Work Text:
They were everywhere, down the street, on the roofs, in the houses, scrambling, yelling, screaming louder and louder. Not a moment of silence. Shit! Where are they?! Where are the others?!
“We need to leave! Now! Come on!”
Shut up.
“Please! Please don’t do this.”
Shut up!
“Come on! He got shot! We need to leave! Forget about the damn money!”
Shut up! I need to think! I need to-! I need to figure this out!
“Don’t do this!”
QUIET! Fuck… She was dead, shot through the head, the blood of an innocent spilled onto the wall behind them by his hand, the hand he had sworn never to hurt someone who didn’t deserve it with. He shot her… Move, come on, MOVE. His body had no reaction as the image of the woman engraved itself into the back of his head and he knew it would haunt him, why did he do that?
“What the fuck did you do?!”
I don’t know… Move . They needed to move, she wasn’t the only one who got shot, one of theirs did too, he needed to get them all out of there unless he wanted them all to get shot. He needed to get them out off there, they were all in danger, everything had gone to shit, nothing had worked out and they were all relying on him to get them out of there. FUCK!
“What is the plan?”
Did he answer? Did words spill out over his lips or did he just run? He didn’t know, but he was moving, he was running, running out onto the street where bullets fell around his ears, graced his cheek and buried themselves right next to him. Did they follow? They followed, the others followed him even though he was leading them into a death trap, even though he was leading them into certain death merely because he panicked.
“Shit- He got shot!”
“I am alive… So far. Fuck!”
“We need to get out of here or he won’t make it!”
“Leave me… I will catch up…”
“Stay strong… We are coming back.”
Was he frozen? No he was moving, but then why was all he could see his companion hiding himself behind a crate, slowly bleeding out, were they even in town anymore? No, no they were out of it, but at what cost? Three shot, one arrested and all the money gone. Fuck! He had messed up, he knew it, he needed help, he needed wisdom, he needed- Darling- Help me- Help me get out of this mess- Please- Why are you looking at me like that…? Those eyes that normally looked at him with such care, such love, why were they wide? Why were they filled with… Confusion? Betrayal?
“What happened in there?”
“It was crazy, it was raining bullets.”
No, please, turn to me, face me, talk to me, why are you ignoring me? Why are you glaring at me? I did… I did all I could! Please! I need your help! Like a lost puppy, like a scared little creature begging for attention and love.
“We need to move, I say we go up the mountains, the law won’t follow us up there.”
Yes, please, take the lead, share the burden with me, tell me what to do.
“We will talk later.”
Why are you whispering? Why did you pull me aside like that? Why are you snarling? Please, I did all I could, I don’t know… I don’t know what went wrong. Why was it not just him? The person he trusted the most, the person that he had started it all with, why was it not just him who was glaring at him? My son, why? Why? Why was he doubting, why was he doing that? Please, I need you .
“You did all you could… You… You are amazing.”
Huh? Who-? Oh. Yes… I did all I could, you are right…
The snow was biting cold, tearing through his clothing, through his skin, freezing over the heart he had tried so desperately to keep warm, ice covering the surface and cooling its core. He needed to do something, they were dying, they were all dying, not just the man with his guts spilling out in the back of his wagon. He needed to do something, it was dying, he could see it, he could see it flickering like a flame in the wind, loyalty. He needed to do something, he needed them to survive, he needed it to survive, he needed to regain it.
A train? A coop…Money… A win… Loyalty.
“Don’t do it, this is not someone you want to mess with. He is a big important man, he will not let you rob him without consequences.”
… I need… I need to do something! Tell me what to do then! Tell me!
“You can do it. Simple train robbery. It is nothing.”
Maybe, maybe it is okay. It isn’t like we haven’t done it before… Oh… The others are up for it, alright.
The snow was melting, it was getting warmer, they were getting more food, more money, they were getting back on their feet. A small town of livestock, they could have money and time, not too bad. They were getting back on their feet, this could work out.
“Hello there.”
Yes, darling, come inside the tent, talk to me, I got an idea, what do you think? Isn’t it good? I like it, it can be our way.
“Not too bad.”
He likes it, he comes with good ideas, yes this could work. What if we did this too?
“No. You will not do that! If you do it you will damn us all!”
Oh… Alright, that upset him, but I guess we won’t, he is smart, he knows best.
“Do it.”
What? No. I won’t, get out of my ear.
“It feels like things have changed, they don’t want folk like us no more.”
