John Marston Gone Forever
My take on how Bonnie Macfarlane dealt with Jacks fathers death
Bonnie was always the shy, somewhat bashful sort of girl. She always toiled beneath the burning hot sun, nothing like an honest days work.
She was outside in the fields feeding the chickens and of course her trusty carbine in a holster attached to her back, the heat of the day was riveting and she wiped the sweat off of her brow. It was a perfect day, the sun was shining, blue birds and crowes were singing a tune, in the background. It seemed really peaceful, Bonnie loved it when it was peaceful. Sighing she carried on feeding the chickens minding her own business. She went back into the ranch shop, were she got some more seed for the chickens. Carrying on an honests days work was tiring so she decided to head back home for a drink and some food before continuing on.
Since her Pa had died, things had been rather different for her, She was left to run and manage this barn all by herself, she had lost a little weight, not too much but she did accquire a new look of shorts and a rather long t-shirt. She was in a bit of a state, the whole thing had made her a little depressed. It was a horrible feeling for her to live with, but she still bravely carried on. Her pa would of wanted too keep going, for his sake and of course her own sake. She sighed, the food wasn't really that appealing anyway, but the water she downed. She sat down on a old dusty seat, the one were John used to sit on his visits to them when they first met. Sighing she put her head in her hands, all she could think about is that stupid stupid man. ''were are you john''. She said aloud just then, she was deep in thought, the truth is she missed the man. She missed is uncanny sense of humor, most of all his stupid remarks and how always hated arguing with women, they were all the best memories she had of the man, it was strange how she felt so right around him, considering he was always the wrong person to be around at all the right times and places. She smiled at that thought, but she also had tears in her eyes, grabbing a tissue she wiped them. But she still sat there alone. She was a real mess and she needed someone to talk too about this.
Just then she heard a rather loud noise outside, it sounded like gunshots. Preferbly a mauser pistol being fired in the background, she didn't like what she heard so she cocked her rifle and ran outside, to her suprise there as a man dressed in a bage shirt and navy blue denims. She looked at him for a minute, that hat she also remembered was the one that John used to wear. She approached the man nonetheless. The man appeared to be shooting a coyote chasing a man, he casually got off his horse and smiled, the man gave him $20. He took the money and placed it in his pocket, he slowly thanked the man and got back on his horse. Bonnie ran up the dirt path towards his horse.
Bonnie-Mr Marston, is that you?
Jack- Well how I can be of assistance lady?
Bonnie- You are a Marston? aren't you boy *holstering her gun*
Jack- *holding his hands up* that's right. How do you my name miss?
Bonnie- Are you. No your not.. your Jack?
Jack- yes miss?, are you ok? do I know you?
Bonnie- It's ms Macfarlane you dope? what have you been up to all these years?
Jack- Oh it's you? your the one my pa always talked about, but mrs mcfarlane I have some bad news Bonnie- Why? what's happened? tell me? Your Pa always got himself into stupid situations...
Jack- he's dead Bonnie, he died a couple of years back. A man by the name of Edgar Ross done it. Bonnie- *falls to the ground* No! NO! he can't be dead, he can't be dead, no... I don't believe it Jack- *calmly gets down off of his horse and goes to sit beside her* Ms, I'm so sorry, I didn't know he meant a lot to you Bonnie- That's ok, that's ok, I need to go back into my house, could you come inside with me?
Jack- I don't know if there's much that's needed to be said ms macfarlane.
Jack slowly got off his horse and when to go and hitch it, there was general commotion outside were they were situated. The crowds obviously, were weary of who this strange man was with there most respected landlady, but they soon dispersed sensing they knew it what the problem was. They all knew about her pa's death, but they also knew about John Marston which is something they all kept secret. Jack took Bonnie into her house, and he slowly took her up into her room, she sat on the edge of the bed for a couple of minutes and she wailed, like the day when her father died. She was having a bad dream and she'd soon wake up she thought. Jack was unsure of what to do he sat on the edge of the bed, trying to fight back his own tears but they soon came trickling down his Jack was crying for her, he wasn't sure what to say and he had felt bad. But he looked over to her, and then he placed a comforting hand on her back, she lent into him and he hugged her for the most part.
She looked over to him, searching his eyes. She sighed, and let go of him. She got up and let down her hair. The long blonde hair was still looking stunning for a woman as old as her. She sighed again, tears still welling in her face and she turned to face jack, who stood up and lit a cigarette.
Jack offered her a cigarette, to his suprise she accepted, and she went to grab some whiskey she had stored away, in a cupboard not too far from her bed.
