Frontier

Another bullet hit Billy in the leg, and he fell to the floor, still holding Ela's wrist. "Dammit!" he shouted.

Sandy tumbled, knocking into the hardwood floor with force. He roared back at the old man, Sandy's face covered in blood from a broken nose. 'You...'

He brought the razor down onto the man's face. He knew it wouldn't kill him but sure as hell it would hurt the man beyond belief. He went again and again and again. Just throwing the razor down onto the man's flesh just waiting for him to let go.

From his spot on the ground, on his back looking at the ceiling, Billy heard Sandy loose control. He sat up, gun at the ready. No snappy words, no exclamations.....he simply squared the barrel at Sandy, and squeezed the trigger. One final shot.

The gunshot happened, but by this time he was already fading from this corporeal world. The last thing to befall his eyes was the gaze of a madman as he constantly shoved a blade into his face. His hearing was gone and his grip on the man's leg was fading as his fingers slowly became numb. This numbness spread through him his toes began to not be able to feel the ragged socks on his feet. His legs became like logs, betraying his wants. His hand finally gave up and let go of the man's ankle. The skin that was once bronze from his time in the sun working day in and day out had turned pale. His breathing gradually stopped, his heart had stopped beating, and his brain shut down. Butch would never wake up from this sleep, but he can rest assured that he saved a life on this day.

Ela wasn't able to keep herself awake much longer... She. just. couldn't. stay.... She vomited once more over herself and Billy, before passing out.

Billy passed out soon after, his head feeling light and vision blurry. The last thing he thought of, was how cold it all was.

----

When he next came to, he was moderately warm, and laying in a cot, inside a dimly lit space. His whole body ached and his mouth and throat were dry. The first thing that came to his mind, was also the first word he said. "Ela," he whispered in a rasp.

Autumn bangs on the wooden door with her uninjured shoulder. Rapping at it a few times, it finally opens. A slight gasp escapes from the person who had opened the door and that was the last thing that happened before she fell unconscious. The new person, a woman, in her mid twenties with long sandy blonde hair and dressed in close to what Autumn is wearing, with the slight difference in the color of the outfit. It was inverted from Autumn's. This woman catches Autumn and allows herself to position Autumn in a way to allow her to carry her to the bed. As she walks, she passes a black duster hanging on a coat rack with a black hat placed at the top like a star on a Christmas tree.

She gently places Autumn on the bed and observes her body. She raises her hand to her face to try to stifle a gasp and to block her reaction to the damage that had been dealt. "What happened to you Marlie? Did that bargirl put up that much of a fight?" She shakes her head and begins to break out the archaic medical supplies. What I have here will do the job for now, she thinks. She had been a nurse at one time, so she knows the ins and outs of what to do in this situation. It's having the materials is what the problem is. She removes Autumn's clothes to retrieve the bullet first before patching up the rest of the damage.

Autumn woke the next morning to a sore throat and her vision on her right eye blurred. She looks around with her non swollen eye to see the damage she had sustained was treated and she was slowly being healed. "Serenity..." She says through a gravelly voice. It still hurt even after all this time. She could still feel a phantom pain. She could still feel the hands around her throat. She can still feel the bullet in her shoulder. She tries to sit up, but is met with a gentle hand on her chest telling her to not strain herself. The sound of a wooden chair sliding across wood fills the room and Autumn can see the woman who had patched her up as soon as Autumn turns her head.

It was the same dream she always had, the terrible weight of that body, the flames lapping at her exposed skin, the sounds of gunshots outside. Her home turned into a tinder box, the smoke filling her lungs. She couldn't breath it was so hot and painful, she wanted to scream but there was no air to scream with. She opened her mouth but smoke lined the inside, taking the form of a sickly paste when colliding with her saliva. Ela started kicking at the body on top of her but it wouldn't budge... Her breath poisoned by the smoggy embers. The gouged wound of her bleeding right eye throbbing in her head. The pain was so much she just wanted to die, not continue to linger on in his half death, being gnawed away by the stray flames that found her exposed skin. That was when the roof fell... Everytime... It covered her like a blanket and she disappeared into the darkness. A heavy, crushing darkness.

'jos...', she cracked waking up from her nightmare... Her throat was so dry?  Where was she? Her vision was failing her, she'd have to feel this out. Her body was propped up in bed a large white, clean bandage running up her left arm all the way to her elbow. She moved her right arm to her face, touching the fresh bruises and scars she'd added to her medley of pre-existing wounds. Couldn't look any worse? She thought. The eyepatch she wore had also been removed and replaced with a long bandage that wrapped around the back of her head. For some reason too, perhaps for the application of the bandage, or even some other wound she didn't know of her hair had been clipped short, just shy of a shave. Someone had really done her over but... She could hardly remember what happened, a part of her didn't want to know but she couldn't help trying to retrace it, there was a fight right.. Gunshots, choking, so much choking... Her good arm coiled around her neck, it was bruised black and too tender to touch. She tried to call out for someone anyone but recoiled in pain. Little did Ela know her larynx had been fractured rendering her speechless.

