《Southern Outlaw》 Chapter 1 - Stranger in town Joe Calligan arose hastfully, his large figure panting as it instinctively grabbed a revolver laying nearby on a small table. Frowning, he tightly squeezed the piece, eyes darting all over the dark unlit space he was in. Removing the sweat soaked blanket with his left hand, Joe rose up from the hard wooden bed he had slept in. His clothes, hanging on a stool next to the bed, were still in one piece, much to his surprise. ¡°God dammit I did it again ¡° he muttered internally, as two calloused palms rubbed onto several crevasses on an already worn down face. Sharp rays of the sun greeted him when he withdrew the blinds to what he now confirmed was an inn. A busy street welcomed him as caravans and people made their way across the dirt stricken yellow ground that was the standard of the arid west. Refocusing onto the room, he noticed it was primitive. His bed made up the only piece of furniture, and was accompanied by the small wooden table next to him. It in fact looked so brittle that he was surprised it could hold the weight of his revolver. Next to the wooden door that marked the exit was a hanger for clothes and jackets. The walls and floors were made out of wooden planks. Like most of the buildings he had encountered they had been nailed into the supporting framework, providing airflow during hot days like this one, although that would come back to bite on in the as during the cold winter days. Scratching the back of his head, the large man began sluggishly putting on the clothes next to him. Slim blue jeans equipped with a holster, tightly covered his thick legs as the sound of spurs spinning came from a pair of brown leather boots. A large black poncho sat on top of two broad shoulders, and his eyes, now calm, were naturally squinted and rested in the shade given to him by a wide brimmed leather hat. Placing one foot in front of the other, he began making his way across the creaking floor, eyes glued to the wooden door opposed to him. Suddenly a violent but familiar throb filled the inside of his skull, as the sensation of a nasty hangover hit him harder than any punch to the face ever could. "Curse the bastard mother of whoever made up Alkohol" he mumbled to himself, as his hand went for the knob. Suddenly Joe heard squeaking coming from outside the door. Without thinking twice, his body jolted back, pupil looking through the ironsight of his silver revolver as he stared at the wooden door. Maintaining his right arm raised, he gently tiptoed out of the direct path, a few steps to the right of the inward opening door gave him the leverage he needed to finish whoever was stupid enough to court death. Joe clutched his teeth, as large veins ran down his neck. He felt his pulse pounding like war drums in a marching band as small beads of sweat began forming on his palms, slightly worsening his grip. The familiar stomach twisting sensation overcame him as his body tensed up. Joe bit his lip as he groaned in frustration. ¡°When do i fucking learn¡± he thought, cursing his himself for getting into trouble with the bounty on his head. "Hello mister" A feminine voice suddenly sounded, cutting through the tense air. The feminine voice momentarily disarmed Joe, the latter slightly lowering his revolver. She sounded to be in her early twenties; and the cracking in her voice gave away her fear. Joe rolled his eyes. Even if he had gotten used to the whole being scared of the new guy act, it still annoyed him that he had to be on his best behavior. Small towns like these always had an inexperienced deputy who couldn¡¯t wait for the chance to claim glory by killing people like himself. The thought of southern cacti liquor briefly flashed his mind, as he remembered smashing it over one of those said inexperienced deputy¡¯s a few years back. " I''ll be out in a bit" he responded solemnly after some time. His gut told him that it wasn¡¯t a setup. "A-alright " The woman squeaked as if she had delivered her message. Silence ensued for a few seconds before a pair of hurried steps sounded down presumed stairs. Joe exhaled in a short burst, slightly releasing the tense grip of his revolver. After pausing for a bit he took a long breath, and then exhaled loudly. Shifting attention to his piece, he raised the gun vertically, aligning it with his shoulder. It was a fine piece of craftsmanship, a silver Smith and Wesson that had been embroidered with black stripes of patterns that coiled around the gun, like a snake grasping its prey. He had acquired it after an altercation in a town westward. He still remembered the furious face of the mayor upon seeing his good for nothing son laying dead in his new suit. The gun felt weightless in his hand. A testimony to the fact that it had become an extension of his own arm. Joe spun it on his finger, quickly rotating the revolver 360 degrees so it landed perfectly into his holster. He was all set. Carefully opening the door, he was greeted with a long hallway. It had several rooms on both sides. The burly man floated across the sensitive wooden floor. Creaks and raised voices came from what he guessed were other tenants, as he slowly walked towards the staircase that marked the end. * Creaking could be heard as a grey bearded man sat leaning onto the wooden counter of the bar before him. He wore a leather jacket that downed a golden star sitting on his chest. Looking towards the dress shirt clad man in front of him, he nonchalantly swirled his glas before he gulped down the last of the brown liquor. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "When is he coming down?" He asked as he slammed the glass down on the counter "Should be any second now Bill " A finley clad man answered " I just told my daughter to call him down". As if on cue, loud steps could be heard as a young brown haired woman galloped down the twisting wooden staircase. She wore a long white blouse that revealed her blossom along with a pair of black jeans, something quite uncommon. " I¡¯ve just called him down daddy, he should be here any minute" " Thankyou Jenny" Frank said, nodding in her direction as he filled up another glass with brown liquor, putting it in front of Bill ¡° If anything happens, I''ve got a 12 gauge behind the counter, ¡± "That''s reassuring Frank" Bill said as he turned to Jenny ¡° Hello kiddo¡± "Sherriff" the young woman smirked playfully, as her eyes glittered, before turning sternly as if she remembered something "Are you here to detain him?" Bill sat pondering for a while, calloused hands caressing his silver beard. " Heard he bruised up the Jenkin''s boys yesterday¡± Then he