Don't Poke the Bear!

Chapter 15

I hear 'em before I see 'em: three cowboys yellin' and laughin'.

Gentry hears 'em, too, and says, "I don't like the sound of this."

"They're drunk for sure."

I motion her to lay on her stomach, and I do the same. Then we crawl to the topmost point of the hill and push some grass out of the way and look.

We both see it at the same time.

"Oh my God!" Gentry says. "It's Shrug!"

It is Shrug, my former scout and best friend. The cowboys have shot him and are in the process of strippin' him naked. One has placed a rope around his neck and tightened it.

"Whatever the hell this thing is," one of 'em shouts, "I'm gonna sell it to the Chinese in Dodge!"

"It's some sorta man, but he looks like a grasshopper!" another one yells.

It's true Shrug is seriously deformed. He was trampled in a stampede as a child and lucky to survive. As he healed, he grew more sideways than tall. So badly formed is Shrug, he can't ride a horse. And yet he's the fastest, most dangerous man I ever met. He can kill in pitch darkness with a single throw of a rock. There's no better rock chucker in the world than Shrug, and no way these yahoos could've got the drop on him without resortin' to trickery. I look at the trampled grass nearby, and the wound in Shrug's back, and can guess what happened.

These bastards probably saw him comin' from the top of the hill, where you can see for a couple of miles. One of 'em probably laid down in the grass where it's been trampled. He probably cried out for help. Shrug come along to help, leans over the man, and gets back-shot by someone hidin' in the tall grass. The third hombre probably had the horses on the east hill and rode down just before Gentry and I got here. I look around to make sure there aren't more of 'em lurkin' about.

Gentry says, "We've got to do something, Emmett. He'll bleed to death!"

"I'll take care of this," I say. "But you need to clear out."

"What are you talking about? I'm his friend, too! He needs us. I can help bandage his wound."

"Gentry, look at me."

She does. She knows from my tone I'm serious.

"Shrug's an uncommon proud man. If he thinks you've seen him stripped naked, helpless like this, he'll never want to be around you again."

"But Emmett-"

"He's my best friend, Gentry, besides Rose."

"I thought I was your best friend."

"You're the woman I love. They're my friends. Of course you're my friend. But it's different."

"Shrug is my friend, too."

"I mean it. Go back and get the blanket and pretend none a' this happened. Don't speak a word about it. If anyone asks why you're back without me, tell 'em we had a quarrel and you came back on your own."

"A quarrel?"

"Please, Gentry. He's my only friend, besides you and Rose. I need you all in my life, and this could ruin it."

"That's ridiculous."

"I'm done talkin' about it. I aim to kill these bastards and save my friend. But I won't do it till you leave."

She sighs. She's angry, but knows I'm serious. "Fine. But come straight to the Spur so I can take care of him."

"I'll try, but he probably won't let me bring him into town. You know how he is about bein' seen by people."

"Please try."

"I will."

"Emmett?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you kill these men?"

"I can."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes."

"Promise me you won't get killed in the process."

"I promise."

She takes one more look. They had him naked and were tryin' to get him to his feet. Probably plan to parade him through Dodge naked, with the rope around his neck.

"Poor Shrug," she says.

"He'll be okay. But you gotta get movin'."

She turns to leave, then turns back and says, "I don't understand you men, and your prideful ways. I find it hard to believe you'd let him die before you'd let me help."

"Believe it."

"Emmett?"

"Yeah?"

"Whichever one shot him..."

"What about it?"

"Make him suffer."

"If you'll get movin' I aim to make 'em all suffer."

"Okay. When will I see you again?"

"I have no idea. But don't worry."

"Right."

She finally leaves. I give her a couple minutes to fetch her blanket from the picnic area, then I walk over to my horse and remove my rifle from the scabbard.