Her fingers traced the lines of her good eye, why couldn't she see straight, everything was blurry? She wiped it clear then tried once more. It was a little better, at least she could see now, albeit in a blurry and dark way. Blinking hurt like hell, her eye must be swollen, someone must of given her a black eye but who?

At least she could answer where she was now, Ela sighed with relief at the sight of her bedroom. A soft rolling breeze caressing the curtains at the open window. A bright blue sky outside telling her that, maybe, just maybe it would be okay. A glass of water was by her bedside and what looked like a bottle of some tonic? The doctor she thought... What's this billing going to look like she grimaced. She was going to lose everything over this. That was when she noticed it, the handcuff, a chain linking her wounded, bandaged arm to the bed... She froze in fear... What had she done now.

The woman, presumably this "Serenity" takes Autumn's hand in hers and squeezes tightly. Her dark green eyes giving a soft and caring sight as they befall the woman in the bed. Autumn squeezes back in response and a slight smile emerges from her lips. This is not the kind of smile she had given to the others. There is a true caring in this smile compounded with a true happiness. No words needed to be exchanged at this point. They could wait. Autumn could barely speak as it is so obviously she wouldn't be much for conversation. Autumn closes her eyes and rests just a little bit more, leaving Serenity Lilibeth to continue tending to the wounds.

Serenity Lilibeth, a former member of the Marlowe gang was and still is Autumn's closest friend. They met over a decade ago when Autumn's family began usurping power from Hartland and establishing themselves as a gang to be feared. Serenity was learning the trade of being a medical professional along with her family. They were the best in the town and in the Marlowe gang, which isn't much to be said considering no one else even tried to learn the more complex actions to treat wounds. Despite Autumn's reputation and general attitude, Serenity was drawn to her. She'd follow Autumn around constantly, which led to many fights in the beginning. Autumn didn't realize why until Serenity told her of the story.

Ela tried again to call for help but her voice wouldn't obey her command. Her throat tensing up with fiery needles that made her scowl in pain, she was sure she'd whimper if she was able... She looked over to the tall glass of water, the cool glass was sweating in the heat. She reached over with her free hand hoping that just a sip could soothe the pain. As she grabbed the glass and lifted it off the bedside her grip failed her, Ela dropped the glass, she just wasn't able to lift it... The glass tumbled over and onto her floor throwing shards of glass across the room. The wet thud was followed by a head banging of frustration from Ela. She'd expected that weakness from her cut arm, but not her good one. It must of been a drug she was on, some painkiller or tonic relaxing her muscles. Though Ela didn't have time to extrapolate as a sudden rush of footsteps from behind her closed door carried themselves across the landing. Boots they sounded like, heavy ones.

'Ela? You okay in there?' , a soft male voice spoke, even if she wanted to respond she couldn't. She didn't recognize this voice, was this the man who tied her up? She dug herself deeper into her pillows as if she could hide in there. A soft rattle of knocks preceded the door latch lifting and swinging open. Standing there was a deputy of the Sheriff's office, his hat and jacket that same beige uniform they all wore. He paused, assessing the damage caused by the fallen glass... 'I'll get you some water...' He said before turning away and down the hall. Ela felt like she waited for hours in that moment, staring at that empty doorway. Why wasn't she in jail by now if it was that bad they had to handcuff her. Maybe she just wasn't well enough to move.

The man returned with fresh glass in tow, bringing it to the bed and handing it to her. Ela took it cautiously but her hand was still weak... He took the glass back looking at her tied hand, 'you think you can use both?' he asked. She nodded, anything to get this hand free. He tumbled around in his coat pocket looking for the key before smiling in triumph and unlocking Ela's left arm from the bed. 'Sorry about that...' he said handing her the glass. Ela could hold it, just about if she cupped it in both arms, though swallowing the drink proved much harder.  'Just a precaution... Names... Wyatt Lane. I was 3rd Deputy Ranger to Sheriff Sandy Bushes...' He paused scanning her face for any glimmer of recognition. 'Do you? Remember what happened?'

One day, when the wolves were hunting, Serenity was out gathering herbs for her father and her mother to aid in a recent attack set out by a rival gang. She was caught between the pack and a large mountain wall. The sounds of their growling and their increasing evil intentions flowed out of them in an aura of hunger. She looked around frantically for a way to escape, there would be no way she could outrun these beasts and get back to town in time. She looked at her only option, the mountain's face, to see a crevice to hide in. She made a mad dash to it as the wolves began their evil howling to summon more. She could feel the beasts nipping at her heels, nearly taking her down, but she managed to get to the crevice and climb it high enough so they couldn't get her. She would stay there for a grueling amount of time until she began to hear gunshots ringing out followed by the sound of the wolves whining in pain. She peeks out from the crevice to see a girl around her age and a couple of others beginning to harvest the wolves for materials. This girl with short red hair had saved her, that is what she thought. Ever since then, Serenity had been at Autumn's side.

