Chapter 10

I had fallen into a deep sleep from pure exhaustion and had been out for about two hours

I'd say when something from the window awakened me. I could hear loud voices. When I looked down there was Rick, Justin and Curly. It looked liked everyone else had gone to bed. I heard some shouting and swearing. Rick had Curly by his collar and was calling him a liar. Then Curly threw a hard punch at Rick. He got him good smack in the face.

Rick fell back on the dusty ground and Justin leapt at Curly and dragged him down. Then it was a free for all!

I gasped. Someone was gonna get hurt for sure. I yelled down, afraid of waking up the household.

"Rick, just stop it! Leave him alone! Someone's gonna get killed!"

He looked up for a split second and said "YOU go to bed! I'll be up in a bit!"

I was so afraid of big Daddy waking up.

They knocked Curly out with a couple strong blows to his jaw and and dragged him out to the barn. When he came to, Rick said "Here, this'll teach you to keep your hands off her!" And punched him right in the stomach and in the face. Blood was pouring from Curly's nose now. When he'd try to get up, Justin would knock him back down. Curly was a big guy but no match for the two of them.

I ran out out of the house now and into the barn in my nightgown and bare feet. "Rick, stop it!! You're gonna kill him!"

"Get the fuck out of here!" he yelled back at me.

Curly looked up at me and I said "I'm so sorry Curly!" and I really was. Just then Rick grabbed me from behind and pulled me away from him and threw me to the ground. I landed on a bale of hay. Curly had to be one of the kindest men I had ever met. "Leave him alone!" I screamed at Rick.

"Shut up! You're gonna get us all killed!" Rick yelled.

I ran up to the house, it was a miracle that the household was sleeping through all this. I decided to write Curly a letter. I thought after this, maybe I'd never see him again. So I wanted to tell him how I felt. I would sneak it to him somehow before the night was through.

Meanwhile in the barn. they were working Curly over good. He was fighting back hard though with all he had, but then he just fell one last time and sprawled out, blood dripping from his nose and mouth onto the hay strewn floor. It looked really bad. They were leaving him for dead.

Rick came running up to my room. I quickly hid the pen and paper behind me. "Hurry! Get your things. We're leaving. ""Now!" he said.

"But how's Curly? He's ok, isn't he? Rick? Answer me!!" I begged.

"Why should you care? But, yeah, he'll be fine, don't worry!! Now get your stuff!"

I hurriedly gathered my few belongings. I had the letter folded in my hand. And ran down the stairs with Rick. Justin was already out at the car waiting.

I ran out to the barn while Rick and Justin put their gear into the car. I hated to leave Curly like that but I was scared. I really cared for him but my love for Rick and fear of him and the whole situation overroad everything else. I knelt down near Curly and stroked his head and whispered in his ear that I cared deeply for him. I kissed him, too and placed the folded letter into his vest pocket. He moaned a quiet "Raven" and sank back into unconsciousness. I just hoped he'd make it. "Please God, let him pull through. "I hurriedly ran out to the car.

We rode out to the apartment. It was very quiet and nobody said anything. I silently cried for Curly, tears streaming down my cheeks, careful to not let Rick see. When we got there, Rick said "We're leaving here tonight. Get all your things together. No time for showers, baths or anything. We've got to go now!"

We packed up up the car quickly and locked the door and left the key and a short note thanking the landlord for his kindness. then we were on the road again.

Back at the ranch, Slim had gotten up because he thought he had heard something earlier but with too much beer in his belly, he had fallen back to sleep. He got up this time and decided to take a look around. He got the surprise of his life when he flicked on the switch in the barn and found Curly laying there dying in a puddle of blood.

He ran up to the house and got Big Daddy out of bed. Big Daddy quickly dressed and put on his holster. Big Mama got up and made a pot of coffee. They hadn't told her it was her baby Curly, afraid of upsetting her. She knew something was wrong, she just didn't know what yet.

Big Daddy and Slim headed out for the barn. Roy was perspiring and looked very upset. If anything happened to Curly, it would just kill Mama. And he had grown quite close to the boy, also. When they walked in Roy couldn't believe his eyes!" Poor Curly just lay there bleeding profusely.

He got on his cell phone and called the Sheriff's office "Someone's gonna pay for this!!" He exclaimed. In minutes, there was the ambulance and the Sheriff parked outside. Lights flashing and blinking. A lot of commotion. Big Mama came out with Carla May and they watched in horror as Curly was taken off in a stretcher. "Mama, you go up to the house now." Roy said "Carla May, you take her."

"Yes, Big Daddy. "she said. With her arms around Mama, they walked back to the house.

Justin just drove. We headed for California. San Francisco. Justin and Rick took turns driving. They were unstoppable. We stopped a few times to rest and get gas, coffee and food but other than that, they were determined to get there. The following night, we finally saw the sign "Welcome To California" and headed straight for the ocean. I would be glad to be seeing the ocean again, albeit the Pacific this time. My dream had always been to see San Francisco and it looked like it was coming true. But what an unsettling trip it had been. My thoughts were still with Curly, seeing him lying there on the barn floor. I hoped he would be okay.

We found a little seaside town, kinda sleepy and a little motel to stay at. The price was kinda steep for our resources but we were all exhausted and we did have some money on us. A little, not much. We all took turns in the tub. It felt good to get clean. There were 2 beds in the room. Justin took the other one. After his bath, he put the t. v. on. We crawled into ours, it felt so good to lay down in a comfortable bed. Rick and I talked for a long time. Justin was engrossed into the movie he was watching.

Rick and I talked about everything that had happened. About what Carla had told me. Rick said it was his temper that got the better of him and that what had happened, it had meant nothing to him, without going into details with me. He just said "She was a bitch and she deserved what she got. "I didn't want to hear anymore. I said "About Curly, look it didn't mean anything either, he just took me in, was nice to me. I was really lost that night. And felt so alone. "