Please leave comments and critiques because I feel like this one was written way to fast. I did it in like a few hours. Let me know if it seems rushed. I'll try to get the next part of the chapter out as soon as I can. Life and school have been crazy. Thanks.

...

Chavez went up the stairs of the servants' quarters and exited through the back door of the house, wanting to have just a moment alone to clear his head.

He almost busted the door off its hinges as he ran out into the night air, and found himself gasping for air as the rage boiled in his stomach and lungs. The angry young man then slammed his fist again the stone wall of the house and let out an agonizing wail. He had almost failed to protect what he loved most. He wasn't even sure that she would recover. As he realized this, tears began to fall down his face as he worked up the gut to go and face the man who had almost killed his love.

Chavez walked around to the other side of the house and met James, Mr. and Mrs. Moody and Anthony. Anthony was sitting on the steps of the porch with a rag on his bleeding head. He looked up at Chavez with an expression that hadn't been seen before. The Mexican-Indian looked into the man's eyes, and saw fear.

James and Mr. Moody attempted and failed to restrain Chavez as he approached the older man. Anthony was quickly greeted with another solid punch to the head.

He tried not to look up as his attacker screamed "Look at me!"

Anthony slowly brought his head up and stared into Chavez's eyes. He was silent, but Chavez could see that he was on the verge of begging for mercy. However, the young greaser was not deterred.

"Chavez, that will due. Anthony, you are fired. Take your belongings and your horse and be gone by tonight," Mr. Moody ordered.

Everything was silent for a moment, until Chavez spoke to Mr. Moody.

"Tell me. Have the boy and his family gone?"

Moody nodded yes, with a look of concern for Anthony in his eyes.

Every heart skipped a beat as Chavez slowly pulled out a knife from his boot.

"Good."

He went to stab the butler, when he heard a click from behind his head. He slowly turned to see James pointing a rifle right at his skull. He could see the other young man shaking.

"Come on now, Chavez. I don't wonna' have to do this," his voice quivered.

He heard Anthony breathe a sigh of relief as Mr. Moody tried to step forward and said "James, lower your gun!"

The young man shouted "Shut the hell up!"

Horses could suddenly be heard approaching the mansion. Chavez heard drunken laughter and gunshots as Howard Griffin and his deputies came closer.

"Everyone get inside and grab a damn gun," he shouted over his shoulder.

The Moody's obeyed and hurried into the house.

Chavez turned to see Anthony stand up with a crooked smile and a glint of anticipation in his eyes. James just stood there and continued pointing the gun at him, and he felt himself tense with realization.

"What is this, you son of a bitch?!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

Chavez felt a gun hit the back of his head, and blacked out before he even hit the ground.

Chavez felt his nostrils sting, and he woke up to the taste of ash and smoke in his throat. As he managed to open his eyes, he saw that the house had been burned to the ground. Jean was next to him, holding something large in a bundle. There was blood on her hands. A few members of the staff were standing around the wreckage, yelling and crying out things that Chavez couldn't quite understand as his head swam. Mrs. Moody held her children as they sobbed into her skirt. Her eyes were wide with fear. Mr. Moody, Howard Griffin, James and Anthony were all gone.

As he finally came to his senses, he heard Jean wailing in what sounded like agony. He hurried to her side, but something stopped him when he got to her.

The shirt that he had used to cover her was draped over the bundle in her arms. Chavez carefully lifted the cloth away and was horrified by what he saw.

Lying in the woman's arms, was the black, burnt corpse of her niece.

"CARRIE!"