On the day before today, Serenity had saved Autumn, she had been in Perfection buying supplies when she heard voices coming from her short range radio. She heard the voice of her friend explaining certain things and the denial of two others. She knew there was a high chance Autumn would be at the saloon, the Yeoman, and so she approached the doors to hear the yelling of a man after the sound of a shot glass breaking against a wall. From her position, she sees the man, Dennis O'Leary, standing in front of Autumn menacingly in Serenity's eyes. She had raised her revolver, aimed it well, and pulled the trigger. The explosion ripped the air and led to much confusion after. She had stayed behind during the confusion to see what would happen after and saw the Bargirl beginning to go after Autumn. Serenity wanted to burst in to stop the fight to stop her friend from being hurt, but there was a certain bald headed old man barking at her. She escaped on horseback back to this wooden shack, hoping Autumn would survive. She had waited, tending to the work that needed to be done. Mainly disposing of the corpse that had once been animated as Jim Hirsch.

Sitting up was a challenge for Billy, on account of his injuries. He found it easier to just lay in bed, his eyes panning around for something, anything to indicate where he was. That was when he saw them: iron bars. Billy was in a cell. Oh shit, he thought.

Ela shook her head, she couldn’t remember, or maybe it was just that she didn’t want too. Whatever really happened it was obvious Wyatt was still confused. He was looking for answers from her… She felt a little uncomfortable with this; Ela had flashes of things but no coherent narrative. Things didn’t fit in any order just screams and thrown punches and… A lot of choking. What she remembered the most was the smell, the smell of whisky on the breath of a man…

She was called back from her daze of recollection by Wyatt. ‘Ela, please… if you remember anything you have to tell me… A lot of people died Ela, and…’ He paused Wyatt had never had to be so diplomatic before, he wasn’t used to this work when he was patrolling the bush. ‘I don’t have the… Seniority to stop any… Violence… If people can’t find someone responsible then… Well they’re gonna make someone responsible and hang em’, I’m sure of it…’ He said with an uncomfortable sideways look.

Wyatt didn’t like sharing violent details with a lady, not that he thought Ela was some delicate desert flower, he could tell that much from just looking at her face. She’d seen the rough side of the world but still, that wasn’t the way his momma raised him’. ‘I’m trying to piece this all together okay… Just nod if you hear anything that stands out to you?’ Wyatt began ending every sentence with an upwards inflection and pausing to watch any answer on Ela’s face, unfortunately she proved a little despondent. ‘So, Dennis O’leary came to your bar for a delivery, you remember that right? Changed the barrel?’ Ela’s eyes darted around but she slowly nodded even though she wasn’t sure if she was remembering the time Wyatt was describing or some time further in the past when Dennis had visited before. It was all so confusing. ‘He got shot Ela, died, not entirely sure by who… Witness said there was a man and a woman… I believe the man to be Butch Prase but I can’t identify the woman…’ He watched Ela reading her facial expression closely. ‘You got in a scuffle… Do you remember? Do you know why? And who with?’ Ela shook her head, she couldn't remember anything but claws in her skin, pulling at her hair and repeated punches to her throat…

She instinctively winced in pain at the thought. Wyatt recoiled a little, ‘Are you okay..? Don’t… Try to speak the Doctor said you need to rest. Have some more…’ He pointed at the glass of water resting in Ela’s hands and she complied. It was kind of pathetic she thought how much of a challenge it was just bring it to her lips.

Wyatt was increasingly uncomfortable with this, even if he could identify the woman he was no closer to putting this all together, and then he’d have to deal with the fact that he was the only Lawman not being buried for miles around. Before he could investigate he’d have to invest time hiring and training new deputies. He didn’t have the talent or the nerve it took to be Sheriff…

‘Geeze what a mess’ he mumbled. ‘Look… The last thing the Sheriff Sandy Bushes did before he was murdered… Well he put a bounty on the Man Clarence Obadiah … Now we can’t find the man, nor identify him in the dead… Maybe... If you thought about you could? But in that pile of mess that was downstairs…’ He pointed below him then stopped realising that might be a bit insensitive. ‘Well we found his pocket watch’, he pulled it out of his jacket, showing Ela the engraved initials then the broken watch face. ‘If you know where he is, or might be, you’ll save me a mighty big heap of trouble’ he said. Ela sort of looked a bit sad, she wanted to help but she couldn’t remember a man called Clarence, but the watch did ring some bell…  

She gestured for it and Wyatt complied swapping it for her water… Yes… She could see it… A man smashed it against her bar. Was it Clarence? Or someone else..? She made a smashing gesture at the face while staring at Wyatt. ‘You…? Smashed it?’ he asked. No, Ela shook her head, this game of charades was frustrating. She pointed downstairs, then at the glass in Wyatt’s hand and then made the smashing motion again. He leaned in this time, ‘someone smashed the watch… At the bar?’, Ela nodded. So Clarence must have been here? He thought… But why would a wanted man destroy his own watch, or even carry it with him into a bar. He looked back at Ela for more answers but she had none… She swapped the watch for the glass once again and he nodded.

