Summary: There is a youtube video called Heath Barkley: Blaze of Glory.
I absolutely LOVE this video. After watching it more times than I care to admit, I decided to write a short fic based on the Bon Jovi song used. I am still writing "A Child of None" But real life has me so busy that I want to make sure I have time to finish that one up better than a quick update. However, I was wanting to post this until I get to continuing that story.
This is different than how I usually write. It is a conversation between two men. One being Heath. The other man's dialogue is simply to get Heath's answers so they will be in italics.
Heath's speaking voice is not grammarically correct. That is how I chose to write him giving this AU version of him.
Title: Blaze of Glory
The young blonde man stared at the older man in front of him. He inhaled deeply before flinching his fingers over his gun. He eyed the older man, who was also poised to fire.
What is your name?
"So Mr., you want me to answer all your questions so maybe you can get information for yourself or delay one of us dyin' . Don't reckon, it matters no how at this point. Well let's see. My name is Heath. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just Heath."
Who are your parents?
"I'm no one's son. Reason being I reckon is my mama died givin' birth to me and no one knew who my pa was. "
Who raised you? Someone had to take care of you.
"I was handed over to an uncle, who didn't care to raise no bastard. Therefore, he let a few saloon girls keep me alive as he drank more than his share of rot gut whiskey."
You were raised by saloon girls? These ladies agreed to this?
"I guess I gave some of the saloon ladies something to do besides seduce men or trick them into buying more drink. It was an okay life for a boy, I reckon. I ate okay. Didn't feel my stomach growlin' much as the ladies fed me from the saloon restaurant. Until…"
Until what?
"Mister, I ain't used to chattin' before the killin' is done. But dead men tell no secrets. If you need answers to my life, don't bother me to tell ya. Reckon that all changed when my uncle met him a lady worthy of marriage. Least ways, that is how he saw her. I never felt she was of much account. After all, the ladies in the saloon treated me better. Aunt Martha put a stop to Uncle Matt going to the saloon. That put a stop to me getting a good meal at the saloon. It also started my life of workin' to pay for my keep as Aunt Martha put it."
"Reckon I never did understand that as I was only fed leftovers from the hotel. Another man's scraps are better than nothing. I was five when they married. Six when I was workin' wherever Aunt Martha deemed it was okay for a bastard to work. I wouldn't have minded workin' around the livery or hotel so much. But the mines….now that was some scary work for a fella my age. I survived though."
Six? How did working in mines and the livery lead to ….your current situation?
"When I turned eight, my uncle figured I could help put food on the table. Made me happy that he got me a gun to do so. I got pretty good at aimin' that old rifle. Had to. If I took up too many bullets, ole Uncle Matt would stripe me good. I never went to school. I ain't never been able to read or write. However, Uncle Matt said I needed to learn to sign my name when I was about eleven. I picked that up pretty good. At least I only had one name to be able to sign. HEATH. At age twelve, I learned right quick why my uncle and aunt let me learn to sign my name. Signing up for a war wasn't something I thought much about. I guess they did though. My aunt stood by making sure the army knew where to send the check to."
YOU FOUGHT IN THE WAR?
"Yeah, I weren't the only boy either. So don't look so flustered over that revelation. I'll admit though for the first time in my life, I felt kinda scared of leaving my aunt and uncle. I actually wanted to stay with them. But they told me that I was their bastard to send off to a war, I went. Strange though. I saw this black woman and white woman standing by an old green cabin as the army wagon carried me away. I don't know why but both those ladies were crying somethin' fierce."
Didn't you know who they were?
"Nah. Never met them before. I had seen them around town starin' at me once in awhile. I figured it was like all the other folks wantin' to take a gander at the devil's son."
Back to the topic at hand, the war. What role did you play in it? A drummer boy?
"Being good with a gun came in real handy in the army. Reckon I owe uncle Matt a thank you after all. He made me shoot my target. Therefore, I was picked to be a sharpshooter for the Union. Aim and point. Eyeball or button. Don't matter. I get what I aim for. Placing a bullet between a man's eyes didn't bother me none. The first time it might have. I threw up something fierce. Got used to doing my duty real fast. Better kill than be killed I suppose."
How long did that position last?
"Ya sure are all fired to put this off. Ain't ya? Bout a year. After that….well let's just say that being captured wasn't on my to do list either. Yet, it happened. I guess when you're born into to sin, you my as well face hell. That's what Carterson was. I promised myself when I got out of that place, I'd kill Matt Bentell. He was the commander over the place. I guess he was satan in that place. Reckon I may just do that someday too. If I can find the coward."
You do realize you're going to hang in a few days or I will kill you today? I doubt you will fulfill that promise to yourself.
"You think?"
Yes. I know so. Now let's talk about today.
