Lifesaver [Engl.]

22. Jake's decision

Jake looked up. Despite his weakened condition, he had become aware of the many footsteps on the ground. His muscles tensed when he saw all the townspeople coming towards him. With Beans on the top.
Jake felt his venom glands swell. What did all the townspeople want here?
Finally, the townspeople stopped a few yards away from him. Then Beans broke away from the group and approached Jake.
"We advised," Beans began.
Jake raised his eyebrows. Advised? About what? About him? He growled softly. He felt like a convict. Why wasn't he left alone? He was already on the ground. Did people want to finish him off now? Jake could very well imagine that none of the townspeople would forgive him for his crimes. Jake let out another threatening hiss. Why did he trust them?
"After a few conversations," Beans continued. "We have come to the conclusion that you can stay in town and that we will help you while Rango is not back yet."
Jake's eyes widened. He hadn't expected that now. His gaze wandered to the townspeople. Was that a trick?
"But," Beans objected. "You have to cooperate with us. If you promise us that you will not threaten anyone. Only then we can help you."
Jake hissed in disgust. No one had ever put conditions on him before. Until now, it had always been he who made the rules clear. His eyes narrowed. He wasn't the sort to break his promises, but he was disgusted with compromising with ordinary townspeople.
Beans crossed her arms. "What is it now?"
She felt Jake hesitate. Couldn't he promise?
Jake snorted and backed away. "I can't promise that."
"Why not?!"
"I can see that only the next one is waiting to kill me," Jake growled and reared up threateningly. "Either you disappear or I'll bite one of you to death!"
Startled the townspeople backed away, but Beans called them back.
"Stay here!"
Then she turned back to Jake. "Jake, remember, you are here because Rango granted you asylum. You are not a prisoner yet. But you could become one if you disobey."
"Obey?!" Jake backed away again and hissed threateningly. "I don't have to obey anyone! I'm my own master, and as long as I'm not dead, I do what I want. Nobody has the right to dictate to me. And if I want to promote someone to the afterlife, then I do it!"
With one swift movement, Jake aimed his cannon at Beans and held it threateningly in front of her face. Beans kept a straight face and pushed the gun aside with her forefinger. "You have no ammunition. So don't act up yourself like that here. Why are you so scared?"
"I'm not scared!" Jake yelled at her. "Of nobody!"
"Then trust us, then nothing will happen to you."
Jake smiled maliciously. "Trusting you? I just don't have to look and one of you is going to shoot me."
"And why did you have no doubts about Rango, even though he would have most reason to kill you?"
Jake stopped. He hadn't even thought about that until now. He bit his lower lip. Why did he trust Rango, but not the others? Usually he and Rango were mortal enemies. Sheriffs and gunslingers did not get along by nature.
He snorted contemptuously. "None of your business! ... I don't know myself. It's just a feeling ... Oh, leave me alone..."
He growled softly and held his head. This damn pain drove him insane. And a rattlesnake with an unpredictable temperament found it particularly difficult to keep angry outbursts under control.
Beans took a step forward. "Jake, if you want to survive, pull yourself together and do what we tell you. I don't think you want to die like that here, do you? The greatest gunslinger in the West dies ill and weak of an infection in a small, insignificant town. Do you want this to be spread around the whole west coast?"
Jake avoided her gaze. His humiliation couldn't get any worse anyway. But leaving the world like that was not right for him as a great legend either.
A while passed. Then, humiliated, he lowered his gaze.
"Do what you can't resist," he muttered. "I don't care."
Jake tried to turn around, but Beans held him back. "Jake!"
Jake paused.
"Look at me!" Beans ordered sternly.
Reluctantly, Jake turned to her.
"Nothing matters here. It's entirely up to you to decide. And I ask for an answer. Do you agree? Yes or no? If you don't want our help, it's your choice. We don't want to force you to do anything."
Jake looked Beans in the face. The lizard looked him in the eye. She could see that he wanted help, but then again, he was very attached to his pride. And consent would deeply hurt that pride.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jake looked over at Priscilla, who had been hiding behind Beans a little intimidated. Jake closed his eyes. His head was spinning. On the one hand, he didn't want to worsen his condition. Who knows how long he could stand it. But he did not want to leave the world this way. Especially not if he hadn't cleaned things up with Rango beforehand.