‘Well thank you mam’, you’ve been mighty helpful, I’ll be back this afternoon in case you remember anything else… The Doctor too said she’d come and check on you…’ and with that Wyatt took his leave. It was time he had a little talk with his friend in the cell...  Ela was exhausted, but still nervous, the bar downstairs better be locked up, she had no one to tend it if she was up here sick, though she was sure Wyatt would see to it, he seemed like a caring man.

Managing to sit up, Billy pulled the blanket away, looking down at his body; a bandage clung to his shoulder and was wrapped there by more cloth. His pants were....well, ruined, was one way of describing it, as the wound on his leg had also been addressed. He looked around but his belongings were nowhere to be found in the cell.

Wyatt walked out of the bar and across Town into the dingy looking Sheriff's station. The building was one story, narrow but deep with rooms at the back for two large-ish cells. Even though in all his years he'd never seen either one of them full.

As he entered the station he stared at the Sheriff's desk, it was in the corner away from the window, his papers and trinkets still lining the top. Wyatt's stomach dropped. This was too surreal... Was he really supposed to act as the authority of law now? There was no one to tell him no if he got it wrong...

He continued to the back, standing in the doorway to the cell that held the wounded stranger he'd found in The Yeoman. Lighting a cigarette he watched him for a moment, trying to suss him out. At least he was awake, and hell he was alive. That's more than he could say for some he'd seen with wounds like that. Guess that Dr was either very good or this man was very lucky... If it was luck, well it might just of ran out for him. He knew the Town would want revenge for that scene, and... He couldn't see it coming any other way than a noose around this poor soul's neck.

He walked up to the bars approaching the man, 'You awake huh?'he said pulling out a hand rolled cigarette and offering it through the bars.

Serenity squeezes Autumn's hand one more time before letting it go. She stands and moves over to Autumn's belongings, ruffling through the stuff in her pouch. She finds a fair bit of money, nearly fifty with some change among the smaller bags that usually house bounty's eyeballs. She never respected that aspect of her work, the way she desecrated corpses, but Autumn had explained her reasoning. "If I just take their eye or their finger, then treat 'em up real nice so they won't die then make 'em promise to join up with me. Everything will be the way it used to be." She might have tried to do that with Dennis, but she knows for a fact Jim Hirsch wasn't part of that. Granted Jim did put up more of a fight. With a heavy sigh, she moves to the door of the wooden shack in order to head back into town. She hid her identity well she thinks, by tucking her hair up and bringing her bandana up, so she doubts anyone would be able to recognize her.

She softly closes the shack door without taking her hat, nor her bandana and moves up to her calico colt horse after petting Autumn's stallion. Serenity mounts it, then with a snap of the reigns begins moving towards Perfection. With as a remote location as this was, having anyone stumble inside would be a rare thing. Maybe that's why Jim was hiding out here. It would make sense, after all. She didn't feel right leaving Autumn, but she had to get some more medical supplies and the fifty dollars would be a good amount of cash to use to get it.

"Little far for me to walk," Billy said, looking at the cigarette. "How's the girl?" he asked the stranger.

Wyatt snubbed the question, he didn't want to tell this stranger more than he needed to know. He tucked the cigarette behind his ear, taking another drag on his own. 'How about you answer me first... What is your name?'

Glowering at the lack of response, Billy played along for now. "Billy," he said. "You?"

'I'm 3rd Deputy...' he paused correcting himself, might as well get used to it now... 'I'm Sheriff Wyatt Lane of Perfection.' Wyatt didn't want this, 'billy' character to be difficult but it was't the first time he'd talked down a hot head. 'Don't suppose you know much of these parts, see here people have two names, ain't much I can do with just... ''Billy''.

Sighing, Billy said "It's William 'Billy' Hayes, sheriff."

'Billy Hayes...' Wyatt mumbled, 'Ain't heard your name before... Seems like a bad time to visit Perfection.' He stood a little straighter, trying to sound a little more formal. 'A lot of people are wondering what exactly you are doing here?'

"I'm a bounty hunter," Billy said plainly. "Was working a job not far out of town, and I had hoped to collect on it here. But the previous sheriff refused to pay, and instead offered me a job of his own in exchange for half the original bounty and I needed the money. Turned out he was full of crap, setting me on the O'Leary brothers. Guess he wanted their property or something like that."