I know… I know. Deep inside he knew he couldn’t change it, but what was he meant to do? It was the only world he knew, the death, the running… Run… All he could do was run, run from the world that would no doubt absorb the one they lived in, cast them out or hang them. He needed a plan, a final plan… Until then… Run .
Run. Tell them to pack their bags, tell them to gather their things and run, we can’t stay.
“I told you not to mess with him! I told you he would come for us! The law is on us again!”
I know! I know! My son, go, find us someplace safe!
It was flickering, it was flickering again, the loyalty, the trust. Just as it had started to become stable again, just when things were returning to normal that man showed up, hunted them over the mountains, shot up half the town, nearly killed all four of them… Nearly killed… My sons .
“Well… You… You are amazing.”
I am? I guess I am… You are right, I am.
Two rich families, two people with money in their pockets. This was what they needed, they could play them from both sides, get both their money. Gold even, gold.
Gold. Where is it?
“I am not sure this is smart, we are going to get caught in the cross fire.”
My son… Are you doubting me? My son, there is no need to doubt me.
He had it under control, they were all alive-
“He got shot! They shot him through the head!”
“I told you this was a bad idea!”
What? Had he really become so careless? Had he really allowed one of his members, one of his companions, of his friends, one of the children he had raised, in something so simple…? It was such a simple scam, how had he not seen it? He should have seen it.
“I was there, it looked legit, you could have done nothing.”
Really? Yeah, of course really! I would never get so sloppy! I would never allow one of my own to be put in danger-
“Where is my son?! Where is my son?! Has anyone seen my son?!”
She was crying, screaming, yelling at him as if it was his fault, it wasn’t… He had posted guards 24/7 around the whole camp! He had protected them all! He was going all he could…
They took the boy… What god damn bastards takes a little boy?! What god damn bastard took my grandkid?!
“They took him, the family.”
I will get that boy back. Darling come with me, my sons, come with me, we will get that boy back!
Blood, more blood, more flames, more destruction. He felt nothing killing a whole family, he felt nothing killing a son in front of his mother, he felt nothing as he dragged her through her house, letting her watch as her son burned to death, he felt nothing as he pulled her outside, as he let her be the only survior of a generationally long family. He let her watch as her empire and the bodies of her sons burned in the house that had been built on blood money.
Still no boy, just more packed bags, more running, more setting up camp someplace new, at least they had a roof over their heads, an actual roof.
He could hear them from his room, his longest companion and their son, talking, he could hear them, their doubting.
“Will we be okay?”
“Of course!... I think so… I hope so.”
They are doubting me after everything I did for them, after everything I have done for them, after all those years.
“They don’t see it, they don’t see the necessity of it… They are wrong.”
Yes, they are wrong.
A big city, a heaven for scheming, for robbing, for crime. If he did it right then they could be out of there, then in a few weeks time they could have retired, he just needed one last plan…
The boy is safe.
Yet even with all he had done to get that boy back, his sons, he could feel it, the doubting, it was still there.
“One of them is planting doubt, he has been asking others what happened with that girl, the one you killed.”
Doubt, he keeps doubting me, they all keep doubting me.
“I would never doubt you, you know best.”
Yes, I know best.
The head was laying in the man’s hands as the decapitated body rode in on the horse down towards them. There were screams, shouts, cries.
Another one .
He needed to protect his family, they were all in danger, they were all in such terrible danger. The law, the detectives, the gangs. Everything was closing in on them, they had to move quickly, they had to get one last score, one last-
It was a set up, there were cops everywhere, detectives everywhere and all they got out of it each was fifteen dollars and a quarter. They got the law on their asses even more for fifteen dollars.
“And a quater, don’t forget the quarter.”
Are you making fun of me son? Are you doubting me again?
Was it revenge or did he truly believe what he said to his friend when he explained that they needed to kill the man? The man who had set them up. He wanted to believe it was necessarily, but was it? They didn’t have time for revenge, they didn’t have the money, they needed out.
“Is this a revenge plot? We don’t have time for a revenge plot.”
It is necessity! Don’t you doubt me again son!
“It needed to be done.”
Yes, it needed to be done.
The breeze was picking up, the flame was flickering harder, for moments it seemed almost gone. He could see it in their eyes. One last score and they were out of there, one last score and they could be gone.
The bank.
“I am telling you this is the way to do it, I have sent them all, they are all saying the same, one or two armed guards at the max.”
It doesn’t feel right.
“Are you doubting me?”
Never, never my darling.
