36 - BETTER PREVENTION...

 36 - BETTER PREVENTION...

- ... what the hell...

The curse came out of Graça's mouth when she saw a man beating a woman in the middle of the street. The people around did nothing to help her. With no time to think, her hand went down to the butt of the gun and, immediately, she drew it and fired into the air. Everyone was paralyzed in the act, including the aggressor, who for a moment let go of his victim. Graça's voice came out soft, but menacing...

-If you touch the girl again, the next bullet will go to her head...

The man looked at her, astonished... how could that withered girl dare defy him? Well, it's true that, in front of the barrel of a gun, there is no brave... but still...

-Dona, don't meddle in what's none of her business...

Grace dismounted, glaring at her opponent. Gun in hand, icy stare. She spoke to him again, through gritted teeth...

- Unless you have a chest of steel, don't you dare lay a single finger on her. Or the next shot will be between his eyes....

- You're not crazy...

- Try your luck...

Seeing that the girl was serious, the man walked away. Maria dismounted too, not losing sight of any of those present. Since her friend was crazy enough to pick fights that weren't hers, the least she could do was ensure her safety... and by the looks of it, it would really be better to stay alert, because the people around her didn't inspire the slightest. trust. While Maria controlled the dough, Graça helped the girl.

  - Thanks...

- Would you do the same for me...

The girl had her face all bruised. Her blouse, half torn, exposing her breasts. Maria took a mantilla from her saddlebag and draped it over her shoulders. When the entire crowd dispersed, Graça finally put her gun away...

- Who was the bully?

- My husband...

- And why was he hitting you?

The woman lowered her head without answering. Graça embraced her, fraternally.

- All right, no need to talk. What is your name?

- Rosa...

- Okay, Rosa... I suppose you have nowhere else to go...

Rosa confirmed with a nod.

- Well, the first thing we have to do is change your torn clothes... and take care of your injuries....

Graça and Maria looked at each other.... tacitly, they agreed to take care of Rosa, and they knew they couldn't leave her behind...

- Do you have children with that piece of shit?

- No...

- Not bad... let's get your things...

The woman looked at the two, terrified. She didn't want to go back to her house, it was visible. Graça slammed the palm of her hand against the butt of her gun....

- He'll be quiet, you can be sure...

With that said, Grace jumped back into her mount's saddle and hoisted Rose onto the back. Maria imitated her and soon the two hit the road, in the direction of Rosa's house.

The moon was high. The three women camped by the river in a large open field. While Maria prepared dinner, Grace tried to get something out of the new member of the group that would explain the scene they had witnessed earlier. But the woman was like a tomb, she didn't want to say what happened. Putting two and two together, grace came to the conclusion that it was probably a case of marital infidelity. She arrived at that conclusion due to the way people watched the scene, not trying to help the woman in front of the aggressor. After all, who knows why, men thought they had the right to consider themselves the owners of their wives and, if they caught them jumping over the fence... the funny thing is that when they were the ones who committed the act, everything was fine... .. Grace simply hated this way of seeing the world, but she had to tolerate it... and just tolerated it. For this and other reasons she always said that she would never marry, because if any man ever dared to raise his hand against her...

As Rosa remained mute, Graça decided not to insist. The new friend's face was really hurt, and maybe that was the main reason for her silent state. After all, no one chats when they're in pain.... Maria served the two of them, helped herself afterwards, and after finishing the meal, it was Grace's turn to wash the used dishes. While her friend was on the river, taking care of the makeshift kitchen, Maria found accommodation for her new partner and let her rest. It didn't take long and Rosa fell asleep. The two friends distanced themselves a little, to talk about what had happened that day. One thing they knew... they couldn't carry the woman with them, because in addition to delaying them, she really didn't seem prepared for the journey the two were facing. Anyway, the most urgent thing was to decide what they were going to do that night...

- What do you think?

- Well, your father told us to always be prepared...

- Do you think that...

- I don't know, Maria... but it wouldn't be pleasant for us to wake up at night with the barrel of a gun on our head...

- I agree... it would be a horrible awakening...

- So there's nothing to discuss...

- Of course there is... who gets the first shift?

- Are you very sleepy?

- A little and you?

- A lot... in fact, if I touch anywhere, I'll fall asleep...

- All right, Graça... I'll take the first shift of the guard....

- Thanks friend...

- But tomorrow you're going to make coffee...

- Shhh... we're both going to be sick all day...

- Ah, come on... you're not such a bad cook...

Grace laughed at her friend's remark. She went to the place where Maria had made up their makeshift beds, took off her boots, lay down and soon left for the world of dreams. Maria looked at the two snoring girls, checked that their horses were tethered near the camp, checked the ammunition in her rifle and began to walk around the place, not only to keep her eyesight across the horizon, but also to ward off the sleep that persisted. in trying to master it. Although the mosquitoes ended up helping her stay awake, because she had to scare them away at all times. The first few hours were peaceful. Nothing new on the horizon... luckily, the breeze that was blowing was fresh, but not cold, and that kept her awake... judging by the position of the moon in the sky, it must have been about eleven o'clock at night, when Maria heard a suspicious noise. As a precaution, she decided to wake Grace up. Better both of them stay alert, she thought. Quickly, Grace pulled on her boots, buckled on her gun belt, grabbed her rifle, and motioned for Maria to walk down one side of the camp while she took the other. If there was anything abnormal, they would be surprised in the middle of the walk. And the worst thing is that she had. Rosa's husband, dissatisfied with losing his prey to the two girls... I say "prey", because if he had considered her as a person, he would not have attacked her... nor would he have chased the girls during the night... gathered a group of friends and decided that they should correct all three. "Where have you ever seen a woman humiliate a man like that?" The problem is, they didn't know who they were messing with... and they would find out, tonight, in a not-too-pleasant way...