Serenity moves onto a main stretch of dirt road after riding on the side road. After a bit more of riding, she can see the first few buildings of Perfection. Just a bit more and she passes the town's sign, freshly painted over haphazardly with a new number signifying the freshly deceased. She slows the horse down to a trot as she comes into the town. She gives small nods to people as they pass each other and she eventually dismounts her horse. Grabbing the rope attached to the saddle, she ties the horse up to the post connected to what can be called the doctor's office. Her boots pound against the creaky wooden foundation and stop briefly as she opens the door to the establishment. The fresh smell of death pervades her nose. Her face turns upside down in a grimace, Do they store dead bodies here as well? she thinks to herself.

Wyatt took another drag of his cigaret, closing his eyes this time. 'Sounds to me that you had a perfect motive for killing Sheriff Bushes...' His voice was a little teasing, though he tried his best not to be happy about the situation, after all this wasn't the end of it. 'Did the woman help you?' He asked opening one eye, watching Billy's reaction. Wyatt had this gut feeling that Billy was somehow involved with the woman seen at the bar, the relationship though was anyone's guess, parter? Lover even? Wyatt wanted to test him... 'Yeah we found her, about forty yards down the road, poor girl collapsed from her wounds...'

Dr Barrett, or Naomi to her friends was as thin as a whip but angled like glass. Her grey hair was tied neatly into a bun behind her ears and her once glowing blue eyes, now faded with age were hidden behind a pair of tiny rounded eye glasses. Naomi poked her head around the back door when she heard the footsteps of Serenity. 'Well throw the anchor and stop the steam boat, if it ain't the darling Serenity!', the doctor said grinning. 'What brings you to my humble apothecary?' she says faking a mock curtsey before laughing it off. Naomi wore a white coat, stained with blood and emblazed on the breast pocket was the mark of the Royal Doctors Corp. It was a sign well regarded as the standards of the Corp were one of the highest in the world. It did tend to bring her a great deal of animosity though this far out west with those who assumed she was a royalist. Naomi could have removed the badge but it was her Eastern accent that gave her away as someone born into better so there was really no point.

Serenity gives a soft smile at the older woman at her playful nature. Doctors like this is one of the reasons why she truly wanted to be one herself. Healing wounds was one thing, but helping out with psychological wounds was a step even she had trouble with. "I need some bandages, Ms. Barrett, and some disinfectant. Heading out on the road to the next town over maybe even the one after that, wanna be prepared if something goes wrong." Serenity says. It was a half truth, no doubt Autumn would want to head out after the incident that happened yesterday. With her currently out of commission, it is up to Serenity to take care of the shopping.

'Where you traveling to? A warzone?' She laughed at her own lame joke before smirking embarrassed and returning to a somewhat sober tone... 'Serenity my sweet... I'm fresh out of bandages...' She rested a hand on her hip and pointed one finger against her head. 'This damn bar fight almost cleared me out'. In truth it wasn't just the bar fight, her last two shipments of supplies had been plundered by looters and everything was in short supply. The irony the name a town like Perfection offered was one of the reasons she found it such an attractive home, maybe one day things won't be a disaster she thought.

Naomi bounced on her heel, 'here, I've got some stuff in the back, come with me and I'll dig around... Oh and...' She paused before turning around with a grin, 'someone like you will appreciate this'. Naomi had alway loved Serenity's interest in medicine, she had thought many times training her as an apprentice, but something about her made Naomi feel Serenity's loyalties would always be elsewhere.

Regardless Naomi disappeared into the backroom where the three bodies of Sandy Bushes, Dennis O'learly and Butch Prase lay on slabs. She waited over Butch with grim indication.

She gives a slight laugh at the joke, covering her mouth as she does. Without much else to do, Serenity follows Naomi into the room and is shocked at what she saw. She even gasps audibly. The three bodies lay there, displayed for anyone to come and see so long as they came into this room. The gasp was mainly directed at the state of Butch, the man Naomi is currently standing over. Whatever happened to him was not something she would like to have done to her, not in any lifetime.

"These.. were the victims?" She asked in a very somber tone. Dennis, of course she knew about, but looking at him now she feels pangs of regret for what she had done.

"Who? You mean Autumn? Course I know her: in this business, you learn plenty of names, " Billy said. "Course if you mean did she help me, then I'm honestly a little fuzzy. We both got played by the sheriff. She wanted the money more than getting even though, so I figured she ran with it."

'Yep' she says slightly with a chirpy nod, she couldn't help her peppiness. A life time dealing with the dying and dead made you desensitised to such sights. 'This here' she says slappings his chest, 'is the sweet old Butch Prase, though you wouldn't be able to tell it from his face' she said flicking one of the mangled folds of skin that were hanging onto his face back. 'That Deputy Wyatt asked me to examine the bodies, get the ''affairs straight'' he said, that guy's a stickler that much I know'. Naomi petered off for a second, getting lost in the frozen expression on Butch's face. 'Never thought I'd see him like this, he wasn't the sort of man to get in someone else's fight, he was buying tonic for his wife just two summers back. Loss hit him hard...'

