44 "buffalo? Bisons?"

It had been a long and hot work week. Every inch of my body was sweaty and exhausted. For hours on end I was made to inseminate cattle. For the past twelve hours I did this job. My hand had been shoved inside at least 200 cows. I was the on going joke all day. "That arm is gonna smell for the rest of your life" Ryan snickered. I rolled my eyes as my hand was deep inside a cows hooch. "The only way you could enjoy that is if you were a lesbo" Colby giggled to himself as he sat on the logged fencing. The men around laughed at their on going jokes. "Kinda reminds me of you mother Colby" I said. Ryan cackled even louder than before. "Atta girl!" Rip snickered. "My mother is a fine woman" Colby scoffed. "She was. Last night. When I was elbows deep in her too. Smells the same as this cow" I added another insult. "Fucking kidding me?" Colby's head shook in disbelief. "She got you on that one bud" Ryan aggressively patted his shoulder. "Need some more salt for that burn?!" Walker called out as he loaded in another heifer. "Yeah yeah. Whatever. The only reason I ain't clapping back is because she's the farmers daughter!" Colby complained. "Bullshit!" Walker hollered. "You're the farmers daughter?" Teeter spat her dip filled spit into the field behind us. I yanked my hand out of the cattle as I squinted my eyes up at her while panting. "Technically" I said. "Technically? The fuck does that mean. It's a yes or no question!" She was confused. "Teeter how about shuttin the fuck up and gettin back to work?" Rip said as he slipped his glasses over his eyes. "Yes sir" she sighed. "Alright will. You can put your arm away for the night. The rest of the herd can be finished tomorrow. Sound good?" He questioned. I nodded "sure thing" I peeled my large rubber glove off of my arm then chucked it into a nearby bucket. I then pulled my shirt off over my head to stay in a tank top that didn't smell like cow. "I like when you take that off" walker smirked as he walked with me through the field. "I bet you do" I smiled. "What are your plans now?" He questioned. "Probably what you're about to ask me" I stopped walking to face him. "I was gonna do what you were gonna say you were doing" he winked. I laughed "you're so dumb" I began to walk again. "I was thinking you could read me more of that book you were reading me the other night" he jogged to catch up with me again. "The book that you weren't listening too because you were much to busy getting under my shirt?" I stopped walking again to look at the doofuses face. He snickered "all I know is that there was a happy ending wasn't there?" For the past couple night walker and I would spend every night together. He would sing me songs or I would read him some chapters. Each night ended with us making love under the stars like it was our first time every time.  Before I could answer walker, an angry voice rang "who did the north Pasture!?" My father shouted towards his men. "Who the hell did the north!?" He chanted again. "What is it sir?" Rip stood with his hand on his hips. "It's torn to the ground. One bad wind storm took it the hell out! This is unacceptable! What if my herd was cut loose?!"

"It was probably the bisons daddy" I spoke up. I swear I could hear my father's eyes rolling in the back of his skull. "Not this buffalo bullshit again!" I was the last one to do that pasture. "It was Willie and someone else" Ryan stated. I gulped. I was in big trouble now. "You rat" I mumbled. Walker observed my face as my gut was hanging from my ass. I was scared shitless. My father shook his head "blaming the god damn buffalo for your lazy fucking ass!? You ain't done workin. You ain't done workin till that god damn fence is fixed. Good news for you it's about 100feet of fencing. I want it done by morning. I don't give a flying fuck what time it is. Go. Now" he pointed to a horse already saddled up. I looked back at the beautiful animal with a long sigh. "Yes sir" I say quietly. So that's what I did. I spent hours trying to tighten that fence. I was terrible at it. I didn't have the arm strength to turn that wench. It took me slamming a rock against it a couple times to get each section tight enough. It was getting exhausting. "I'd say you're doing a great job but...blondie. You havnt gotten far at all" walker chuckled. "Don't remind me" I dropped my tools in defeat. "I hope this is why you're here?" I flirtatiously batted my eyes. He chuckled "okay okay. Gimme the damn thing" he took the tool from my raw hands before I stepped down the hill to rinse my sore palms in the water. "You did pretty good little lady. Not sure why the fence collapsed" he scratched his head in thought before he began to do my job a lot faster than I ever would've. "That's because the work I did was fine. It was the damn bisons that ripped those stakes from the ground!" I shook my head in disbelief "but that bastard just wants to make my life I living hell" I patted my hands dry on my tshirt after taking it off. "Why does he treat you the way he does?" Walker kneeled to the ground to hammer the posts back in. "Remeber awhile ago... when my sister was saying I killed someone?" I questioned. Walker glanced up as he forgot all about our past. "Yeah I Remember" he looked back down at the job he was working on. "Well.. when I was a baby my mother died. Ever since that day they've blamed me for her death. My father specifically hates me bacause I apparently look like my mom.. who knows anyhow.." I tossed a flat stone across the creek out of boredom. "Huh.. guess i never realized you didn't have a mom" walker slammed a mallet over and over as he listened to my problem. "Wish I did. Life would have probably been a lot better" I stepped into the water staring at the water bugs. "If you look like your mama then your mama must've been smokin hot" he said. "She's dead. So who knows. My father never let me stare at photos long enough to know what she looked like"

