I never understood why Martin wanted to leave the most valuable town of Texas. Truth is I don't want to know. But the only thing I do know is that one particular gang is after ours. Martin didn't talk to anyone the past few days. The only thing that bothers me is that Martin thinks that every dust from that old building or fortress or whatever it was. Would be forgotten. As we packed a few things Martin for once gathered all of us around the fort. "Do any of you know what makes a good outlaw?" he says. Some of us tremble because of the harsh way he said it.
Martin points at Sawyer. "Do you know boy?" he shakes his head. "A good mind." I whisper to Davey. He looked at me stunned. "Lydia shut up." Davey says spitting on my face. It's hard being the only girl there whose not married to a man in the gang. But I learned to deal with it. Martin points at me with a rough look on his face. "Sawyer, Lydia, and Davey! Go hook the horses to the wagons we need to leave!" we all ran saying yes boss I led my horse to the wagon. Bird paused and tapped his hoof on the ground. "Bird c'mon!" I yelled. I reckoned he didn't like wagons. Last time this happened he was laying down staring at a dead horse. Bird kept neighing and snorting. I grabbed the horse blinders and put them on him. He simmered down and quickly followed me to the wagon. Bird was paired up with Sawyer's thoroughbred named Bill. My stupidly smart Appaloosa was just being stupid. I looked for Martin he was loading other horses.
"Martin I got a question," I said approaching him from the side. "Is it worth valuable time?" He said with a stern expression. "Well… Boss where are we gonna put Abe?" Martin stopped halfway on putting a sleeping bag on the wagon. "Put him on the one that your driving," he said. Abe was attacked by one of the gangs. I wasn't the one who found him it was Billy. Billy said he found him near the railroad tracks. But sometimes I don't even believe it. I mean why would he be all the way by train? I don't even believe half the things that Billy says. After all, this betrayal that some of the gang put us through who would trust anyone?
I walked inside the little cabin where Abe was. He was breathing heavily and I could tell he was in pain. "How are you doing Abe?" I said quietly. He tried to sit up but he was in too much pain. "Not really good, Lydia be honest with me, your the only one with this knowledge am I gonna die?" I looked over to the fireplace. It's flame flickered and was nearly going out. " I'm not sure Abe you aren't showing any signs of any fevers or puking," I said, I walked over to the fireplace's last flame and put it out. I grabbed the sleeping bag and the medicines that were sitting on the shelf.
"What are you doing?" he said. I didn't answer. I ran outside to put the sleeping bag and medicine on the wagon Sawyer watched me not able to hear me. "What are you doin sitting down like you haven't been told to work?!" I snapped. "Lydia!, just work!" Martin shouted from the other wagon. "Sawyer, help Lydia with Abe, and don't you dare try to slack off again!"
Abe was confused when Sawyer and I entered the cabin again. "Not again not the shot!" Abe screamed. Sawyer clutched Abe's shoulder " shut up you big baby! Your not getting a shot!" Abe squirmed unable to become free from Sawyer's grip. " I ain't needing a shot!" Abe screamed. I stood at the door motionless, not able to move Sawyer looked up at me. "Get Billy and Davey!" He shouted across the room. I ran outside "Davey, Billy C'mon we need help!" before I knew it, the two boys went and raced to get to the cabin. They carried him out on the cot. Abe still yelping in pain and anxiety, but in his eye he understood. I watch as they loaded him on the back of the wagon.
Martin gathered all of us around. "Alright," he says, "is everyone ready to leave?" no one spoke. " good then let's go! As everyone ran to one of the wagons. There were four wagons for ten people. The people in my wagon were Sawyer, Davey, and Abe. Sawyer sat on the passenger side with me. "You think somethin wrong with Martin?" I cocked an eyebrow "well, half the stuff going on… I wouldn't blame him for having a problem." the wagons started to move. I whipped the reins and the two horses moved along the town. We passed wooded areas before Sawyer said "does Martin even know where we are going?" I shrugged. "I reckon that he knows but I think best not question the moody cowboy." Sawyer laugh. "You have a good sense of humor for an allopath."
If I was being honest I think all of us were confused about what was going on. We all went through creeks we all stopped the wagons when we saw a body on the other side of the creek that we came from. I got off the wagon and squinted at the body. I gasped and waded in the water to get to the other side. I heard Davey say. "I'm screwed now." the man on the other side of the water was Abe. I dragged him to the other side. He was shaking cause of the cold water. Sawyer got off the wagon to help me get Abe back in the wagon. Martin had gotten off the first wagon. "What in the name of tarnation did you just do?!" I coward like a dog when it's in trouble and Sawyer froze. "Abe fell out of the wagon boss." Martin cocked an eyebrow. "Who was suppose to be watching him?" Davey jumped from the wagon, His long black hair flew in the air when he jumped. "It was my fault, sir," he said growing closer to Martin. I stepped back from where I was standing and still holding Abe on my shoulder.
