Family Ties Part 20
Part 20:
Thwack
Thwack
Thwack
Ezra stood outside the livery watching as a group of men hammered the wood structure that would soon be the gallows down the street. Things seemed to have moved quickly once they arrived back in town with the prisoners. The trial was a blur, it seemed only minutes between the start of the proceedings and the final verdict was given, even though the trial lasted a few days. Judge Travis had planned for the men to be hung at noon the next day. Ezra figured the rate the men were working; they could hold the hanging a lot earlier.
He’d never seen a hanging before and wasn’t sure if he even wanted to now. The town’s people seemed to be excited over the prospect, some going so far to have already claimed viewing spots for the next day. He wanted to see justice for his mother, but didn’t think he could garner the enthusiasm that everyone else seemed to have.
“Pretty neat, huh?”
“It is rather impressive Master Travis.” You’re slipping Ezra; you should have known he was coming before he started speaking. Mother would not be pleased, not pleased at all.
“I’ve never seen three people hung at one time before. Grandpa sure did earn his reputation as a hanging judge.”
“You’ve seen a hanging before?”
“Of course, what boy hasn’t?”
Ezra wasn’t about to admit to this little cretin that he had never seen a hanging before. “I’m surprised your mother would allow it, she doesn’t seem to be the sort to bring her darling little boy to such a crude affair.”
“Um well, ma don’t know I’ve seen them, she’s always too busy getting the story for the paper to worry about where I’m at.”
“Ah my dear Master Travis, you do have a clever bone in your body. I’m dutifully impressed.” Well perhaps the boy has potential yet.
“Well um, some of the guys are getting together to throw rocks and stuff at the prisoners tomorrow on the way to hang um, wanna come?”
“I’m afraid I will have to decline. I want to have a front row view of these men put to death, so must arrive early to garner a suitable viewing position.”
How strange, Ezra thought as he watched the boy walk away. We actually seemed to get along for a short time. Perhaps I should withhold judgment on him for now. Ezra gave one last look to the men working on the gallows before heading back into the barn and finishing his chores. His thoughts focused on the inner struggle of watching the hang the next day.
Chris smiled as he watched the boys talking by the livery. He hoped that they would become friends; it would certainly make things easier if things continued to progress further with Mary.
“Don’t think it’s going to be that easy pard,” grinned the scruffy tracker. He could easily read the expression in his friend’s face.
“Yeah well, one could hope they would get along. Sure would make things easier.”
“Whatcha doing about Ezra tomorrow?”
“Not something I want him to see.”
“Yeah, too young to see something like that. He’s gonna fight you on it I bet.”
“Yeah suppose he will, but I he’s got enough to fill his nightmares already.”
“Still having them?”
“Yup, every night, sometimes they come every time he falls back asleep.”
“Damn”
“Yeah”
Josiah stood in the doorway of the livery and watched the young boy brush down his favorite horse. He figured the child had a lot on his mind, not having noticed his arrival in his usual uncanny way. He could see Ezra talking softly to the horse, but wasn’t close enough to hear what he was saying. He had a pretty good idea on what was on the child’s mind, likely the same thing as everyone else in town, tomorrow’s hanging. Clearing his throat he made some noise to get Ezra’s attention as he journeyed further into the stable.
“Hello Mr. Sanchez, do you need me to saddle your horse for you?”
“No thank you son just came to see you.”
“Oh was there something I could do for you sir?”
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay and maybe answer any questions you may have on the upcoming hanging.”
“No I’m fine Mr. Josiah but thank you for your concern.”
“Are you sure son? Nothing that you may want to know about?”
Ezra drew his bottom lip between his teeth while he considered asking the questions that had been burning inside. “Not at this time Mr. Josiah.”
“Alright son, but remember you can come to me at anytime.”
“I’ll remember that sir.”
Ezra watched as the large man left before turning back to his favorite horse. He soon lost himself in the repetitive motion of brushing the smooth coat. He wasn’t sure how much time passed, so lost in his thoughts, until he was again brought out of his reverie when he felt the strong hand encircle his.
“Doing some hard thinking there little brother.”
Ezra didn’t feel composed enough to speak aloud but managed to nod his head in agreement. That was three times today he had been caught unawares. It was obvious to him that he would need to get some answers and felt comfortable enough with his brother to ask them freely.
“Whatcha thinking on Ezra?”
“What is a hanging like?”
Chris sighed; he figured that was what was on the boy’s mind. He was glad that Ezra had so far been spared the gruesome sight of seeing a man hung; and if he had anything to say about it, it would be a long time before he ever did. “It’s the ending of a life.”
Ezra looked at him as if he had lost his mind. Of course it’s an ending of a life.
“Ezra it’s not a pleasant experience to watch a man hang. If the man is lucky he dies instantly when his neck breaks. More often though a man suffocates and it can be harrowing to watch him struggle for life. A hanging should be treated with respect.”
“Thank you for explaining that to me. I’m confused though, one part of me has no desire to watch the hanging, but the other side wants to see final justice brought to the miscreants that stole my mother’s life away.”
“I can understand that, but watching the hanging is only going to bring you more nightmares.”
“Chris, would you mind watching in my place the men tomorrow meet their final judgment?”
“I’d be proud to stand in your place tomorrow and see justice done.”
“Chris, do you think it weak of me to not want to see the hanging?”
“No, why would you think that?”
“Well Billy Travis has seen hangings before and he doesn’t seem to be affected by them at all.”
“Well Billy just forgets that he spent a few weeks having nightmares when he snuck off to watch the last hanging.”
It was late the next evening when Ezra heard the scream from the Travis’ that he knew he made the right decision. He had enough with the current nightmares keeping him awake to deal with any new ones.