"Well. Just know. You're hot" he snickered with his Head in his work. "Walk" I said. "Yeah blondie?" He looked back up at me.. just to realize my clothing was long gone. I smiled wide as his face was puzzled.. almost star struck. "Wanna join me!" I called out to him as I dove in the creek with a back stroke. "Jesus will" he was drooling when stepping to the edge of the water. "You want me don't ya?" I bit my lip while floating backwards. "Of course" he purred. "Then come get me walk.. come have me" I began to float in the water with my eyes closed. I listened to the sounds under water as the creek sang. I smiled at the feeling of his hands along my hips as he pulled me from the water. My long blonde wet hair smacked my back as he lifted me. My arms wrapped around his warm sun tanned neck "I love this body" he mumbled as he kissed my chest. My legs wrapped along his needy hips "how much?" I ran my fingers through his wet hair as he smooched down my torso as I floated. "More than you can imagine" once his lips met my boney hips I pushed off him, drifting away in the water. "You can't keep running from me baby" he called out. I was listening to his muffled voice though the wide creek. I can almost feel his eyes watching me. I listened at he teased me..calling my name like a dog. "Willie" he said. I shut my eyes ignoring him as I was enjoying the cold water on my sun burned skin. "Willie!" He said again.  "You'll have to come get me walk!" I giggled aloud. I soothingly swayed my arms back and fourth in the water. I loved the way my hair wet in the creek I was soothed...until my arms swatted somthing hard.. walkers muffled voice called me again.. but this time it was more frantic.. in the water I heard loud thuds above my head.. I opened my eyes. Above me I see a massive horse standing above me on the rocks... on top of the horse sat the mean evil looking man Wade.. he held a huge grin that could scare the piss out of anyone. I coward back away from his horse as I covered my completely nude body under water. "Damn. And to think I had to rip that girls clothes off myself to see her naked" said the younger man whom stood on his own horse in the water. I was frozen as they stood above me. "We don't want any trouble" walker said as he held out his arms for me to come to him. I was still... frozen.. my worst fear of being naked infront of strangers was happening. I was stiff. "We warned you about trouble. We warned you about this side of the god damn property didn't we?" Wade looked down at me with a smile. I didn't speak a word. I just stared at him. "It seems to me you were about to fuck the shit out of this beautiful small blonde were you not?" Wades eyes glowed at the thought of it. "That's enough. Let us get your things and we'll be gone. We don't need any problems. Will.. come here" walker waved his hand down to me. I stepped back slowly not losing eye contact. "How about instead we let you off with a warning. Maybe even a message?"  