Martin shot a glance back at me, I was cowering more than ever. "Well I'll be, the allopath speaks the truth." I nodded and started dragging Abe to my wagon which was the last in the train of wagons. Martin stared Davey down. Sawyer took Abe by the arm and put him on his shoulders. "Your shaking allopath," Sawyer mumbled I looked down at my hands. He was right, I was shaking, I gripped my shirt as I walked to the front of the wagon. Sawyer stopped me halfway. "Hey don't be scared of Martin, kid you are, well to him just an allopath, but he should treat you like the rest of us just because you act like one of us men." I lowered my head. "Thanks, Sawyer but that is not going to help me any further than me trying to save Abe," I said in a low voice.
"Lydia, your trying that is better than what half of the gang does."
"You can keep saying that but it ain't the truth."
" Do you ever accept compliments?"
"Depends on my mood."
I never believed in what Sawyer says. Because I don't want to, I never wanted to believe in that. Because to me, it's a bag of lies and lies get you nowhere besides a noose around your neck. I made it finally to the front of the wagon. I climbed my way up to the seat, Sawyer got on to the other side.
I waited for Martin to make his way up to the first wagon. I'm guessing Davey got the short end of the string. Because he didn't speak he was quiet and even that was unusual. Martin stopped in front of our wagon. "Billy! Get your horse hooked up to this wagon," he shouted as Billy who was riding his horse, trotted his horse to the wagon. Martin grinned at me. "Get your saddle out and ride alongside the wagons." I nodded I climbed down to get my saddle from the back of the wagon. Billy was mad at me and I could tell. He was furrowing his eyebrows. I climbed up on the back of the wagon grabbed my saddle and jumped down from the wagon. Billy was getting impatient, he got off his horse and removed the saddle.
I got Bird off the wagon and he trotted off to the side. I threw the saddle upon Bird and tightened it. Billy hooked his horse to the wagon rather quickly. Speedily, he climbed the wagon and took his position on the wagon. Martin walked up to every wagon to check on them. I mounted Bird and nudge him in the back of the leg to get him to move. I clicked my tongue and Bird started walking. I made it up to the front of the wagon train. Martin was getting up into the wagon when I pulled back the reins on Bird who snorted. Martin was for the first time towards me, was grinning at me.
I waited for Martin to say "let's go" but he didn't, and I got scared. He clicked his tongue and smacked the reins on the horses. I clicked my tongue and Bird followed the wagon. I kicked Bird in the back of his leg to make him go faster. I had a strange feeling that Martin was testing on how I can keep up. I kept up with the wagon until I heard "CLANK!" followed by Gun Boy cussing. Martin looked at me. I pulled on the reins, the three other wagons stopped "Go see what the problem is." I nodded. I clicked the reins and rode to the back of the pack. I saw Billy walking towards the back. "What happened?" I asked. Davey was the closest and he said "Abe fell out of the wagon and Gun Boy jumped out to get him." I frowned at him "well that was stupid.�� I said dismounting Bird. I walked towards the two of them Gun Boy laid breathing heavily. But that is not what I was worried about. Abe wasn't moving I rushed over toward Abe. Gun Boy was confused and looked over towards Davey.
"Let her do her thing," he said in a soft voice. Bird had followed me kept nudging me. " Bird!, for god sakes Davey come get him so that he stops nudging me." I pressed my ear against Abe's chest as Davey grabbed Bird who was kicking furiously towards Davey. I heard no heart beating, I pressed my hand on his chest and started to try to make his heart start beating again. Abe was still not moving, I pressed my ear against his chest. No heartbeat, I checked his pulse, nothing, there was a moment of silence for I realized I was sniffling and was holding my hand against my own mouth. Davey somehow lost control of Bird because he trotted over to me he nudge and this time I accepted the nudge by petting his rough head. I stood up and walked over to Gun Boy who was moaning in pain. A broken leg I thought, "Davey get the crutch." I say quietly. Gun Boy looked over at Abe's lifeless body. I just remember that this is the first time a person has died on me.
Davey grabbed the crutch from the back of the wagon. He tossed me it, he stood motionless as if he didn't know what to do. I wouldn't have blamed him for that. For a while, I thought he would come to help, but to my surprise, he was waiting for my orders. No one has ever done that before. "Davey can you help me." before I was able to finish my sentences Davey was right on top of Gun Boy. "what do I need to do?" he asked quite suddenly. I pointed to Gun Boy's shoulder, with a shudder I say," grab his shoulder and pull him up to where he is barely standing." I grabbed the crutch in my right arm. As soon as Gun Boy was held to where I could fit the crutch underneath his arm.
Gun Boy screamed in pain but it was no help that Davey lost his grip. I looked around for something sturdy perhaps a branch. But I saw nothing, not even a heavy stick. That was the only thing we could do, but since there was nothing there, we had to load him up in the wagon. With every step Gun Boy took he groaned. It was so bad that is started to hurt my ears that I nearly dropped him. Martin, for what I know watched me the whole time. Gun Boy showed no way of knowing what was going on to him. As we got him to the wagon my anxiety rose higher than mount Everest.
I got on bird and rode to the front. It meant my job was done I didn't bother touching Abe cause well, he was already dead and gone. The wagons started rolling and no one talked to me since. Could I blame them? No, I couldn't, but I never looked back on that road to see Abe's body again. As for our gang was known The Phoenix runaways we didn't name ourselves that. The people in Arizona called us that. It all started the day when we moved to Arizona and personally in my opinion we shouldn't have been there longer than we were.