She lit the cigarette and took a deep breath, inhaled and exhaled. She coughed a couple of times, and smiled. She looked back at him. Jack- Miss.. I don't know what to say to you. But my father was a good man, a dumb man at times *chuckling* but he wasn't a coward. Something he wasn't Bonnie- *pouring out to glasses of whiskey* I know, but your father too me, was a good friend of mine, he told me about things about his life, I felt sorry for the poor man *sipping her glass* Jack- Well Bonnie my father, was one of a kind, my ma died of a broken heart. She couldn't hack it I guess, it was tragic. But My Pa knew it was going to happen Bonnie- I wish I could of been there with you a few years back, I'm sorry to hear about your ma, even though I didn't really know her all that well.
Jack- I understand, ms.. Say you know *knocks back his whiskey, coughing a little bit from the burning*, I wish you was there when it happened, but my Pa he never was a public sort of figure of somesuch, he's a hated man now he's dead, sad whilst he was alive he was the opposite.
Bonnie looked at him for a second, and tryed to anaylse Jacks eyes, he looked tired. Probably hasn't slept well for years after what had happened, he also had that look his pa always had. A tired and old worn looking face, jack looked at her smiled and then he hugged her, she hugged him back tightly
Bonnie- Jack, I want you to take me too your pa's grave, there are some things I want to say. Jack- Sure, but you seemed pretty down a while back, I wouldn't want you getting upset over my pa, he's long gone now. He told me about your father too I'm sorry to hear about his passing all I know he was a good feller, the poor bastard. I'll take you to my pa's grave. But I'll leave you there alone to share your last thoughts with him.
Bonnie- Sure thing Jack, sure thing. I'll just go get changed, Of course your pa would want me to go like he used to knew me. Jack- Well I'd best leave now, *getting up from the bed*
Jack, leaves the house. He wasn't so comfortable with the idea, but it's right he thought, she should say her last respects. It'll help her move on. He did save her life twice, but she didn't want this, and he sure as hell didn't want her to go through this, maybe just maybe he could help her around the ranch for a while. Give her sometime to think about it at an even pace, it would help. He thought, jack lit up another cigarette and began to smoke it, he was outside next to his fathers Kentucky saddler. Brave horse. Jack smiled. He listened carefully to all the people all around him.
All busy working, he thought yeah this is me, it's what he wanted afterall. Finish his cigarette, he saw Bonnie come out into the ranch, in the clothes he had first saw her in, but it was different this time her hair was done in a ponytail. She looked back at him directly and smiled. She was feeling happy for a long time. She slowly got on her horse, and her and jack both rode out of the ranch.
The Marstons House. Great Plains
it had been a long time since jack had been here, he smiled at this place. Although it felt kind of creepy, but he liked that kind of creepy.
Bonnie looked to him, she had the look of tears threatening to fall, but she silently held them back. She felt really uneasy about the place,
something was a miss. But she knew better, the gut feeling she had though wasn't wrong. Jacks Pa was kiled here, she knew that. But it made her all the more anxious, she looked back at Jack and she nodded, and she got off. She was a little bit weak in the knees but she knew it had to happen. She sighed, and she walked up the hill past the barn, and she carried on slowly walking up in the woodland areas. She started to cry now she could feel her anger rising at John, she sure as hell was going to have some strong words with his corpse. The sky turned a greyish colour, looked like a stormy kind of cloud, she was still angry and she knew it. If it rained so be it she thought, I have got to get this over with, she thought to herself.
Bonnie walked up too the grave.
Bonnie- Mr Marston, you stupid son of a bitch. Why did you do it? just some simple act of revenge, or cowardice?. I don't know maybe, maybe it's both of those or whatever, you gone and done it and look were it got you? in the ground. Your son told me about you, and he told me enough?, going down in a blaze of glory hell your more stupid then I thought. But, But *suddenly getting a little bit sad* you, you of all people I had feelings for, yes that's right I did. I know you loved your wife, but I had a stupid feeling for you. One I can now never share with you?, of all the things you did you went and died, and now I can't even say goodbye to you John. *crying* John... I you were special John, I'm not saying that because you killed people but I somehow believed you could make yourself better even if you did throw it away. Goodbye John, I'll always be your friend, I'll never be far away.
I'm gonna ask your boy if he wants to lend a hand, I hope that you can understand that, seeing as it was your wish for him to become a ranch hand. I'll look after him well. *wiping tears from her eyes* good bye John I hope the good lord, will forgive you your sins.
As she got up Bonnie turned round. Suprised to find Jack behind her, he had heard her outburst. He came over to comfort her, he hugged her. She cried into him He couldn't do a lot else, but he soon let her go and looked at her, he smiled and he turned away. He got on his horse and rode off into the distance, with her behind.
Bonnie had said her goodbye, but she would never forget him ever.
The End
