I spoke to Snake today.
My heart is still racing and my hands are wet. But I did it. I have spent the last 3 days in the house. I was scared to go outside, thinkin I would have to face him. I made myself a prisoner here in my own home. Foolishness! Not fair to Joshua, and not fair to me. I don't know where Johnny is. I aint seen him in a week. I made up my mind that I am tired of lettin these men determine my fate. It ain't right! I have much a right to a life as anyone else. So I took the baby over to Sally's house this morning and set out to find Snake. Wasn't hard to find. Big Red was tied up right outside the jail house. I walked up too him and nuzzled his nose. He always did like that. Such a beautiful horse. He seemed to remember me, or at least I think he did. Then I mustered up all the courage I could, took a deep breath, and walked inside.
Lord, it was not what I expected. First thing I see is Johnny, lying on the bunk in the cell! He jumped up like the sight of me scared him to death. "Prissy!" he yelped "What are you doing here? Go on back home!"
I ran to the cell bars. "Johnny" I says, "Lord, where have you been? What happened? Why are you locked up?" And then I heard his voice from behind me.
"Hello Prissy." All the resolve and the courage that I had worked so hard to build up drained away in an instant. I saw the look of confusion on poor Johnny's face, and it pained me to my very soul. I wanted to vanish from the face of the Earth. I sighed and slowly turned around. Just looking into his large blue eyes took me back to the days in Wichita. These were the eyes I had first loved. The eyes that had saved me, and had given me a reason to go on. The eyes that burned right through me and opened my heart and my very soul. The eyes that I had betrayed. And we both knew it.
"Marshal," I said, much harder than I intended, "why is my husband locked up in your jail?"
The hope and kindness that I saw in his face that first instance was quickly replaced with something hard and cold. This was not going the way I had intended, but I felt like I had no control of things anymore.
"Your husband," he said in a distant voice, "is charged with public drunkenness, destruction of property, shooting his guns in a public saloon, and not being able to cover his gambling losses. There were some rough boys looking to do him harm last night and I thought it best that he was here."
"What's best Marshal, is for him to be at home. With his wife, and our son!" The mention of Joshua was almost an accusation against Snake. He flinched a little. This man, who I know to be a fool when it comes to facing down any kind of danger, and may just be the bravest man I ever met, flinched at my tone. If I wasn't trying so hard not to cry, I might have laughed.
"Prissy," said Johnny from the cell behind me, "I told you to go home! This aint no place for you! Get now, afore I have to whup you!" I don't know why he said that. Johnny had never raised a hand to me. Ever. Maybe he was trying to look tough in front of Snake, maybe he was just scared, I can't even guess. But it was just about the worst possible thing he could have done.
I know that Snake is fast. I have seen it before. Faster than anyone I have ever known. If I would have known what Johnny was going to say I am still not sure I could have reacted fast enough to save him. But as it was Snake was past me and at Johnny before I could even register what he said. Snake's left arm shot through the cell bars and grabbed Johnny's hair to pull his face close. His right hand was down and up in a lightning quick flash, bringing the butt of that damn Colt crashing into Johnny's forehead.
"No Snake!" I screamed, but it was too late. Johnny was on the floor before the words left my mouth.
Joshua is crying, I will have to finish this later.
No comments:
Post a Comment