Unshaken

Isaac

The two rode out back into the Grizzlies' wilderness. Liam had taken the same path earlier that day. The wind picked up as the two trailed off back into the unforgiving wilderness. "How're you doing, kid? I know this can't have been easy on you." Arthur asked. "I'm fine. No need to worry about me. Just glad we avoided trouble back there. You know, when I was a little boy, I always dreamed of riding away. I didn't know where, but somewhere real. Somewhere free. Not once did I ever see myself becoming an outlaw on the way. Of course, I did my fair share of pick-pocketing, but ain't we all?" Liam asked with a laugh.

"I didn't see myself being any much of anything before Hosea and Dutch found me. I don't know, I guess when I was a boy I was worried about surviving, as we all did. I guess I saw myself to be a father when it happened." Arthur said as they rode. Liam wondered for a second. "When what happened?" He asked. "I had a son once. Years ago. I don't talk about him much. Isaac was his name. His mama, Eliza, was a young waitress I met. When she got pregnant, she knew who I was, what my life was. I didn't wanna promise nothing I couldn't keep, but, I said I'd do right by them. Every few months I'd stop by there for a few days. He was such a good kid. She was too, I guess. Just a kid. Nineteen." Arthur explained.

Liam couldn't believe what he'd heard. "What happened?" He asked. "I got there one day and saw two crosses outside and knew right away. Turned out some bastards had come through, robbed them and shot them dead. All for ten dollars. It hardened me, feeling that kinda pain. But I know now that you don't get to live a bad life and have good things happen to you." Arthur said. "I'm so sorry that happened to you. I really do think you're being hard on yourself." Liam said, still processing Arthur's story. "Maybe. All I can do now is try to make things better for us." Arthur said. "And you have. It may not seem like it, but really, you have. We could all be dead right now or rotting in jail. You got us out. You've done some bad things, we all have, but we're making some things right. Redemption ain't always sought after, and maybe that's not what you're after, but you're a good man. I see it in you." Liam said.

Arthur looked to him for a moment. "Thank you, son. I think Isaac would've been a lot like you. I see him in you." Arthur said, then quickly looking away to what Liam suspected wiping a tear away. Liam choked up for a second. "Thank you. But let me tell you something else. Your existence ain't a mistake. As much as you don't believe it, you deserve to be alive. I sometimes feel the same way, and I know you know that. I don't think you know how important you are to this gang sometimes. We need you, Arthur." Liam said. "I know. I know, kid." Arthur said as they rode on.

Liam then shifted the conversation. "You ever broke a horse before?" He asked. "A couple of times. But never for myself." Arthur said. "This should definitely be a show then." Liam said as the lake came into view. They both took their binoculars out and looked. "Any luck?" Liam asked, not seeing the horse. "Yep. Right across the lake. Figure we can cut through that island and make it across." Arthur said as they rode down the hill to the bank. They climbed off their horses. Liam shivered as they walked onto the ice. He slipped a bit before catching his grip. He'd never walked on ice.

They made their way onto the island. The stallion had a glossy white coat and a long tail and mane. It also had longer hair near its hooves as a shire would. "Horse ain't noticed. Figure if we slide on our bellies across this stretch we can get to it." Arthur inquired. "After you, partner." Liam said as Arthur slowly got to his stomach and slid onto the icy lake, Liam following. His coat protected him from the wet and cold. The two shimmied across the stretch before making it to the other side. The horse had only moved a couple of feet away. Arthur got his lasso ready. The two slowly stood up as Arthur started to flick his wrist. The horse caught their dark figures in the side of its eye before taking off. As it did, Arthur threw the lasso, successfully catching the horse's neck.

To Liam's surprise, the stallion's strength was enough to not only bring Arthur to the ground, but start dragging him through the snow. "Shit!" Arthur cried out. Liam jumped and grabbed Arthur's leg before being pulled to the ground too. Instead of stopping from the weight it was pulling, the horse ran even faster. Snow piled up in Liam's face as he and Arthur were drug through the snow. He didn't let go in fear they would lose the horse. "Goddamnit!" Arthur yelled as they shot across the ground. Liam yelled out in frustration as Arthur's foot started to fall from his grasp. As this happened, the horse had started to slow. "I think this beast is starting to lose its strength!" Liam yelled. After another bout of sprinting and bucking, the horse had finally stopped to Liam and Arthur's relief.

