Kidnapped
She was frozen as both men looked her way.
The one on the pier was walking near.
"Hey there, you girl! Put your hands in the air! Don't do anything stupid and get off that horse!"
His voice was coarse liked he smoked a pipe all day. Josie's could feel the world start to sway.
Not again! She'd been down this road before, snatched by bad men. Jake and Jujube had come to save her then. But Josie was all alone and this time didn't know their intentions.
Her body shook and she slid to the ground.
She'd heard the stories about what men did to girls like her all alone.
She wished she had never left home.
But last time Josie had been taken easily. Weak and small, was she.
She couldn't fight them,
At least not in a physical way.
But she could use her brain.
Josie slowly dismounted the horse. She was scared to death of course.
But nonetheless once on the ground, her hand roamed in her pocket until her lips rouge was found.
She distracted the man by beginning to cry, her back still turned to him, "Please sir I don't want to die!"
As she spoke, upon the saddle in red Josie wrote.
Help. On Liberty!
"Turn around nice and slow. Girly, are you out here all alone?"
"Of course, I am sir. I just went for a ride on my horse. Please I beg you let me go,"
With trembling hands Josie turned to face him.
"I can't do that. You saw too much. Besides your pretty as a peach. You'll be worth much!"
Josie gasped and real tears fell, as the man came to grab her and said, "Now come with me."
But one final trick, she had up her sleeve. As Josie slapped Lady Imogen, urging the horse to flee.
The man grabs her arm roughly.
"What did you do that for?" he demanded angrily.
"You won't put your filthy hands on my horse too. If I wasn't a lady, I'd have some names to call you."
The man laughed gruffly as he pulled her towards the ship, "I don't like women giving me lip. I know lots of fellas who'd love to get their hands on a lady like you. Test me again, and you'll be bunking with my crew!"
Josie bit her lip. She shut her mouth as they walked up the slip. Her heart pounded in her ears. She just hoped all her fears wouldn't come true.
"What have you got there?" said the man on the ship.
"Found this girly out for a ride. A nice addition if I do say so."
"Give her to me and let's get this show on the road. Before she is missed. By then, we'll be far from this shithole town."
Then the man pointed his gun down. He fired a round into each man on the pier. Josie screamed and covered her ears. They fell to the dock, one going still the instant he got shot. The other spasming and choking a bit. The sight made Josie feel sick. She had to look away from it. Tears ran down her cheeks.
"They were taking too long. I'll stow the girl below, you grab a fresh set of hands to finish here, I'd pick that strong fella, who's good with a shovel. We'll be moving full steam ahead in no time at all."
"I'll dump the bodies in the river for the fish. Tonight, we celebrate. We're going to be filthy rich!"
He shoved Josie towards the man who killed with no regret. She gathered her courage a bit.
"I want to see Jhonny. What have you done with him?"
"A pretty girl like you is better off away from the men. Do you know what they'd do to a pretty girl like you?"
Josie huffed, "I hardly need to worry about him. He's only a boy. But I'd be worried if I were you! Do you know who this ship belongs to?"
The man laughed, "I'm counting on it. What's your name little miss?"
"I'm not in the habit of telling my name to scoundrels or brutes. Unhand me. I'm starting to bruise!"
The man's grip only tightened much to her dismay. He drags Josie below the deck roughly.
"I don't take orders from women. Shut your mouth, you little wench!"
He shoved Josie into a dark room and down she went. She fell on the floor. Then jumped up and pounded on the door.
"Let me out of here! Where is Jhonny! Denver will kill you for this!"
His next words stopped her heart.
"There are no boys on this ship."
Josie's chest hitched. No! It couldn't be true! He couldn't be dead. But she'd watched from the deck. What they did to those men, a bullet to the back and one to the neck.
Josie wrapped her arms around her knees, a sob tore from her lips.
But she heard a moan that was not her own in the darkness.
"Hello? Is somewhere there?" she called, as she felt her way up the wall.
Another whimper. A cry of pain, it sounded like a name. Jagged breaths from the corner of the room.
Josie felt her way across the space. Knocking into things all over the place. A smarting shin, a fall to her knees, before her hands finally.
Came upon a candle and a matchbook nearby. She stuck a match and squinted as the candlelight hit her eyes.
Around the room she moved the soft glow. Clearly a cabin for the crew, with bunks, and personal items stowed.
Josie gasped when the light hit upon a crumpled, moving heap. She ran closer to find a battered and bloodied boy crying in his sleep. Josie peered closer, shined the light near his eyes.
She gave a startled cry.
Even with his swollen face, the blood and scrapes, she recognizes those blue eyes any place. That chestnut hair now matted in blood. She grabbed a handkerchief with haste.
"Jhonny!" she screamed, while she carefully wiped the blood away.
The boy whimpered and gibberish was all he had to say. Like he was talking to his parents. A dream no doubt
Josie gave him a gentle shake, "Jhonny! Open your eyes!" she said with a shout.
Josie wiped away her tears. Tended to Jhonny, despite her fears. He looked real bad. And he wasn't coming around. No help was to be found.
He needed a doctor. Suddenly Josie didn't feel all grown up at all. But rather helpless and small.
She wiped away a streak of blood from his forehead tenderly. Grabbed one of his hands into hers, uttered her plea.
"Jhonny, I know we don't always see eye to eye, but please don't die on me..."