Rud and the Damsel

Chapter 3 - The Rescue

One of the men attacking Patience told the other, "This one is not going to put up much of a fight. I will be right back," as he turned to help his three companions subdue the mother. The man still attacking Patience had grown frustrated, not making any progress in removing Patience's dress. The sheer outer covering was made of very delicate fabric and came apart easily in his hand. But the body of her dress was much more difficult to rip. Her attacker turned her away from him and attempted to undo the dress where it was buttoned in the back.

As the man struggled to undo the buttons, Patience finally acted. She swung her elbow back, catching the man just below the chin. When he released her and put his hands to his neck, Patience elbowed him a few more times, each blow harder than the previous.

Patience turned and kneed him in the groin. As the man fell to the floor, Patience turned back to her mother, who was losing her struggle with the addition of the fourth attacker. Patience's eyes met her mother's. Her mother screamed, "Patience, RUN!" as she renewed her fight against the four men.

Patience ran towards the door and once through looked back to see her attacker on his feet, giving chase. As she looked again in the direction she was running, she saw a large, rough-looking man in a dark coat. Patience caught a glimpse of a fist then felt a sharp pain in her jaw. A black curtain seemed to close, covering her eyes as she fell to the ground, unconscious.

* * * *

As Rud approached the warehouse, the door burst open, and the young girl ran out screaming, her fine clothes torn and ripped. Rud would have no time to chase her. With his left fist, he punched her as she ran by.

The man chasing after Patience smiled when he saw her on the ground, but his smile disappeared as Rud stuck his knife squarely in the center of the man's chest. The man fell just short of Patience with Rud's knife still in him. Rud pulled the woodsman's hatchet from his belt and stepped into the warehouse. He hears a man say, "I have had enough," then saw the flash and heard the boom of a pistol being discharged.

Rud sees the woman, who had been fighting for her life, drop to the floor dead with four men standing over her. Not knowing what had transpired outside and in the dim light of the warehouse, the men inside think Rud is one of them and start laughing at the woman on the floor.

Rud moved slowly towards the four men, and when he was close enough for the hatchet, Rud suddenly attacked. The first chop of his razor sharp hatchet nearly cut off the closest man's arm. As quickly as he could, Rud swung his hatchet again, coming down on another man's head. The man was staring in disbelief at the blood spurting from the first man's nearly severed arm and never saw the hatchet that parted his head.

The other men turned to run, one right by Rud, who grabbed the third man by the hair, holding him in place. As the fourth man ran by, Rud swung his hatchet in a wide arc, sinking the blade deep between the shoulder blades of the fourth man's back. Rud released the hair of the third man, who just closed his eyes and waited to be killed. He would not wait long.

Rud looked at the woman on the floor and was surprised to see her still alive. He kneeled and took her hand in his. The woman looked at Rud, her eyes pleading with him for help. Rud knew her wound was fatal, and there was nothing he could do.

Rud thought of his mother. Even after seven years, the image of his mother being killed was still fresh on his mind. He bent down close to the woman's face and said, "I will keep your children safe," hoping to provide some comfort in her last moments.

The woman nodded, laid her head back, and closed her eyes. Rud felt her hand go limp as the breath left her body. He would do everything he could to keep that promise.

As Rud turned to leave, he used the blunt side of his hatchet to cave in the skull of the first man, who was still in shock and attempting to somehow reconnect his nearly severed arm.

* * * * *

Rud ran out of the warehouse, pulled his knife from the dead man, and picked up the unconscious young girl. When Rud got to his cart, he laid her down then rolled her in the large furs he did not sell.

They were still deep inside the town, and Rud knew he could not fight his way out. The furs would both conceal the girl and hopefully restrain her when she regained consciousness. Rud carefully placed Patience between several sacks of grain in the back of his cart.

He quickly picked up his new coat, vest, and the silly bag of seeds from where he had dropped them on the walkway. Rud put the new coat around the boy and set him up on the driver's bench. Rud untied the mule, and as he put his foot on the step, he saw the shopkeeper's daughter in the window. She was excitedly waving for Rud to leave and mouthing the word "hurry." The shopkeeper's daughter quickly looked up and down the street as if expecting more men to come.

Rud wasted no time. He pulled himself up on the driver's bench and flipped the reins. His mule, unsettled by all the violence, headed away at a near gallop. Rud had his hands full trying to rein in the mule and keep the boy steady beside him.