Chapter 27

No Honor; Chapter 27: Deliverance

That brunette was brave. She saw how dire it was, and she dove fer one o' them dead Mexicans wit us; the handgun she got was much too big for 'er, and she almost knocked 'erself out with tha recoil, but she aimed, and she fired, an' tha bullet flew right... One comin' in tha winda by Carter was killed, and his limp body, stuck halfway in tha frame, bought us a precious couple seconds.

The blonde, though injured, pressed her dress cloth, an' all her weight, on Dancer's wound. As it stood though, it was gonna awl be for nothing. I pushed that furniture against tha door with all my strength, but I was givin' out, and they was comin' in, and I spent my last shell on one, comin' through my winda.

"C'mon Moon! C'mon!"

He was really strugglin', and though he raised 'is gun, he couldn't find tha air, or energy ta aim; so I took it from 'im... It was me, and Millie firin' that huge gun, and that brunette got a knife, and she was slashin' fer her life an cryin, an' a Mexican knocked her out, an' Millie shot 'im.

It just wasn't gonna work, we just couldn't hold it. Carter snapped out of it, and grabbed a gun on tha floor, but it wasn't gonna be enough. That front door was pushin' that furniture and they was comin'... I was beggin' tha Lord ta forgive me all my sins, and pullin' my knife, just ta win a few more seconds o' breath. But that door was openin', and that was gonna be it.

Then I heard a volley o' shots, and bullets struck tha house. I didn't have ta tell 'em ta git down, they just did it. The bullets was hittin' tha ground after that, and I heard cries from tha Mexicans. One halfway through the door, got shot in tha back... It was then, I knew, that The Station was savin' my ass.

Mitch led a party o' thirty plus residents, and they took up posts, on tha opposite side o' tha street. Some, like Jim Sheldon, was firin' from between houses. Others, like De La Rosa, was posted behind doors. But tha key ta ending it was the group above, in the windas across the way. They was led by Donny and Cole and Sal and Dave, an' others.... With that high ground advantage, and that amount o' gunfire, it didn't last long; some o' them Mexicans got away, but it wasn't much.

I don't know why they agreed ta do it. Part of it mighta been revenge, fer Tom Goodman's death. Part of it coulda been Marco's doing, with tha unfair way he was runnin' the town. It coulda also been because, they was shootin' at a house fulla women... But I like ta thank, I tell myself, that by savin' us, they was turnin' on Roy; that they finally rejected the man.

Whatever the reason, we wouldn't 'ave survived, without 'em.

Carter didn't spend any time celebratin'. He slid over like a man healed, and relieved tha blonde from 'er post, taking over Dancer's care.

"Ma'am", he said. "I need water an' towels, quick as you can. Ms. Hattley, warm a pot, an' see ta that girl there please, Wayne!"

He turned.

"I need you ta run to tha store an free Rex. Tell 'im what's what an get 'im down here, please!"

I turned ta do just that, an' I seen Mitch in tha door way. I couldn't even tell you tha despair on that young man's face... At tha sight o' Norman's body he was crushed, and scared, and shocked, and confused all at once. He wanted ta come in, but he couldn't; he was frozen fer a bit, then he tore 'isself from tha doorway.

Carter was still on Dancer's limp body. "Wayne, run! Go!"

That did it... I took off down tha street, trippin' and jumpin' over bodies. I was half way done, 'fore I even made it ta Third, and I was cussin' my age and health all tha way. By the time I got ta Jonas I was so outta breath, I'm su'prised he got a word.

He said, "What did you think was gonna 'appen, you moron?... Go to the horse and get me tools."

He was already runnin' out tha door, with me out o' breath behind 'im.

"Wai-", I said. "Wha'?"

He turned n' said, "Git to the Stable, go to the damn horse, an' get me tools out tha pouch on the saddle. Meet you over there."

"Ya goin' right?"

"Hurry, ya fuggin tart!"

I'd say I ran again, but what I did don't qualify. Instead o' bringin tha pouch, I rode tha whole horse over ta Mildred's, prayin' I was in time.

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