Chapter 76 - My SI Stash #76 - Red Dead Salvation by Spartan Joseph-122 (Red Dead Redemption) (2/2)
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Chapter 2
April 10, 1899
Great Plains, West Elizabeth
When I woke up, my head was still hurting, and I still couldn't see clearly. But my other senses were working fine. I heard rushing water and knew I was near either a stream or a river. I smelled fresh pine trees and knew I had to be somewhere in the woods. It felt like I was sleeping on either a sleeping bag or one of those portable mattresses.
My sight was starting to come back to me. I realized that I was laying in a tent big enough for two people. I was laying on my back and I realized that my c_h_e_s_t was wrapped in bandages. I also felt a bandage wrapped around my head.
I started to sit up and moved my feet on the floor. I knew I was somewhere in the woods, but my feet were touching a hardwood floor. I was about to try standing up when I heard a woman's voice saying:
”Oh no! You shouldn't be standing! Not yet anyway! You're still hurt!”
I tried telling her that I was fine but when I tried to stand up, my legs were weak, and I landed back on the bed.
”I don't want you to say, ”I told you so”. So, I'll admit that you were right.”
I lay back down on my back. I heard a wet towel or washcloth being ringed. As I laid there, I saw who I was that was taking care of me. The same young lady I saved before.
”Either this Paradise or Hell is trying pull a trick on me.”
”Why do you say that, sir?”
”Because you are too beautiful to be from this world.”
”Oh stop! You're making me blush!”
”Then I guess that means I'm doing my job well.”
I winked at her and she blushed more. She removed the bandages from my head and put the wet washcloth on my forehead. She asked me:
”How are you feeling?”
”Truth be told, not the best.”
She smiled and then said to me:
”You foolish man. What were you thinking? Risking your life for a complete stranger?”
”Well I was thinking that you needed help. And it's my nature to help people. Besides, I wasn't going to let some prick try and **** a beautiful young lady like you.”
I heard a man's voice this time.
”And for that, we owe you a debt of gratitude my good man.”
I saw a man that looked to be in his early 40s. A Caucasian man with black hair on his head and a black mustache. He had brown eyes and seemed to be very fit for his age. He had rings on both of his hands and had a pair of Schofield Revolvers. He was wearing a very nice suit and an awesome hat.
As soon as I saw him, I knew who he was. Dutch Van Der Linde. Leader of the Van Der Linde Gang and one of the most wanted men in the Wild West But I played it cool and didn't let him know that I already knew who he was.
”We owe you a debt of gratitude for what you did. You saved Ms. Gaskill's life.”
I replied and said:
”It was nothing sir.”
”Nothing? In all my years, I've never seen anyone take on an O'Driscoll with a knife and win. Especially someone with a knife as small as this one.”
I saw him holding my pocket knife. I said to him:
”Well I didn't think he was going to take me seriously if I didn't have anything in my hands. So, it was either that or nothing.”
”Well I for one, commend you for your bravery Mr…”
”White. Thomas White. But folks call me Tom.”
We shook hands. He had a strong and firm grip. He could sense the same about me.
”Well It an honor and a p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e to meet you Mr White. I'm Dutch Van Der Linde. And I see you've already had the p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e of meeting Ms Gaskill.”
”Oh please. Just call me Mary-Beth.”
I held out my hand and we shook hands.
”Well it's a p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e to meet you properly Mary-Beth.”
”The p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e is all mine, Mr White.”
”Also Dutch, I would really appreciate it if you called me Tom or Thomas if that's all right with you.”
”You've got it, my good man. When you're feeling better, have a look around. There are some people here who would like to meet you. It seems that you've drawn quite the crowd with my gang.”
”Will do sir.”
Dutch left me and Mary-Beth in the tent while he went to join the rest of the gang. I still couldn't believe it. Not only was in the same place as the Van Der Linde Gang but I just shook hands with Dutch Van Der Linde. I thought to myself:
”If this is a dream, please don't wake me up.”
I looked at Mary-Beth and asked her:
”So how long have I been here?”
”Just a day. I brought you in here yesterday.”
”I'm surprised you didn't just take me a doctor in the city.”