Naomi smiled and perked back up again, her reserves of energy were seemingly endless. 'Anyway that's not what I needed you for, here,' she says pointing at Dennis body, 'help me flip him over... Ain't what I used to be...' Naomi needed Serenity's help to double check, but she was sure that there was more to learn from Dennis' body than Wyatt suggested.

'Autmn...' Wyatt chewed... 'Got a second name for her?' he said. This Billy was either way too earnest or genuinely believed he had nothing to hide. Either way Wyatt wasn't upset. He dropped his cigarette, and thumbed the watch in his pocket... Was all this death really over some money... 'So did she shoot him, Dennis, the Deputies, Ryan and Cole, what about Sandy too? She shoot him?'. He'd have to admit, it would be an awful lot of death for one woman to cause single handedly.

Serenity nods and walks over to the corpse of the man she shot. Her face is grows more and more like stone as she draws near. Autumn had spoken about acquiring the O'Leary brothers into their growing gang and using their distillery as a means to generate funds. From everything that happened, it appears to her that plan was not even attempted to be finished. Her hands stretch out, her fingers and hands feel the clammy skin, fully cold at this point in time. With a bit of a struggle, they manage to flip the corpse.

'See that!' Naomi points with a jig, 'That's an entry wound...' Her finger circled the wound in Dennis' back, a small hole blackened by congealed blood. She looks up at Serenity with excited eyes, mouth slightly open. 'Do you know what this means..?' She grabs the top of her head, a little dizzy with excitement.

"It means that this man was shot in the back." Serenity offers a clear and concise answer, it was the only logical one. If there was an entry wound in the back, of course the bullet entered there. "What are your thoughts on this?" She asks trying to gain a bit of information from the woman. Her thoughts could point to where the blame lays. "And what did the Deputy have to say about this?" She asks, wanting to hear this Deputy Wyatt's opinion as well.

'The Deputy? Psh, that boy... He's trying so hard to look competent and it just isn't working for him...' She pressed the flesh around the wound gently with some sort of blunt tool. 'But you are right my keen observer, it does mean he was shot in the back, and well... According to all accounts nobody was behind poor Dennis here.'

She smiled at her victory, yes this was a good time to know she still had, the knack that could shake up the opinions of those around her. Despite Naomi's respect for Serenity's intelligence she continued to revel in her victory just a little longer. 'So... It means either the accounts the Deputy has are wrong... Or... Well there was a shooter nobody else saw.' Naomi leaned in closer, then patted the skin next to her as some crude offer for Searenity to join her closer to Dennis wound. 'See the uneven shape of the bullet wound? That meant the bullet had time to lose momentum... The shooter was further away, this wasn't point blank.' Naomi stood back up a little gleeful she could share this discovery with someone else. A part of her wanted this young girl to look up to her... That realisation made Naomi glance away for a bit, infact it made her so embarrassed she crept around Sandy's body instead. 'Yeah well... I'll tell the Sheriff in my report, it could change everything...' she mumbled.

Serenity nods in response, "I do believe you've gotten yourself a breakthrough in this case, Ms. Barrett." She says through a generous and approving smile. There is not any possible way for them to link this murder back to her, so all she had to do was keep her cool. "You're a good doctor, Ms. Barrett. The best in this town. You've helped with so much in your time." She looks away for a second before putting her soft green eyes back onto the older woman, "I just felt like you needed to hear that." She finishes with a true smile.

"Nope. To any of those. Look, I only know her professionally fromy maybe one or two jobs, that's all. I sure as he'll never got her surname," Billy said. "And I was outside, waiting for her to leave when the shots happened. No idea who shot first."

Wyatt grimaced disappointed, the more Billy explained the more Wyatt imagined himself reluctantly tying a noose around his neck. 'So how did you end up inside the bar?' he said clearing his throat and his mind with a cough.

Naomi smiled, despite her light-hearted exterior she wasn't the best with sincere emotions. 'yes well...' She coughed, 'you're a very talented young girl Serenity...' She drummed on Sandy Bushes' feet to playfully drag them both back into the reality where they were surrounded by bruised and mangled bodies. 'Here... I'll fetch you your things' she said retreating into a store room. The darkness of the store room hid her red, blushing face.

Naomi returned with a box of basic medical supplies and the items Serenity request, minus the bandages, 'these should sort you for a journey... Sorry again about the bandages.' She approached Serenity offering her to take the box from her hands as thought crossing her mind. 'You could, perhaps use fresh clean linens instead...' her eyes rolled to the back of her head in thought. 'If you'd visit The Yeoman for me, deliver this tonic to the bar girl, I'm sure they'd have decent fabric you could shred for bandages.'