paused, sighing before continuing ¡°Even though they are a scourge, and good for nothins¡­. I can''t have people assailing each other." " Of Course sherriff, and we appreciate that" Frank chimed in. He always felt nervous when outlaws or outsiders entered his establishment, never knowing if he''d be washing away blood by the end of the night. God knows it had happened too many times, all over stupid things like women or money. "Speaking of the devil" Bill exclaimed as he rose up, hand on his holster. "Hello stranger. Name is Bill - I''m the town sheriff" "What have I done to deserve this welcome party sheriff? " Joe asked in a direct tone, hand beginning to creep towards the back end of his silver piece. "Just want a friendly talk" Bill said, nodding his head towards the exit. ¡° Lets not escalate things here¡± Joe sighed as he released the tension from his posture ¡°Alright Sheriff, your town, i''ll follow the rules¡± Joe said as he cumbersomely walked past the sheriff. Quickly he flashed a smile towards Jenny causing the latter to blush. Working at an inn she was used to men hitting on her all the time, but for some reason the mysterious stranger made her heart skip a beat. Frank facepalmed as he saw their interaction ¡° Women and danger¡­¡± he muttered to himself Joe pushed open the wooden gates that blocked the dusty air from reaching the inn. As the strong sunlight met his eyes he saw a bustling dirt street. There were buildings on both sides of the road, to the left side a larger square area could be seen, and to the right the stores faced the road on both sides until they halted before the entrance, a wooden frame with a sign. Joe observed as farmers carried produce on horse drawn carriages, people entering and exiting the shops, and people shouting as they tried to sell things from small stands. It was a larger town that seemed to have everything essential to be self sustained. Joe turned backwards to face the now frowning sheriff, who stared intently in his direction. Just as he was about to ask him about it, a boy came running towards the pair. ¡°Sheriff!¡± the boy screamed as he fell with both hands to his knees, panthing intently for a few seconds before continuing ¡°The Tarp brothers are in town! John is blocking their entry but they refuse to leave, you need to hurry!¡± he shouted nervously Bill patted his back¡° You did good William, now there, tell Michael and Trevor to bring two rifles and join us pronto.¡± ¡°O-okey¡± The boy responded as he ran for the sheriff''s office, his red hair standing out in the crowd. ¡°Listen up everyone¡± Bill exclaimed towards the townsfolk, causing a few of the passing people to jump ¡° I need everyone to head inside, the tarp brothers are back¡± Horrified expressions filled the faces of the passing townsfolk upon mentioning their names, it was clear to Joe that they were good for nothings. Most of the people began walking quickly, mothers grabbing their children, and worried merchants riding further inward with their goods. Store fronts closed along with windows of residential homes. Although some still stayed, Joe figured they were outlaws based on their attire and equipment. After talking to the townsfolk Bill turned to Joe, eying him intently. ¡° Listen-¡± ¡°Joe¡± ¡°Listen Joe - I¡¯ve got a bad situation at hand, so our little conversation will have to wait. Can I trust you to not cause any ruckus while I''m gone?¡± he said, strained eyes contrasting his smile. ¡°You have my word sheriff¡± ¡°Good¡± Flashing a slight smile, he began running towards a horse that was tied to a post just outside the inn. After swiftly untying the knot, the older man jumped up the saddle with athleticism unexpected for his age. ¡°Atta girl, Milk!!¡± he shouted as he patted it twice on its side. Neighing energetically, the horse jolted across the dirt road, sand shooting up behind the pair as people jumped out their way. Quickly the horse had reached a speed so fast Joe''s eyes shot open. He had never seen a horse as fast, and he had seen a lot of horses. Chuckling, Joe walked out the bar as he nonchalantly scouted the town. He walked until he saw the first building that hadn''t shut its windows or had closed Gun store He appreciated when stores advertised their intended purpose. Putting his hand on the wooden swing doors, Joe let himself into the dark interior. ¡° Howdy¡± An older man greeted him, who sat on a stool behind the counter. ¡° What can I do for ya stranger?¡± ¡°I need a rifle. Somthing that can hit a target from 30 meters away¡± Joe said, already eying a winchester. The older man smirked at Joe ¡° Seems like you¡¯ve already decided, u¡¯ve got a good eye boy¡± ¡°I''m assuming you want a couple rounds to go as well?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve assumed right¡± Joe said, returning the smile as he withdrew 300 dollars. ¡° Will this do?¡± The older man placed the gun on the dark wooden counter as he bent down and picked up a small box. ¡° 250 dollars for the gun, a box of 500 rounds go for 100¡± A sight could be heard as the man scratched his head ¡° but I can give ya 250 for 50 dollars instead, since you seem to need it¡± ¡°That would be much appreciated,¡± Joe said, tipping his hat as he placed the money on the counter. Joe put the Winchester 73, over his shoulder, filling his ammunition belt before putting the remaining ammo inside his satchel. ¡°Hey¡± The older man called out, stopping Joe at the exit, his friendly gaze had been replaced with a cold and ominous expression. "Yeah?" ¡° The tarps aren¡¯t regular buckeyes - they always shoot first¡± ¡°They better, if they want to live¡± Joe said without turning, then exited the shop. As Joe left, a small smirk could again be seen on the older man''s stern looking face. ¡° Seems like things have gotten interesting here all of a sudden¡± Chapter 2 - Buck eyes Bill Redwood had been the sheriff of flint for 2 decades. As the firstborn son of a farmer, he had seen the town from every harvest, as he and his dad rode in from the countryside to sell their produce. His father would always say that ¡°Compared to the strenuous work required to maintain a farm, the city life was carefree place¡± Even so, Bill had always thought it a special occasion when they visited what seemed like the center of the world for a country boy like him. He remembered the exact day he wanted to become a man of the law. The former Sheriff had ridden past his fathers stall, a criminal tied on the back of his horse. He was a local trouble maker who had stolen animals from their land and many others. Like any other kid he was awestruck, but never in his lifetime