Chapter 24

No Honor; Chapter 24: Humanity

So... here's this man, with three broke ribs.

A hip sprain. An injured shoulder. A prescription, that interrupts 'is breathin'... And he's a smoker.

Here's this man, here's this lunatic, standin' there with 'is dukes up. It was a cruel joke, and wasn't nobody laughin'. I hoped ta God, that Marco would realize, that he was dealing with a man that shouldn't be standing. A man that, by all rights, shouldn't even be on a horse.

But I was expectin' mercy, from a man that didn't care ta give it... And I knew it.

The first few punches landed on Carter's jaw, and his hat flew off. The next hit 'is side, his injured side, and 'e hollered; and I have no idea how he was on 'is feet still. He protected 'is body with his arms then, so Marco beat his face. When 'e finally fell, I was grateful.

But Marco was a mean dog. Like any wise animal, he could tell 'is prey was hurt, and he attacked that weakness. Moon used both arms, to protect 'is sides, and Marco was stompin' on 'em. I would o' got knocked out, from awl that pain, but as it was, Carter was helpless.

I heard whis'pren, and I realized a little crowd had gathered. Ten people, then twelve, then a few more, but they weren't there ta help. They wasn't gonna do anythang, they just wanted ta see tha beatin'... Front row seats to a train wreck.

I had had enough. I pulled my Colt, and I pointed it at Marco, and I said, "Alright! Back away."

Marco ignored me. He kept stompin' on Carter, and he was sweatin' now. Moon tried ta catch 'is foot, but 'e missed, and took a heel to tha stomach. My finger tensed, on tha trigger.

"I said that's enough!"

Again, he didn't even look up. I didn't know if 'e honestly didn't notice, or if he figured I'd shoot, and 'e just didn't care. Either way, I wasn't gonna let another man be beaten to 'is grave, an' certainly not in front o' me. But Marco was unarmed, and as much as I wanted to, I just couldn't shoot 'im.

I put my gun back on my belt, and got off tha mare. After grabbin' Marco's arms, I pushed 'im back, but he just shrugged me off... Next thing I new, I was bein' hit. I don't remember tha details, but apparently, I took three shots to tha face, before goin' down.

I kin be proud o' that at least. But I was layin' there with a bruised jaw, and blurry vision, and I wanted, so bad ta get up, but I just couldn't... I heard a man yell, and I realized, that tha cry came from Marco, so I tried ta see what was goin' on.

Carter did grab hold o' that foot, and he was not lettin' go, fer his life. He had bent tha small toes, the wrong way back, and he had tha ankle trapped, with his arms. Marco pulled up, so hard then, that Moon was off tha ground; he stomped 'im down, and Carter wailed in pain, but he did not let go. With one arm keepin' that ankle locked, he grabbed Marco by 'is toes, and twisted so hard and so long, I'm su'prised 'is foot didn't come clean off.

The Spaniard fell immediately, his cry cut off, by 'is impact with tha ground. His face and neck and chest, all o' that, was flushed red, and he tried desperately ta get some distance, but Carter held on. The albino grabbed 'is pants, around the knee, raised his fist up, and dealt the most savage blow, to a man's groin, that I have ever seen... or heard like that, in my life. The whole crowd stopped breathin'.

Marco's mouth opened, but no sound came out. His eyes was shut so tight, it changed 'is face, and every vein he had in it, was seen. That horrible silence held, for half a minute, and then he screamed so loud, tha next town musta heard 'im... He laid there, curled up like babe and cuppin' hisself, and after another minute more, he screamed again... Finally, he passed out.

Fer quite a while, the three of us lay there... breathin', but not movin'. I finally sat up, and Carter made it to 'is hands and knees. He tried ta whistle, but no sound came. He tried again, but 'e wound up just hurtin 'is sides.

So I did it for 'im... Two short bursts and a longer one. Shadow obeyed, but all Moon could do was reach up, and grab tha saddle. I struggled to my feet; my balance was off, and my ears was ringin', but I got over there and helped 'im up.

There was a bunch that was staring... thirty people or more, and I felt like they was dumbstruck. The spectacle was over. The grisly dance was done, and now, what good were they?

Carter said, "Where is he?"

I looked at him. He was still leanin' on 'is horse, and tryin ta get his footing, but he was turned ta tha crowd, and was lookin' em over.

"Where... is he?"

No answer. Some was lookin' away. Some was fiddlin' around. Most of 'em, was lookin' at someone else... Like it was on them, ta speak up.

Carter shook his head. He steadied hisself... Finding tha ground, finding balance, he put 'is his hands on 'is knees, and looked up at tha town. They looked shocked, they looked concerned, and they looked guilty, most of all... but they was all dead silent.

He said, "What do you owe him? What has he, ever done for you, ta deserve this kinda loyalty?... Is that the kinda man, you think you are?... Is that the kinda person...?

"How many ah you, have taken a child, of six years old, and burned 'im alive?... Huh?... Could you 'ave done that?

"Could you 'ah stood there, hearin' that...and kept goin'? Could you 'ave took a baby....?"

Tears was falling, from 'is face.

"I had mothers come up ta me that watched, you understand? I had women that were held... ta see... it ain't right... it ain't human...  And you're worse...

"... Is that the type ah people, you are?"

We both stood there, looking at 'em. Carter didn't bother ta wipe 'is face, and neither did I. They looked down, they looked away, they looked everywhere else... and tha silence was long, and brutal.

Then a man said, "He's at the whore house."

People turned, and we seen Donny... That was Donny Wilson out there, in tha crowd... He was lookin' down at his feet, and shakin' his head, and rubbin' is eyes.

"He's at the whore house... Sir."

Carter looked at me.

"Millie's", I said.

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