"I reckon that does pretty much lead me til today. I'm seventeen years old. I'm what you'd call a young gun. I like this life. Makes it where I don't have to steal or win to make a livin. I kill men for a living. I'll tell ya this much though. I never drew first but I drew first blood."
If that is true, why are you wanted? You have a price on your head.
"You tell me that I'm wanted. Yeah. I'm a wanted man. Don't rightly care to be this kind of wanted. I'd rather have been wanted in life rather than wanted for the reward on my head. The wanted posters don't even call me by name, Heath. I'm known as The Bastard. I think it is kind of catchy. Don't ya? Heck, I'm the devil's son. May as well live up to that."
Let's talk about today. How did it come to this? How did you come to trying to kill me?
"First of all, I told ya. I draw first blood. I don't draw first. I was just checkin' out the situation is all."
Fine. However, you're challenging me. Now. Tell me about the day. Let's start from the beginning.
"Today started as every other day. I woke up using the earth as last night's bed. My old coat was my pillow. Like I said, like all mornings past and present. I wake up being weary of going nowhere. Only God knows where I've been. I couldn't even tell ya."
Don't you have a conscience?
"You ask me about my conscience. Ha. You want. You can have my soul."
Seriously, you're just a boy. I have a family. Have you ever known love?
"You ask me if I known love. Well, I've seen love come and I've seen it shot down. I've seen it die in vain. So I reckon I have. But nothin' lasts forever. Ya might want to think on that."
You can stop this. Will you grow old and wise, boy? With what you're doing, will you stop it and grow old and wise?
"Will I grow old? I guess I'm askin' you that now."
Do you pray, Heath? Do you pray for forgiveness?
"Let me tell ya, mister. Each night I go to bed, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. No I ain't looking for forgiveness. But before I'm buried six foot under, I always ask the Lord for a favor."
What's that?
"Mister, I hope you'll understand. I've lived life. Reckon although I'm only seventeen, I've lived life to the fullest. But I ask the Lord to let this boy die like a man. I want to be staring down a bullet. That's how I want to make my final stand. I came into this world takin' my mama's life. I want my life to be taken by the blaze of a bullet."
I've been around a long time, boy. I've shot down more than my fair share of men in self defense. I'm warning you.
"Is that so? Well, Mister. I reckon ya think I'm just a colt in your stable. However, I'm the Cain to the Able."
Boy, I ain't going to die today.
"Well, I love my six gun. I've been told I'm like a candle in the wind. So catch me if ya can."
You asked for it, boy. Before I kill you. I want to know who sent you?
"Well Mister. I warned you. I never draw first, but I draw first blood. Reckon I won't be going out in a blaze of glory today. You can have that death. You thought you could draw first and kill me. But I'm no one's son. I'm a devil on the run."
Heath rolled the man's body over to make sure the shot was as he aimed. He knew without looking that the older man would have a bullet placed between his eyes. Heath supposed the railroad owed him good for this kill. Maybe he could afford a nice hotel room. Maybe he'd not have the earth as the bed tonight.
Heath mounted his black modoc pony after leaving the man's body where he killed him. Heath figured the grove of oak trees was a fitting place to die for the man. Tom Barkley should've not drawn his gun first. After all, Heath always draws first blood. That is until the day he dies by a bullet and goes out in a blaze of glory. That wasn't today.
The lyrics to the Bon Jovi song are as follows.
"Blaze Of Glory"
I wake up in the morning
And I raise my weary head
I got an old coat for a pillow
And the earth was last night's bed
I don't know where I'm going
Only God knows where I've been
m a devil on the run
A six gun lover
A candle in the wind
When you're brought into this world
They say you're born in sin
Well at least they gave me something
I didn't have to steal or have to win
Well they tell me that I'm wanted
Yeah I'm a wanted man
I'm colt in your stable
I'm what Cain was to Abel
Mister catch me if you can
I'm going down in a blaze of glory
Take me now but know the truth
I'm going down in a blaze of glory
Lord I never drew first
But I drew first blood
I'm no one's son
Call me young gun
You ask about my conscience
And I offer you my soul
You ask If I'll grow to be a wise man
Well I ask if I'll grow old
You ask me if I known love
And what it's like to sing songs in the rain
Well, I've seen love come
And I've seen it shot down
I've seen it die in vain
Shot down in a blaze of glory
Take me now but know the truth'
Cause I'm going down in a blaze of glory
Lord I never drew first
But I drew first blood
I'm the devil's son
Call me young gun
Each night I go to bed
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
No I ain't looking for forgiveness
But before I'm six foot deep
Lord, I got to ask a favor
And I'll hope you'll understand
'Cause I've lived life to the fullest
Let this boy die like a man
Staring down the bullet
Let me make my final stand
Shot down in a blaze of glory
Take me now but know the truth
I'm going out in a blaze of glory
Lord I never drew first
But I drew first blood
and I'm no one's son
Call me young gun
I'm a young gun