"Will. Come on baby" walker seemed nervous, as if he knew these types of people. I being as scared as I was didn't want to leave the water. Suddenly the younger man whipped a rope into the water. The rope quickly wrapped around my throat like a calf. His horse ran backwards, dragging my nude body through the water. I kicked and screamed for walker as my hands gripped the rope around my throat. Before I could say another word, my small frame was trampled deep beneath the water. I could feel my skin scraping against rocks and sticks. I was screaming from fear, but also inhaling water. My hands clawed at the rope just trying to get loose. But it seemed that the tightness of the rope had loosened and the stomping of the hooves were missing. My torso was pulled up from the water. I was kicking and coughing, but also screaming "get off me!!get away from me!!" I cried "Willie! Willie! Baby! Baby look! Look! Hey!" Walkers hands held my face like it was the last time he ever would. I sobbed, gasping for air as I clawed at his wrists and arms. "They're gone.. it's me! Relax baby. It's me" he held my face close to his. I tried to catch my breath the best I could but all I could do was sobb. "I'm sorry!" I wept "im so sorry! I..I got to scared! I.. I didn't know what to do!!" I hollered "shhh. Shhh stop baby.. stop.. you're okay.. I gotta get you back. You need a doctor" he said. I was confused as what I needed a doctor for. I didn't feel any pain. All I had to feel was panic. Walker scooped up my nudity, quickly moving me out of the water. I looked back at the creek to see the water was red. Gory red. "What happned" I whimpered. Walker sat me down in the side by side, gently covering me with his tshirt. My body was trembling like a leaf the more I learned about what happned. I looked down at the water as walker quickly tossed what he could in the back of the wagon. In the creek I could see a man's body floating..lifeless. "Walk..." I mumbled. "Don't look at it baby.. it's all okay." He quickly got in after getting his pants on, leaving my clothing behind. I looked at walker with my blood shot eyes. "Hold this to your head" he quickly ripped a part of his shirt to place on my forehead. As I looked down at myself I saw blood pouring down my skin. I was covered in scraps and gashes, but the worst was yet to come. My forehead was so wide open I could almost feel the Breeze on my skull. I thought for sure that was the worst part... I then looked down at my left arm.. my arm held a large piece  Of drift wood that stabbed straight through my upper arm. I gasped at the sight. I sat up from slouching in my seat. "Walk!!" I shouted as I held out my arm. I was in so much shock I didn't feel the fragment at first. "I know.. I know darlin. I just need you to relax. I need you to hold still. I need you to try to put my shirt on. Can you do that?" He asked. I was freaking out. I was so focused on staring at this branch sticking through my arm. "You can't tell my dad! Please walk!" I panicked even harder. "Willie I need you to put that shirt on" he said as he held it against my bare chest. "Walker promise me you won't tell me dad" walkers eyes left the windsheild to look at me "you are bleeding out and you're worried about your old man?" He seemed irritated at that fact. "Please walk. He will be so angry with me" I sobbed softly as I curled up on the plastic seat. "Let's worry about the hole in your head and arm okay blondie?" Walker stomped on the breaks as he pulled up to the bunkhouse. He was quick to scoop me up out of the vehicle to merge me inside. "I need a doctor! Get the med kit. Fast" he shouted out. "Woah! Woah what the hell happned?!" Ryan shouted as he quickly cleared walkers cott to lay me on. I watched as Lloyd stepped out of the bathroom with a horrified look to him "Jesus miss Nelson! Colby go get Casey! Now!" Lloyd was quick to grab towels to hold against my gaping wounds. I called to Colby "do not tell my dad! He can't know about this!" I repeated with my hands holding a torn shirt against my chest. Colby nodded before running out the door for help. "That thing has to come out" walker said to Lloyd. Lloyd held out my arm staring at the odd object in question. "This needs a damn doctor" Lloyd stopped walker from touching the stick. "Screw the doctor! I'm enough! Pull it out!" I shouted. "You'll bleed out" Lloyd said. I was quivering so bad that I couldn't even grab that stick if I tried. "Holy shit willow.." Casey stepped in with shock on his face and revenge in his soul. He stepped to my bedside with an angry demeanor. "Don't tell daddy. Okay Casey? I don't wanna make him mad" I said. "Why isThat your worry right now? Who did this"

