Work Text:
Untitled ASJ Challenge Response
by Rebel
The blood trickled down the side of his neck as he slowly came back to consciousness. The thumping sound in his head made his entire body hurt. He knew he was in trouble, he just wasn't sure how much.
He kept his eyes closed, and listened. He heard voices that sounded far away, too far to make out who they belonged to or what they were saying. He didn't want them to know that he was awake, not yet at least, whom ever "they" were. If they thought he was still knocked out, maybe they would say something important. Like who they were, or where they were or what they were going to do with him.
He stretched his fingers, then his hands. They weren't tied. He stretched his legs. They weren't tied either. He leaned over to reach for his holster and felt the rope tighten around his chest. Aha, tied to a tree trunk, no wonder they didn't bother tying his feet or hands.
He took a chance and slowly opened his eyes. It was nearly sunrise, the sky a light shade of orange on the Eastern horizon. He now realized the voices were coming from the other side of the tree. He couldn't get a good look without turning his head around. He glanced to his right then to his left. The saddles and gear was piled up near him to his left, but not close enough to reach. The horses were tethered over to his right. Four of them, one was his.
Good. He didn't see Heyes' horse. He didn't see Heyes tied up either. At least Heyes had gotten away. That meant he had a chance. Heyes would get him out of this, if anyone could.
The ground was wet and gritty. But he couldn't take a chance at being seen. Hannibal Heyes belly crawled toward the edge of the encampment He had been up all night following the three bounty hunters and his partner. He wasn't sure what condition he'd find Curry in though. The beating he saw his partner take was brutal. He'd been too far away from their campfire when he'd heard the commotion the night before.
By the time he got back, Curry was already knocked out, bleeding and hogtied to his own horse. He knew he'd have to wait and plan an escape. Even as every fiber of his being was silently shouting NO, NO you can't have him. He knew he would have to wait. He couldn't risk Curry getting shot in the cross fire, or even his own capture. If they got him, the Kid didn't have a chance.
end?