did he expect the sheriff to glance at him and smile. Those eyes, Bill had chased those proud eyes ever since. Snapping back to the present, Bill scanned the crowd of opposing figures, 7 in total. Six of them were not his. A bad hand, even for the worst jack player. Milk continued hastily galloping towards the clustered men. As they neared, Bill punched the chamber of his revolver out, inserting 6 rounds into the empty holes. Six rounds for six men. The sounds of hooves could be heard as 2 horses came galloping on both his sides. It was Trevor and Michael. Each had rifles strapped on their backs. Without saying a word the trio sped up their horses, as the sun shone down. "I''ve told you several times you are not entering our town" a man drained in sweat wearing a large hat spoke, his hand hovering above his holster. The lit cigarette in his mouth dangled with each word, as his eyes were focused at the six armed men in front of him. Any man knew the odds were not in his favor, as a matter of fact, all it took was one of these bastards getting triggerhappy for him to be filled with more than six rounds. God be damned if he didnt take at least one of the six fucks along with him. John tensed his body preparing for the worst. Usually crooks like these always had somthing to say, acting smart and all that. However these men were silent, observant, not amateurs. His fifteen years of experience as a law man were the only thing fighting the voices that told him to run for his life. As he was preparing to yell again one of the six men stepped forward. "About damn time" he said, in a coarse raspy voice Just as John was about to ask, the sounds of hooves cut through the tense air. "You alright ?" Bill yelled, exorcising the voices in his head. The old comrades presence filled him with confidence. "Doing just fine Sheriff" The three men dismounted as they Each locked their weapons towards the opposing crowd. "Bill Redwood" a lanky and hollow cheeked man said with a coarse and raspy voice, taking a few steps towards their group as his men kept their distance. "So this is the esteemed white rider of Flint?¡± he said chuckling. The man looked back at his crew and stopped laughing. " He doesn''t seem like a lot to me, isn''t that right boys?!'''' Grunts could be heard accompanied by the sounds of several men spitting. The lanky man then turned back towards Bill revealing a stone cold face devoid of emotion. "A lot of men want to see you dead, white horseman" Bill spat on the ground " Many have tried, but you know what? " he said as the whites on both sides of his irises showed. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. " They all lay 6 feet under" A chuckle could be heard coming from John ¡° I should know, cause i dug the graves for the sons of bitches¡± Silence ensued as all the men present instinctively slowly hovered their fingers near their holsters and triggers. The howling of the wind could be heard as no one made a sound. The standoff had begun, and once someone drew, blood would be spilled. The opposing parties eyed each other, looking for a single sign of weakness. Having a stoic face could be what determined who lived and who died. Suddenly a shot came from above as one of the six men dropped dead. Bill and his three deputies opened fire, not having the time to discern where the shot had come from. The older man tapped his revolver, dropping another of the scum. He heard a groan come from behind him as John dropped onto the ground, he had been hit. Michael, Bill and Trevor all nodded towards each other as they each sprinted in different directions, a tactic they had drilled if they were ro be outnumbered. Another volley of bullets came their way as the remaining four men shot at them furiously. Bill reloaded his rifle, crouching as he stared at the four men. He quickly looked back seeing John laying in a pool of his own blood. ¡°Dammit¡± he barked Three large bangs filled the air, as another 2 of the goons fell to the dirt floor. The lanky man was visibly scared " Damn you white horseman!" he shouted, aiming his revolver towards Bill. But it was to late. Bill and Michael both had their revolvers locked at them. In unison the pair fired, causing two thumps to be heard as the lanky man and his last goon fell like bags of meat to the ground. Bill quickly looked up to see a man from a rooftop 20 meters away. ¡° I''ll be damned¡± he mouthed, eyes wide open before running towards John. ¡° Michael see if the buckeyes still breathe¡± ¡°Matthew take my horse and go get Doc! ¡± Bill barked as he assessed the wound on John Bot the men ran as they followed the Seeing the pool of blood that had formed, Bill quickly ripped a piece of his flannel shirt off. Pulling out his knife he carefully but hastily cut off John''s bloodstained Shirt, revealing the entry wound. It had gone through the liver. ¡°Dammit ¡° Seeing the blood gushing out he momentarily froze, before shaking his head and putting the ripped piece of flannel over the wound. The cloth quickly turned red as the blood continued to pour. John groaned as his pale face mumbled something unintelligible. ¡° Their boss is still breathing¡± Michael shouted, interrupting Bills trail of thought ¡° Should I kill him?¡± ¡° He''s my trophy¡± A voice Bill recognized, shouted, as Joe emerged into the open landscape, holding a 1873. ¡° My payment for saving your necks¡± ¡° Stay back!¡± Michael screamed ¡° take one more step and Il-¡± ¡°Stay down Michael, he''s on our side ¡° Bill sighed ¡° Besides, we were practically sitting ducks, he could have smoked us all anytime he had wished¡± Michael rested his arm, teeth clenching. ¡° Fuck¡± Joe walked towards the 2 men. ¡° I''m sorry Bill, but your friend there got as much of a chance of making it as a donkey racing a horse¡± Bill pressed his eyes, knowing very well that John had no chance of making it. Flint''s doctor lived too far for him to arrive in good time. That and the fact that he would have to do an operation in the searing sun, as they couldn''t risk moving John ¡° I know the chances are slim, but I¡¯ll be damned if i don''t try¡± Bill yelled, spit flying out his mouth He looked down at John. He was sickly pale. Quickly he reached for his neck. Nothing. No pulse. "John stay with me god dammit! Think of your wife and son!" Bill screamed before he started doing compressions, somthing his father had taught him. Tears flowed as he continued to press his chest, trying to resist the realization that one of his closest friends had died. " FUCK!" his voice cracked as he suddenly stood up and walked away, face in between both his hands. Joe sighed slightly as he