Unshaken: An RDR2 Story

Chapter 15

I had long since given up any hope of rescue. I was at the point I just wanted it to be over, I just hoped one day they went too far and killed me. I barely slept, only when I had finally been knocked unconscious. But that never lasted for long, freezing cold water jolted me awake every time.

But when I was unconscious, I often found myself in my own version of heaven. Javier was with me, smiling at me, laughing. The other gang members were there, smiling too. Everyone was happy, there wasn't a care in the world.

But I was always pulled from that dream, stolen from the arms of my loved ones.

So I was unsurprised to wake up and find Javier staring over me, his hands caressing my cheeks. I was in significant pain, he wasn't smiling, but my life had grown bleaker so what could I expect. My dreams were only going to get bleaker too.

"Evie, you'll be okay," I heard him say, his voice cracking, "We got you out. We saved you, you're injured but you'll be okay!"

"I love you..." I croaked, smiling at him. Maybe this was my last dream, maybe this was my end.

"Dutch, get Hosea to hurry up!" he yelled.

Pain. Unbearable pain. This wasn't a dream, it was a nightmare. Javier held my torso and Dutch my feet as Hosea did something, he was causing my pain, causing my screams to rip through the air.

"Stop!" I screamed, "Let me go!"

"It's almost over, just hang on," Javier tried to comfort me, his eyes shining with tears, "Just stay with us, he's almost done."

Nothing. The pain was gone, my screams had stopped. The men spoke in hushed voices, glancing at me periodically.

Why hadn't I been woken up? The Pinkertons never let me rest for this long, and this was the one time I wanted to be woken. I was scared, what was going on? Had I died?

"Am I... dead?" I gasped out.

"No, Evie, you're very much alive," Hosea moved to my bedside.

"This isn't... real..." I continued.

"This is very much real, my girl," Dutch put his hand on mine, "You're free from them. You're safe."

"Real..." my brow furrowed and I gasped, "Micah!"

"Micah? Why do you want Micah?" He asked.

"No... traitor..." I said, black spots appearing in my vision, "Pinkertons... have to... go..."

"Micah?" Dutch repeated, looking at Hosea, "No way."

"It makes sense, Dutch," he said, "And she told me there was a rat before all this went down."

"She also told me that Micah knew about her, remember," Arthur was there too, "He must have told them about her, then they didn't kill her because she would be useful. But she wouldn't speak, given her appearance."

"Micah knew what?" Javier asked, frowning.

"Not now, son, we'll explain later," Dutch seemed to be thinking, "Where is Micah?"

"He went out a while ago, don't know why," Arthur said.

"Pack up camp right now, we need to go before he returns," Dutch said quickly, "I know Miss Bennett ain't in a good way, but we don't have a choice. We'll find somewhere to hole up until we can get a more permanent solution, someone else can come back here and see if Pinkertons do show up. That will be the evidence we need if he has betrayed us."

"Good thinking," Hosea nodded, "I agree. Javier, Arthur, get Miss Bennett on the back of the wagon. I'll go get the others to start packing up."

"Thank you, Evie," Dutch stroked my hair before turning to the others, "We need to go. Now."