”Well I wasn't certain how bad your injuries were. And besides, we don't have spend that much money if we take care of each other here. Plus, I felt responsible for getting you into that mess.”
”I already told you, it was no trouble at all. I would have done that for anyone who was trouble.”
”Well thank you anyway for what you did.”
”It was my p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e. So, has there been anyone else that has been taking care of me since I got here?”
”Mostly it's been me. But Tilly, Karen, Abigail and even Mrs. Grimshaw have all pitched in to help.”
”Dutch wasn't fooling. I really have drawn a crowd.”
”Oh, you have no idea. It wasn't just your bravery that got everyone's attention.”
”Oh?”
”Yeah. For one thing they're curious about your clothes. We've never seen clothing like that before. Where are you from?”
I wanted to tell her the truth, but how could I tell someone that not only am I from the future but I'm from a world where all these people were originally in a game? So, in a sense, these people never really existed in my world. I could never tell them that. They would either think I was crazy, or it would shatter them. So, I told her a half truth.
”I'm from Manhattan.”
”Really? What's that like?”
”It's never boring there that's for sure. You wouldn't believe how big the buildings are. Some are so big you would think that they would be as tall as mountains or trees.”
”Wow.”
”Yeah. And in the center of the city is Central Park. It's our own little patch of heaven in middle of all those buildings.”
I continued to tell her about what New York was like, but I was careful not to tell her too much. And when asked me what I was doing so far from home, I told her that I was writing a novel and I wanted to find some inspiration in the Wild West. And I told I think I found some.
She then told me that she really enjoyed reading and wanted to write stories too. And we just started talking about books we enjoyed. I figured it was okay if I told her about some of my favorite books from my time because they wouldn't be made or known in this world. But after a while, I asked her:
”Just out of curiosity, how long should I stay in bed?”
”Just a day or two at the most.”
”So, does that I mean I get to see more of you in the next few days?”
”Oh, hush up you. But yes. You'll be seeing me and probably the other girls for the next few days.”
”I look forward to it. But seriously, thank you for saving my life.”
”Well thank you for coming to my rescue.”
I reached for her hand, brought it close to my face and kissed it.
”You're very welcome.”
She blushed and excused herself. Saying that she needed to get more bandages. I could hear the ladies giggling. I didn't know about what, but I assumed it was about me.
I just laid in wondered where I was exactly. Because I remembered that when I started the game, it was just when the opening credits were starting when I blacked out. If I had started at the beginning of the game, I would have ended up in the snow storm they were in at the beginning. And I remember Mary-Beth mentioning the names of all the girls except one: Sadie Adler.
Which could only mean one thing: Somehow, I had been transported into the game before the Blackwater Massacre. Which means I was about to either witness or hear about the botched robbery that started all of it.
I kept these thoughts to myself. I pondered about wether telling Dutch that the robbery was going to fail or if it was too soon to do something.
First things first. I needed to be able to stand on my own two feet and then I would prove myself to them and show them that I can be useful and that I want to be a part of them.
So, for the rest of the day, I laid in bed and gathered my thoughts. I had the p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e of being cared for by Mary-Beth. She changed my bandages a couple of more times and she even brought me some fresh stew made by Mr Pearson. She offered to feed me, and I told her that it was nice of her to offer, but she didn't have to if she didn't want to. Eventually we came to a compromise. If I was still feeling lightheaded, she would feed me. If not, I would feed myself. I was able to eat most of it myself but after a while, I was starting to feel tired, so she fed me the rest of it.
I asked her to give my compliments to Mr Pearson and she said she would. Then she came back and put a blanket around me. I then said to her:
”I have a feeling I'll be feeling better in the morning. I'm not going to lie, I'm going to miss having my own personal nurse.”
”Oh, shush you. But I am glad you're feeling better.”
”All thanks to you and your friends. Well tomorrow, I'll properly introduce myself to the rest of the gang. Have a good night Mary-Beth.”
”Good night Thomas.”
I saw her leave and I let my eyes shut and I fell asleep. I don't know if it's because I was sleeping in place with less noise or because I had so many people taking care of me, but I fell asleep quickly that night.