Chapter 19, Part Three

No Honor; 19, Part 3: End's Beginnings

It was ghastly. Those men hung from that tree for at least fifteen minutes. Finally, when we was sure the mob had left, and everythang was all clear, James and me went out an' cut 'em down. Sal came out ta help as well.

We talked about what to do fer a bit. As business owners, they couldn't leave those bodies bakin' in tha sunlight, and we wasn't sure if anyone was gonna come along, ta take care of 'em. How many was there left in Marco's camp?

Three? Two?

Moon did an excellent job o' thinnin' out the herd, and The Station took out tha rest, with no trouble at all. As things stood, there was no way Marco was gonna get more money out us, and no way, was he gonna be able ta enforce anythang. The Station was lawless, and that was terrifying.

In the end, Sal took up tha job o' diggin' graves, as the bodies was closest ta his place. James decided ta help and I moved on. It was half past five, when I walked into tha front door, o' the grocery. Mitchell's eyes lit up a bit, when he seen me.

There was a few customers, at that time. Mr. Stevens, and some other man I don't know. I acted like I was browsin' tha aisles until they left, and when they did, I met Mitch at tha counter.

"Hello young man", I said. "Kin you escort me ta tha back please?"

He said, "Yes sir!"

In tha back, Moon and Norm was sittin' wit tha guests o' tha house. Norm was sayin' somethin', but he hushed up as soon as he saw me. Rex glanced over and his breath caught in 'is throat, then he sighed and looked away. Carter turned and saw me and smiled.

I said, "I wanna apologize, to you gentlemen, for my absence."

They was all sayin', "No, no", and Carter said, "Not at all, sir".

Norm said, "We're sorry about that fire, Wayne."

I shook my head, "It's a burden off my mind. Believe me...

"So what's hap'nin?"

Carter said, "Well, there's two orders ah business... First, we was discussing what to do with our Mexican friends here. Their time with us is up I thank, but I don't want 'em rejoinin' ranks.

"What we need is a volunteer, other than us here, ta drive these men in a wagon, to the border. Once they at the border, all tha man's gotta do, is drop a small knife by 'em, and then drive the horses back to this area, leavin' the wagon there."

I nodded.

Carter said, "If you know someone Wayne, that'd be excellent. I'm willin' ta offer twelve dollars, ta the man for the job."

I thought about it. I was su'prised myself, at how quick tha answer came.

"Cliff", I said. "Clifford at The Stable would do it, I thank. He's a fan o' yours def'nitely, and no friend ta Marco."

"A'kay", Carter said. "I'll leave it to you, ta put it to 'im... The next thang is, Mr. Marco himself.

"Now I still don't believe, that Larson's on his property. But as it stands now, he's as weak as he's gonna get, and we should be able ta match his defenses, man ta man. We may even have better odds...

"So, tonight gentlemen, we're gonna eliminate his place as a possibility. And with any luck, we kin end this, right away."

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Chapter 19, Part Two

No Honor; Chapter 19, Part 2: Ruckus

Jim wished me luck, and we parted ways. I decided I needed ta get back ta Norm's, but before I did that, I made a couple stops. First was ta Percy Lambert's, for a shave and a cut. Percy wasn't there, and after twenty minutes he didn't show, so I decided ta come back.

I went an' called on James then, at 'is Butcher Shop. I thanked him again, for his help with tha fire, and I paid 'im, for another one o' those 'House Special' corn beef sandwiches. While I'm sittin' there with my supper, I heard a few raised voices. Then I heard gunshots, and them voices got much, much louder.

I didn't know the cause at tha time, but I found out, soon after, that the bother came from The Stable. There was five Mexicans near tha well there, and they was chargin, y'know... Fifteen cents, or twenty-five cents a gallon, whatever it is. Well, apparently someone refused to pay and argued, with back up, and one o' them Mexicans shot 'em.

We're talkin' about, what looked like two unarmed men, and tha rest o' that line at that well was not happy about it. So, tha shooter got attacked, and two of 'is friends nearby got attacked. One thing I know fer sure was, the one opened fire was shot dead, with one other, and tha third man was stabbed in tha back, an' killed.