“They got him! He is shot!”
Darling! Darling! They shot him! They shot him!
His heart ached, his chest was carving in on itself, his rock, his anchor, his everything, gone, so many years, gone. This was not what he had been told, there were too many lawmen, too quick. Someone… Someone had ratted, someone had told-!
“They arrested him, his wife got away when they shot and killed… You know.”
My son…?
Why was he arrested? Why was he arrested? Why was he arrested and his wife got away when the others were killed? Why did he not loose his lover when he did…
Why did I have to lose my…
They were stuck on a boat leading them god knew where, but at least they had the money-
The money-
It was lost, it was lost on the bottom of the sea as the storm tore the boat apart, when the storm threw them into the sea and hurled them around. All but a little which he had carried in his pockets was lost by the time they managed to get up onto the small island, if they needed to get off, they needed help.
“I will help you if you help me.”
He was in no position to say no, he could see the desperation in the others eyes when they looked to him for answers, he needed to do this right.
“The money, pay more, now!”
Okay…
Her body laid lifeless at his feet, new bruises around the skin on her neck. Was she going to betray them? Maybe, he didn’t know, he just knew… He knew…
I need to get them home- I need to keep them safe…
If there had been a single chance of her ratting them out.
Another innocent body.
“What is wrong with you?!”
I needed to keep us safe! Shut up!
They were safe, to some degree, they were back on land, they were back with the gang… But the law was closing in, he just needed…
“What has happened to you?”
My son, I just- I need some god damn faith! Believe in me! Trust me! I am doing the damn best I can!
“He doesn’t see it, he is doubting.”
Yes.
“We need to get him back! They are talking of hanging my brother!”
Your brother, he lied, he told on us, can’t you see? It is too obvious. It is all going exactly as it should for him. Maybe that sickness is getting to your eyes my son, or maybe just your mind. You are getting weak, more is demanded of me than you, we do not have time for rest.
They had betrayed him, his son had betrayed him, gone behind his back, gotten the traitor out of jail…
“They betrayed you, both of them, they worked together, they are working together against you. After everything you did for them.”
They are betraying me.
“You just need one last-”
Score.
The train, it was obvious, just one more train and they could leave, one more train and it was all done, they would be free.
“He got shot! He is still alive!”
He is a traitor, I will go back for him… How sad, he couldn’t be saved.
“They took his wife! They took her! The detectives.”
“She is just a woman, she isn’t worth it.”
“We can’t just abandon her!”
Yes we can, she is a snitch, her and her traitor husband.
His last son went to save his traitor son’s wife, what a tale.
“He is the rat, the detective told me.”
The only man who has supported me? The only man who has been loyal has betrayed me? The detective told my bastard son the only person who trusts me is the ont betraying me? How foolish he is to believe it.
“You left me! You left me to die!”
His traitor son had survived, both his sons had turned on him, both his sons were after him, after everything he had done for them, after everything they had gone through, that was the end, that was how they would end? Pointing guns at one another? Well, to go out like an outlaw.
“I gave you everything I had, in the end, I really did.”
His son was dying, speaking his last words as he stood over him, watching, trying to figure out what was he was feeling, trying to figure out what he was meant to feel. His son had sacrified his life so his brother could escape, traitors together till the end.
“He deserved that ending.”
Shut up.
The gang was broken up, everything was in ruins, but at least he was alive.
Eight years.
It had been eight years since he had seen any of them, his traitor son, the rest of his gang or the only man who had supported him through it, and yet there they were, standing on top of a mountain, him and the annoying little voice in his ear pointing their guns at his son.
Revenge, are you here for revenge? Why oh why? Because we killed your brother? The brother who you worked with to have us all hanged? Don’t worry, you will get your revenge.
It was so simple to pull the trigger, to murder the man who had been in his ear the entire time, the voice that had grown to become a nuisance instead of a guide.
Oh son you look so confused, it is pathetic.
Pathetic was not what he saw on his son’s face three years later when they stood at the edge of a cliff just the two of them. He was bleeding, shot in the side, he wouldn’t survive, his son was pointing the gun right at him with a hardened, determinded look on his face, the stone cold killer that he had been raised to be.
“You always have a plan.”
Yes, I do.
He had heard, he had heard it all, the story of how his son had tracked them down, their old gang members, tracked them across the border and back, up the mountains, through the revolution of Mexico and killed them. Mercilessly, one by one picking off the survivors.
I will not die by your hand, I will not give you the satisfaction.