Terror seized Jimmy as he raced through the dark woods. His heart pounded, his breath came in ragged gasps, his body trembled, and his legs threatened to give out on him. He collapsed with his back against a tree, his wide eyes darting about, and he listened frantically for any telltale sounds that would alert him that the shadow man pursuing him had caught up to him at last.
Maniacal laughter filled the eerie silence around him, causing his heart to skip a beat, before resuming its rapid pounding. Jimmy froze in place, back rigid, and held his breath as his ears picked up the rustling sound of boots stepping through dry leaves nearby.
"It's your move Jimmy!"
More maniacal laughter rang out before Jimmy heard his pursuer call out again, " You ain't afraid, are you boy?"
Hickok forced his terrified limbs into activity once again, racing through the trees and shrubs, desperate to lose the shadow man, once and for all.
"There ain't no where to hide Wild Bill!"
Jimmy rounded a small grouping of trees and came face to face with his imminent death. The dark figure loomed before him, twin Colts aimed at his heart. The maniacal man's face was shrouded in darkness, and its large body was dressed all in black. Beady red eyes glared at Jimmy over the short distance between them, and Jimmy knew he was about to meet his maker. He had only a moment to think that he didn't want to die...before a shot rang out.
Hickok bolted awake, gasping for air, and sweating buckets. He glanced hastily around him, seeking to reassure himself that he was safe and sound in the bunkhouse with the rest of the riders.
He collapsed back on his pillow, lifting a trembling hand to his forehead, and taking a shaky breath. He closed his eyes and worked on getting his breathing under control.
*It was only a dream.* He whispered to himself.
The words weren't reassuring. Ever since that Marcus fellow had written his damn dime novel about him, he felt as if had a target on his back. Folks in town were already acting differently around him. A boy about his age had already tested his patience on the trail leading into town, and two of Calder's cronies had confronted him because of Marcus's lies.
Luckily, Marshal Sam Cain had intervened on his behalf with Calder's pals, but he knew they wouldn't be the last to want to test their skills against his. Others would be gunning for him now and it was only a matter of time before a gunslinger got the better of him.