Outlaws for Life (Red Dead Redemption 2)

Chapter Thirteen: All Over Again

Seated near the campfire, watching the flames, with a plate of stew in my hands, I can't stop thinking about what Dutch told me, his words, my words, his reaction. I've never seen him treat someone in this way, until now. He surely has charisma, the attitude of a leader, but this roughness, this anger, this rage, they are all new to me.

It's Kieran who distracts me, sitting by my side with his usual sweet and polite smile.

"I'm happy you chose to stay. I would have missed you."

I smile, but say nothing. It wasn't truly a choice.

"I've just come to ask you if you want to help me with the horses. Maybe some work could... distract you."

I nod and follow him.

....................

 For dinner I approach the supplies cart looking for something I could like to eat, but Mr. Pearson puts a hand on my shoulder and leads me away.

"Miss Faraday, how are you?"

"Better, Mr. Pearson, thank you" I reply frowning at his strange behavior.

"Here, take some of this" he says filling a plate with some stew.

"But... I thought we weren't allowed to take it more than once at day."

"Yeah well, I think we can make an exception. You have to regain strength."
I smile at him and he smiles back.

"You are definitely underestimated, Mr. Pearson, you know that?"

"Oh well, if you say so" he chuckles.

I take the plate he's handing me and walk to the closer campfire. There, I find a bunch of people that immediately stop talking when they see me.

I feel the eyes of Arthur, Uncle, Charles, Lenny and Javier on me while I take a seat. An awkward silence fells among us. I put a spoonful of stew in my mouth, trying not to care.

"You know, I would have liked if you kicked Micah's ass. It's a pity Arthur stopped you" says Lenny out of nowhere.

I raise my eyes on him and catch his knowing smile.

"Ahh... I know I shouldn't have" says Arthur. He is smiling too.

"It would have been a real show" adds Javier.

"Something I would like to see: Micah beaten by a girl. No offense" laughs Uncle.

Despite all, they make me smile. I turn my head and look at Charles, the only one who said nothing. He looks at me for a while and then lowers his gaze.

I do the same as some uneasiness takes me. Maybe he doesn't approve my behavior, maybe he thinks I've been stupid. He was the one who told me to be careful with Micah after all.

We are interrupted by Sean who comes to sit with us.

"Good to see you, Fred!" he says.

I smile. I'm pretty sure he will come out with something incredibly dumb or embarrassing.

"I have to tell you, you've made a great work with those men. Arthur told us...ouch!"

And... here we go. Of course I knew Arthur would tell everybody about my encounter with Hunt, at least all those who asked, and the voice would spread in the blink of an eye.

As the eyes of all the people around the fire fix on me again, I sigh and force a smile.

"Go on Sean, please."

"I-I just wanted to say... they deserved that."

"Yeah, sure" I murmur standing up to go away.

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