The Seer And The Stetson

The Good Samaritan

"Lawd, Gawd, what we gonna do? What do we do?" Abigail turned angry eyes on Ellie. "This fool done shot a white man! We gonna hang fo' sure!" Abigail squealed, her voice reaching a high earsplitting squeak. She paced the length of the cave nervously. 

Abigail's aura fluctuated to varying shades of brown as anger unfurled and swelled at Ellie's recklessness. Ellie knew better than to speak at times like this unless she wanted to have her hide whipped. She sat on a rockface across her parents picking at her nails. 

She would wait till her mother's temper cooled before telling her why she did what she did. She knew what she was risking. But the man was treacherous, it was obvious enough from the deep red aura that surrounded him, coating his body like blood. 

She couldn't take the chance of letting him near her family unhindered. He smelled of death and danger. They'd lost enough. She would do anything to protect the family she had left. Ellie wouldn't risk their lives over some no count outlaw. She just wanted to settle down and live a life of peace.

But if anyone found out what she'd done, they'd all get the noose. No trial, no court. Just a mob of angry men dragging them helplessly to their end. Leaving their bodies to rot in the sun, like strange fruit off the hanging tree. 

"It's gonna be alright, Abbey," Hershal said giving a reassuring tone. He squatted near the makeshift bed erected for the stranger and dabbed a cloth gently to the wound on his neck. 

The bleeding stopped. The bullet only cut through the skin. He must have been kissed by fate. Had it been daylight, Ellie would've put that shot square between his eyes. He'd never seen another person handle a gun with that kind of deadly precision.

Hershal wet the cloth again. The man was burning with fever. He leaned forward to press the damp cloth to his forehead. His arm pressed gently along the stranger's side. He yelped and groaned loudly. Curious, Hershal pulled back his coat to reveal an angry wound slowly seeping thick green pus. 

"Abbey, I don't think the flesh wound Ellie gave this man is the reason he's lookin' to die. He been shot already. From the looks of it the wound's gone putrid," Hershal said revealing the wound.

Ellie came to stand hovering over the man, "Good. Let him die, Papi. It'll be better for everyone if he does."

"Gawd forgive your sassy mouth girl. We never wish death on nobody. Be they black, white, red, or yellow. You hear me?" Her mother placed a hand upon her hip while the other pointed a censuring finger at Ellie. 

Ellie dropped her eyes to the ground, "Yes, ma'am." 

"You're mother is right, Ellie. We godfearing folk. Despite everything we suffered, we don't do unto others. I wish you'd learn that Ellie. Forgiveness ain't for them, it's for you." Her father as good a man as there ever was. She hoped one day to be as benevolent and just as he, but today was not that day.

"So what are we going to do, Papi?" Ellie asked feeling a trifle upset that neither of them took her side. 

"We ain't got a choice in the matter," Abigail said, "He gotta come with us until he's well enough to be on his own." 

"Well don't be asking me to take care of him, if that's what y'all plan to do. And don't blame me when turn around and send a posse to lynch us!" Ellie turned and indignantly marched out of the cave. 

She heard her parents commenting on her impertinence but she didn't let it stop her. She stomped about halfway back to the place where she'd shot the stranger. A strange heap on the ground caught her attention. It looked like it was moving. She drew closer. Stepping cautiously in the dark. When she neared, the man's brown mare lay dying in the rain. 

How hard had she been worked, that her strong heart was moments away from giving out? Rain masked Ellie's tears as she lifted a shaky hand to stroke her wet fur. With the other hand, she placed her sixshooter atween the horse's eyes. The animal whinnied, anxiously fidgeting on the ground.

"Ssshhhh...It's gonna be ok, Suga. You gonna be just fine," She whispered. "Where you going, there ain't no more pain or suffering." She thrice hated the man for causing this innocent creature's suffering. 

She pressed the barrel flush against its head. Bang! The gun sounded, startling Ellie even though she was the one pulling the trigger. The soft pink glow around the horse faded to nothingness. She clasped her arms around the animal's head as she sobbed. 

Death affected Ellie differently than other people. She experienced beyond ordinary grief. She could actually see it and feel it. She not only saw the light leave their eyes but their soul as well. The worst part was the vacuous emptiness that was left behind. 

Ellie stood at the mouth of the cave. Her wet hair dangled limply on her shoulders. Her damp clothes hung heavy around her slowing her movements. She eyes trained on the stranger. She flexed her thumb, pulling back the hammer on her gun. She marching towards him with every intention of stopping the future atrocities he would commit. 

"Ellie!" Her father shouted. He forced her hand up and the shot landed harmlessly in the stone above them.

"Girl have you lost your mind!" Hershal exclaimed.

"That man is a monster, Papi! He is the reason an entire town is dead." She watched Hershal's brown eyes flicker to the man in stunned surprise. 

"If we don't kill him now, there's no telling what else he'll do."