Disrupted: Day 14

Word Count: 84,015

Summary of Events:

Gwendolen was sweeping dust off the ceiling when she saw a horse approach and discovered it was carrying a wounded Ezra. Ezra, despite the pain, gave orders to his sons and Gwendolen because he was sure they would've stood around gawking otherwise. Gwendolen reluctantly stitched up Ezra's wounds and then had to explain everything to Mrs. Harder when she arrived. Ezra woke up when the doctor showed up to examine him and was helped inside to rest. Gwendolen was going to make supper when Mr. Lloyd arrived to find out what had happened to Ezra, so she showed him in . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"They hit you MacAskill?" Mr. Lloyd asked.

"Yeah," Mr. MacAskill replied. "I figured I was useless, so I asked Lachlan to take me home. I swear that horse should've died."

"I don't know what you'd think if I said it would've been better to lose him than others," Mr. Lloyd said.

"It wouldn't have been easy," Mr. MacAskill said. "But it probably would've been better. We must've lost all of them back there though."

Gwendolen left the room, mainly to get Mr. Lloyd a chair, but also in part to avoid hearing about the deaths, although being as there was no door between the rooms she could still hear.

"Henry got hit pretty bad but he's pulling through, he'll have less of an ear now though," Mr. Lloyd said. "Martin's gone, Aaron's worse off than Henry, we're not sure if he'll make it; David got hit in the back, but he's still alive, he just can't walk; Judson and Albert are both pretty bad, but hanging on like Henry; Arthur and Abner were both hit probably something like yourself, and Abel's gone."

"Jonah and Wayne?" Mr. MacAskill asked as Gwendolen brought the chair in.

"Wayne got grazed in three places, Jonah was unscathed," Mr. Lloyd replied. "Oh, thank you."

Gwendolen nodded silently.

"You too?" Mr. MacAskill asked.

"I got grazed in a couple places, but nothing too serious," Mr. Lloyd replied.

"The horses?" Mr. MacAskill asked.

"A couple grazes, but other than that nothing," Mr. Lloyd replied. "The rustlers were aiming for us, shooting to kill."

"The cattle?" Mr. MacAskill asked.

"They're in bad shape," Mr. Lloyd replied. "Jerome's going to keep them with the horses and see what comes of it, give them a little oats and whatnot."

Mr. MacAskill nodded. "The rustlers?"

"Sheriff Davey must've heard the shooting," Mr. Lloyd replied. "He brought out a big posse and they rounded up and executed the rustlers right there."

"No trial?" Mr. MacAskill asked.

"Apparently not," Mr. Lloyd replied. "Their bodies are going to be buried somewhere that isn't the town cemetery, but they're going to be buried after Martin and Abel — and Aaron, if he doesn't make it."

"On one hand you've got to be glad they weren't married," Mr. MacAskill said quietly.

"Yeah," Mr. Lloyd said, looking down at his hands.

"But they were good men," Mr. MacAskill said.

"And then David," Mr. Lloyd said. "It's almost kind of worse with him. He lives, but he can't walk or work anymore."

"Yeah," Mr. MacAskill agreed.

"Sounds like he's got a sister in Butte, though," Mr. Lloyd said. "He wanted someone to write or send her a telegram or something, but we told him we'd wait until morning to make sure everyone was alright and those sorts of things."

Mr. MacAskill nodded. "Jerome's going to have to get some extra help, though."

"Well, he's got Joel, Hamilton, Junior, Titus, and Adam, on top of myself, Wayne, and Jonah," Mr. Lloyd replied."