That left two other Mexicans in the area, and I'm not sure what their best move woulda been. They was lookin' at a mob of about forty-five people. Pissed off people...sick o' payin' fer water, and overpayin' for rent, and Marco's other bullshit. Here's tha thang though: when I was a kid I was taught early, never ta run from an angry dog. The reason is, that dog's first instinct, is ta chase you.

Well, The Mexicans ran right past tha Butcher Shop, and the mob was right on their heels, shoutin' and cussin' the entire way. As I watched, they ran inta Sal's place... Sal sells oil, an' matches an' firewood... Lucky me, they didn't use any o' that, but they did pull them Mexicans outta there.

The next thang was... pretty brutal. See, while they had 'em, some decided ta give 'em quite a few cheap shots. Then, they was stomped on, and finally, dragged to a nearby tree. Some o' that mob was cowboys, so they took them ropes, and tied their necks, and strung 'em up.

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Chapter 19, Part One

No Honor; Chapter 19, Part 1: Gauntlet

Before I left, I posted a 'Closed' sign, an' locked tha bar up. It seemed pretty pointless though. The roof was gone and the east wall was such that... Well, any young man could run, and jump and climb over it, but I guess it didn't make sense, ta make it easier for 'em.

Back at tha hotel, I fell on the bed, exhausted. I felt like a baked chicken, and it took me a while, ta get any rest at all. In tha later hours, right before sunrise, I heard gunshots, somewhere in tha hotel. They stopped after a bit, an' then I heard more, some two hours later.

Part o' that, was just The Station bein' The Station, but it was true tha violence had kicked up. My best guess was that, with the Morphine bein' gone, people was testy. Arguments was more likely ta start, and when they did, they was more likely ta erupt. I was sure it was just gonna get worse; the only thing that was keepin' thangs, from bein' unbearable, was people catchin' wind, and leavin'.

When the afternoon came, I sat in my room, not sure what to do. If I opened up, and it started rainin'... Eventually, I went back to tha bar out o' habit. I unlocked the door, but I kept tha sign up, and I went behind tha counter and poured me a whiskey.

After a bit, Jim Sheldon seen me, and he came in ta join me. I greeted 'im, and poured 'im a beer.

"Ah...thank you", he said. "How much?"

I shook my head. "Forget it... I'm not in business anymore."

That threw 'im.

He reeled back a bit, and then he said, "Well, I'm sorry the fire happened Wayne, but the bar's still in good shape... If you want, I can help you pay for repairs. It wouldn't be a problem."

"No thank you. To be honest, I got the money already. I could even see Gordon, about buildin' a new house, but... I'm not goin' to."

"Why? You got such a good thing going... I understand it's gotten bad around here, but, that won't last forever."

I said, "And when it does calm down, I don't wanna be here. There's a lot o' places around, ta hang yer hat, a lot o' better places... This ain't nowhere ta live."

"... I understand."

We was quiet awhile. After I finished my whiskey, I poured another, then I refilled Sheldon's glass.

I said, "Let me ask you a question, Jim."

"Hmmm....? Go ahead."

"Let's say a man takes another man's wife by force... Or throws 'er outta movin' train. What would you do with that man?"

"Hang 'im."

"Okay...", I said. "Now, let's say that man's caught, and they find he's got cancer... And he in real bad shape. Four weeks ta live... Would you still hang 'im?"

He paused a bit, and looked to tha skies, then he took a drank, thought some more, and then nodded.

"Yeah", he said.

I said, "Why? I agree with you, I just wanna know why."

He said, "'Because it isn't about his health, it's about what he did."

"Right", I said. "Right... It's about that, and it's also about tellin' people... you know... This thang ain't acceptable."

"Right", he said. "Are we talking about someone specific?"

I said, "You know who we talkin' about".

He took a sip, then he nodded.

I said, "How come they ain't give 'im up? This town's so small... How come no one came out 'n said, 'Tha asshole's over here... Take 'im".

