A nightmare from the past (Editing)

Chapter 5

That's all...or ?

As he hauled the bucket of water up from the depth of the well, he had to suppress a chuckle of irony as the truth hit him... aww, who was he kidding anyway ?

A big lump formed in his throat and he shook his head. Nooo. He was Hannibal Heyes, damn it ! Former leader of the Devils Hole gang...a toughened and hardened outlaw.

Oow ! He grinned a little at that last thought, as he remembered the Jordan girls. Some tough and hardened outlaws they had been there, Kid and him.

Grabbing the bucket of water he smiled, the girls had been just that, girls...and who are they to be hardened outlaws to a couple of small girls ?

His calloused hand took hold of the handle of the bucket and he made his way back into the boarding house in a hurry.

There would be a cold day in hell before he would have any feelings for anyone, and especially not for a woman who was the worst spitfire he'd ever come across!

The sight of Chyenne's battered body as he entered the bedchamber, made him cringe once again as he realized that hell had frozen over, completely.

Lorne waved to him to come over to the bed.

"Put the bucket down there " he said pointing on a chair next to him, "And will you get me some cloths, please ?"

Pursing his lips, Heyes did as he was told, pulling out a drawer and handed him a bundle.

Next moment, after locking Octo into the house and running like mad to the boardinghouse, Millie came through the door with Kid in tow.

"Lorne I heard you needed...Oh dear... oh !" she put her hands to her face as she saw Chyenne lie on the bed, "Poor child "

Curry stopped right inside the door. He glanced at his partner standing at the foot end of the bed, visibly affected.

Heyes face was rigid, and his eyes had a different shade of brown than usual, they were almost black.

Curry studied him , saw that his posture was different too.

Millie stepped forward touching his arm slightly.

"Joshua !! I think you and Thaddeus better go outside. We have to wash her...all of her !" she said calmly and nodded towards the door.

With hesitation, Heyes turned his head to his partner just as to check with him, wanting him to give their okay.

Curry wrinkled his nose and nodded at Heyes then at Millie and Lorne.

"Joshua and me will wait outside. Will she ...?"

Millie gave him a small but visible smile as she took of her blotched apron and started to pour some of the water over in their small basin, then she started to wash her hands.

"Don't you boys worry. We'll take good care of her " she paused looking at Curry, "and, son ... only God knows " she said as she dried her hands on a clean towel.

Lorne looked up from cleaning his medical tools.

"Close the door on your way out boys ! " he said, then got back at the task at hand, that was, to do what he possible could do for Chyenne.

Crestfallen, both Heyes and Kid backed away out the door and closed it.

Heyes slumped down on his chair in the kitchen. With a sullen look on his face, he rubbed his hands together in an almost heartbreaking way.

Curry pulled his chair out and sat down, facing Heyes.

In a gesture he spread out his arms and hands .