A nightmare from the past (Editing)

Chapter 5

Kid stumbled up on his feet, not wanting to waste any second he dashed through the woods with Octo following right behind him.

Heyes sank down beside her, laying her head to rest in his lap. Not knowing what to do, he carefully brushed away a lose strand of bloodstained hair from her face, then he caressed her cheek with gentle fingers.

His inside rumbled with rage when he saw her battered face and body. Then like in a daze he stood up, carefully scooping her up in his arms. He started walking back through the woods towards their boardinghouse, all the while looking down at her slender, battered body.

His thoughts were all just a jumble, remembering her from their small trip six months ago, so full of life and spirit, how she had made him feel and how she still did it, every single day, and now almost at deaths door all beaten up and wounded, almost unrecognizable.

How could this have happened ? How had she ended up here ?

He saw the big bruises on her hands, arms and knees. Had she crawled ?

As he cleared the woods, crossing the meadow behind the boarding house, he could see Lorne Nolan approach in a hurry, almost running with medical bag in hand and Kid following a step behind.

They almost simultaniously reached the porch of the house and Lorne looked with worried eyes at the delicate woman in Heyes' arms.

"Take her inside, quick ! We can't take her to my office, too long walk " he panted as he tried to regain his breathing from the running, "lay her down in a bed...carefully !"

Heyes stepped over the sill into the house and went straight for the bedchamber and his own bed.

Extremely careful he slowly put her down, laying her head softly down on his pillow.

Lorne made his way to the bedside. Opening his bag, he groped through it, finding his stethoscope. Before he put it on, he turned his head towards Heyes and Curry.

"I need Millie for this. One of you boys have to go get her " his eyes went back and forth between them, stopping at Curry.

"Off course !" Kid said sighing, "I'll get her "

Eyeing his partner, telling him with unspoken words 'You owe me one', he went out the door.

Standing by the bedside observing Lorne as he examined Chyenne, Heyes was unable to think any coherent thoughts, he just watched with tears threatning to show themselfs, burning in his eyes.

Methodically, Lorne adjusted the stethoscope and worked his way over her body, listening to her heart and to her lungs. He showed no expression on his face as he examined her, nothing to give Heyes a hint of how bad or how good things were.

"We'll have to clean her up, it's just to much dirt and blood here." Lorne mumbled as he put the stethoscope back in his bag, "Joshua, will you see to it, that we have clean water and cloths ? "

Heyes looked up at the older man and nodded meekly. Then he hesitated to leave Chyenne's side, but knew he had to.

Heyes and Kid had seen a lot in their days, before outlawing, during outlawing and after outlawing, but nothing like this. What kinda monster would do such a despicable thing to a woman like Chyenne ? He steeled himself and went out the door to the well. Nothing looked the same to him now. The sun didn't shine as pretty as before, the birds singing sounded off key and the clouds formed into beasts ready to strike. How could this affect him so much ? He didn't know her really did he...they had just met six or seven months ago for the transfer of Tynan, that's all...or was it ? He remembered her lovely smile, her laughter and her beautiful eyes. Her beautiful face ! He had found her intriguing and captivating.