How are you my friend. I hope you and Joshua are well. I pray things are getting better. I wish I was able to be there. I know there is alot of healing and work to be done in Red Creek right now. God will see us through my friend.
John is healing. Slowly that is for sure, but he is strong. The ride to Santa Fe was hard, but we made it. John's family can help us here while he rests. The boys are doing well. They miss you as their teacher. I told them we will be back once their dad is well enough.
Oh Prissy I still have trouble getting that evil day out of my mind. I imagine it's worse for you. I am sorry I am not there to talk to you about it. It helps to talk. I have been talking to Jesus quite a bit lately. Asking how He could allow such hurt and pain to happen. But it is His to understand Prissy, not ours.
I remember I was inside Miss Daisy's when I first heard the shots. Seconds later a masker rider came riding by and shot out the large window in the front of the store. Miss Daisy screamed and we ducked behind the counter for protection. More shots came from the end of town. I remember looking up and seeing Shots run past heading towards the gunfire. I heard yelling and headed towards the door. Miss Daisy grabbed my arm and shouted "No Sally! You'll be killed!" I knew in my gut that John was in trouble and I just couldn't help myself. I had to see him and make sure he was alright. I had to go. I left the boys with Miss Daisy and stepped out into the boardwalk. I saw a few figures running around down where the gun shots were coming from. Little Pearl Miltch came running by and said Bandits were shooting up the Livery. A great hole grew in the pit of my stomach and I ran to find John.
Smoke filled the street. The gunshots were so loud and the air smelt like fire and soot. I looked and saw that a house was burning. There were men darting back and forth behind wagons and fences. There were dead horses and men in the road. I heard someone shout my name as I ran toward the livery. And there I found John. He was slumped against the barn door covered in blood. He had been shot in the chest. I remember putting my hand on the wound and trying to hold back the blood. A bullet struck the door just inches above my head, but at the time I did not notice. My world was crashing down around me. I called God's name and pleaded with him to save John. Just then I felt some one grab me and try to pull me away from my husband. I struggled and fought, but to no avail. I turned in his arms and started to claw for his eyes, but then I realized he was shouting my name. It was Shots.
"God damn it Sally! Are you trying to get killed?" he said as he threw me back behind the door. "Get the hell out of the way. I ain't got time for this!" I started to get up and go back to John but Shots pushed me back down. "He's gone Sally, You can't save him! Now stay the fuck down or your boys are gonna lose both their parents today!" I just looked at him. I couldn't understand what he was saying. He was wrong. He had to be. John was not dead. I couldn't believe that.
Well Shots must have taken my contemplation for compliance because he left. He ran back out the door with his bright silver pistols blazing. I went back to John. He was still breathing, but he was exposed to more gunshots where he was. I had to pull him back out of harms way. Sweet Jesus why did I have to marry such a large man? I grabbed him and pulled with all the strength I could muster and barely got him inside the barn.He grunted and groaned and I took that as a sign from Heaven that he wasn't ready to give up. I fell to the floor beside him, covered in blood, sweat, and hay. I prayed as I tore open his shirt and tried to clean the wound best that I could. I vaguely remember hearing the explosion of the jailhouse.
The shouts outside continued along with the gunshots. A figure appeared in the doorway and I looked up expecting to see Shots. It wasn't him. It was one of the outlaws. The man had been shot at least once and had a desperate, scared look about him. He also did not have a gun. He looked down and saw John's rifle still in his hand and rushed to grab it. I thought he was going after John and threw myself at him to try to stop him. He struck me hard across the face and I fell back. He grabbed the rifle and looked back out the door. He fired into the street.
Prissy, may The Lord forgive me for what I did next. If I had thought about it, i am not sure I would have done it, but there was no thinking at that point. A rage came over me and I willingly followed it. John's pistol was still in his holster. I scrambled to it and pulled it out. The outlaw turned and saw what I was doing as I cleared the holster. A look of alarm crossed his face and he raised the rifle towards me and John. I fired the pistol and the man's face exploded. Sweet Jesus please forgive me.
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