Thwack
Thwack
Thwack
Ezra stood outside the livery watching as a group of men hammered the wood structure that would soon be the gallows down the street. Things seemed to have moved quickly once they arrived back in town with the prisoners. The trial was a blur, it seemed only minutes between the start of the proceedings and the final verdict was given, even though the trial lasted a few days. Judge Travis had planned for the men to be hung at noon the next day. Ezra figured the rate the men were working; they could hold the hanging a lot earlier.
He’d never seen a hanging before and wasn’t sure if he even wanted to now. The town’s people seemed to be excited over the prospect, some going so far to have already claimed viewing spots for the next day. He wanted to see justice for his mother, but didn’t think he could garner the enthusiasm that everyone else seemed to have.
“Pretty neat, huh?”
“It is rather impressive Master Travis.” You’re slipping Ezra; you should have known he was coming before he started speaking. Mother would not be pleased, not pleased at all.
“I’ve never seen three people hung at one time before. Grandpa sure did earn his reputation as a hanging judge.”
“You’ve seen a hanging before?”
“Of course, what boy hasn’t?”
Ezra wasn’t about to admit to this little cretin that he had never seen a hanging before. “I’m surprised your mother would allow it, she doesn’t seem to be the sort to bring her darling little boy to such a crude affair.”
“Um well, ma don’t know I’ve seen them, she’s always too busy getting the story for the paper to worry about where I’m at.”
“Ah my dear Master Travis, you do have a clever bone in your body. I’m dutifully impressed.” Well perhaps the boy has potential yet.
“Well um, some of the guys are getting together to throw rocks and stuff at the prisoners tomorrow on the way to hang um, wanna come?”
“I’m afraid I will have to decline. I want to have a front row view of these men put to death, so must arrive early to garner a suitable viewing position.”
How strange, Ezra thought as he watched the boy walk away. We actually seemed to get along for a short time. Perhaps I should withhold judgment on him for now. Ezra gave one last look to the men working on the gallows before heading back into the barn and finishing his chores. His thoughts focused on the inner struggle of watching the hang the next day.
Chris smiled as he watched the boys talking by the livery. He hoped that they would become friends; it would certainly make things easier if things continued to progress further with Mary.
“Don’t think it’s going to be that easy pard,” grinned the scruffy tracker. He could easily read the expression in his friend’s face.
“Yeah well, one could hope they would get along. Sure would make things easier.”
“Whatcha doing about Ezra tomorrow?”
“Not something I want him to see.”
“Yeah, too young to see something like that. He’s gonna fight you on it I bet.”
“Yeah suppose he will, but I he’s got enough to fill his nightmares already.”
“Still having them?”
“Yup, every night, sometimes they come every time he falls back asleep.”
“Damn”
“Yeah”
Josiah stood in the doorway of the livery and watched the young boy brush down his favorite horse. He figured the child had a lot on his mind, not having noticed his arrival in his usual uncanny way. He could see Ezra talking softly to the horse, but wasn’t close enough to hear what he was saying. He had a pretty good idea on what was on the child’s mind, likely the same thing as everyone else in town, tomorrow’s hanging. Clearing his throat he made some noise to get Ezra’s attention as he journeyed further into the stable.
“Hello Mr. Sanchez, do you need me to saddle your horse for you?”
“No thank you son just came to see you.”
“Oh was there something I could do for you sir?”
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay and maybe answer any questions you may have on the upcoming hanging.”
“No I’m fine Mr. Josiah but thank you for your concern.”
“Are you sure son? Nothing that you may want to know about?”
Ezra drew his bottom lip between his teeth while he considered asking the questions that had been burning inside. “Not at this time Mr. Josiah.”
“Alright son, but remember you can come to me at anytime.”
“I’ll remember that sir.”
Ezra watched as the large man left before turning back to his favorite horse. He soon lost himself in the repetitive motion of brushing the smooth coat. He wasn’t sure how much time passed, so lost in his thoughts, until he was again brought out of his reverie when he felt the strong hand encircle his.
“Doing some hard thinking there little brother.”
Ezra didn’t feel composed enough to speak aloud but managed to nod his head in agreement. That was three times today he had been caught unawares. It was obvious to him that he would need to get some answers and felt comfortable enough with his brother to ask them freely.
“Whatcha thinking on Ezra?”
“What is a hanging like?”
Chris sighed; he figured that was what was on the boy’s mind. He was glad that Ezra had so far been spared the gruesome sight of seeing a man hung; and if he had anything to say about it, it would be a long time before he ever did. “It’s the ending of a life.”
Ezra looked at him as if he had lost his mind. Of course it’s an ending of a life.
“Ezra it’s not a pleasant experience to watch a man hang. If the man is lucky he dies instantly when his neck breaks. More often though a man suffocates and it can be harrowing to watch him struggle for life. A hanging should be treated with respect.”
“Thank you for explaining that to me. I’m confused though, one part of me has no desire to watch the hanging, but the other side wants to see final justice brought to the miscreants that stole my mother’s life away.”
“I can understand that, but watching the hanging is only going to bring you more nightmares.”
“Chris, would you mind watching in my place the men tomorrow meet their final judgment?”
“I’d be proud to stand in your place tomorrow and see justice done.”
“Chris, do you think it weak of me to not want to see the hanging?”
“No, why would you think that?”
“Well Billy Travis has seen hangings before and he doesn’t seem to be affected by them at all.”
“Well Billy just forgets that he spent a few weeks having nightmares when he snuck off to watch the last hanging.”
It was late the next evening when Ezra heard the scream from the Travis’ that he knew he made the right decision. He had enough with the current nightmares keeping him awake to deal with any new ones.