continued towards the leader of the scourge, walking past Michael who already had begun running towards Bill. Stopping directly above the hollowed cheeked man. He stared into his tired eyes " William the rattlesnake O''Connor" He said somberly "A bounty of 100 Dollars on your head" Suddenly the lanky man''s eyes shot wide open " R-reaper" his voice quivered in fear , as if laying before the manifestation of death. " Get away from me!" he cried, as he tried to crawl away from Joe. Joe sighed How the mighty always fall The burly man scowled before stomping onto the man''s back, causing a large crack to erupt from within. "Arrrrgh! " The Lanky man yelled, as he stopped moving ¡° You don¡¯t have to do this Reaper I-I got a stash back home, just let me go and I¡¯ll tell you where-¡± ¡° Pathetic¡± Joe said, eying the shaking man ¡° Die with some dignity will ya¡± Then in one swift motion he flicked his revolver out of its holster. A loud bang could be heard as a bullet went through his chest. He hated the fact that he couldn''t shoot him in the head but he needed his ugly mug to get his bounty. Joe supposed it was hard to identify a man with half his face blown off. The lanky man looked petrified as he coughed up blood ¡° Im sorry Jason.¡±Joe heard him mumbling before his eyes shot permanently Hogtying the corpse of the lanky man, he dragged the rope away as he whistled loudly into the air. Far away a trail of dust could be seen forming as a black steed galloped through the hot dirt ground. " come here samson" he clicked with his tongue, as the horse began coming closer. A smirk could be seen forming on Joe''s lips as the horse arrived before him " good boy" he called out, in tone a lot softer than before. Putting the trophy on the back of his horse, Joe climbed the saddle, whipping the reins as Samson began galloping. ¡° Another day, another dollar¡± Chapter 3 - Greedy Bankers Loud rhythmic creeks could be heard on the wooden floor as a burly man carrying a large bag overhead entered Boulder Banking services. Horrified expressions could be seen coming from the upper class patrons, as if some large feral animal suddenly had barged into the foyer. Bill sighed as he tipped his hat in an apologetic manner towards the crowd. ¡°Evening Folks¡± After making sure that none of the customers had fainted, he proceeded towards the counter, the large man walking after him. ¡°This man here helped me kill The Tarps yesterday¡± Bill exclaimed. Suppressed gasps could be heard coming from the distanced crowd. A small man greeted Bill, his round glasses sitting on top of an equally round head. His narrow pointed nose, and shaky demeanor gave him the impression of a rodent. Rolling his handlebar mustache he quickly eyed the pair of blood soaked men, tongue licking around his small mouth ¡° Mm yes I see, 100 Dollars for O¡¯Connel, and 50 for each of his men¡± A large thud could be heard as the burly man threw down the bag, causing a few people to flinch. ¡°100 dollars for each head¡± The burly man said, putting a leg on the bag as he scanned the room. It was hard to tell if he was in a particularly bad mood or if he was always mad. Bill sighed. Things never went smoothly when it came to money, especially with a banker. ¡° Relax Joe, you¡¯ll get the money, but don¡¯t cause a scene alright?¡± ¡°The quicker this little rat gives me what''s mine, I¡¯ll be outta his hair¡± Joe snorted. He had dealt with enough bankers to know that they would always try to rip you off. Greed seemed to be the essential trait of their occupation. "I-I believe the agreed amount the state determined was 100 per leader and 50 per -" "If I hadn''t killed those men, where do you think they first would have gone?" Joe snapped back at the banker ¡° "Im sure they would take more than 50 dollars per head¡± he said, eying the vault behind the counter ¡° He is right,¡± Bill sighed again. ¡°Lenny, just give what the man asks alright?¡± There was a pause as Lenny stared at both men, whatever calculations his darting eyes made were hidden by his stale face. ¡° Very well,¡± he said after a minute. ¡° Let me confirm the bounties first¡± Lenny shook slightly after uttering those words. This was the part he detested the most about his job besides interacting with uncivilized gunmen. Before the government had ordered every bank to reimburse all bounties, he had been a normal banker, giving out loans to people, or helping with larger purchases. Now his previously pristine and simple occupation had been undignified as he had to see the headless corpses of dead men at least once a month. An undeserving fate indeed. Joe chuckled as he opened the bag. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Lenny stared into the dead eyes of William O¡¯Connell, It was him alright. The short and plumb man withdrew a thick stack of cash from his side pocket. ¡°600 dollars¡± he said in a sad tone, as if he had lost a dear family member. Joe grabbed the money and gave bill 300. He scratched his head ¡°Bankers¡± ¡°Now If that is all gentlemen, I have costumers to attain to¡± Lenny said in dissatisfaction. ¡°Thankyou Lenny, well be out of your hair¡± Bill said, tipping his hat towards the people as he slightly bowed his lead leg ¡° Folks¡± The two men exited the bank and were greeted by the orange horizon marking the sunset. Things would get very dark soon. Both men instinctively walked towards the town square, not saying a word. Sounds of a piano playing could be heard alongside hollering from a lit up establishment. There was just enough light left for Joe to read The Red Rose The two men entered the lively establishment and were immediately greeted by the strong smell of liquor and tobacco. People were dancing, playing cards and gambling. Catching a few stares, both the men went straight for the counter. The sound of a lively tune rang in the background, coming from a pianist who occupied the center of the bar. It gave the bar an upbeat atmosphere. Lanterns lit up the establishment, providing a cozy feeling to the wooden planque interior. Several large tables were organised in rows, the bar was packed. ¡°Howdy Rex¡± Bill said, nodding to the bartender. ¡°If it isn¡¯t our beloved sheriff¡± Rex smiled, his eyes soft. Joe and Bill each sat down on a stool, facing the older man. ¡° I''m sorry about John, Bill¡± Rex sighed, drying glass with a rugg Bill looked down for a second, inhaling deeply. ¡° So am I¡± The entire bar had quieted down, most trying to listen in on their conversation. By now everyone in Flint knew what had happened to John Rex clutched his teeth ¡° Next round is free you good for nothings¡± He then looked towards a brown haired, middle aged woman ¡°Jenny, handle the costumers will ya?