"He's still not back, is he?" Jake asked quietly.
Beans shook her head. "No."
Jake turned away and stared into the distance. Rango had promised him solemnly that he would not let anything happen to him. But why did he stay away for so long? Did he want to put him to the test? Jake shook his head. The chameleon would never dare to do that.
Jake stayed in this position for a long time. Beans didn't dare to disturb him. Rattlesnakes were not to be pushed into anything. She knew that, which is why she stood patiently and did not move from the spot.
At last there was movement in the rattlesnake. With a sigh, Jake turned to her and the townspeople. As much as he was attached to his pride, as a weakling he didn't want to die. He had to survive, even if he had to accept help.
"All right," he began quietly. "I promise I won't harm anyone. But only as long as I'm incapacitated and the sheriff isn't back yet."
Beans raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. It was enough for Jake to promise, at least for a limited time.
She nodded to the townspeople. "All right then. You heard it. He promises. Doc. Tell the others what to do."
Doc nodded. "Yes. So first we need a lot of large varnishes and cloths that we can soak with hot water. The most important thing is to keep him warm..."
Jake didn't want to listen. The great rattlesnake rolled up with lowered gaze and lay lengthways on the floor. He had a terrible feeling in his stomach.
The greatest gunslinger has submitted to a city. He closed his eyes and vowed to tell everyone else around that he had forced them to help. At least that was how he wanted to maintain his bad reputation.
It didn't take long time until the townspeople came back with all the towels, tablecloths and sheets. They put them together in a large pile of laundry, while Doc was busy putting on a large kettle of water, which he heated with a fire below. Then he dipped the laundry in the warm and hot water and passed it on to Beans, who took the cloth from him and spread it over Jake's neck at first. The next towel got Waffles. Beans helped him to spread the cloth over the rattlesnake. And so it went on and on.
Jake didn't move. He just let everything happen to him. Nor did he complain when the revolver belt was removed from him to put clothes on that part of his body as well. Elgin and Buford had lit three more bonfires in a safe distance around the rattlesnake to keep the rattlesnake from getting cold.
After the job was done and Jake was covered with towels, most of the townspeople withdrew, wondering a little that they'd survived the whole thing alive. Only Doc stayed with Jake in case complications arose. Exhausted, the doctor wiped the boiling water off his face.
"At least that would be done," Beans said quietly.
"Sure," Doc said, rubbing his back with a groan. "But if Rango doesn't come soon, we must still expect the worst."
Priscilla, who had watched the whole thing because Miss Oats had forbidden her to go too close to the snake, had listened to the two in silence. Her gaze wandered to Jake, who was still sprawled on the floor. She gave herself a jerk and quietly crept over to him. Jake had closed his eyes and appeared to be asleep. Although he had hardly moved at all, he looked very exhausted and powerless.
Gently she put her hand on his head.
"Hold on. Rango will definitely be back soon."
Jake opened his eyes slightly. "I would like to believe it. But why should he worry about me?"
"If he didn't care about you, he wouldn't have risked that much before."
"And why isn't he back yet?"
Priscilla had no answer to that. "I don't know. But until now he has always kept his promise. He'll do it now, too."
Jake turned on the other side.
"Promises," he muttered scornfully.
Priscilla pulled back and left Jake alone. He was very annoyed by the whole action. She didn't want to bother him with further questions.
She walked away quietly.
An unusual calm settled over the city. Although the most of the townspeople were far from calm. On the one hand, because Jake was in town and on the other, because of the additional fear of the foreign bounty hunters.
Priscilla walked silently down the street to the entrance to the town. There she stopped and stared forward into the dark desert, hoping to see a rider there.
But everything remained silent. The stars shone in the sky as if nothing had ever happened and otherwise the desert gave the impression that it was completely lifeless. She thought of the conversation in the saloon tonight. Had something really happened to Rango? Why didn't he come back?
Priscilla sighed. "Oh Rango. Where are you?"