

Spoons hadn't exaggerated. The doors of the town hall were almost torn from their hinges and leaned against the entrance walls. Rango had gotten a lantern and was slowly stepping inside. He stopped in the entrance area, where the stairs led up to the office.
"Jake?"
Everything kept quiet.
"Jake? Are you here?"
Rango heard a soft creak on the first floor.
He held the lamp up, but couldn't see anyone above.
"Jake? I'm coming up."
Slowly he walked up the stairs. The steps creaked under his shoes. When he got to the top, there was an empty passage in front of him that only led to one room. Apparently, Jake had fled to the mayor's office.
Rango carefully crossed the corridor until he stood in front of the large wooden door of the mayor's office. It was not damaged and Rango suspected that Jake had closed it behind himself. He knocked gently on the heavy wood. "Jake?"
Again no answer.
"Jake, I'm coming in now."
Gently Rango moved the doorknob and pushed open the door. Immediately, he quickly stepped aside and pressed himself against the hall wall, just in case if Jake raced like a madman somewhere.
But nothing of the sort happened. Everything stayed calm. Or almost.
Rango heard a gasp.
Slowly he pulled away from the wall and peered into the room.
It was pitch dark inside. Even the faint moonlight gave little light through the stained-glass windows. With pounding heart, Rango entered the room and illuminated the room with the lantern.
Then ... Jake had huddled in a corner, his head buried under his snake's body, and still gasping from exertion. That had been just too much. Slowly Rango stepped up to him.
"Jake? Jake, what's up with you?" he asked concerned.
Slowly Jake's body started to move. He pushed his body away from his face so that his eyes were visible.
Rango backed away. In the glow of the lantern light, the rattlesnake's eyes seemed to glow as they reflected the light, which looked somehow demonic. Jake lowered his eyes and his hat covered his face. His whole body started to tremble again.
Rango took a few steps forward with concern and held up his hand soothingly.
"Jake. It's okay. Nothing can happen to you. You are completely safe here."
At least he hoped so.
Jake gasped and sank to the side on the floor.
"Water," he whispered weakly.
Rango leaned down anxiously and stroked Jake's neck.
"Okay, calm down. I'll give you water."
Rango stood up quickly and hurried to the desk. Nothing had changed in the room since the mayor's death. But Rango knew that the private water supply was still there. He found the key under the desk mat. He hastily put the key in the lock and opened the desk cupboard where the glass water jugs stood. Rango took two bottles and went back to Jake.
"Here is water."
Rango didn't bother to use glasses, but handed Jake the whole bottle after removing the glass stopper. Jake was weak. Apparently, he had used all his strength to escape.
Rango rested Jake's head on his knees and poured the water into his big mouth.
It was a good thing that snakes had their trachea in their mouths, so that he didn't have to stop. Jake let the cool water run down his throat, still panting and gasping for breath.
When the bottle was empty, Rango pulled it back. Jake ran his tongue over his mouth, touching Rango's skin. Rango got goose bumps, but didn't hesitate to grab the second bottle. Jake also let this be given without resistance.
After this bottle was empty, Jake sank to the side again.
Rango leaned over to him. The snake's breath had returned to normal. Now Jake was lying there with eyes closed. The snake was exhausted. Although Rango didn't know if Jake could hear him, he leaned forward.
"Take a rest," he said softly. "Don't worry. Nothing can happen to you."

When Rango left the town hall, a crowd of animals was waiting for him outside.
Everyone was talking confused.
"And? What's it now?"
"Did he surrender?"
"Will he leave the town?"
"Will he eat us?"
"Quiet!" Rango cried. "Listen! Jake is completely exhausted. He couldn't even tell me anything. He just collapsed. I guess he won't wake up until tomorrow. I don't know what he's up to do, but I can only say that there is currently no danger. I'll leave him here until he wakes up tonight."
"Does that mean you want to give him asylum here?"
"I wouldn't necessarily call it asylum now. Only until we find another solution."
"And what about the persecutors?"
Rango looked up. "How do you know ..."
His eyes fell on Beans. Of course, she had to say something to the townspeople so that they had an answer at least.
"Okay, it was like this: When I was on guard outside, a group of strangers showed up and I assume that it was the same men who mistreated him like that."
All residents remained silent. Anxiously waiting for Rango to continue speaking.
"I assume that they wanted to kill Jake. But Jake woke up somehow and fled of the reflex. That's how we escaped. Then he fled to the city and directly to the town hall if I interpret it correctly."
"And what if these strange people attack the city and then kill Jake here."
"If," Rango began. "If there really comes a robbery, I will be responsible. Until then, I would like to ask you to keep watch over the night and let me know when a stranger approaches the city."
"You mean, we should sacrifice our sleep just to protect a criminal?"
"I'll stay with Jake for so long, or do you want that he sneaks around here in the city?"
Fortunately, that had an effect.

Rango quietly opened the office door. Doc was right behind him, even though a little drunk. Rango had asked him to check through Jake before retiring to the pub. They entered the room quietly. Jake had curled up on the floor.
"Everything's fine, Doc," Rango said, signaling the doctor to follow him.
Fortunately, Jake slept soundly. Either he felt safe or he was too exhausted to take care of his surroundings. For a brief moment, Rango was even convinced that not even an earthquake would have woken him up.
Doc checked the vital functions like pulse and breathing. Then he reached into his doctor's bag and took out an injection.
"That'll calm him down."
Rango sat down next to Jake and watched how Doc positioned the syringe.
But no sooner the syringe had touched the snake skin, Jake started up like bitten by a tarantula. Doc was pushed aside, the syringe still clutched tightly.
Jake reared up and hissed threateningly.
"Jake, calm down!" Rango tried and stood in front of him.
"What do you want?" Jake asked in a shaky voice. "Can't you even leave me alone?!"
"Jake, we just want to help you."
"By killing me ?!" Jake snapped.
"These are normal medications and nothing to euthanize you," Rango asserted. "Believe me! I also spoke to the townspeople. They won't do anything to you either."
Jake's eyes narrowed suspiciously. But then he became dizzy and sank back to the ground. Rango slowly walked back to him.
Reluctantly, he felt over the snake skin. Jake wanted to push him aside, but he was too exhausted to fight back.
"Now stay calm. The medication will calm you down. You won't die from it. I promise."
He signaled to Doc that he could venture forward again. When Doc put the syringe back on, Jake hissed warningly and rattled his rattle. Rango stroked his neck again. "Quiet, very calm. Nothing happens to you."
Finally, Doc had injected the drug. He quickly put the syringe back in the doctor's bag and hurriedly left the room.
"If you're looking for me, I'm in the saloon. My regular surgery hours are in the afternoon again."
He left the room and Rango was left alone with Jake.
"Don't let anyone come in."
Rango looked at the snake in surprise. Jake had closed his eyes, but had not fallen asleep yet.
"Don't let them come," Jake murmured softly.
Rango guessed who he was talking about. "Don't worry. They won't come in."
He felt how Jake dropped inside and fall asleep.
Rango sat down next to him, leaned against the snake's body, and took a deep breath. Only now he felt how tired he was. He closed his eyes and listened to the rattlesnake's breath for a moment, then he fell asleep, too.