"We might be hurr fo' a while. Rest up, Birdy."

I hear Shang Show walk away. When i'm sure he's out of earshot, I let go of the breath I had been holding. I have the right to be angry at him! He caused an entire argument and I was the one who got shot. He deserves to grovel at my feet and beg for forgiveness!

Forgiveness.

I sigh as I curl a bit more into a ball, being as careful as I can to not cause pain in my shoulder. I think back to all the times Elijah taught me about forgiveness. I feel my heart hurt even thinking about him. I'd be even be so sold as to say I miss him.

Before I could even continue my thoughts about Elijah, I hear a voice that said, "How are you feeling?"

I turn over and look at the man who spoke to Shang Show in a language I didn't understand. I look over his features. I want to say he looks similar to Shang Show but there's something...different about him. The jewelry he wears compliment his skin quite nicely.

I give a grunt as I lay there, looking at the ceiling. The man chuckles as he sits beside me. He takes the covers off me and sits me up. As he takes off my bandages, I look at him again.

"I've never...seen anyone that looks like you before," I say after moments of silence.

"If you ask alot of the townsfolk, they'd say the same thing," he says, so nonchalantly as he applies some sort of paste onto my shoulder. "You really are a lucky son of a bitch."

I huff. "I guess I should be dead right now. It hit my shoulder."

"Oh no, it didn't hit your shoulder. It grazed you. You had a bit of an infection but it should be clear soon. Though you did hit your head falling off that horse so we need to keep you here for a bit," the man says as he wraps me up again.

I honestly want to curl up into a ball and simply die. The bullet didn't pierce my shoulder, it just grazed me and I was knocked out from falling off a horse? If I had known where Shang Show's gun was, I would just shoot myself and save myself the humiliation.

"And i'm guessing you aren't here to work on the railroads?" 

That snaps my head up from my thoughts. The man finishes wrapping me and looks me in my eyes. His eyes are a very pretty dark brown color.

"Among other things, I was," i answer.

"Was? I'm guessing you ran away or something?"

I shake my head. "I just...wound up not working on them."

"Then how'd you get out here?"

I raise my eyebrow. "You ask alot of questions."

"Well, it'd be nice to know more about the man I'm helping recover from a bullet grazing his arm and concussion," the man says. "I could also toss you out and tell you to figure it out. But I doubt Shang Show would allow me to do that."

I ponder. I don't know this man. He asks so many questions, inquiring about my personal life and yet...I feel like I can trust him. Honestly, at this moment in time, I trust this man more than I trust Shang Show.

"I came over to the New World in exchange for my servitude. I was in Colorado, working for another master for a while. After some time, my contract was bought.."

"By Calvin James."

"Yes."

A silence falls between us as the man finished bandaging me up. I never imagined that I would want this man to continue asking questions over silence. Once the man finishes, he sits and looks at me as I look back at him. There's an intensity in his eyes that's different. It's not intimidating like Calvin James or smug like Shang Show's. 

"Maybe I'm oversteppin' here but...please forgive Shang Show. Or atleast forgive him eventually. Understand that he's an absolute dummy and doesn't understand how his actions could get someone hurt. He's use to working alone so having you by him makes him...Well, it makes him more stupid that he was before," the man says before picking up his things.

I watch the man as he moves toward a curtain.

"What's your name?" I ask out loud.

The man turns and smiles. "I thought you'd never ask. Jacob."