"I.. I don't know Casey.. some.. some guys" I sobbed softly. "Who did it!?" Rip was the next me to qustion. He looked even more angry. He didn't even see the damage yet, he was already livid by hearing the words that I 'was hurt' he entered the room swearing. His eyes widened. He looked sickly as he saw the shape I was in. I hadn't stopped crying since I left the creek. Rip kneeled down beside me placing his large hand along my freezing cold wet cheek. "Who did this" "Rip... please.. don't.. don't tell daddy" I repeated for the hundredth time. "Wills.. you know I can't do that" he sighed "yes you can rip. Tell them someone else got hurt. Please rip... promise me" I sobbed. "Please!" My well hand grabbed his arm like a bird feasting on dinner. "...who did this?" Rip gulped. His eyes were shaking with sorrow..loaded with murder... "re..remember them guys from the..the resort? With.. with the bisons?" I watched his eyes turn red. He knew exactly who I was talking about. "Walk..walker.. k.. killed the.. the younger guy" I whispered to him with my very shaky voice. Rip looked over at walker to notice he was just as wet as I was, along with almost as nude as I was. He knew what we were up to. "You killed him?" He asked. "...he had a rope around her neck... they kept stomping on her.. they held her down underwater.. there wasn't anything I could do but shoot em.. I shot him with the hunters rifle in the side by side. I'm sorry but I couldn't let her die" walkers brow was slightly gashed open from the tussle. His hands rubbed my bare legs trying to keep himself calm along with keeping me relaxed. "What were you two doing?" Rip asked. I didn't answer him. My eyes were too focused on the doctor whom had entered the room. The doctor's jaw dropped at the sight of my arm. "Oh Lordy" he kneeled down beside me to feel around on my arm. I shouted in fear "hey! Hey!! Stop!" I begged as I squirmed in my seat. "This may have hit an artery. I think we may need a hospital" he said. "No! No hospital! I can't have any bills! I can't afford it! Just do it here! Please! I don't need my dadKnowing. Please!" I begged even more. "Willie! Calm down! Let the doctor speak" rip said loudly. I cowsard back into my seat as I stared at the doctor. "I can do it here. I just need plenty of assistance" he said. "Anything. Just tell us what to do"

"First. Clear that table. I need her arm as flat as I can get it. Then I need every man in this room to hold her down tight. She's gonna feel every inch of this stick coming out" he said as he was quick to open his medical bag. Gently my arm was pushed through one of walkers tshirts to keep me covered. He then lifted me up to place me on the now cleared dinning table. I stayed siting up as I watched the doctor with nothing but fear on my mind. "Please. Do you have anything? Anything I can take? Anything at all?" I stared up at the doctor as he temporarily patched up my forehead. "I don't have much. Only local. You'll need a lot more than local" he said. "In a vile right?" My breathing was harsh. I was trying not to cry much anymore. "I do. But it won't do much" he said. "Give it" I said In a stern way. "I'm telling you. It won't do much"

"Give it!" I was getting annoyed with this doctor. Him standing there like I knew nothing drove me up the wall. Quickly the doctor took out the vile and the needle, without hesitation I snatched the vile then gulped down the liquid. I gaged. Nearly barfing. "Ugh! God!" I scoffed. The doctor watched me a bit puzzled. "Lay down darlin" walker spoke sweetly to me. I whimpered "god! I don't wanna do this!" I cried as I buried my face inro the crook of walkers neck. I could feel the doctors hands feeling around my arm some more. Just the feeling of him near it made me wanna puke. "I think I have to push it through" he said. The men In the room gasped in the thought of the agony. "Seriously?" I looked at the doctor with even more worry in my voice. "I think if you pull it out it'll rip past the artery. I'm better off pushing" he said again. "Damn it! Then do it already!" I said. "Just give me a Minute to think about this..." he stood back with his hands on his chin as he thought long and hard. "Oh! For fuck sakes!" I yelled as I swiftly shoved the thick ended stick deep in my arm then reaching around to yank it out. I screamed. Loud. Almost like I was being killed in that moment. I screamed so loud my throat was sore. Quickly I shoved my face in the crook of walkers neck as I screamed in agony. My bloody hand grasped the bare skin along his shoulders. Walker held his arms and hands around my body like a forcefield. "Jesus Christ!" The doctor shouted as he quickly shoved his fingers into the hole in my arm. I cried even louder at the feeling of somthing else being injected into my wound. The doctor packed my wound the best he could, trying to prevent my blood from squirting out even more. Walker held my head tight into his neck like he was a seatbelt of some sort as I cried horrific cries. "I know baby.. I know.." he whispered down into me. I began to feel numb. My toes were tingling. I was feeling more dizzy by the second. "That's a lot of blood there doc" rip said as he held my legs still. I couldn't even feel the doctor's fingers anymore. It was almost like my arm was gone. "Like I said. It hit an artery" the doctor sounded annoyed by me. Like he was bothered I did such a thing to him. My eyes looked up at walker like I was seeing four of him. Walkers eyes shifted down "yeah baby?" He said softly. "I'm about to stab this doctor with that god damn stick" I lifted my head. I was no longer sober at all. I've never been wasted but that is exsactly what I was. WASTED. The men around cackled as my words were spoken. The doctor stopped what he was doing to look at me "do you want me to stop?" He questioned. "I don't know. Do you know what you're doing?" I asked in a snarky tone. "Alright! Alright. Will. Enough of that. Chill out" rip said a she pointed for the doctor to keep going. "What the hell is all that noise?!" The evil voice of my father announced. I shut my eyes as I could feel the fear in my veins. But at the same time I didn't care because of the drugs. "Jesus. What the hell" my father stared down at all of the blood that was dripping off the table onto the floor. I didn't speak to him. I stayed silent. "What did you do Willie" he was quick to point the finger. "Those guys.. with the buffalos.." he quickly interrupted me "enough with the fuckin buffalo willie!"

