Without You, There is No Point in Surviving

Chapter 7 Do Not Despair

There was a new moon out.

It's strange how in situations of chaos, one's memory can be tied to the horrible event by a simple object, or light, or sound. For Nellie, it was the moon. She's never seen the sky so dark. Even the stars were gone, hidden behind clouds, as if they didn't want to help her. Her throat was sore from screaming. She kept her eyes on the dark moon has her body was forced farther into the dirt. The pain between her legs turned from unbearable to numbing. She put up a good fight... but it wasn't enough. She felt so tired, barely running on enough energy before... this... happened. She felt a sharp pain in her arm, feeling something wet and sticky run down to her finger tips. Then there was a pain to her side that made more tears fall from her eyes, running down to her neck.

She stared at the moon. Her eyes turned wide as the moon turned red. The color red was swirling around on the black circle. The moon was bleeding.

She watched it, being pushed into the ground. And rough hands pressing, squeezing on both her wrists, dirt wedging its way between her fingers. The grass was itchy on the back of her legs.

She wanted to die.

For a moment she thought she was going to. But she didn't see no rays of light, only a bleeding moon. Is this the gates of hell?

The moon exploded in blood. No! Wait. Not the moon, the man.

The moon stopped bleeding. Everything was pitch black for a moment then the wind blew the clouds away and stars returned. Black, mixed with a bit of white...

Safe.

The train was back in working order. He had to hurry. He took a hold of her already ripped and ruined dress and tore a chunk of fabric out of it. He wrapped it around her left arm. The bleeding had stopped there, but her side... had to hurry! He would've had to undress her to examine the wound properly. But there was no time. The train would be pulling off at any second, or worse, more men with weapons would appear. Wondering where the constable and bounty hunter wandered off to. Sweeney pulled out one of his shirts and began tying it around her waist, on her ribs. It would have to do for now. Once they get out of this bloody forest, he'd treat her wounds properly.

She was still unconscious. Not that she'd have the strength to walk anyway. He secured the bag across her shoulder and hoisted her onto his back. He stopped as the silver dagger caught his eye. He contemplated bringing it along but decided not to and left it laying beside the man who wielded it. Maybe the investigators will rule his death a suicide.

The train's whistle blew.

Sweeney halted his pace. They're were guards, mechanics, and other men outside the train. They all had guns and batons, blocking their path.

A fire awoken in him.

Just like killing the dreaded bounty hunter. And the constable, Sweeney's hands were tingling, remembering how the man's neck snapped like a twig.

He approached the small group of men; they're were ten of them of all different shapes and sizes. His hands held tight to the bottom of Nellie's legs, keeping her from falling. Her head was slouched over his right shoulder, her fiery dark curls spilling over his arm. The left side of him was covered in blood. Nellie's blood was still seeping from her side onto his side and down his arm. His front, neck, and face were speckled with the bounty hunter's blood.

The group of men, froze noticing their visitor. Their conversations forgotten. A few shouted for Sweeney to stop. Some raised their guns but didn't shoot. Others knit their brows together in confusion of what looked like an almost dead woman hanging off of him.

As the visitor approached closer. All ten expressions turned to fear. Guns and batons became difficult to hold with sweaty palms. Some continued screaming for the man to stop and not approach any further. Some of them backed away. Breathing heavily. They could've sworn the man's eyes were glowing red like the Devil's. With nervous gulps and shaking hands, the ten men prepared their fight with Lucifer.