[REWRITTEN] Wanted for Protagonizin' [a West of Loathing fanfiction]

Chapter 11

Our heroes woke up with a tingling sensation in their stomach, the next morning. Nothing seems abnormal, though. They were all in the cavern, now. They were safe. No other natives were following them. Yet, it felt like they never came. Like they were coming from a long, atrocious dream. But neither of them wanted to admit their concern.

Coraline was the first one to stand up. She was preparing Nicholas to go. She suggested that Daisy stayed with Pete, to safety, for she could protect him with her powers in case of dangers. When she left with her horse, she did not have any problems locating the exact direction of their oldest campsite. To be fairly honest, she remembered it, all too well. She remembered being a few yards away from Dirtwater, where she spent the previous night with her newest friends. Now she was certain, she moved to her destination. From a certain distance, she could make out a pile of burnt wood piled together. She approached it. There she saw two bags lied on the floor. One of them looked like a case. A guitar case. Her guitar case. She walked to it. She looked at how intact it still was. No scraps nor objects stolen. Everything was still here : her cans, her pocket knife, her rope, her instrument... and most importantly, her punching gun that she got as a gesture of gratitude from Michelle, at that one store. She sighed of relief. Thankfully nobody touched it, she thought as she picked it up... as her hand was holding on the knob, she felt another one falling on it. A rusty, dirty one. She shuddered. She looked upon the face who was now within her. The face of a man with dirt on his face, and the smile of a man with ill intentions. She looked sideways. Many other men - around four of them like him were surrounding her, now, with the same sickening smile...

''Oi, sweeteh,'' the man just in front of her started, ''whaddya think you're doing, here ?''

''W-Well... I'm trying to get back my stuff !''

''Ah, these yours ?''

''Do me a favor, sweetie, why don't you give us your stuff ?''

''And... why should I ?''

''Because, you see, we are in search of money here, and we thought that with this guitar, we could hit the jackpot.''

''So be gentle, doll, and let us do our job,'' a burglar started pulling the case back to him, but Coraline tightened her grip. ''C'mon, don't throw a tantrum, it will be all fine.''

''I bet she needs to calm down, eh ? How about we give her a massage ?''

''Good idea ! Allow me to lay hands...~''

''Dang, she has a nice bod ! Don't miss yourself !'' all dirty men laughed, as they were restraining Coraline in her movements, and one took the case away.

''... Let. Your filthy hands. Off my body.''

''Sorry princess, what did ya say again ?''

''I said... let your filthy hands off my body !''

With one sudden pulse of energy, Coraline freed her wrists from the two men behind her and swirled herself to one of them. She grabbed his shoulder and kneeled him in the stomach. The impact was so powerful that the man coughed out blood before he fell to his knees, whining in agony. All the others looked at her as if she was some sort of monster. You could almost say she was one, though, by the look on her face. One that was blackened by hatred and disgust.

''And now... you are going to give me back this case,'' Coraline said, the calmest she could.

''Not if... we run away with it first !!''

The main burglar turned and ran away with the treasure. The other three had difficulties catching up, for one was already grabbed by the collar by her, and he was struggling through thin air. Coraline nodded, before throwing him down the floor with one single pull. She was about to catch up with the others, but it seemed like they were faster than she planned. She started to slow down, as she was feeling low in terms of strength. She leaned against her knees and panted, hardly. She looked at the three silhouettes leaving further away. She reached a hand to them. Of course. Of course, she wanted to run after them. Her legs were getting much weaker... if only something, someone could call out to her-