He laughed, and then 'e shrugged. "That's just... It's just a part of that mind set. You know...? When I was a kid, I lived and died by that rule. You're not supposed to give people up, I mean... No matter what."

I said, "That's a stupid fuckin' rule."

"I know it. It is."

"You can't make no exception?"

He said, "Well, I certainly agree with you Wayne, but... I don't know what to tell you. You know... That's just the way people are."

"Yeah...", I said. "They are."

After we finished drinkin', I told 'im I was gonna go ahead, and lock up. While I was walkin 'im out, he turned ta me.

"So what's the next stop for you sir? You got any plans?"

I said, "You know Jim, I really don't know... I haven't figured that, but...

"But I ain't givin' Roy no pass for 'is health... And I ain't givin' us no pass neither."

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Chapter 18, Part Three

No Honor; Chapter 18, Part 3: Burn

This was too much. This was way, way too much. I felt like... the shit just didn't make sense.

Now lookit... I never found out who actually torched tha place. But c'mon, I know why they did it; it was all Carter. It was revenge. It was 'cause we took Rex away. 

It was spite, 'cause we was lookin' for Larson, and they didn't want it. It mighta also been an attempt on Carter's life. Or my life... Honestly, it coulda been aimed at me. I was thinkin' that some Morphine-freak got stupid, and forgot ta check for Shadow, before lightin' tha place up. I might be wrong...

It coulda been just because I was seen wit 'im.

Whatever the reason, the idiot done it had no fuckin' sense... Ta set my house afire was ta set the bar afire. Ta set the bar afire, was ta threaten ta burn down Fourth Street, and who knows how many lives.

I ran up ta third, and got buckets o' water, from tha stable well. While I was on my way, I seen others, with the same idea, runnin' with their buckets, towards tha blaze. If I had any chance o' savin' Fourth, I needed every single soul... Tha fire was big, tha water was far away, and I had a bar fulla alcohol, that was smokin'...

After my trip back I stopped, and shouted directions, as best I could. I wasn't concerned about tha house, tha house was gone. What we needed ta do, was stop tha fire from eatin' tha bar up, and spreadin' from there.

We wet tha ground, between the two buildin's, and we got ta work on the bar's east wall. After a while, I dunno how long, I was sure that tha fire, on the bar at least, was out. So, we got on, with workin' on tha house. While we was doin' that though, either the bar relit, or it was still on fire, and we didn't see it past tha smoke.

Even worse, it was lit up high, and tha ceilin' started smokin', on that side. I grabbed a few people and I begged 'em, ta go to tha carpenter's, and fetch us some ladders. Meanwhile, more people came, wit tubs o' water, from tha hotel. There was Jim Sheldon, and Mr. Stevens and Janice and Millie, who lived on Fourth as well. There was Mr. Butler, from the Bake-ry, and Gordon, and De La Rosa, and James the Butcher. There was that boy from tha hotel, and Dave, and Clifford... I even saw Norm.

They was all helpin', and I'm grateful to all of 'em fer that. During it all though, I noticed who wasn't there... Marco wasn't there. Rita wasn't there. In fact, not one Mexican came out ta help, and they supposed ta be runnin' tha place.

We worked well into the night. The ladders came, but they came a hair late. The roof of the bar collapsed in flames, and a good part of the east wall fell with it. Half of us there ran inta tha bar, ta douse the flames, the rest was on the house still.

And through all o' this, we're runnin back and forth, back and forth to tha stable, to reload. It was hectic, but we killed the bar fire completely. Tha house collapsed, but we was able to get that fire pretty good. I just made a few more trips to the stable, while tha house was still smokin', just to be sure.

Durin' one o' those trips, I saw Carter up on his horse, way off in the distance. At that time o' night, Shadow was just as black as Midnight was, and Carter's white skin shone brilliant. He did look like The Reaper then, or like a creature from a nightmare...  Some kinda monster.

Maybe he was my Reaper. Maybe he was sent ta lay waste ta my hopes, and my dreams, and my life here. Maybe he was sent ta destroy tha town. Maybe we was all failures, in tha eyes o' God, and He planned our punishment, from the heavens.

