DISCLAIMER: The Young Riders is the creation of Ed Spielman, and the property of Ogiens/Kane productions in association with MGM/UA television. This Story is created for entertainment purposes only, no infringement intended. Not to be copied without permission from the author.
”I’m sorry Buck” Teaspoon spoke as Kid and Jimmy lifted the bodies of Eccles two dead henchmen over their horses backs. “I never thought he would anticipate our plan” he watched Buck with worried eyes.
Ever since they had been set upon by these two men they had been pinned down in this rocky outcropping. It hadn’t taken them long to overpower and outgun the two men, but it had been long enough for them all to be nervous about Bernie’s safety. They should have been back at the waystation by now, not stuck here at least 10 mins fast ride away from the station.
“Let me go on ahead Teaspoon” he almost pleaded
Teaspoon shook his head “I cant let you do that son” Teaspoon was truly fearful of what Buck would do if the worst should have happened in their absence.
“Dammit Teaspoon, Im sorry but I am not going to sit around out here while that madman kills the woman I love” he almost spat at Teaspoon as he kicked his horse into motion.
“Kid, Jimmy, Cody” he called his riders “catch him and for God’s sake don’t let him do anything stupid” he watched as the boys leapt onto their horses backs racing after Buck who was already becoming a hazy shape in the distance. Ettienne looked at Teaspoon and knew that it was his destiny to follow them and see this whole ordeal through to the end, also spurred his horse into motion and lit out after his new friends.
It hadn’t taken them long to catch up with him,
“Buck, calm down it could be nothing” Jimmy spoke as he pulled on Buck’s reins to slow him.
“Something is wrong Jimmy can’t you feel it” Buck pleaded with his friends
“I think he’s right Jimmy” Cody spoke as he pointed into the distance. Five sets of eyes turned in the direction that Cody pointed. Thick plumes of black smoke billowed on the horizon. The boys all knew where the smoke was coming from, no further words were needed they resumed their break neck pace, now sharing Buck’s desperation to get back to his lover.
They rode frantically into the waystation yards to find Lou and Rachel being held at gunpoint by Eccles, their faces stained by tears. The barn a mass of red hot flames one end of it collapsing in on itself. Eccles henchmen were holding the rest of the townsfolk at bay with shotguns.
“Buck, Bernie is in there” Rachel called to Buck as the five of them flung themselves from their saddles desperate to find out what had happened. Fury in his eyes, he started to move towards Eccles. Undeterred Eccles drew a second gun and pulled back the hammer “Don’t give me an excuse to kill you halfbreed.” He sneered
Jimmy and Kid saw that Buck would not be deterred by the threat of physical harm and grabbed him. Buck struggled furiously against their restraining arms.
“No” he screamed “No can’t you see” he cried “I have to save her or die trying” he tried in vain to break free of their arms “I cant lose her again” he kicked out against them trying to clip out of their arms “Please I cant live through that again.” He slumped against their arms realising that he would not break their hold. Cody surveyed the crowd and realised that Isabelle was not there, feeling the same empty feeling inside knowing that Isabelle was inside the barn as well. Ettienne walked out from behind his horse a gun held tightly in his hand, determined to finish this one way or another.
“Eccles, leave our friends alone, you don’t have an argument with them”
“Oh but I do” they have helped you to make me look like a fool at home, for that alone I think they should pay” he turned one gun on Ettienne “As you shall” he cackled pulling back the hammer on the gun
“No Eccles you will” Ettienne barely even hesitated he pulled the trigger. His shot hit Eccles through the chest, he was already dead before he crumpled to the ground, but Ettienne didn’t even see him fall his one thought in his mind to save his sister and the woman he would give his life for.
“Ettienne, no its too late” Rachel screamed as she watched him fight his way through licking flames into the barn. The rest of the town , stood in stunned disbelief for a few moments then moved as one to help douse the flames if they could.
It wasn’t long before they had a bucket line to the nearest water established and through bucket after bucket of water on the flames. Jimmy and Kid still held Buck knowing that if they let him go, they would not be able to stop him from entering the barn and possibly killing himself. Cody was the first one to see Ettiene trying to break his way through the wall at the far end of the barn. Throwing down the empty bucket he was holding he ran to the spot and helped him to break the boards away to make a large enough hole in the wall.
He was happy to be there as Ettienne passed his sister through the hole, Cody took her in his arms and carried her further from the barn. Kneeling on the ground, he cradled her on his lap and brushed her hair back from her face, wiping the smudging of soot with his fingers. Smiling as he watched her eyes flutter, glad to be the first one she saw when she woke up.
Behind him Kid and Jimmy had released Buck and he ran to the gaping hole in the wall in time for Ettienne to pass Bernie through to him, tears running down his face as he cradled her lifeless form he carried her away from the flames, falling to is knees trying to force his life force into her as he held her.
So intent were the riders on seeing if Bernie was alive they completely forgot Ettienne. Gasping for breath he struggled through the hole and collapsed to his knees, his burning lungs refusing to inhale any more hot air. He closed his eyes grateful that his strength had held out long enough to save the woman he loved and his sister and sank to the ground, face first in the muddy ground.
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