Moving On Chapter 8 Vin walked along Main Street as he thought about what he was going to say to Ezra. The other five peacekeepers had gone to a small cafe to get some breakfast, but Vin had decided that he wanted to try and talk to Ezra alone. He knew how Ezra felt. When he had been younger, he had been looked down on because of how poor he was. Because he was a white man living with Indians. He had been looked down on for many different reasons. Even now, it happened sometimes. So, he knew that it hurt Ezra when Nathan, Chris, or any one of them would make a remark about his heritage or his card playing. No matter how much Ezra tried to brush off the comments, Vin knew that they bothered the man. So, he understood Ezra having enough and leaving. He just hoped he could convince Ezra that they wanted him back. Back in Four Corners. Back working with them. The meeting with Ezra, yesterday, hadn't gone so well. Of course, that little remark Nathan had made when he saw Ezra playing poker hadn't helped at all. Vin scowled just thinking about it. Every time he thought about Nathan's remark to Ezra, he wound up angry. Nathan should've known better! And, the man didn't even act like he regretted it. Vin shook his head as he reached Ezra's hotel. Walking inside, he went up to the font desk. He figured he'd let the man behind the desk announce his arrival to Ezra. Vin had no intention of getting shot by a pissed off southerner so early in the morning. "Can I help you?" the man asked in a patronizing tone. "Let Ezra Standish know that I'm here to see him." The man's face immediately turned genuine with concern. "You haven't heard?" "Haven't heard what?" Vin demanded as his stomach sank. He just knew that he was about to get some bad news. "Mister Standish was attacked a couple of blocks down the street. He was found about an hour ago and taken to the Main Street Hotel. He's being looked after by Doctor Welsh, from what I heard." A knot of concern settled in Vin's stomach. Without a word, he turned and fled the hotel. He wanted so much to go and see how Ezra was, but he thought that he'd better let the others know first. Running as fast as he could, he reached Lily's Cafe within a few minutes. Seeing his friends sitting at a table, he rushed over to them and saw that they were just finishing breakfast. "Guess your meetin' with Ezra didn't go too well, huh?" Nathan said in an I-told-you-so voice. Vin shot Nathan a glare and growled, "Shut the hell up." "Vin, what's the matter?" demanded Chris. "Ez is at the Main Street Hotel a couple of blocks down the street. He was attacked last night. He was found this mornin' and taken there. A Doctor... Welsh is lookin' after him. C'mon, we gotta get over there!" Without any more prodding, the five men quickly rose from the table and left the cafe. MAIN STREET HOTEL The six peacekeepers entered the hotel, going straight to the man behind the front desk. "Where's Doctor Welsh?" Chris demanded. "He's with a patient right now," answered the man. "We know. He's working on our friend. Where are they?" Buck asked. "Down the hallway. First door on the left," the man said with a little fear. He wasn't about to tell these six imposing men that they couldn't go back there! Chris, Vin, Nathan, Josiah, JD, and Buck hurried to where the doctor was working on Ezra. Josiah opened the door, causing the doctor to quickly lift his head in surprise. "What is the meanin' of this?" the doctor demanded. "He's our friend. We wanna know how he is," answered JD in a shaky voice. The doctor's face softened slightly. "Please wait outside. I'll be out there in a few minutes, as soon as I get done stitchin' him up." The six men conceded and walked out, closing the door behind them. "How could this have happened? He was just fine last night!" exclaimed Buck, worry evident in his voice. The other men were all wondering the same thing. After what seemed like an eternity, but was really only a few minutes, the doctor walked out of the room. "I'm Doctor Ian Welsh," he introduced himself. Pointing at each man in turn, Josiah introduced them. When the introductions were complete, Josiah asked, "Ezra gonna be alright?" The doctor sighed. "Mister Standish was attacked sometime last night. A couple of people heard a scuffle, but didn't bother to check. Anyway, he was left outside all night and was found at six this morning. Whoever attacked him did one hell of a job. "He has some scratches on his neck and arms. His face is covered in bruises and he has a couple of broken ribs. What I'm the most concerned about, though, is his stab wound. He got stabbed in the lower stomach. And he is suffering from a high fever from not being looked at right away." Doctor Welsh paused for a moment, then said, "Right now, gentlemen, I can't say one way or the other if he will make it. If his fever comes down and the infection doesn't travel all through his blood, he's got a chance." "Thank you, Doctor," said Nathan who had been quiet up to that point. "Can I see him?" asked a voice. The six peacekeepers and the doctor hadn't noticed that another man had joined them, and had been listening to what the doctor said. The six peacekeepers looked at the man. He was tall, about Josiah's height, had sandy-blond hair and what looked like grayish-green eyes. He looked like someone who knew how to take care of himself, but he also had a softness around the eyes. "Who are you?" demanded Vin. They had never met this man before. And, here he was, asking about Ezra. "Brad Kinsington. Ezra's brother-in-law," the man answered the six shocked men. Return to Moving On
Moving On
Chapter 8
Vin walked along Main Street as he thought about what he was going to say to Ezra. The other five peacekeepers had gone to a small cafe to get some breakfast, but Vin had decided that he wanted to try and talk to Ezra alone.
