Unshaken

42

Pearson had gone. Uncle and Mary Beth too. Got out while they could, and I couldn't blame them. I just gave them one final nod goodbye as they rode out of camp. A wave of nausea rolled over me as I reflected on the situation at hand.

I stood by the entrance of camp, waiting for Arthur to ride back in. The sun had broken over the horizon and all of us that was left in camp were up and starting the day.

I felt relief when I saw him coming up the way.

I looked for Charles too, but didn't see him.

"Charles stayed behind to help the tribe pack up and move. They can't stay on the reservation." Arthur saw my eyes searching.

I nodded and prepared to give him an update on the situation around camp. "Dutch has been in his tent all day, grumbling to himself and cleaning his guns. I'm pretty sure he's convinced you've run off."

"I'm gonna go talk to him." He kissed my forehead as he walked by.

"I need to talk to you, Arthur."

"In a minute. I promise."

I walked over to the campfire and took a seat by Sadie, looking over the faces of the people who were left.

We were a broken group, the majority of us staying just out of loyalty to one person or another.

I looked to John, who watched Abigail as she rocked Jack in the mouth of their tent.

I heard Arthur's voice raise from where he and Dutch were having their conversation and I looked back. There was an expression of desperation on his face as he pointed towards the group.

Dutch, in an eerily calm fashion, put his hand on Arthur's arm and nodded. "We have work to do my friends. Come on. Let's go." He spoke loudly as he approached the group by the fire. "Come on. We are gonna borrow a little money from old uncle Sam and be outta his hair once and for all."

Arthur stopped me before I could follow. "Make sure Abigail's ready."

"Of course." I nodded as he bent down to kiss me.

"Love you."

"Love you too, Arthur."

He mounted Sid and followed the group out of camp.

I made my way to Abigail. "Are ya'll packed?"

"For the most part." She nodded.

"Good." I looked at Jack, who was holding tightly to his mother's shirt. "Are you scared?"

"A little."

"Don't be. Uncle Arthur's gonna make sure you get outta here, alright? Miss Sadie's gonna help. We're not gonna let nothin' happen to you, your mama, or your daddy."

He nodded.

"Are you hungry?"

He nodded once more.

"I'll go out and find us somethin' to eat. I'll be right back." I promised as I petted the boy's hair down.

It took hours, but I finally managed to find and kill a rabbit, that was big enough to feed at least Jack and Abigail.

I walked back into camp with my kill. "Good news little man." I showed him the rabbit.

He smiled.

"It'll be done in-" My sentence trailed off as I tuned my ears into the sound of hooves speeding up the path towards us. I looked through the trees , expecting to see Dutch and the others, but instead, I caught a glimpse of Ross and Milton. "Shit." I dropped the rabbit. "Everybody hide!" I called out and grabbed Jack from Abigail's arms and handed him off to Tilly who was already sprinting to the cave. "There's a ladder in the back of the cave that'll take you to somewhere that's safe. Go."