Moving On Chapter 16 The men rode as fast as they dared with the injured Vin and Brad. They knew that if they traveled too fast, it could end up killing Vin and Brad. They were all thinking the same thing, 'Hurry and get to Four Corners.' After what seemed like forever, Four Corners came into view. "Finally!" sighed Chris. After reaching Nathan's clinic, they all quickly dismounted their horses. Buck and Josiah carried Vin inside, while Ezra and JD carried Brad. Brad and Vin were carefully laid on the two cots that were in the room. "Everyone out so I can tend to them. I'll get you when I'm done," Nathan ordered. The five men reluctantly walked out onto the porch, shutting the door behind them. A couple of minutes later, shoes could be heard on the stairs. "What happened? Half the town saw you all riding in here and carrying two men into Nathan's clinic," said Mary when she reached them. "Vin was hurt," said Josiah. "Who was the other man?" demanded Mary. "My brother-in-law, Mrs. Travis," answered Ezra. "Your what?" gasped Mary. "Look, Mary, we're not in the mood for a hundred questions. And don't even think about putting any of this into your newspaper," said Chris. Mary crossed her arms and huffed out a breath. "You have no right to dictate to me what I can and cannot do, Mister Larabee." "This time I do. You have no idea what happened. So, don't go writing anything without knowing the facts." After a slight pause, he added, "Shouldn't you be getting back to Billy?" With a scowl, Mary whirled around and left. "Wasn't that a little harsh?" asked JD. "She just wanted a story, JD. She was hoping to find something to write about. And that's all we need is her stirring up trouble with an article, especially having little to no facts about the situation," Chris answered. The others had to agree. Time seemed to be passing by silently. Three hours had passed by without any of the men saying a word. When the door opened and Nathan stepped out onto the porch, all five men jumped to their feet. "How are they?" asked Buck. Nathan sighed. "Vin will be all right, as long as he doesn't catch an infection. The bullet passed through without hittin' anything major. He needs to rest for a few days though." "What about Brad, Mister Jackson?" asked Ezra. Nathan lowered his head for a moment, before looking Ezra in the eyes. "Ezra... I'm sorry but Brad's not going to make it. The bullet caused damage inside and there's nothin' I can do." Ezra cleared his throat. "How long?" "No longer than tomorrow," answered Nathan. After a slight pause, Nathan added, "He's wantin' to see you." "We'll wait out here until you're done. Then, we'll go in and see Vin," said Chris. Ezra nodded and walked inside, shutting the door. Seeing that Vin was asleep, he quietly walked to Brad's cot. "Brad?" Brad slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to look at Ezra. Ezra saw that Brad was pale and sweaty. They were both silent for a few moments. Then Ezra spoke, "Brad, I'm sorry." "For... what?" Brad whispered in a hoarse voice. "For this. If I had never asked for your help, you wouldn't be lying here right now." Brad shook his head and licked his dry lips. "Don't think... like... that. You're family... I would do it again. I'm sorry... that I won't be able... to help you... with the casino." "Don't worry about it." Brad smiled. "I'll get to see... Isabella again." Ezra saw Brad staring off into space as if he was seeing something. Or someone. "Isabella," Brad whispered. Ezra could feel a couple of tears escape his eyes. He grabbed Brad's arm in a warrior's handshake and said, "Tell her hi for me." With one last shuddering breath, Brad went still. Ezra knew that he was dead. Looking at the wall, he thought that he could see the shimmering shapes of Brad and Isabella, holding hands and smiling. He smiled faintly and whispered, "Be happy." Wiping his eyes, he stood up. Seeing that Vin was still asleep, he walked over and opened the door. Stepping outside, he spoke to Nathan. "He's gone." With that he walked down the stairs and around the side of the building. Return to Moving On
Moving On
Chapter 16
The men rode as fast as they dared with the injured Vin and Brad. They knew that if they traveled too fast, it could end up killing Vin and Brad. They were all thinking the same thing, 'Hurry and get to Four Corners.'
After what seemed like forever, Four Corners came into view. "Finally!" sighed Chris.
After reaching Nathan's clinic, they all quickly dismounted their horses. Buck and Josiah carried Vin inside, while Ezra and JD carried Brad. Brad and Vin were carefully laid on the two cots that were in the room.
"Everyone out so I can tend to them. I'll get you when I'm done," Nathan ordered.
The five men reluctantly walked out onto the porch, shutting the door behind them. A couple of minutes later, shoes could be heard on the stairs.
"What happened? Half the town saw you all riding in here and carrying two men into Nathan's clinic," said Mary when she reached them.
"Vin was hurt," said Josiah.
"Who was the other man?" demanded Mary.
"My brother-in-law, Mrs. Travis," answered Ezra.
"Your what?" gasped Mary.
"Look, Mary, we're not in the mood for a hundred questions. And don't even think about putting any of this into your newspaper," said Chris.
Mary crossed her arms and huffed out a breath. "You have no right to dictate to me what I can and cannot do, Mister Larabee."
"This time I do. You have no idea what happened. So, don't go writing anything without knowing the facts." After a slight pause, he added, "Shouldn't you be getting back to Billy?"
With a scowl, Mary whirled around and left. "Wasn't that a little harsh?" asked JD.
"She just wanted a story, JD. She was hoping to find something to write about. And that's all we need is her stirring up trouble with an article, especially having little to no facts about the situation," Chris answered.
The others had to agree.
Time seemed to be passing by silently. Three hours had passed by without any of the men saying a word.
When the door opened and Nathan stepped out onto the porch, all five men jumped to their feet. "How are they?" asked Buck.
Nathan sighed. "Vin will be all right, as long as he doesn't catch an infection. The bullet passed through without hittin' anything major. He needs to rest for a few days though."
"What about Brad, Mister Jackson?" asked Ezra.
Nathan lowered his head for a moment, before looking Ezra in the eyes. "Ezra... I'm sorry but Brad's not going to make it. The bullet caused damage inside and there's nothin' I can do."
Ezra cleared his throat. "How long?"
"No longer than tomorrow," answered Nathan. After a slight pause, Nathan added, "He's wantin' to see you."
"We'll wait out here until you're done. Then, we'll go in and see Vin," said Chris.
Ezra nodded and walked inside, shutting the door. Seeing that Vin was asleep, he quietly walked to Brad's cot.
"Brad?"
Brad slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to look at Ezra. Ezra saw that Brad was pale and sweaty. They were both silent for a few moments.
Then Ezra spoke, "Brad, I'm sorry."
"For... what?" Brad whispered in a hoarse voice.
"For this. If I had never asked for your help, you wouldn't be lying here right now."
Brad shook his head and licked his dry lips. "Don't think... like... that. You're family... I would do it again. I'm sorry... that I won't be able... to help you... with the casino."
"Don't worry about it."
Brad smiled. "I'll get to see... Isabella again."
Ezra saw Brad staring off into space as if he was seeing something. Or someone.
"Isabella," Brad whispered.
Ezra could feel a couple of tears escape his eyes. He grabbed Brad's arm in a warrior's handshake and said, "Tell her hi for me."
With one last shuddering breath, Brad went still. Ezra knew that he was dead. Looking at the wall, he thought that he could see the shimmering shapes of Brad and Isabella, holding hands and smiling. He smiled faintly and whispered, "Be happy."
Wiping his eyes, he stood up. Seeing that Vin was still asleep, he walked over and opened the door. Stepping outside, he spoke to Nathan. "He's gone." With that he walked down the stairs and around the side of the building.
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