"No sir.. Wade. He trampled her while she was in the creek. He nearly killed her" rip said. My father's eyes wilted. Almost as if the thought of me being killed was horrible.  "why were you in the creek?" My father asked me. I lifted my head from walkers shoulder "huh?"

"Huh? Did I stutter Willie? Why were you in the creek?" He asked again. "...I was cooling off" I shifted my eyes far from him. "Cooling off ?" He questioned some more. "Did I stutter daddy?" I asked. "You're nude Willie. Why?"

"For god sakes! I was screwing! I was screwing walker! Does that help!? Does that help the fact that I was nearly killed!?" The doctor pulled back as I was angrily flailing my arms. Rip was shocked by my behavior. Honestly I was shocked too. If I was completely sane I would've never spoke in this way. My father panned to rip as if he was my father. Like he raised me to be this way. "I think you already know how to take care of this situation" my father stated. "Yes sir" rip nodded. "Strike tomorrow. They're expecting you now. Better off doing it when they least expect it" my father looked around the room as the cowboys leaned in real close. "None of you shouldGet involved. Being involved in this will get you too deep" he warned them. "We're already in deep. The moment they hurt us. We're in deep" Ryan said. Colby agreed "the moment he held a gun to her head weeks ago, that was when I've had enough"

"I agree. Seeing her itty bitty arm like that. That son of a bitch has no right being around" teeter defended. I stayed quiet as I listened to them. I tiredly slouched my head along walkers shoulder again. "I'm gonna make sure that son of a bitch ain't breathin" walker spoke up with anger in his tone of voice. My father nodded his head at them. "Good. This is a good place. I'll never let you guys down. Ever. Not while you're under this roof. Under this brand" my father left the bunkhouse without another word. Rip stood up to take his place. "At dusk I'll need you guys back by the barn. Loaded up and ready. This will take awhile" rips eyes stared at me as he spoke. I watched him with my heavy, blood shot tearful eyes. HisHeart was shattered I could tell. He Kneeled down to my level as the back of his finger stroked my cheek gently "you gonna be alright peanut?" He whispered down to me. I was finally able to lay my limp hand down into my lap after the doc was long done with my sutures. I nodded slowly "I'm okay" I whispered. "Alright.. now you listen to walker here..." he points to walker who stood above me still holding me dearly "he's gonna take care of you" he reassured me. I batted my eyes tiredly as I sent him a nod. Rip frowned at my sad complexion. "I hate to see them lashes wet like that darlin.." he pet my hair back "I'll come see you in the morning" rip kissed my head before leaving for the night. Slowly walker lifted me off the table and into my bed. My head was throbbing even more now that I drank that horrible liquid.. although my body stayed numb. Gently walker shimmied the blanket along my cold bare legs "I'm going to clean this mess up. If you need anything let me know" walker said before taking a few steps away from me. I stopped him "I need somthing"..." I announced. "Yeah? And what's that blondie?" "I need you" I said. He smiled soft. "Need me for what?" He sat on the edge of my bed as he listened. "Sleep with me.. I don't wanna be alone..." my lips were quivering along with my hands. I reached up to hold his cheek. Walker looked down at my beaten body with shame. He turned his head into my palm as he kissed it. "Alright baby.. move on over.." ...