𝐍𝐎 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ➳ 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟯𝟬

"O'Driscoll boys are coming!" Dutch shouted after the gunshots began. Ruth went to reach for her gun in her gun belt only to touch nothing. She looked down at her hip, groaning in frustration as she remembered they took her weapons off of her. 

"My guns!" Ruth shouted over to Dutch from where she hid. The man looked at her for a moment before shooting back down at the intruders. "Where are they?" 

"My room, in the chest!" Dutch informed her, shouting over the bullets. He ducked slightly, a wave of bullets splitting the post he hid behind. "But you think of trying anything-"

"Oh shut up," Ruth hissed at him, annoyed that the man would even think she would do anything right now. Ruth waited until the bullets strayed away from her before quickly darting for the door from the balcony. Ruth left the door open for Arthur and Dutch in case they needed to get in. Ruth scanned the room, her eyes latching on the chest Dutch was talking about. Her stare was broken when bullets shattered the window behind her. "Shit!" She hissed, dropping down onto her hands and knees. Keeping low, Ruth crawled across the floor towards the chest. Her heart pounded from the adrenaline rush of a fight, quickly opening the chest. Ruth felt joy to see her weapons once more. Not wasting anymore time, she fastened her gun belt around her waist, quickly doing up the straps on her thighs before drawing her revolver. She wasn't sure where her sniper rifle or her bolt action rifle were but she was sure she would get them back soon if she proves herself. She drew her revolver, crawling over to one of the windows. Ruth pressed her back to the wall, rising to her feet before shooting out the window, her bullets flying between Arthur and Dutch. She would be a better shot from afar with her sniper but her revolver would have to do. 

"Women and children inside! Rest of you hold your ground!" Dutch shouted down to the gang. He looked at Arthur briefly, waving him towards the door with a gun in his hand. The duel wielding leader didn't waste further time on Arthur, his attention immediately turning back to the fight at hand. 

"I'll cover you!" Ruth shouted to Arthur who kept peeking around the post, waiting for the bullets to break for a moment. He looked at her as she aimed out the broken window. Ruth fired a few times before she noticed the bullets laying off of the balcony. "Now!" She shouted at him. Arthur quickly ran for the door, Ruth covering him. Once he was inside, Ruth turned her attention to him. "Need a hand out there?" She asked him. Arthur nodded at her before running for the doors that led out of Dutch and Molly's room. Ruth followed him, the two running down the stairs. 

"Goddamn crap, Colm O'Damn Driscoll!" He grunted in frustration. Ruth knew tensions were high, the gang were under attack by the O'Driscolls, a known enemy of theirs. Ruth glanced to the window across from them, seeing Karen on a balcony on her own.

"Does she need a hand?" Ruth asked Arthur. Arthur looked over to Karen and shook his head.

"She should be good there, but if they push up go and help her," Arthur instructed her. Ruth nodded at him before following him. 

"What's happening?" A female's voice rang out. Ruth looked ahead of her to see Molly had run in through the back door with the camp cook who she had learnt as Pearson. Hosea stood by the wall, providing the two cover as they ran in. 

"O'Driscolls. Get up stairs, it'll be safer up there," Hosea informed her. Molly didn't waste anymore time, following the older man's instructions. 

"Hold in here-" Arthur was interrupted by the window shattering beside Molly, the woman shying away in fear but luckily hadn't been hit. "And stay away from the windows!" Molly raced past the two of them.

"You too, Mr Pearson," Hosea pushed the man gently towards the stairs. Pearson didn't waste time to follow in pursuit after Molly. Arthur and Ruth ran towards the main doors, Arthur opening the doors to be welcomed by the women, Jack and Strauss running up the smaller steps.