¡± Jenny rolled up her sleeves as she withdrew several bottles from behind the counter ¡°You heard him u slackers, Come to me for the free drinks¡± As soon as she finished her sentence, the bar erupted in cheers ¨C the mood returning to normal. With the attention away from Bill, Rex grabbed a finer looking bottle from beneath the counter. ¡°My finest bourbon, from our dear confederate friends down in tenesse ¡° Rex said winking as he poured 3 small glasses When done, he raised his glass ¡°For John, Father and Husband. Protector of flint for 2 decades, and a good friend..¡± ¡°For John¡± Bill said raising his glass Joe eyed both the men, silently he raised his glass. 3 gulps later and the glasses were clear again. ¡°Damn good liquor¡± Bill exclaimed with a gasp ¡°Indeed¡± Rex added ¡° I¡¯ve got an entire barrel down stairs I''ve just opened, poured over the contents into several bottles¡± ¡°Smart man¡± Rex smiled as he poured Bill another glass. Just as he was about to pour for Joe he looked him in the eyes. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen ya around stranger. Word in town is that you helped Bill here, with the scum¡± Bill slightly tensed up, looking at Joe through his peripheral vision. ¡° Hah!¡± Joe laughed heartily, dissipating any worries Bill might have had. ¡° Helped isn¡¯t the right word. Your sheriff would have been looking worse than the blood on my boots if I hadn¡¯t smoked 3 of their goons¡± ¡° Is that so?¡± Rex said, skeptic of the burly man, as he poured his glass. To be frank he looked more like a muscle head and not a trained gunman. ¡°It''s the truth Rex¡± Bill said, lethargic as he looked at Joe ¡° Thankyou for saving us Joe, If not for you I might have lost more than just John..¡± Then facing Joe he raised his glas. Joe stopped laughing as he matched Bill''s stare for a few seconds. Then he followed suit, raising his glass. A clang rang out. ¡°Just repaying my debt for causing a mess yesterday¡± he said holding his head down. Billed gave a toothy smile ¡° You¡¯re a good man Joe¡± Joe mumbled somthing about lawmen and being naive. ¡°Hope you can keep up sheriff¡± Joe said as both of the men downed their glasses. ¡°Aah¡± Joe exhaled, already eying another bottle ¡° Want a glass?¡± Rex asked smirking ¡° A bottle¡± Joe smiled, shoving 5 dollars on the counter Both Bill and Rex chuckled as they realised the night would become far longer than anticipated Chapter 4 - Town of Flint Joe woke to the sound of a dog hollering. He layed in an unknown bed wrapped in a blanket. A dull ache ran down his back as he pushed himself upward. Just as he was about to look around the room, he felt a breath of moist air on his shoulder. Realizing he had company he tugged at the blanket slightly. Lying hidden beneath it was a black haired woman, she was beautiful ¨C and serene. He extended his hand, fingers nearly touching her face, but stopped ¡°Hmmm¡± the woman groaned in her sleep as she smiled. Joe exhaled as his small smirk disappeared. Shaking his head, he moved his grainy frame so it sat on the bedside. He began quietly putting on his gear. His Winchester layed next to the bed. Strapping it on he turned around to look at the woman one last time. Exiting the room he found himself in the balcony of the Red rose. Rex must have gotten him a room. Joe grunted slightly ¨C he hated owing people. Walking down the stairs towards the bar, he was greeted with the sight of Jenny, tirelessly mopping up some leftovers from yesterday''s event. "Morning" Joe said, his deep voice resonating inside the empty room. " Monin " Jenny nodded, clearly tired, cleaning up after manning the bar the entire night. The air smelled like a mixture of wet wood and puke. "Know where I can get some chubb round here? " Jenny stooped mopping for a second to think " Clarksons got the best chubb in town ¨C after us of course. Would have cooked you something if not for the gift I got by that sleazebag yesterday" she snorted. " Also, you should talk to the sheriff, he asked for ya" " I''m not into men" Joe said stone faced, causing jenny to look in dazzlement as he left the Red rose with a small chuckle. Piercing rays of sunlight greeted Joe as he left the Red Rose. There was a reason most took longer journeys during the evening instead of during noon. The square was filled with people as folk from surrounding villages came to trade. It became apparent to Joe that The Red Rose laid in the middle of what constituted the town''s central area. Glancing quickly, Joe saw it consisted of adjacent buildings on each side of a large open dirt clearing. Lining up in the middle were opposing stands. All kinds of people could be seen haggling passerbyers as they showed off the wares of their stalls. "Finest tobacco on this side of the mississippi!" " 2 apples for the price of one, first 10 only" "Come get your fresh milk here, 5 cents a gallon!" Joe walked through the crowd as he went up to a vendor, flipping a dime, he grabbed an apple and a pack of leathers. Silently the vendor nodded and grabbed the coin. No unnecessary small talk, just the way he liked it. He then continued along inside the large square, eying both people and buildings. A black haired boy could be seen handing out papers looking somber. The people who were greeting him looked sympathetic. Joe''s gut told him it was Johns son, the demeanor just matched. As he neared the boy the latter saw him "Hey Stranger!" He called out as the surrounding people began to look onto the pair. Joe turned around as he lit a cigarette. "Yeah?" He grunted " Please come to my fathers funeral next week" he said, as Joe could see him suppressing tears, he looked no older than 10. A sense of dejavu overcame him as he remembered something. Joes eyes darted around quickly before walking up to the boy "Sure kid" he said, grabbing the card and exhaling a large cloud of smoke into his face. "I''ll be there so relax alright" "Thank you mister!" The wide cheeked kid yelled, revealing a large smile, for a second his troubles seemed to have been lifted. He shook his head at how soft he had become. Damn kids, he always had a soft spot for them. It was quite funny, many of the buckeyes he killed without battin an eye used to be kids, but he never felt a thing for them. Spontaneously he wondered where Samson was. That wild horse was always off doing something mischievous with mares. The black steed would always be there when he needed him though. Suddenly as if on cue, a white horse stopped right next to him ¡°Hard man to find ¡± The rider smiled as he tipped his hat. ¡° Sheriff¡± Joe greeted with a slight nod ¡°You needed somthing?