"I hadn't even thought of that." Serenity says with a gasp in surprise. How could she have missed a basic replacement for what she needed. "But isn't the Yeoman a crime scene? Would being there be alright?" She asks as she takes the box in her right hand. "How much money would you like for this?" She asks, motioning towards the box with her head. A simple delivery shouldn't take too much time away from getting back to Autumn. She'd just have to refrain from doing anything too bad to the person she is delivering the tonic to. After all, she did mess up Autumn pretty bad and a sense of growing malice begins to develop inside of her as the prospect of interacting with that woman enters the situation.

'Money? Dear don't worry about that, you did me a favor with Dennis there and you're doing me a favor delivering this.' She said tucking the tonic into the box Serenity was clutching. 'The girl won't mind I'm sure, she's in a pretty bad way, her Larynx was crushed, so I doubt she could even complain if she wanted too' Naomi laughed. It was sad sure, but she had developed a dark sense of humor throughout the years.

'Just make sure the tonic I felt there is empty too, if not force it down the shameless girls throat' she said with a wink. 'Anyway, I better get back to these fellas', Naomi made a sweeping gesture towards the bodies. Smelling the air and snarling, 'I don't think they'll last another day...'

Frowning, Billy replied "Well, when I heard the shots....something about it didn't sit right; Autumn was just supposed to collect and leave. But when the shots rang out...this is a woman who plucks people's eyes out for her bounty." Grunting slightly as a twinge ran through his shoulder, Billy paused before saying "Guess I panicked."

With a short nod, Serenity balances the items freshly given to her and walks out of the building after having to set the items down and then to retrieve them to open the door and exit. She looks around the square of the town, somber faces of the deceased surviving family are seen walking around like the living dead. Maybe trying to figure out how they will pay for the funeral services or even wondering if they can see their family members again. She gives a downcast, sympathetic look. She had that time as well, her parents had been slaughtered during the attack and she didn't have much time to grieve before Autumn brought her into her protection all part of the grand deal Autumn had come up with.

After having a small time to herself, Serenity leaves the perch on top of the wooden foundation and moves towards the Yeoman after placing her new box into one of the pockets on her horse's satchel and removing the tonic. She didn't know how many deputies or just general lawmen they had in this town, especially after the shootout, so she kept her guard ready to explain herself should one show up. Without any resistance from any officials, she walks into the area, dried blood lay all around and the bullet holes shot into the wood all tell their own tales. She had been standing right here, maybe a bit further back when she shot Dennis, and her she is returning to the crime scene. Not wanting to spend anymore time her than she should, she looks around for anything to lead her to the bar girl. She wandered a bit before finally coming across a wooden staircase up, she takes it and after getting to the top begins to scan the rooms on the second floor until she finds one with the bar girl in it. With a soft couple of knocks, she enters the room and flashes a sympathetic smile at the woman.

Wyatt turned around, retrieving a small hide waterskin that was resting on a chair behind him, 'Bounty hunters often panic do they?' He said offering the flask through the bars... Wyatt's brow furrowed he thought maybe he could utilize this man, use his skills as a bounty hunter to track down this woman. After all he was a bush man more talented at following Coyote trails than those left behind by murderers and thieves... Though, knowingly or not Billy was not making a case for his talents in this industry.

Ela winced at the sound of her Bar being entered, listening she followed the footsteps make their journey across the floor and up towards her door. She had never noticed there were so many details in a person's footsteps before, perhaps it was nerves or just the excruciating boredom that came with being bedridden. What upset her the most was not the apparent lightness of these footsteps, but the uneasy pace to them, like the person didn't exactly know where they were going. Ela thought that maybe it was the Doctor, but that uncertainty killed that assumption.

Ela wanted to do more than just lay there as her door rattled with knocks but whatever medicine was still in her system made it just to hard to move. He muscles were swamped by a heavy wet weight, like when a fly gets its wings caught in molasses she thought... God why did she keep thinking about molasses...what the hel... Her tangential thoughts were interrupted as Serenity entered. Ela... Just... Stared...

I mean what could she do? Say hello? She couldn't speak and what else do people do, what did they want her to wav...? She was waving, something was making Ela wave at this stranger in her bedroom. It was the sort of old, geriatric wave you see a senile old kook making. She really hoped there was some concussion or head wound to blame for her bizarre behavior.

Serenity waves back at the bar girl, taking a quick glance at her condition, then looking away, then taking another look. How much damage was done by Marlie?, she asks herself. She feels a huge weight of shame begin to lay itself upon her shoulders and this weight takes away her ability to speak. There is a long stretch of silence before Serenity finally breaks it, her calm voice runs through the room. "Doctor Barrett sent me over. I have some medication for you to take." She holds up the bottle of tonic and begins to walk over to the bed with a bit of trepidation. This town was rocked with a huge attack and no matter how you may slice the bread, it was Serenity who caused it all to happen. As she grows near, her heart begins to beat faster and faster as more and more weight piles onto it.

