Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Two:

Evangeline felt as if she was having an out of body experience as she rushed down the boardwalk toward the building with a sign that read 'Apothecary' and boasted of medical care and medicine.

She was aware of Frankie behind her but Evangeline didn't attempt to speak to the other woman. Evangeline couldn't focus enough to speak. That didn't stop Frankie from attempting to make conversation.

"I saw Jedidiah head toward the train right after I walked out of the mercantile. I'm sure he'll tell everyone else what is going on." Frankie was quiet a moment. "I wonder what's taking Comanche so long....."

Evangeline went into the apothecary and before her eyes had time to adjust to the sudden change of light, a moaning shuffling rabid grabbed her arm. His hungry jaws gnashed together as bloody drool ran down his rotting chin. He tugged on Evangeline, attempting to bring her arm toward its eager mouth.

Evangeline felt no fear in that moment, only anger and rage consumed her. Damn this new world straight to hell! A new world where monsters lurked behind every closed door and good men like Colt were gunned down in the streets for no reason!

Evangeline swung out her free hand and caught the rabid hard in the temple, causing its grip on her arm to loosen. She pulled away, took the knife from her boot and in one fast motion, sent it deep into the lunging rabid's eye before yanking it back out with a wet squelch of blood.

"Maybe you aren't such a princess after all." Frankie stated with pride in her voice. Evangeline was too numb to feel the same pride. Put her bloody knife back in the sheath tucked into her boot and rushed into the tiny shop. She began looking through the medicine for the jars that Silas would need.

"He'll need water, I reckon." Frankie said as she grabbed a wooden bucket. "I saw a hand pump out front..."

Evangeline's hands were trembling as she found a burlap sack beneath the counter and filled it with medicines, sutures, scissors, clean rags... everything she could think of to stuff inside.

She rushed back out the door, stepping over the dead rabid and nearly running into Frankie who was standing there on the boardwalk with a full bucket of clear water.

"Watch where you're going, Evangeline, or I'll have to fill this bucket all over again." Frankie scolded and Evangeline was about to give the woman a piece of her mind until Comanche came jogging across the street toward them and Evangeline saw some of the tension melt out of Frankie's body.

"What the hell took you so long?!" Frankie demanded of him as the three fell in step beside each other, heading back toward the mercantile where Silas was waiting with Colt.

"I had to deal with the threat." Comanche replied swiping his hand across his bare, blood covered chest.

"Was the threat alone?" Frankie questioned.

"He says he was."

"Do you believe him?" Evangeline asked, the sound of her voice surprising even herself.

Comanche tipped his head. "I do. He may have been lying but I don't think so. When you put a coward in a certain amount of pain they will tell you all their secrets."

Evangeline shivered, not even wanting to imagine what Comanche had done to the man and yet glad that the indian had done it. Whatever pain that bastard had been put through, he had deserved every agonizing second of it.

They were approaching the mercantile when Evangeline froze at the sounds coming from within.

"Dammit, Silas, I'm fine!" Colt bellowed. "Where the hell is everybody! Where's Evangeline? Is she okay? Did anyone else get injured?"