He knew how Ezra felt. When he had been younger, he had been looked down on because of how poor he was. Because he was a white man living with Indians. He had been looked down on for many different reasons. Even now, it happened sometimes.
So, he knew that it hurt Ezra when Nathan, Chris, or any one of them would make a remark about his heritage or his card playing. No matter how much Ezra tried to brush off the comments, Vin knew that they bothered the man. So, he understood Ezra having enough and leaving.
He just hoped he could convince Ezra that they wanted him back. Back in Four Corners. Back working with them. The meeting with Ezra, yesterday, hadn't gone so well. Of course, that little remark Nathan had made when he saw Ezra playing poker hadn't helped at all. Vin scowled just thinking about it.
Every time he thought about Nathan's remark to Ezra, he wound up angry. Nathan should've known better! And, the man didn't even act like he regretted it. Vin shook his head as he reached Ezra's hotel.
Walking inside, he went up to the font desk. He figured he'd let the man behind the desk announce his arrival to Ezra. Vin had no intention of getting shot by a pissed off southerner so early in the morning.
"Can I help you?" the man asked in a patronizing tone.
"Let Ezra Standish know that I'm here to see him."
The man's face immediately turned genuine with concern. "You haven't heard?"
"Haven't heard what?" Vin demanded as his stomach sank. He just knew that he was about to get some bad news.
"Mister Standish was attacked a couple of blocks down the street. He was found about an hour ago and taken to the Main Street Hotel. He's being looked after by Doctor Welsh, from what I heard."
A knot of concern settled in Vin's stomach. Without a word, he turned and fled the hotel. He wanted so much to go and see how Ezra was, but he thought that he'd better let the others know first. Running as fast as he could, he reached Lily's Cafe within a few minutes. Seeing his friends sitting at a table, he rushed over to them and saw that they were just finishing breakfast.
"Guess your meetin' with Ezra didn't go too well, huh?" Nathan said in an I-told-you-so voice.
Vin shot Nathan a glare and growled, "Shut the hell up."
"Vin, what's the matter?" demanded Chris.
"Ez is at the Main Street Hotel a couple of blocks down the street. He was attacked last night. He was found this mornin' and taken there. A Doctor... Welsh is lookin' after him. C'mon, we gotta get over there!"
Without any more prodding, the five men quickly rose from the table and left the cafe.
MAIN STREET HOTEL
The six peacekeepers entered the hotel, going straight to the man behind the front desk. "Where's Doctor Welsh?" Chris demanded.
"He's with a patient right now," answered the man.
"We know. He's working on our friend. Where are they?" Buck asked.
"Down the hallway. First door on the left," the man said with a little fear. He wasn't about to tell these six imposing men that they couldn't go back there!
Chris, Vin, Nathan, Josiah, JD, and Buck hurried to where the doctor was working on Ezra. Josiah opened the door, causing the doctor to quickly lift his head in surprise.
"What is the meanin' of this?" the doctor demanded.
"He's our friend. We wanna know how he is," answered JD in a shaky voice.
The doctor's face softened slightly. "Please wait outside. I'll be out there in a few minutes, as soon as I get done stitchin' him up."
The six men conceded and walked out, closing the door behind them.
"How could this have happened? He was just fine last night!" exclaimed Buck, worry evident in his voice. The other men were all wondering the same thing.
After what seemed like an eternity, but was really only a few minutes, the doctor walked out of the room. "I'm Doctor Ian Welsh," he introduced himself.
Pointing at each man in turn, Josiah introduced them. When the introductions were complete, Josiah asked, "Ezra gonna be alright?"
The doctor sighed. "Mister Standish was attacked sometime last night. A couple of people heard a scuffle, but didn't bother to check. Anyway, he was left outside all night and was found at six this morning. Whoever attacked him did one hell of a job.
"He has some scratches on his neck and arms. His face is covered in bruises and he has a couple of broken ribs. What I'm the most concerned about, though, is his stab wound. He got stabbed in the lower stomach. And he is suffering from a high fever from not being looked at right away."
Doctor Welsh paused for a moment, then said, "Right now, gentlemen, I can't say one way or the other if he will make it. If his fever comes down and the infection doesn't travel all through his blood, he's got a chance."
"Thank you, Doctor," said Nathan who had been quiet up to that point.
"Can I see him?" asked a voice.
The six peacekeepers and the doctor hadn't noticed that another man had joined them, and had been listening to what the doctor said.
The six peacekeepers looked at the man. He was tall, about Josiah's height, had sandy-blond hair and what looked like grayish-green eyes. He looked like someone who knew how to take care of himself, but he also had a softness around the eyes.
"Who are you?" demanded Vin. They had never met this man before. And, here he was, asking about Ezra.
"Brad Kinsington. Ezra's brother-in-law," the man answered the six shocked men.
Return to Moving On