A Lethal Lady

Either his eyesight was failing him, or he was simply seeing a mirage. Rouse stopped and then narrowed his eyes, it didn’ look like a mirage. What he was really seeing was a damned town, his salvation, or possibly his doom.

Whatever it was, she needed to get to it... But as she took a step forward, her knees failed and suddenly the blonde’s bod fell face first into the ground. From the impact of the blow, Rouse hits her head on some rocks. The girl instantly groans, half-opens her eyes and looks at the town in the distance.

It seemed so close, yet so far away at the same time... the contrast of the hot steam from the earth made it look like it wa about to burst into flames. Rouse knew it was quite possible that this was the end of him, he no longer had the strength stand up and walk there.

And because of how far away she was, she doubted that anyone would find her in that place. Unable to help herself, she closed her eyes and then let out her breath. Perhaps it was best to wait for death. After all, her life was already doomed. It was ironic, after walking so far, to die so close to salvation... and with that thought she plunges into darkness.

[.]

“Miss! Miss!

Alittle boy was trying to wake up a woman he met on his way home, but the lady did not answer him. The boy was returning from his chores tending some cattle, when he came across the body of a stranger lying on the ground.

The boy looked at her clothes and felt a little ashamed, she was almost naked, with only her petticoat and shirt. However what worried the young man the most was that the woman's clothes were stained with blood on one side. And judging by the small pool of blood that lay under the fabric of her undergarment, he assumed she was badly injured.

Other than that, the scorching sun was severely burning her face and the rest of her uncovered body. The boy knew she needed help, she was an outsider, but she was also a lady.

“No wake up, I'm going to have to go get the sheriff.

And with that said, the boy left running towards town. He couldn't do anything else, he didn't have the strength to carry t woman, his only option was to go for help?

As he stepped onto the first step of the police station, Tom Wesley heard someone shouting his name at the top of their lungs. Immediately, he turns his body to see a little boy running towards him, he knew him, he was the blacksmith's son, the boy worked taking care of some cattle at Joy's ranch.

Tom figured something had happened at the old man's house... when it wasn't one problem, it was another.

-Sheriffl -Sheriffi I need you to come see something.

“What is it, boy? I'm a little busy right now, is something wrong with Joy?

No, sheriff, it's just that I've found a very hurt lady. -What are you talking about?!

“What are you talking about?! A woman! -Where?

-Over there, sir" He points in the direction of the cliff. She's lying on the ground, and she's bleeding badly. I've seen her, I called her, but the lady doesn't answer me.

Take me immediately.

The sheriff takes the prisoner into the police station, leaving him in charge of his right hand, then leaves the station and follows the boy... he was curious about this woman, no one had told him about the disappearance of someone from the town. It was strange for a woman to appear out of nowhere, let alone badly wounded.

He didn't want to ask the boy any more questions, he preferred to see the woman on his own...

BY the time they both reached the place where she was, Tom was perplexed for a moment. This girl did not belong to the town, she was a stranger.

she’s a stranger, sheriff. What do we do? -The boy's voice brought him out of his musings.

She needs a doctor's attention.

-1 think she’s dead,” the boy said.

Tom feels a twinge inside, the death of a stranger in his town was not good. He crouches down to take her in his arms, bu in doing so he gets a clearer view of her face,

despite the dirty and battered, the lady was very pretty. Her face seemed somewhat refined.

-1s she dead? -As soon as the boy asks, the blonde complains about the rise of her body.

She is not... run to the doctor's house, tell him to prepare everything for this woman's arrival. Run, boy.

Yes.

As the boy set off, Tom smoothly carried the battered body of the mystery woman. Immediately, he noticed the wound in her side. It seemed severe, for the large pool of blood left on the ground was cause for alarm.

He hurried his pace, but in a subtle way. The last thing he wanted was to aggravate the situation of this young woman. He needed her alive to explain many things to him, and well, he didn't want her to die either.

By the time the sheriff arrived at the doctor's house, he himself was waiting outside with the little boy and by that time, : lot of people were around the house waiting for him to arrive.

-Sheriff, what happened? Who is this woman?

“1 need you to take care of her, she’s very ill.

-Well, come in.

The brown-haired man went inside the house with the woman in his arms, then the blonde was laid down on a bed prepared especially for her. Tom looked at her and realized that she was practically naked in his arms. That detail made him get hot on the spot.

-Sheriff, I need you to leave the room. I need to check her” At that moment, the doctor's wife enters with some white blankets and an oval container with fresh water.

Of course, I'll be outside.

The brown-haired man leaves, taking one last look at the young woman lying on the bed... he denies, and leaves the roon to meet the blacksmith’s son.

“What are you doing here? You should be at home, your father will be worried.

- wanted to know if the young lady is going to recover.

“We can't know yet, you'd better go home.

-All right.

The boy leaves and Tom stares at the closed door where the woman was standing. Her arrival would bring a lot of controversy to the town. He had better hope she didn't die.

After several minutes, Tom looks out the window, noticing that many women, especially those in the bar, were still waitin; for news of the new arrival. The sheriff denies the lack of consideration of these gossipy old women.

He prepared to leave to send them all to their homes or, failing that, to work, it was already dark and they were still there waiting for a gossip. When he was one step away from leaving the house, the door behind him opened, the brown man turned around and saw the doctor's wife coming out.

-My husband will be right out, Sheriff.

The lady started to light some candles to give the house more light. Tom opted to postpone leaving the house until the doctor gave him news of the woman. Suddenly he came out, wiping his hands with a white cloth stained with blood.

-1 don't know if she will make it through the night,” he said. She has lost a lot of blood, she has a very high fever and that wound on her rib and feet are very delicate. It's a miracle he’s still alive.

-Do you think he will die in the morning?

-I think he may die tonight.

Can't you do something to help her? -I'm sorry, Tom.

Ym sorry, Tom. I can't do anything more for her, I've tended to all her wounds and given her medicine. It all depends on the lady's will to survive.

The sheriff nods, if Jesey tells him there was nothing more he could do for her, then so it was. The girl could die at any moment.

-If 1 ask her something right now, do you think she'll answer me?

she’s unconscious, she won't say a word.

Tom takes off his hat, revealing his somewhat long hair. It would be a serious problem if the lady died, at least he would have liked to know what town she was from, and why the hell she was walking half naked in the middle of nowhere, whic! led him to think of something he didn’t even want to imagine.