The sun was slowly setting on the large farmhouse. Trixie left the house and found the youngest children, Keri and Andrew, playing jacks on the porch.
"Keri, where are the others?," Trixie asked. "It's time for you all to do your evening chores."
"Lucas is in the barn," Andrew, the youngest, said. "I think Landon is there, too. And I saw Valerie by the gate."
"And Elliott is chasing the chickens again," Keri said.
Fulton walked out to start rounding up his sons and daughters.
Fifteen-year-old Landon was indeed in the barn with his older brother. He was staring at his new horse. "He looks a little small," Landon complained. "He looks like he belongs to a girl."
"He does," Lucas said. "He belongs to you."
"Bastard!," Landon barked. He jumped after Lucas and knocked him down. As he sat on top of Lucas, he beat his brother in the face and chest. Lucas was surprised at Landon's strength as he tried to fight his brother off.
"Landon! Stop it!," Lucas yelled. "Stop it!"
Suddenly, a pair of arms grabbed Landon from behind and jerked him away from Lucas. Fulton shoved his second son back and helped his oldest son to his feet.
"Both of you, stop it now!," Fulton demanded. He looked at Lucas' bloody face. "You go get cleaned up now, son." He looked at Landon. "What the hell is wrong with you?," he asked. "You're beating up your own brother! You're family. You need to all get along and stick together! Families are to stick together!" He grabbed Landon's sleeve at the shoulder and got into his face. "You need to quit fighting with your brothers, Landon!," he barked. "Now, get in the house and do your chores before I beat you senseless!" He shoved Landon towards the barn doors. Landon left the barn.
After all the children had gone to bed, the parents sat down in the living room.
"I worry about Landon," Trixie said. "He's so violent towards his siblings."
"He's a kid, honey," Fulton said. "He'll grow up and that will pass."
"I sure hope it does," Trixie said.
Two weeks later, the family gathered to celebrate Landon's sixteenth birthday. Still sporting a black eye, Lucas gave him a new pair of bronze spurs.
"Fulton's, big brother," Landon said, meaning it. "They're great. I'm sorry for what I did to your eye."
"I forgive you," Lucas replied.
It was almost midnight when Landon crept down the stairs of his family's home. He picked up his holster, which had his revolver in it, and his repeater. He had his rifle sling on his back. He waited until he was outside before he placed the rifle into it. He walked to the barn and went inside. He took his father's horse, a large black stallion, and saddled him up. Outside the barn, Landon mounted up and rode out of the farm. As he got out of the gate, he spurred the horse to a gallop and took off.
"Freedom," Landon said to himself.
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