Ela turned to her right, staring at the other bottle of tonic resting on her bedside. She hadn't touched it since she woke up, was she supposed to have? She pointed at it vaguely watching the girl. Did she really look that bad she thought? Granted she hadn't seen her reflection yet but damn... Something had shaken her. The unfortunate thing Ela had noticed after becoming a mute is that ever since becoming unable to ask questions she wanted to ask nothing but. She gestured at her throat in a sort of defeated flailing of fingers and rolled her eyes. She didn't even know this girls name, but it's not like she could introduce herself anyway. Ela scratched her left arm, the bandages were tight and sweaty and just... Well she just wanted the throbbing to stop...

"Well, not always," Billy replied. He still couldn't make it to the flask, on account of his injuries. "But Autumn......let's just say she rubbed me the wrong way. Struck me as dangerous to anyone, not just her target." Shrugging, and immediately regretting it from the pain, Billy said "Call me a hunter with a conscience if you want."

Serenity looks at the tonic already on the table and nods her head, "It looks like you still have one to take. I'm Serenity by the way, it's nice to meet you." Serenity says as she stops right next to Ela. She gives a short curtsy and a smile. She was always told to be on her best behavior when dealing with patients. Helping them along in treatment transcends just the basics of giving the medication. "I am very confident this tonic will help you. So take it all, alright?" She places the bottle on the table next to the other and observes as Ela scratches at her bandages on her arm. "I won't ask you what happened since I've heard about it from the good doctor. Well, some aspects. I don't want you to relive all of that." She says in a somber tone, conveying her sadness at the tragic event. "But you did survive and that is what matters, right?" Her tone shifting after a bit of a panic to one of relief.

'Hmmm' Wyatt poundered throwing the waterskin between the bars towards Billy... This Billy really thought he was something but if he was as good as he thought he was he'd be the one getting chased after and not the one sitting in this squalid cell. 'Billy...' Wyatt spoke, standing a little straighter and looking his prisoner in the eyes, some part of him felt like he could tell if Billy was speaking the truth if he could just see his eyes. 'Are you a good man..?'

Survived...? Ela lingered on that word... Survived... Hell if this is what she had to go through just to survive was the fight really worth it? The truth is she knew she couldn't afford this treatment, the only possession she had was this run down bart and with her being so sick... We she might never be able to run it again. She might be healing but her fight for survival wasn't over.

Ela nodded at Serenity's suggestion, her swollen eye struggling to blink. She smiled a broken smile as a thanks, though she wasn't sure she really conveyed that. Her skin felt so bloated and bruised she wasn't sure any expression she'd pull would be visible. She pulled her good arm away from scratch duty and reached over for the older bottle of tonic attempting to lift it. She moved the glass a bit but gave up fearing she'd drop it like the other glass, it was just too heavy for her... Well gee she thought... She looked up at Serenity confused as to what to do instead.

Before he answered, Billy took the waterskin and took several gulps of water. It may have been lukewarm, but right then and there it was the best water he had ever tasted. Setting it down, he looked at Wyatt and said "I'm....honorable. Not the best man in the world, but I do better than most in my line of work."

Serenity gives another nod, a short one this time after watching Ela struggle with the bottle. She takes the bottle in her hands and gets a bit closer, enough to be able to give her the tonic. "Dr. Barrett wants you to take it all, alright? If you want to stop taking it for a second, tap my arm. It may taste a little nasty, but the best medicine is said to be like that." She opens her mouth and motions for Ela to do the same. Something in the back of her mind, the very deep, dark recesses of her head tells her to do a most cruel thing. What if this woman finds you out, Serenity. What if they all do? Shove this bottle down her throat, she won't make any noise. She can barely speak, it's perfect. She stifles these thoughts, it is just her soul panicking. Maybe if she helps out with this, a weight will be lifted? I'm not a violent person, please don't think those thoughts. She thinks, berating herself.

Wyatt nodded, he'd be lying if he knew exactly what he saw in Billy's eyes, was it an honest man? Was it a liar? He didn't know, it wasn't like he imagined it being. 'Well... I'll be the judge of that I suppose...' he said snubbing his nose. 'You've put the law at a disadvantage in this county Billy, and I think you should make up for it', Wyatt said unlocking the cell door. 'I'm offering you a chance to become my honorary Deputy and help me catch this Autumn woman to pay for her crimes. If you do a good job and you're an honest man like you say, I'll pardon you... That sound like a deal you'd care for bounty hunter?'


Ela wanted to take it, she really did, if anything it might force her into some uneasy sleep again. It was better than sitting her in agony watching the paint peel...

She opened her mouth taking the tonic and tipping her head as far back as the bedpost allowed her. It was... Sickly sweet, as if it was treated with some sort of sugar or honey, it was slow moving and lined her throat in a black tar like substance. She was sure her teeth would look black after this... Ela tapped Serenity's arms a few times and took some breaks. It was hard to swallow, it was even worse being dependent on a stranger. She sucked in one final large breath and finished the bottle thanking Serenity with another pat... This was too surreal.