Chapter Thirty-four

Duncan watched as Zeke’s eyes widened in surprise before his body fell to the ground in a heap. He barely remembered pulling the trigger.

He glanced down at Taylor, who was staring at Zeke’s now-lifeless body. She looked up at him finally, her shock clearly evident. He could only imagine what she was feeling. Zeke had almost killed her, but Duncan had stopped him. If it had not been for the smoke curling off the barrel of his rifle, he might not have even believed he had fired the shot. But as he watched the smoke rise lazily into the night, he knew. And he was glad.

Duncan looked back to the ground and watched absently as blood seeped into the grass from beneath Zeke’s corpse. He idly wondered how long it would take for the earth to erase the bloodstain.

The world froze around him. He looked up and looked straight into Buck’s eyes, but he couldn’t read what he saw there. Something akin to sadness and pride, with a little bit of horror mixed in, Duncan thought. He would have to ponder that later.

Buck stared back at Duncan for a bit longer before turning his attention to Zeke’s men.

“It’s over,” he said quietly. Duncan thought Buck was speaking more to himself than to Zeke’s men. “You men can walk away, no one will stop you. But if you ever come back you will be shot on sight.”

Zeke’s men glanced around at each other and then started to backpedal from their fallen leader.

“Leave your guns on the ground,” Buck ordered.

It took a minute, but one by one they complied. Each man slowly set his gun down where he stood, as if he was afraid that any sudden movement would get him killed. Then the men turned and fled north, back the way they had come onto the farm, leaving Zeke’s body where it had fallen.

Duncan settled his rifle down at his side, keeping his focus on the fleeing men. Eventually, he looked back to Taylor, who was slowly getting up from the ground. Kate rushed past him and was at her side in an instant, helping her up. Duncan watched Kate frantically check Taylor over for injuries. He was glad they had each other. Maybe now he would be able to have someone someday, too.

“Sam, Tony, go follow them and make sure they leave without delay,” Buck said. The men nodded and headed off after Zeke’s men, along with a few other of Buck’s men in tow. Duncan thought about following, too, but for some reason his feet refused to move.

“Now we need to get everyone back,” Buck said, smiling slightly. Duncan watched as a few of the men set off east for the kids, and west for everyone else. Nate led the charge to go bring back the children.

Those who remained behind were suffering a combination of shock and exhilaration. Some stood in stunned silence, while others began chatting nervously. Duncan kept off to the side, his eyes once again drawn down to Zeke’s limp body. For some reason, Duncan half expected to not find it there, like a bogeyman in a horror movie who dies but is not really dead. He did not notice Taylor and Kate approaching him until they blocked his line of sight. He looked up. Kate quickly wrapped her arms around him, hugging him like he was a long-lost relative she had not seen in a dozen years. He thought about hugging her back, but he could not seem to get his limbs to work. He just stood there, letting Kate hug him.

She pulled back, and Taylor stepped up to fill the void, although she did not put her arms around him. He was a little relieved by that, although he was not sure why. Instead she reached up and squeezed his shoulder.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes full of tears. He could not understand why there would be tears, but he nodded anyway.

Shouts filled the air, and they all turned to find Buck lying on the ground. They sprinted toward him, Taylor and Kate pushing their way to his side. Duncan hung back slightly, his brain fuzzy and unable to comprehend what was happening. He could hear the words, but it would be hours before he could fully absorb them.

“Hang on, Buck. We’re going to get help,” Taylor said urgently. She was kneeling at his side, gripping his hand tightly. Kate was pressing someone’s shirt into the wound at Buck’s side. Even in the faint morning light, which Duncan finally noticed creeping across the ground, Buck looked pale.

“It’s okay. I’m ready,” Buck said shakily.

“But we’re not. Please, Buck,” Taylor pleaded.

“Yes, you are. More than you know.”

Taylor’s head dropped to her chest.

“They’re gonna look to you now.”

Duncan watched as Taylor looked back at Buck, her eyebrows knitted together.

“Why me?”

“Take care of them.”

“Come on, Buck. You have to fight,” Taylor begged. Tears streamed down her face.

“Not everyone can be saved,” Buck whispered, smiling softly. “Sometimes…the best you can do is die at peace.”

“Are you?” she asked, her voice breaking. “At peace?”

Duncan waited for Buck to respond, but he never did. His eyes stayed open, staring up at the early morning sky. Taylor reached over and ran her fingers gently across his eyelids, closing them. Duncan turned, following Buck’s sight line toward the horizon, where he was met with the most stunning sunrise he had ever seen.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-31