¡± ¡° Looking for work?¡± Bill asked, Joe sighing as he knew it would be related to some chivalrous law man activities. ¡° Depends on the work¡± ¡°As u know Im one man short¡± Bill said staring into the horizon ¡° Michael and Matthew already got their hands covered dealing with petty crimes¡± ¡° So u want me to work for you, as a law man?¡± Joe asked frowning ¡°Not quite ¡° Bill said slightly grinning as he imagined Joe in a standard outfit This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡° I want to hire your services for the moment, think of it as a protection job, guard my city from criminals and I''ll compensate you well ¨C at least until I can find a replacement for John¡± Joe could still hear the pain coming from his voice. Dammit He stood silent for a good minute before looking up at Bill. Taking a deep inhale of his cigarette he spoke ¡° You need to know i''m a wanted man sheriff, people find out im here, Flints in danger¡± Bill eyed Joe, his demeanor changing but still friendly ¡° Reason?¡± ¡° A lot of things, but I recently killed the mayor''s son over in Carod, it''s how I got this piece¡± Joe said, slightly raising the reflective metallic revolver. Bill paused for a second ¡° Why?¡± Joe spat out his cigarette, crushin the ambers ¡° Damn family thought they could do whatever they wanted, bastard drew his gun on me and I had enough¡± Bill looked straight faced at Joe. He in fact already knew that Joe had killed the mayor''s son. Being the closest part of their county, he had been there when the sheriffs of the area met up for their 5 year recap, he knew the The Mayor of Carod belonged to a corrupt family, but they had too much influence for him to do anything. They had their fingers in everything from the law to banking and even distillery. They had distant relatives who were judges. Nothing happened in Carod without them approving it, and at the same time, they could do whatever they wanted. ¡° Once a man draws a gun, you are allowed to use lethal force to defend yourself¡± Bill said somberly, as he retrieved the golden metallic star from this pocket ¡° So, you want the job or not?¡± ¡° Alright¡± Joe said, unenthusiastically. He had done worse jobs for less, back in the day. Clopping could be heard coming from behind as the sounds of hooves came galloping. A large muscular black steed stopped right in front of Joe, standing on its hind legs as it rose to the air neighing. When it came down on all fours, its nose instinctively went for the apple in Joe''s pocket. Joe grabbed the apple, rotating it so that the red ball split clean into two halves. ¡°Easy there boy¡± he said smiling, petting Samson as he fed him the other half. Samson licked Joe''s hand as he bit the apple, he looked satisfied. It looked like a wild beast trying to consume Joes arm ¡°Figured the horse was urs. Come on Pearl ¡± Bill chuckled as he gently flicked the reigns of his own horse, causing it to ride in front of Joe ¡°Was just heading to Clarksons to grab some chubb, let''s discuss business there¡± ¡° hah¡± The two men rode along down the trafficked street, the crowd parting ways for the large steeds, apparently no one wanted to be trampled by the gigantic beasts. A few blocks later they had reached a large establishment. It had a massive wooden saddle roof supported by a large rectangular wooden frame. Its facade consisted of fresh wooden plaques that laid vertically. Extending outside the existing frame was the roof covered entrance that was supported by large wooden beams. Wooden stairs encompassed the entire front of the establishment. To the side of the establishment, sheltered sports had been designated for stationing horses, where they had hay and water, although there were sports without, presumably cheaper. 4 large chimneys had been joined up, as smoke exited their tops. Expectantly the place was busy. Plenty of men wearing flannel shirts and jeans entering and exiting. Seemed like a certain crowd gathered here. ¡°Welcome to Clarksons¡± Bill exclaimed produly ¡° One of the oldest stores west of the Mississippi¡± Joe clicked his tongue as he looked at the large wooden building. Both men tied their horses to a roof covered hitchingpost, Samson occupying 2 spots to fit. After walking up the stairs, two large men were met with massive swing oak doors. They had an engraved pattern of a pair of crossed revolvers. Pushing in the doors, Joe was met with the largest interior he had ever seen. A massive glass chandelier hung overhead as he scanned the open floor. Several round tables were distributed with space in between as patrons sat smoking and eating. Waiters could be seen delivering drinks and food, hurrying to supply what had to be at least 100 people. To the left, the entire wall was covered with a massive long bar, and to the right there was a kitchen area. Furthest in the back was a cleared square area where two burly men could be seen fighting with their bare knuckles, as rich patrons smoking cigars could be seen giving money to men in tuxedos, presumably placing bets. Joe felt a couple men equipped with rifles eye him as they stood in the far corner of the establishment, clearly security. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be damned,¡± Joe said, arms resting on his hips, his eyes slightly lit up. He had never seen something like this in a small town. ¡° Clarksons have been here ever since flint was founded, the owner is the fourth generation family head, and they take security very seriously ¡° Bill said, arms crossed as he also looked out into the massive crowd. Then having found his target, he dove towards an unoccupied table. Joe followed suit, both men getting a few stares from the surrounding folks. Joe could clearly tell that many of them were greenshots. Their gear and mannerisms were too obvious, looking like they had just stepped foot outside after buying their first gun. They were carefree. He didn¡¯t worry about them. The ones that caught his eye, had a quick and piercing gaze. They never seemed entirely relaxed and radiated blood lust. They often wore simpler things, the bare minimum so to speak. Joe could tell a man''s shooting arm from a mile away, but the real dangerous ones were tricky. They invited you to underestimate them. Most of them were equally good shots with both hands. You had to be. Bill stopped as he sat down at a table. It was located in the middle of the crowd. Just as Joe had joined him, a waiter could be seen approaching them. "Welcome gents, how can I help you?" The fine clothed man said calmly as he bowed towards the