A nightmare from the past (Editing)

Chapter 11

"Old man Jenkins, he was the one who found him "

Chyenne nodded in approval, terrible aware of their stares.

"Good. Good for him "she mumbled, peeking at them both, seeing reactions on both of them.

They had tensed up quite a bit, Curry sat more rigid and straight in the chair, and Heyes' eyes had gone from dark to completely black.

Then she continued." When I was fourteen, I had visited my aunt way back west. I had such a great time in California. I just loved it there .On my trip back, one of the stages were held up " she paused to take a breath, looking at them both from under the mass of her dark hair, " I don't know if I had started to sort of...endowed in some areas, cause I've never looked at myself as a, you know, woman, lady, whatever...but the leader seemed to see things I didn't " Chyenne bit her lip and clamped her hands together, this was her nightmare and she was about to tell them all about it.

"He just took me, dragged me into the woods " she blinked back a tear, " God I was scared. I was just fourteen years old and knew nothing about, you know...THAT! When I didn't do what he wanted me too, he started to beat me up. He smacked me around real good, so I wouldn't make too much resistance, you know, for him to get what he wanted." she took a deep breath, realizing this was still hurting her inside, "But I sort of woke up during his 'rape' and started to fight. That was when he stabbed me with his knife "

She waited. Waited. For anything...something. But they both just looked at her. To her it seemed they regarded her like something the cat had dragged in, something below average, below standards, even for outlaws. Oh Why did she tell them? Could she be feeling more miserable than she did now?

Knowing she was past the point of no return, she continued speaking, observing them intently.

"I guess he must have gone on for at least an hour, repeatedly beating and stabbing me. Eventually I felt no pain. I just shut down. I felt dead!" Chyenne stole a look at Heyes, he met her eyes for a second then he turned away.

A cold chill went through her body as he did that, and she was sure she had alianated him forever. What man in his right mind, would care for her or want to touch her after hearing what she had said right now?

Tears were threatening to flood her eyes as she continued, this time it was just a whisper."Then after what seemed an eternity, a man suddenly appeared from nowhere, he shot my attacker in the leg and sort of let his anger out on him too. Then he helped me, took care of me, doctored me up. He's my hero...and I love him for it, but I have never seen him since then "she sat with her head bowed down, "And when I was attacked again, now, I actually thought I was reliving my nightmare, cause it was him, James Canton...all over again "

There was a dreadful silence as she had said that last part.

Heyes glared out the window. He was soo mad he was seething. The only thing wrong with this picture now, was that James Canton was dead. That meant that he could not take his anger out on the fella...HE could not kill him. The only thing good with it was that the rat had been sent to hell, and the irony of it, by this delicate woman and not by another outlaw or a sheriff.

He'd been done in by his former victim.

Chyenne felt her heart break into small pieces as she met the cold, dark stare of the man she realized she had fallen in love with. Now he would surely never wanna talk to her ever again, she knew she had to pack the little she had got from Millie and then leave. She was clearly not welcome anymore.

"I'm soo sorry . I really am " she whispered meakly, knowing where this was leading."They are gonna come here, aren't they? His gang? You know them?" she began to mumble incoherent.

Curry looked baffled at her and grabbed her hand, looking straight in her eyes.

"Chy, you have nothing to be sorry for, it's not your fault, you're a victim " he softened the grip a little, " The Whitey Bunch? Yeah...we do know who they are, most definitely!"

Heyes had stood quietly and watched as Curry made his speach, but now he pitched in.

"You see, that Whitey Bunch, when...and I say when they are coming here, because I know they will, they are well versed in the outlawing. They may spot us right on, or if we are lucky, not at all " he felt his anger fade away some as he spoke, trying to keep to the subject and not look to much at Chyenne, "but, their main purpose for coming here will be you!"

She felt her eyes water and she fought it back fiercely, she was not gonna cry. That's not how she wanted them to remember her, whimpering and sniveling, pathetic.

"I'll leave " her voice almost eluded her, " right away, I don't want to be causing any trouble for you."

She removed Currys hand from her arm, avoiding his blue eyes as they searched for hers, then she walked into the bedchamber with her head high, closing the door after her.

Heyes ran his hand through his hair and shifted his stance uncomfortably. Curry raised his brow at his friend, giving him a questioning look.

"Well?" he wondered, waiting for mr Silver tongue to go into action.

But he just stood there.

"What?" Heyes replied inquiring.

Currys lips formed into a small but pretty detectable smile. He rubbed his bristled chin and then he leaned his elbows at the table.

"Now, this is your call, Heyes! You go talk to her "

Heyes jaw went slack.

"ME?" he pointed with his thumb on his chest, "Why me?" The thought of having to face her alone, in the bedchamber, made him sweat with fear. He wasn't sure he was gonna be able to control himself."Why can't you talk to her?"

Curry smirked at him, almost chuckling at his partners frightened stare.

"Sometimes you even amaze ME " Curry admitted, "Are you both blind AND stupid?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Heyes said and glowered at Curry. He wasn't used to be called blind and stupid, in fact he opposed it.

"Aww, Heyes," Curry shook his head , bewildered that his partner couldn't see what was right in front of him, "She wants YOU to come after her, she wants YOU to do the talking. For heavens sake, can't you see it? Or are you to god damned scared of your own feelings, that it clouds your eyesight?"

Heyes mouth moved, his lips twitched, but nothing came out.

He tried again.

"Huh?" was all he managed to form with his mouth, and it was not even a word.

Curry frowned, his partner and the so called notorious outlaw Hannibal Heyes was totally paralyzed.

"Do you want her to leave?" Curry challanged him.

Heyes was brought back to the moment, he shook his head, staring down at his own feet.

"No, damn it. You know I don't want her to leave " he grumbled, "I just don't know what to say "

"Now that's a first!" Curry smirked and grabbed his hat, "Just get that silver tongue of yours to work, and it will sort itself out. I'm going out...for a while!" he smiled at Heyes," I'll be back later, much later!"

Heyes looked up, and before there was any time to object, he saw his friend head out the door. The hint couldn't be more clearer.

He braced himself, drawing his hand through his hair and he gulped down the enormous boulder he had in his throat.