It was my fault he was here. If it wasn't for me, he never woulda survived 'is first night in town. I never woulda known about Roy. And Roy prob'ly never woulda said, what he done.

I knew Carter was watchin' me then. He was too far away fer me ta be sure, but I felt it. He lowered 'is head then, and turned, and rode away. At that time, I just felt betrayed; I kept wond'rin what I coulda done, so wrong, in awl my life, ta deserve him.

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@ChannelSeals

Chapter 18, Part Two

No Honor; Chapter 18, Part 2: Ignition

I slept in that day, and I didn't leave the hotel, 'til it was time ta open. We had a good dozen or so early, and I was happy ta see that Millie was among 'em. Better still, she looked more like 'erself, and she was in better spirits.

She said 'Hi', and ordered, and slipped off ta talk ta some guys. I even seen 'er smilin'... Three of her girls was workin' tha place, and that included Ms. Curvy. I caught the young woman's eyes, and waved her over.

I said, "I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"Janice."

"Janice... a pleasure ma'am."

"Likewise."

"Janice, kin I get you somethin'? On tha house?"

She thought a minute, then she said, "Just orange juice."

"Not much of a drinker are ya?"

She smiled and shook her head. So, I poured 'er some OJ, and I came in close, and I nodded in Mildred's direction, and I said, "How's she doin'?"

Millie was still chattin' it up, and grinnin', at a faraway table.

Janice said, "Much better. Lots... There been some trouble, at tha howse, that's been botherin' er... and... wit Emily's death..."

"I hear ya."

"But taday, we here celebratin'."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah", she said, "I'm leavin' here."

"Is that right?"

She smiled. "Yeahhh... Awl my debts is paid, and I got enough money naow thet... well... There's this nice man... down in Kentucky..."

"Sure", I said.

"God willin", she said, "In a few weeks, I'll be married."

I smiled. "Congratulations, Janice."

"Thank ya sir", she said. "You know...  it was Millie, thet helped this happen. We put money aside, and we planned, and... She a saint, I swear, she... She wants us awl outta here."

I nodded. "I hope you all do get out."

After that, I was in a pretty good mood. Dave came in... I had a few dranks, and... I got ta thinkin'... Y'know... maybe I'd get lucky.

Maybe Roy'd keel over one day soon. Maybe Marco would start feelin' tha pressure, and pack up, n' leave.

He wasn't the first man ta run The Station, and I doubted he'd be the last. With a new leader, we could see a new future. Maybe he'd be tha type o' man, ta turn over men like Roy on principle... Maybe he'd run a fair shop, and give a fair shake, and keep some kinda order.

Well, I was sippin' my third Bourbon, and thinkin on that, when I saw smoke, comin' from the bar's east wall. Before I knew it, people was yellin 'Fire!' and runnin', and I looked up and saw tha buildin' was empty. I finished my drank, put down my glass, and walked outside. There was a buncha people starin'.

I turned round and seen that my house was swallowed up by flames. And since the rear o' the house is close to the bar's east wall, that also lit up, and tha fire was quickly headin' up, to tha ceilin'. Honestly, at tha time, I crossed my arms, and shook my head, and smiled...

And I said to mahself, "Un-fuckin-believable".

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Chapter 18, Part One

No Honor; Chapter 18, Part 1: Conflicted

I left the grocery, with Jonas's words ringin' in my ears. Roy needed a whole year, ta be outta health trouble. That was a big deal, and maybe Carter was goin' way too far... Why was we rushin', ta collar this man? Why was I?

I returned to tha hotel, and got inta bed. For the life o' me though, I just couldn't find rest, not for hours. I thought on the whole ordeal: on the horror that Roy had done, on how I met Carter, and how I got involved, the whole business. When the time came ta join 'em, I just followed the pack... I didn't question a thang, and maybe I should've.

I still thought what happened needed ta be answered, and that Roy had ta account for what 'e did, but I just didn't know if the cost was worth it. I didn't know if it was best ta just leave it be. Most of all, I didn't know why I was fightin' the fight. There was no need ta get myself involved.