two gunmen. "Today''s lunch will do fine for me" Bill said as he glanced over at Joe He leaned back on the small wooden chair he found him in. " What he said" "Very well gents, the chubb will be ready soon, until then, can I offer any refreshments?" " No" Joe said abruptly, eyes locking onto the waiter " And tell your guards to relax. If I was gonna cause trouble, I would''ve done it from the get go" The waiter''s eyes slightly shot open, eyes quickly darting towards the guards and then back at Joe. " Ofcourse" he said, bowing slightly as he returned to the kitchen with his notes. Bill sighed as he looked at Joe " You gotta work on ya people skills" Joe responded with an emotionless expression. Either the man didn''t hear him or he didn''t care. Bill''s eyebrows rose as he for a second seemed to have seen Joe looking intently at somthing. The air around them had become more solemn for some reason. It was as if almost all the patrons were watching them with the corner of their eye. He would have dismissed it if the attention had been directed at him. A few minutes passed by, their silence not affecting the loud ambience of the hall. The waiter came back with their requested items. Two large plates of bacon and eggs, along with two equally large glasses of beer. Just as Joe was about to bite down into some crispy bacon, a hand grabbed his shoulder. "Joe calligan" a deep solemn voice sounded , Bill catching a sliver of bloodlust. Joe proceeded to eat his bacon, not turning around to face the stranger. The chatting had almost entirely quieted down as most of the patrons looked onto the unfolding scene, some nervous, others entertained. The waiter had run off towards the guards whispering something. "Hey!" The stranger yelled, clearly taken aback at the reaction " Did you not hear me you ass?" as his arm went to grab Joes poncho Joe swallowed hard as he rose up, blocking the man''s arm. In a swift motion he threw a punch that landed straight on his chin, causing the taller man to collapse onto the ground, knocking down the table behind him. Shocked gasps filled the room as the onlookers saw the large man fall down. The sound of multiple revolvers clicking could be heard as some seemingly prepared for the worst. Bill saw the guards standing in the corner, eyes on the scene but not moving. They clearly looked like they were restraining themselves for a reason. ¡°You son of a bitch¡± The large man said as he clenched his Jaw ¡° I challenge you to a -¡± ¡° Enough Edward '''' An authoritative voice interrupted, causing the large man to lose any sign of his previous boldness. The voice belonged to a white suited middle aged man, who sat loosley on a barstool near the scene. Clearly he had watched the entire scene unfold. ¡° I¡¯ve allowed you to have your fun, but a duel is a sacred thing, once you challenge this man, no one will step in to help¡± A large gulp could be heard, as Edward seemed to have realized somthing. Bill eyed the large man, or rather large young man. It was clear to him he came from money. The arrogance, lack of respect. Looking at the disbelief in his face, it seemed like it was the first time he had taken a punch as well. Joe eyed the man in the white suit, eyebrows slightly rising. ¡°Working as a babysitter now Carl?¡± he said, eyes glancing on the young man before darting towards the man in the white suit. ¡°How low you have fallen¡± ¡° Joe calligan. The reaper ¨C fastest gun west of the Mississippi, they say "Carl spoke loudly as he arose from his stool. The man was of normal height and weight, nothing seemed remarkable about him besides his suit and poise. ¡° Word sure goes fast around these parts ¨C didn¡¯t even have to sniff ya out¡± he said, creeks sounding against the oak plank floor. He walked in a nonchalant manner, hands gesturing in the air. ¡° Ghost!¡± Bill heard someone exclaim as he looked onto the white suited man. ¡° Looking to avenge your buddies?¡± Joe said, eyes locked at the man, as his hand slowly lowered towards his holster ¡° They shouldn¡¯t have challenged me¡± Carl looked calm, but Joe could see him slightly clenching his teeth. He continued walking towards Joe until they stood 2 meters apart. ¡° Step outside Reaper¡± He hissed, before walking past him towards the door. A group of 3 men tailed behind him as they all proceeded to head out the entrance. Edward stopped at the door, eying Joe for a slight second before continuing out. Bill looked pale as he saw the scene unfold. Someone would die. Question was, how many? Joe stood still as he began lighting up a cigarette. He eyed Bill, ¡°It''s me they¡¯re after sheriff, no need to get involved¡± He proceeded towards the exit. Bill sat in confliction as he contemplated his next move. Suddenly he rose up, dismissing the knots he felt tying in his stomach. ¡° This is my town. Besides, what employer does not help their employee?¡± He yelled towards Joe just as he was about to leave Joe slightly turned his head towards Bill as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. His eyes were looking ahead but Bill saw a small smirk escape his face. ¡° Can¡¯t argue with that¡± He waited for the sheriff to stand beside his shoulder before putting a hand on the swing door. The two men exited the establishment, the interior still dead silent, as people looked on in excitement and horror. The sounds of several chairs creaking against the old wooden floor could be heard as several men followed suit, presumably to watch the show unfold. Chapter 5 - The Duel A large gust of grainy wind hit Joe and Bill as the pair exited the warm interior of Clarksons. Four men stood lined up outside the building, some clenching rifles, others revolvers. As they descended the last of the wooden steps, Carl walked forward, separating himself from his goons. ¡°Glad you could join us ¨C Reaper¡± He cheerfully exclaimed, hands gesturing in the air. His wide smile made it seem like he was enjoying the situation. Bill eyed the men as he spat onto the ground ¡°Enough with the circus¡± His dim red eyes glared intently at Carl ¡° I could arrest you for disrupting the public order¡± ¡° Or, I could just kill him¡± Joe added ¡°Very scary¡± Carl said as he pretended to shiver. He put his hand over his face, slightly shaking his head ¡° But I''m not here to fight you Joe. You see, I''m just here to give a warning¡± ¡° That''s not what we agreed!¡± Edward suddenly yelled, causing all the men present to look in his direction. ¡° I told you not to interrupt!