Liam climbed up to his feet. He wiped the snow off of him as Arthur did the same, not letting go of the lasso. "Gonna have to be hard on this one." Liam said as Arthur slowly approached the horse. The horse reared for a moment before Arthur slowly petted its mane, talking to it softly. As the horse seemed to calm down, Arthur grabbed at his neck and jumped on its back. The horse started to neigh and attempted to buck him off.

"Hold on tight!" Liam yelled as the horse repeatedly jumped and tried to buck Arthur off. "Think he's settling down?" Liam asked. "He better be, or my ass is about to be in the snow again!" Arthur yelled as the horse bucked. Liam bit his tongue as Arthur seemed to almost fly off the horse a few times. But to his avail, the horse finally calmed.

"Hot damn, you broke that horse." Liam said in surprise. "Just barely." Arthur said, out of breath. The horse looked around uncomfortably, but didn't try to run anymore. "What you gonna name him?" Liam asked. "Isaac." Arthur said. Liam smiled solemnly. "I like that name." He said. "Me too." Arthur agreed, petting the horse again, who'd slightly warmed up to the two. Arthur strapped his saddle on his new horse and rode out.

They rode back across the lake and up the hill, bringing the old Tennessee Walker he'd been using for the time being. Liam thought about their conversation on the way there. He couldn't believe Arthur had been a father once. He couldn't imagine the pain of having a son die. Then he remembered his own bout of death of people he loved. Lynne. "Y'know, I had a woman once. A girl, I should say. We were thirteen. Her name was Lynne. She was Indian. Her parents had gotten killed by the law cause they didn't want to move up to the reservation. She got out and lived on the streets for a while until I found her. Me and my grandma fed her and clothed her for a while. She was the light of my life. I felt like every minute without her was wasted in a way. We planned on running away together once we got the money. Well, one day we went to town on a store run, and the infamous family feud hit an all time high four years ago. Braithwaites started shooting up the Sheriff's Station. All hell broke loose. We tried to get out as fast as we could, but the Grays came up from behind us and she was struck by a stray bullet in the stomach. I knew, as did she, that she wasn't gonna make it off that dirt road. She died in my arms that day. I was hoping I'd get shot too just to be with her. But oddly, I survived. I think about her a lot." Liam admitted.

Arthur looked over to him, understanding the feeling. "I'm sorry, kid. I guess that's just the way life goes." Arthur said as they rode back into camp as the sun went down.

That night Liam was rummaging through the other buildings out of curiosity. In a bigger house he found Sadie sitting alone, peering out of a window. "You alright, Mrs. Adler? You should get back to the house where it's warm." Liam told her. "I'm alright. I just needed some time to think, I guess." She said. "Is it hard being back up here?" Liam asked. "Kinda. All I can think about is when they found me and brought me in this house. I couldn't eat, sleep or think. The thought of him being gone still haunts me." She said. "I understand. I can imagine you thought you'd never run across anyone out here." Liam said. Sadie let out a small laugh. "Nope, we sure as hell didn't. We preferred it that way. Figured nobody would make their way up this mountain." She remembered.

"How the hell were y'all living anyway? Can't imagine the cold is a luxury, huh?" Liam asked. "Being away from civilization was the luxury of it all." Sadie said. "Yes it is." Liam agreed. They sat for a moment until Sadie stood up. "How you feeling about us heading out west?" Liam asked. "Like it can't happen sooner. Jake and I went to New Austin a couple of times. It's still wild as all hell out there. He didn't want any trouble which is why we came up here. Clearly that didn't stop them O'Driscolls." Sadie grunted. "Yeah, but we sure did." Liam reminded. Sadie smiled a bit. "Come on, let's go back in there and get some rest. We leave tomorrow, huh?" She asked. "I think so." Liam said as they stepped into the cold night, crossing the camp back to the main house for the night.