What I wanted was ta run my bar, and make my livin', and that was it. I wanted Roy to be caught, sure, but I wanted things ta end. I wanted some sorta peace.

In the later hours of the night, past three a.m., I kept wrestlin' with tha questions, and I didn't have any answers. It's a wonder that I got ta sleep at all, but I did it. When the mornin' came, and I was due to help Norm and them, at the grocery, I just didn't do it.

Maybe the right thing was ta leave it alone. Maybe what was best, was ta walk away...

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Chapter 17, Part Two

No Honor; Chapter 17 Part 2: Challenges

We escorted Mitchell back ta third, and tha grocery. Me and him tied up our horses, while Carter remained mounted. I nodded to 'im.

"Goin' back to your tent?"

Carter said, " Soon. I'm almo-

"...almost..."

Somethin' was wrong. He had this strain on his face, and he was takin' these long... very long and labored breaths.

I said, "Are you alright?"

He nodded and put up a hand, then he put his hands on his hips, looked at his saddle, and breathed. Breathed like he was stuck in a coffin, and there was only so much air ta be had. Mitch was silent at the time, but I could feel 'im starin' at me. I shared his concern, but we waited patient, and after a minute or so, he started breathin' normal.

Mitch said, "What the hell was that?"

Carter shook his head.

"Nothin", he said. "It's just... that damn drug."

I said, "Are you sure yer alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah... Go on in and slap Rex around fer me. I'll meet up with ya, later taday."

He didn't wait ta talk any more. Shadow was spun around, and given spur, and the two of 'em was off and quickly gone. As I watched 'em leave, I felt Mitch's eyes on me again.

He said, "That isn't good".

"I know it."

We went inside. Mitch went ta join 'is better half, and I found Dancer, sittin' on the floor, in front of the other guests. That seat in front of Rex hadn't moved, so I took it up, and addressed 'im.

"You know of anythang better than that Laudanum you been givin'?"

He said, "What do you mean by bet'a?"

"I mean somethin' that don't make a man breathe like a beached fish."

He looked at me a moment, studying.

Then he said, "So... wha'? Are you 'is nurse now? Pardon me, but what the fuck do you care?"

"Just answer the damn question."

"Aw'right, yeah, there is somethin' bet'a; et's called Morphine, and he refused it."

"Ain't you got nothin' else?"

There was that look again.

He said, "What I have, what I gave him, was very sound medical advice, that any sane, rational person would've listened to... It's called 'bed rest'. It's called 'time to heal'...

"But since we're not talking about a sane person, or a rational person, it's no wonder why he's acting like an idiot. What I'm clueless about, is why you're doin' the same."

I said, "What the hell are you sayin'?"

"Wha' I'm sayin is, I don't know what you're doing here. I'm fucking clueless... I mean the Indian makes sense at least. Him, I get et... But 'ow did he string you along?"

That stopped me. What reason did I have for bein' there? I thought about it a minute, then I said, "I'm int'rested in seein' Roy get caught."

"Oh are ya? It's a good and worthy cause, innit?"

"That's right."

He said, "And because o' that good cause, we're willing ta have a town tear itself apart, ta see et done. Excuse me if I don't applaud...

"Look, if either of you had any sense et'all, you'd let me loose, and give me me bloody medicine, and stop following a madmin... Because if you don't, if you don't realize what you're doing, a lot of people are going to die, for no good goddamn reason."

I said, "So we're supposed ta let him go free? Is that it? We're supposed ta to let you crush men ta death, an' turn tha otha way?"

Rex said, "Let me say it again. Roy Larson is a dead man. Alright?... You get et?... If you bet on him pulling through this, I've got some other shit ta sell ya."

He laughed.

"Trust me..." he said, "All of this is nonsense. And don't let 'im tell you any different. There is no reason ta think that Roy's beating the odds here. For a man in his condition, to make up the amount o' blood 'e lost... to even walk out of 'ere, without fear of cardiac arrest... he'd have to wait a minimum, a minimum... of six, bloody, months, and more than likely, a year...

"One... year... And that fucking, crazy, bastard, Carter knows that."

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