¡± Carl yelled as he turned around Joe patted his holster ¡°Don''t blame him Carl, he¡¯s still mad about me killing his brother¡± Edward''s eyes bulged as he grinded his teeth, the man''s face could be likened to a ripe and harry tomato. Carl stroked his chin as he eyed Joe ¡°So It was you then¡± He stood still, looking down slightly as his eyes shrank ¡°That changes things you see. Mayor of Carod is offering a lot of money for your head¡± Edwards eyes flashed upon seeing the shift in Carl''s demeanor ¡° That''s right. All you have to do is kill this bastard and my father will compensate you plenty!¡± Suddenly Carl laughed maniacally as he stared wide eyed at Joe ¡°Funny how money changes things ¨C isn''t that right, Reaper?''¡± Carl lowered his hands towards his waist as he stared intently at Joe. Widening his stance, he spat onto the ground. ¡°Reaper!¡± He yelled ¡° I challenge you to a duel!¡± Townsfolk cleared the streets in a hurry as several patrons from Clarksons stood outside the entrance, eying the duo. Carl began walking towards Joe as the latter stood still. He continued moving until they stood about 15 meters apart. Joe clenched his teeth as his eyes darted in between Carl and his goons like a pendulum. He slowly lowered his right hand onto his hip ¨C the left moving in front so that it covered his fingers.Stolen novel; please report. Without being ordered, all of the goons moved from behind Carl, as they walked to the side of the road. Bill backed away, as he kept his hand ready. Silence ensued as the softer but piercing afternoon sun met Joe in the eyes. The wind whined as it caused their hats to slightly lift. Both were wide eyed as they hovered their fingers above their revolvers. Like statues they stood perfectly still, waiting for any quick movement from the other. A minute passed as nothing but the wind could be heard. By this point, a large crowd had occupied all surrounding buildings, most townsfolk poking through their blinds . Hushed rebukes could be heard coming from parents covering the eyes of their children, as they tried to pry them away. Suddenly Carl drew his gun, firing once before a bullet hit his revolver ¨C sending it crashing onto the ground. Cocking his head, he saw Joe leaning to the right, smoke flowing from his gun ¡° Fuck¡± He blurted out as he nervously fidgeted for his other piece Joe squinted as he raised his silver piece. Grimacing, he stared at Carl before pulling the trigger Carl gasped as the bullet hit him in the chest. Coughing he attempted to fire another shot but was struck in his left arm. ¡° Dammit¡± He groaned, collapsing onto the ground. Blood poured from his body as it was absorbed into the endless yellow sea beneath him Sounds of spurs could be heard as Joe made his way to carl ¡° STAY AWAY!¡± Carl blurted out, his voice noticeably weaker. Clutching his ribcage he tried to push himself up but fell down. The sounds of spurs only increased until a silhouette stood directly above him ¡°I''m sorry, It was my mistake. Just let me leave and I¡¯ll never show my face here again!¡± He yelled, voice cracking, but there was no response. Instead the metallic ringing only got louder until it stopped right next to him Carl felt the light disappear as his arms began relaxing involuntarily. Flashes of people he had met throughout the years appeared as he began to feel increasingly colder. Smiling he strained his eyes with whatever remaining strength he had left. What appeared could best be described as a hooded silhouette, akin to a demon ¨C here to finally take his soul for all wrong he had done. ¡°Reaper¡± Carl said, pupils quivering, as the figure disappeared and he saw the barrel of a gun pointed straight at him. BANG Joe blew off the smoke coming from the neck of his revolver then spinned it so that it landed in his holster. Looking at the man who had just been standing before him he felt his hand slightly shaking He had it coming Dismissing the odd feeling, Joe took a knee, proceeding to search through the deceased man¡¯s belongings. Joe paused as he grabbed the black steel revolver he had just been facing. A fine piece, not any less compared to his own. Satisfied with his trophy, he put it into his jacket. He then grabbed Carl''s cold arm, rolling up the sleeve to his stained suit as he eyed the wristwatch on his forearm. Army issue. He had once worn an identical piece, a long time ago. Feeling a sour taste in his mouth, Joe stood up again as he left the body. Bill approached Joe as the latter hovered above the dead man. ¡° You did what you had to do¡± By this point shocked onlookers were trying to see the corpse of Carl, some walking around trying to get a peek. ¡° Nothing to see here folks¡± Bill said as he faced the crowd ¡°The threat has been dealt with!¡± People showed respect by quickly dispersing, everyone at least pretending as if nothing had happened. Only after the last people had left, Bill turned towards Joe again ¡° His goons have already left. So much for loyalty¡± ¡° That''s to be expected. By their attire they''d probably be hired guns¡± Joe dismissed, Loyalty was a rare thing amongst his kind, especially when it had been bought by money. Bill looked beyond the border of the town, into the dry and arid lands that extended far into the horizon. He knew the reason for it being popular with outlaws was its desolate location, but that meant they were exposed. They had managed to ride out past gangs and criminals but his gut told him something had changed. The past few months had been more hectic than the last 20 years as a law man. Scratching his chin, he could not help but think back to something he was told a few months back. ¡° As much as i don''t want to admit it, I think those buckeyes will be back for more trouble¡± ¡° Ur Right sheriff¡± Joe said, pausing for a brief moment ¡° It''s probably best I leave for the safety of your town¡± Bill eyed Joe, chuckling slightly as his hand grabbed the shoulder of the latter. ¡°Trying to leave all the hard work for an old man?¡± Joe''s eyes widened as he slowly looked away. Bill swore he caught a glimpse of a small crack on his lips, but looking back that might just have been the heat playing tricks. Joe stared into the eyes of Bill. He had stared down many men, but somehow the bright eyes of the sheriff gave him a bigger challenge than most. ¡°You win sheriff, tell me what ya need help with¡± Joe exhaled, breaking eye contact from the happy looking older man. Joe had a soft spot for the elderly and children, and it seemed Bill was no different. Bill looked the happies Joe had seen him ever since their initial confrontation at Frank¡¯s. ¡° You¡¯ll need some new clothes and a badge. I¡¯ll tell one of the deputies to deal with the bounty, we¡¯ve got more important things to attend to¡±