DENTON CROUCH 3

denton wasnt used to being bed bound or house bound for that matter. three times a day a nice, considerate young girl brought him his meals. at times when he thought to get up from the bed the pull of the stitches in his hip would remind him to lay down. some times he would grit his teeth and get up carefully if anything to stand and look out the window at the part of town he could see from there. the nights were the worst. he couldnt seem to sleep the whole night through. he would lay there and stare up into the darkness and events in his life would run through his mind it made his sleeplesnes worse. the men he had killed as a law officer. the men who were his friends who had been killed by outlaws. their faces paraded through his mind. it was starting weigh heavily on his mind. one morning after breakfast and the girl had picked up his tray he dozed off from pure exhaustion. for some reason in his sleep he felt a presence. turning his head and opening his eyes there sat his friend braxton starr. he was quietly watching him sleep. " hello brax, you come to check on me?"denton asked. braxton starr was no longer a middle aged man that denton had met. denton knew braxton had lived a hard life as a law officer. it showed in the lines and creases of his face. his hair was now gray with just a little of the dark brown that was originally the color. "i was in town and heard you were laid up you need anything?" braxton asked. " yeah i need outta here! ive got a belly full of spoon vittles and baby sitting. were you ever laid up like this ?" denton asked. " yes i was , and i didnt like it either. but when i got well i evened the score with the guy who did it to me. i understand you already did that. so just relax you will be out of here soon." braxton was a man who dispensed sage advise. denton looked at him a long time then asked" do the ghosts ever come to you? does it bother you youve killed? they arnt letting me sleep much braxton." braxton looked down at his folded hands in his lap then back up at denton." sometimes they do, but i try to keep in mind the fact that everyone would have killed me , or some innocent person if i havent killed them. its a hard thing to have to do. but when you take on the job your responsible for other peoples well being as well as your own. the one thing thats helped me is my mrs. she has been there when those ghosts were preying on my mind. you dont have that. so i would tell you as john slaughter told me, QUIT! if its that bad and you cant stand up to those ghosts, quit. times are not as bad as they were just a few years ago. the shoot first and ask later days are gone. i dont think theres a way to make those ghosts go away. but maybe just keep them poked back in their hole." the door behind braxton opened and the doctor came in" i hate to break this up but i need to examine mr crouch. would you mind waitting out side?" braxton stood up" i wont leave yet denton ill be right out side." a half hour later the doctor stepped out the door" you can go back in. i took the stitches out, he can carefuly get up and around. but nothing rambuctious. give the wound time to heal completly." " ill do what i can doc thanks. does he owe you anything?" braxton asked. " no the county covers my bill. thats a hard man in there but i see him breaking down i think the life he has led up to now is weighing heavy on him. call me if you need me." the doctor turned and walked away. inside the room denton was sitting on the edge of the bed buttoning his shirt. his pants were laying next to him the hotel had laundered his clothes . when dressed he looked at braxton" you feel like takeing a walk? i wanna go check on my horse. and maybe go get a beer." " lets go i got nothing but time." braxton opened the door.