Leslie pulled her bandana over her nose, masking the smell of rotting flesh that consumed the room.
"It doesn't look like it's improving..." She said, looking upon the blackish-green flesh that ate at her brothers back. "Are you certain it's working?"
The Stir Doctor squinted behind his glasses. "That's how the remedy works; the wound worsens before it improves." He waved a thick, stubby hand with reddish strands sprouting from the dorsal. Oakot ran over. "Apply a bit more cream...the flesh is starting to flake."
The charcoal-colored boy walked over, twitching, his fave greening by the rank. He grabbed his nose. "Do I have to, Master? The boy smells like a carcuss..." He gagged.
The short, stubby man grabbed the boys red robe, pulling him close. He spat, "don't insult the patient in front of guest..."
Leslie raised an eyebrow, "And it's ok when I'm not here?"
The Stir Doc scratched his head. Seldom did someone ask him questions, and seldom did he answer. His eyes found the badge on her chest, glimmering like scales on a fish in the sunlight.
The man groaned, "of course not... What kind've Doc would that make me?" He scratched his flaming strands that were in disarray. "Not a very good one."
He turned to Oakot whose head faced the door, rubbing the wound, cheeks bubbled, breath held. "Stop being such a turd...It don't smell that bad.
Leslie shook her head but the smell lingered on her nose. In the far corner of the room, Boone sat pinching his nostrils tight, eyes watering, mouth tucked into his button shirt. Leslie thought he was as close to vomiting as she was.
"You alright?" She asked, her voice muffled.
"Hardly," Boone said. "Smells like rat guts..."
"Not you too," the Stir Doctor said, shaking his head. "Wimps. The lot of you." He drew a long breath through his mouth then exhaled. "Taste like chicken.
The three others gagged.
The Stir Doctor waved his hand once more and headed towards the door. "It'll heal in another day or so...We just need to keep applying remedy."
"And what if we," Boone coughed; "don't? Will he die?"
"Certainly...Infection gets into the blood - blood travels to the organs - and the organs begin shutting down." He sighed. "But we've likely kept that from happening. The problem now is what the smell will attract. The remedy masks the smell for only hours and then it comes back. This will happen until the wound scabs over...It if it doesn't scab over in time then we have a much bigger problem..."
"What kind of problem?" Leslie asked, eyeing the wound. "One lethal?"
"Nope... Not exactly." The Doc pulled the glasses from his face and began wiping the lens with his blood-stained coat. "Decayers are meant to kill you slowly, but if you kill the bacteria, as I have, you're only left with the rotting smell which can attract anything from maggots to wolves."
Boone raised his head. "How about crows?"
The Doc nodded. "Crows, rats, vultures, flesh flies, you name it." He chuckled. "And last thing this boy wants is to be sleeping and waking up to one them critters gnawing him to the bone."
"That would painful," Boone said, clutching the back of his shoulder.
"Can be," the Doc said, checking his lenses. He shook his head and continued wiping. "Or he may not feel a thing...And sometimes that's far worse."
Leslie and Boone exchanged dour looks.
"And why's that?"
"Because then you'll have something feasting on you without your recollection-"
"Done!" Oakot pulled his hand away, gasping for breath. He peered down at his hand, lip sunken. "My finger aren't going to smell right for a week." His head jerk and right eyelid fidgetted.
"They already don't smell right... You bathe less often than a pig."
"I don't like the water, Master..."
"Ya, and you don't like to clean, to lift, to brew... to do much of nothing. In fact, you're one of the laziest damn servants I've ever had...If somebody paid the right price, I'd sell ya!"
The Stir Doctor kicked at the boy, "get out of here and go clean the Caldrons."
A loud yelp came from the boy and he ran from the room. The Stir Doctor hung in the door, "you folks have a nice night." He slid on his glasses, slammed the door, and barked after the servant.
Once his voice faded Leslie allowed a giggle. "Those two are a mess..." She lifted a leg on the chair, and leaned an arm over, resting her head down.
"They are...I feel sorry for the boy. If I had the money I'd set him free."
Leslie giggled, "would you? You're better person than me..."
Boone corked his head. "Nonsense. You're the Sheriff of Sundown City - you're the law - and those of the law are true justice."
"I wish that were true..."
"How do you mean?"
"I mean it's bullshit, Boone." She lifted her head and removed her hat, allowing her scarlet hair to fall across her shoulders; shaking her head and adding volume. "In order to keep the law you have to break the law, and that's the truth."
Boone's mouth hung. "That can't be true...You'd never do such thing."
"And yet I have," she said. "Boone, I hate to be the one to tell you, but the world ain't what it seems." She pointed towards the bed, voice rattling. "Rynan Jerocobish, and your Ma Jean...All taken by the cruelty of this world." A tear slid down her cheek. "So how are we to stay straight when the wicked around us cut corners?"
The boy shrugged, hand trembling on his lap. "You find a way...Ma Jean always taught me, there's no sure things in life, but if you do what's in your heart you're bound to find the sure path."
"And do you?"
"Not always right away - but always down the road - you just have to keep walking
Leslie smiled weakly, "that's my problem..."
She wiped the tears from her face. "I get tired of walking then take the wrong path."
Boone climbed from the chair in the corner, walking to her side; he placed an arm over her shoulder. "At least you recognize it. Most don't...or when they do it's too late." Suddenly he leaned back, eyes wet. "It smells worse up here...I need to get some air."
Leslie laughed, "get some air then get some rest. I'll watch over him tonight."
They hugged and Boone left for the night, leaving her alone with the faint breaths of the sleeping giant.
Leslie was uncertain when she'd fallen asleep, but something brought her back from slumbar.
She looked around the room, allowing her eyes to find their focus. The room was dark as the woods in Lone Creek. And felt as lonely.
She guided her hands, swiping the air until touching a cold, solid object on the table at her side. She lifted the oiled lamp and it sparked, finding life. The room illuminated and her eyes fought harder to see her brother-
Suddenly a blur dashed across the bed.
Leslie leapt to her feet, the lantern swinging, and eyes brightening with each second. She squinted, taking a step forward-
Another blur zipped across the mound of her brother.
Leslie yelled, "No!"
She ran towards the bed, lifting her lantern above above head; blackish-gray, furry creatures scampered, fight to avoid lights.
"Get!"
They leapt to the ground.
Leslie lowered the lamp, allowing the light to paint her brothers back; the black creviced flesh was soaked in a pool of red.
She reached towards the desk, her fingers wrapping around a soft, fluffy cloth; she grabbed it and placed it over the wound, feeling the pulse of blood against her palm.
"Damn it!" Leslie leaned over, shoulders above her hands, applying weight to the wound. Her eyes wet with the tears she restrained for years. "Ehy is this world so fucking cruel!"
Lesile wailed and allowed her body to tremble; allowed her body groan; And allowed her body to drain the fear and the hate from her soul. For too long she held back the toxins...and in that moment she released them all.
Her eyes drifted down to her boots where a blackish-gray shape roamed. The furry creature, scanned it's surroundings while it's white nose and whiskers twitched. It took easy, cautious steps.
Leslie eyes narrowed; she took a breath, slowly raising her boot from the floor. The creature stopped. Its head swiveling until it felt safe to carry on. One step. Two steps. Three steps-
Quick as lightning, her boot fell to the floor with a crunch; the bones of the creature snapping beneath her sole. Leslie shifted her weight from side-to-side, the bones snapping like twigs over the rats squeaks.
Leslie smiled and said, "I feel much better now...how about you, Rynan?" Then wiped her boot clean.