Past and Present
The young men were in front of the saloon, watching people go about their business in town. They were holding beers and smoking cigars, none over nineteen. When one of them nudged the one next to him, and pointed across and down the street. All looked at the two young people, one girl and one boy about their age, coming out of the gunshop.
" Thats Madrids'kid there."
"It is? I have heard of Madrid, always wonted to be like him. Wonder if his kid is fast?"
"I don't know, we will see huh?
"Yeah, I will see." Smiled the pimply faced leader, with the shaggy blond hair, and the beginnings of a mustache.
The three boys crossed the street and stopped blocking the way of the two young people. Both stopped and looked at the three. The young man was dark haired and blue eyes, and the girl had red hair and green eyes. Both wore side arms.
"Well looky here, it's Madrids' kid. I do believe, that you are a coward, and couldn't hit the side of the barn."
"Get out of the way...boy."
"Oh my, you scare me, what you going to do, go get your daddy?"
"Don't need him."
The three moved and spread out, and waited. Lancer just stood, calmly facing them. A lot of the father in this one, plain to see to the old timers who watched and whispered. But the three didn't know it, or understand. The leader looked at his two friends, a smirk on his face.
"Well little Madrid, show me what you have. You could always just go up to my room with me for a little fun. I might forget this, you sure are pretty."
"I'd rather kiss a jackass as you."
The three went for their guns and Valenas' gun was out and firing. The first bullet hit the big mouth leader and he dropped to the hard dry dirt.As she fell and rolled as she fanned the hammer, firing at the two remaining boys. They fired at her, dirt kicked up around her, and one bystander got one in the leg. She caught one in the shoulder, and he dropped his gun, and ran off. The third fired and clipped her thigh, and she fired and watched the hole form in his chest and the blood that welled up and flowed down his shirt. His eyes rolled up into his head and he feel backwards like a log. Valena slowly got to her feet. She looked around at the boys. Her face pale.Mike walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulders, as the witnesses to the gunfight, moved to stand over the body and talk about the next Madrid. She was diffinently her parents daughter.
At the ranch, Murdock was sitting in his favorite chair, and Scott in the other. Watching Johnny pace the floor and getting madder by the moment. Murdock ran his hand through his white hair, and wished his son would calm down. He looked at Scott and saw Scott sitting calmly and watching his brother.
Johnny walked over to the pictures on the table, and picked one up. He stood looking at it for a time. Then forgetting he wasn't alone he spoke to it."Sarah honey, I miss you. If only you were here, you could tell me what to do about our daughter. Valena was in a gunfight today! She is stubern, and hotheaded, and..." He smiled then, remembering."shes our daughter." He turned and put the picture back down as he heard the door.
"Hold it right there young lady!" He voice showing his anger at his daughter. She came to him, knowing from his expression that he had heard already. She looked up at her father, into that face she loved so, it had not changed in the years since she was born. He was still a lady killeer, but he still loved her mom, though she had passed away six years before.
"Yes dad?"
"What were you doing in town getting into a gunfight?"
"I didn't go to town to get into a gunfight, I didn't start it, I just finished it."
"If you weren't wearing that gun, it wouldn't have happened."
"No, but what would have happened would have been worse. One of them wonted to take me to his room."
"He what!" Where is that boy?" Johnnys' eyes flashed fire.
"He's dead, dad." She reached out and hugged her dad, and he put his arms around her and held her close. He was afraid he would lose her, his only girl.Scott got up and came over.
"Valena, can your favorite uncle have a hug too?" Valena turned and smiled.
"You're my only uncle silly." She hugged him and was glad she had family who loved her. Even though dad was overly protective.
Continued
The young men were in front of the saloon, watching people go about their business in town. They were holding beers and smoking cigars, none over nineteen. When one of them nudged the one next to him, and pointed across and down the street. All looked at the two young people, one girl and one boy about their age, coming out of the gunshop.
" Thats Madrids'kid there."
"It is? I have heard of Madrid, always wonted to be like him. Wonder if his kid is fast?"
"I don't know, we will see huh?
"Yeah, I will see." Smiled the pimply faced leader, with the shaggy blond hair, and the beginnings of a mustache.
The three boys crossed the street and stopped blocking the way of the two young people. Both stopped and looked at the three. The young man was dark haired and blue eyes, and the girl had red hair and green eyes. Both wore side arms.
"Well looky here, it's Madrids' kid. I do believe, that you are a coward, and couldn't hit the side of the barn."
"Get out of the way...boy."
"Oh my, you scare me, what you going to do, go get your daddy?"
"Don't need him."
The three moved and spread out, and waited. Lancer just stood, calmly facing them. A lot of the father in this one, plain to see to the old timers who watched and whispered. But the three didn't know it, or understand. The leader looked at his two friends, a smirk on his face.
"Well little Madrid, show me what you have. You could always just go up to my room with me for a little fun. I might forget this, you sure are pretty."
"I'd rather kiss a jackass as you."
The three went for their guns and Valenas' gun was out and firing. The first bullet hit the big mouth leader and he dropped to the hard dry dirt.As she fell and rolled as she fanned the hammer, firing at the two remaining boys. They fired at her, dirt kicked up around her, and one bystander got one in the leg. She caught one in the shoulder, and he dropped his gun, and ran off. The third fired and clipped her thigh, and she fired and watched the hole form in his chest and the blood that welled up and flowed down his shirt. His eyes rolled up into his head and he feel backwards like a log. Valena slowly got to her feet. She looked around at the boys. Her face pale.Mike walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulders, as the witnesses to the gunfight, moved to stand over the body and talk about the next Madrid. She was diffinently her parents daughter.
At the ranch, Murdock was sitting in his favorite chair, and Scott in the other. Watching Johnny pace the floor and getting madder by the moment. Murdock ran his hand through his white hair, and wished his son would calm down. He looked at Scott and saw Scott sitting calmly and watching his brother.
Johnny walked over to the pictures on the table, and picked one up. He stood looking at it for a time. Then forgetting he wasn't alone he spoke to it."Sarah honey, I miss you. If only you were here, you could tell me what to do about our daughter. Valena was in a gunfight today! She is stubern, and hotheaded, and..." He smiled then, remembering."shes our daughter." He turned and put the picture back down as he heard the door.
"Hold it right there young lady!" He voice showing his anger at his daughter. She came to him, knowing from his expression that he had heard already. She looked up at her father, into that face she loved so, it had not changed in the years since she was born. He was still a lady killeer, but he still loved her mom, though she had passed away six years before.
"Yes dad?"
"What were you doing in town getting into a gunfight?"
"I didn't go to town to get into a gunfight, I didn't start it, I just finished it."
"If you weren't wearing that gun, it wouldn't have happened."
"No, but what would have happened would have been worse. One of them wonted to take me to his room."
"He what!" Where is that boy?" Johnnys' eyes flashed fire.
"He's dead, dad." She reached out and hugged her dad, and he put his arms around her and held her close. He was afraid he would lose her, his only girl.Scott got up and came over.
"Valena, can your favorite uncle have a hug too?" Valena turned and smiled.
"You're my only uncle silly." She hugged him and was glad she had family who loved her. Even though dad was overly protective.
Continued