Outlaw Born

Outlaw Born -Chapter 5

Ben restocked his supplies at the general store. The condolences from the owners and customers only refreshed his pain. After stashing the goods in his packs he rode out to the ranch.

The ranch he often described to his men, when they talked of home. He had spoken of it with such care, he wanted to remember every detail of it he could in the field. Now...

Now he wasn't sure he wanted the memory of the green pastures and rolling hillsides at all.

It was late afternoon when he reached the road in. The gate he'd built now hung off its hinges, the wood half rotten. The grass on the road sides were no longer green and lush. They had turned brown and brittle. His heart began to thump in his chest the closer he got to the site of the house.

He kept expecting to see the roof peeking just over the rise of the hill in front of him. It never did, it couldn't. The first sight he had of his home was a burnt tangle of wood.

All the air in his lungs felt putrid as he surveyed the damage. He didn't realize he had dismounted until he looked down at his open palm and saw the half melted cameo resting in it. He'd bought it for Ellen just before heading to war.

He swallowed hard, there was no air left to breathe. Ben fell to his knees in the ash his mind reeling with the reality of their deaths. They had suffered. There was no doubt of that. He'd seen men burn in battles. It was the most horrifying way for someone to meet their end.

A sound caught his attention. Chugging, metal clacking... the railroad. The railroad had been built literally upon the blood of his family.

The steamer and its cars rushed by him. Ben screamed at them, his voice drowned out by the noise of the train. He stood and picked up an ash crusted pot and ran toward the vessel. With everything he could muster Ben threw the pot.

He was rewarded with the crunch of glass cracking but it wasn't enough. Not near enough to quench the thirst that had been opened. Joseph Hammond and his company would be held accountable. If not by Arizona law, then by Mason law.

****

Ben knew what he wanted to do; he had a goal. The goal, to destroy Hammond. Not just hunt him and kill him. That would be too easy, too merciful. Ben would draw out the agony, make it last as long as possible. Hammond would suffer as his wife and child suffered. Not by burning, no fire is too good for his like.

Ben knew how to strike the most pain to a man filled with such greed. Men like that didn't grieve over loss of life, they grieved over loss of their precious wealth.

He set camp up the hill from the ruined homestead. He felt numb with anger as he stared at the blackened crumble. On the battle front he took action every day, here there were no actions left to take. Save one. He let go of a deep sigh and laid back against his saddle the grief and anger wore on him soon sleep took him.

They sat together by the fire his arms wrapped around her as she leaned back against his chest. Her skin soft and warm against his. He sighed content in the moment. "I missed this most of all."

She smiled and looked up at him, her fingers scratching at his rough beard. "I even missed this ole scruff." Ellen turned and hugged him tight. "I was so afraid the worst had befallen you when I didn't get any letters back."

He hugged her back just as tight. "I'm sorry darlin, the mail was as bad a shot as the rebs." He gave her a bit of a grin. "None of that matters now, I'm home. In a couple of months we'll plant some barley. Everything can be as it was meant."

Ellen smiled at him as she caressed his cheek and kissed him deeply. They hear the stairs creak and began to quickly pull on their night clothes that had been tossed aside in their passions. "What are you doing out of bed young man?"