| |
SMALL FLATS - HENLEY Farm...
Anna woke on hearing a gunshot ring out. Hearing a second, she leapt from her bed and ran to get her rifle. Never one to have used it on more than a tin can, she worried about what opposition she could give her attacker. Running to the nearest window and looking out, Anna jumped on hearing a pair of feet run up behind her. Holding a hand to her chest at the fright, she found Emma jump on seeing the rifle.
"God, don't do that to me, Emma. —Where's Clara?"
"Here," Clara said, running over to join them in her nightdress. "What's going on? You think Jesse's OK?"
"I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised," Anna said, turning back to the window once more. "I knew it was a mistake hiring him." Searching the dark world out beyond their home, Anna strained her eyes to see where the noise had come from. Finding nothing at first, she jumped as she saw another flash of light and the gunshot that followed it. Looking to the barn and wondering if it had anything to do with her new ranch hand, Anna waited to see what happened next. Fighting to calm the pounding in her chest, and the images that filled her mind, she saw a lone figure make its way toward her and searched the room around her for protection. Spying the heavy dining table, she jumped into action and ran to it. "Quick, Clara, Emma, the table." Waiting for her sisters to join her, Anna helped them push the table against the door and ran back to the window. Seeing the mysterious figure keep coming toward the house, Anna opened the window beside her and took aim with her rifle.
"I'm warning you, you take another step and I swear I'll pull the trigger-"
"Put it away they're gone."
Hearing Jesse, Anna kept the gun trained on him. "Pack up your things and go, Jesse. We don't want a part of any trouble you're in." Hearing Emma make an argument for lowering the weapon, Anna shushed her and turned her attention to Jesse once more. "I'm warning you, I'll shoot."
"You'd shoot an unarmed man. —And one that was trying to protect you? —Well, that's a fine thank you."
"How do I know you're unarmed?"
"Why don't you shoot me first and then you can find out," Jesse called out, sarcastically. "Listen I'm going to put my arms down-"
"I'll shoot."
"Anna, put it down," Emma said. "Maybe he did try and protect us-"
"See Emma's got some sense," Jesse called out from the dark. Still coming forward again, he added, "I've got proof."
"Like what?" Anna asked.
"How about this gash in my head?"
"Oh, Anna, he's hurt, let him in," Emma begged.
Anna turned to her sister. "We only know this man a few days and you think we can trust him? All he has to do is flex his chest and you go weak at the knees-"
"While you're arguing in there, I'm losing a lot of blood out here," Jesse called out.
Seeing the concerned look on both her sisters faces, Anna shook her head. Lowering her gun, she muttered to herself. "I swear if he comes in here and kills the three of us, don't say I didn't warn you." Turning back to the window, Anna called for him to come to the door.
Hearing a knock at the door, Anna stood by it and nodded to her sisters. Pulling the dining table back a fraction, she opened the door and held up her paraffin lamp. Shining it in Jesse's face, she watched him cover his eyes and swear to himself. Now seeing him better, Anna noticed that the side of his face was smeared with blood. Pulling back the table, she helped her sisters clear the way and guide him to a chair. Standing back to allow him to sit, she found herself pushed aside as Emma fussed over him.
"Oh God, what happened to you, Jesse?"
Looking to Anna he replied. "I don't know, but it hadn't a thing to do with me. No matter what your sister thinks..."
"You hear that, Anna?" Emma said, as she rushed toward the kitchen.
Watching Clara tend to the man's wound, Anna shook her head. "Seems too much of a coincidence to me. You turn up, and then we've got someone shooting up the place-"
Jesse shook his head. "So, you don't care about the stuff they were pouring into your river?"
"What stuff?" Anna asked.
Wincing as Emma pressed a cloth to his wound, he took a glass of whiskey from Clara and saluted the girl. "You're two angels, you know that?"
Hearing her two sisters giggle at his comment, Anna pulled both of them back from him. Waiting for him to hurry up and finish his drink, she took the glass from his hand. "What stuff?"
"Alright, I was asleep and woke up when I heard a clatter of metal cans. I assumed it was you coming out to see me, how wrong that was," Jesse said and winced as Emma got back to cleaning his wound. "—So, me being the only man around here, and not wanting any harm to come to any of you, I set off to investigate. That's when I saw one of them pouring something in the river. When I asked him what he thought he was doing, I got this for my trouble." Jesse pointed to his head. "I didn't see the other one sneak up on me. So, I think if this is anything to do with anyone, I'd say it's with you, Anna. It might be just me, but I'd expect you'll be seeing a few more dead cattle in the morning," Jesse said.
Listening to his tale, Anna knew he was right. It all made sense now. They weren't looking for a mysterious virus or condition. It was poison, someone out there was poisoning her cattle. Running for her rifle, Anna realized she was still in her bedclothes. Grabbing a shawl off a nearby chair, she walked to the door and looked to see if Jesse was coming with her. "Well, are you coming or not?"
Jesse shook his head. "You want me to go back out there and give them another chance to finish me off?"
"That's what I hired you for, Jesse," Anna said and opened the door. Pausing there, she looked at him.
"And I thought it was to look after your cattle?” Jesse asked.
"If we lose everything tonight, there'll be no cattle to look after. So if you're finished bleeding all over my floor, I'd appreciate it if you came with me outside."
"Alright, alright," Jesse said and looked at Emma and Clara. "And who's going to protect these ladies."
Going over to the gun rack that hung over the fireplace, Anna took an old rifle off it and gave it to Clara. Handing it over, she spoke loud enough for Jesse to hear her. "And if I don't come back, or he does on his own, I want you to shoot him on sight." Getting a look from Clara, she pressed the rifle into her sister's hand.
"But," Clara said, looking at the gun.
"On sight, you hear me?" Anna said, before leaning in to whisper to her. "I know, I know, but it's the first thing I saw. I know it doesn't work, but he doesn't know that. Just wave it around as if you mean business." Getting a nod in reply, Anna met Jesse at the door. "Right, take me straight to where you got attacked."
"You're the boss," Jesse said and lead the way.
Remembering the direction, she'd seen the muzzle flashes, Anna found Jesse head in that direction. Playing over his story in her mind, she tried to piece together everything that had happened to them and make sense of it. She could understand someone stealing her cattle, but not poisoning them. Wondering who'd want to do this to her, Anna paused on hearing the noise of the river. Looking around and finding Jesse gone, she whispered his name and heard nothing. Crouching down low and putting her finger back on the trigger, she waited. Hearing a sudden thrashing sound up ahead, Anna ran to it. "I'm warning you, I'm armed. Whoever you are, I'll-"
"It's OK, it's just us. They're gone, Anna."
Hearing Jesse's voice, Anna walked toward it and found him standing at the edge of the water. Now with the sun starting to rise, she stared at the dark shape that was making the noise. Looking bigger than any human she knew, there was no mistaking that it was one of her cattle. Listening to the animal slowly die, Anna wondered how many more she'd find when the sun rose.