"You can't just leave the place lyin' about. This ranch is slowly plummitin' into an early grave and you just want to leave all our houses empty!" Said the man with the moustache named Amos, he had a dark brown moustache, he normally wore a had but it was removed as he was inside the McFarlane household. "Shuttup! You stupid man! I don't expect you to understand!"
"It's because he stayed there, isn't it!"
"You leave John Marston out of this! He was more of a man than you'll ever be! You weak, inconsiderate..." The blonde haired maiden was stuck for a word that wasn't that strong, but strong enough to hurt Amos. They where stood in the living room, Amos's hair line had began to receed and Bonnie had a few more wrinkles than she'd like, but they where married, and happy. Amos let out a large sigh, he had a gap inbetween his teeth. He pulled on his suspenders, subsequently pulling up his trousers, stretched, then sat down. The sun was setting, orange glared into the house. They'd been arguing about the house that'd sat empty for nearly four years, the house John had awoken in that faitful day.
Bonnie hurried about, lighting candles so the large ranch house wouldn't be plunged into darkness when the sun hid behind the hills. "Hunny, you heard 'bout the recent murders?"
"Ones down in Blackwater?"
"Mhmhm, they sayin' that the man doin' it's got scars on his face, possibly from a knife fight or a bear, even a wolf or somethin'."
"Right. What actually happened? I wasn't readin' the paper the other day, heard people talkin' about it 'bout the ranch."
"Well, it all started down Armadilla' way. Bank got robbed. They chased the guy down towards Blackwater, he shot a bunch of people, bunch of real-estaters. Then vanished.
"Why would anyone do that? Jus' randomely kill a bunch of people." The dirty-haired blonde in chaps sat down next to Amos.
"Some people's jus' cowards." He said. "I'd never do anythin' like that." He added. "Y'know, some people callin' him a revalutionary."
"How?"
"Some say them real estate guys where the ones who started all them fires down at Theives Landin' and that other little ranch... What's it called, er..."
"Seechers Hope or somethin' like that." Bonnie said, she knew full well the name of the ranch was Beechers hope, but she changed the word 'Beecher', it'd seem like she'd heard the story before.
The hooves of a large black horse stepped heavily over the little wooden bridge, rays of the unforgiving sun on the black war horses ass. On it sat a young male, he was no older than 20, possibly younger. He had a goatee, and long hair. The hat plonked apon his head was badly whethered, it had a fether sticking out of it. He wore a white shirt and a sand-coloured jacket, a black pair of trousers and leather boots.
The horse clip-clopped under the command of the man on the back through McFarlanes ranch. It walked past the large house that was Bonnie's, and passed the doctors house, and into the little space between the general store and the Doctors. There was to be found a small house, the house Amos and Bonnie where arguing about. The man stopped the horse with a little pull on the riegns and letting "Woah girl" pass his lips, he jumped from the horse and tied the glorious animal to the hitching post. He looked at the sun. In between his lips was a long strip of barley, the male chewed on the plant. He quickly twisted his head when he heard a noise, his hand swyvering over his revolver which was holstered on his thigh. He smirked to himself, and laughed slightly. A man sat next to the cooking pot playing the harmonica. People where gathered, a good six at least. The man spat the barley from his lips and slowly moseid over to the group. "Here, I used to play." He said to the man who was sat on his backside playing the instrument. "Oh, here you go Mister." He passed the instrument. "What's your name, sir?" Asked the man sitting down.
"Jack. You?" Said Jack, as he to sat.
"Name's Buckle."
"Pleased t' meet you Buckle." Jack said, he took a deep breath. He blew into the instrument, moving his hand along the sound hole to produce a jaunty little tune.
The sun set, and the little campsight of cookery feasted then packed it in for the night, returning home. Jack retired to the little cabin.
The sun was rising when the steps of Bonnie stirred up the dust on the ground. In her chaps, waistcoat, and white shirt she approached the cabin. She pushed the door open, and saw a sleeping male, lying on the bed. She always had a cattleman revolver holstered, at the end of the bed was an Evans repeater, on the table Jacks hat and thigh-holster sat peacefully. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" Bonnie yelled, flipping her cattleman out, and pointing it dead-on Jacks head. Jack was startled awake. "WOW, WHAT?" Jack yelled, jumping from the bed. He was still fully dressed. He raised his hands. "Who the hell are you and what are you doin' tresspassin' on my property?" Bonnie demanded. Amos, who was stacking hay at the time, ran to the marshalls office, and grabbed a shotgun.
"My name is Jack Marston and my father owned this here cabin!" Jack exclaimed.
"Jack?" Bonnie said in a quieter tone. Amos ran down the little hill, to the cabin. "MOVE BONNIE." He yelled, Bonnie jumped out the way, Amos fired at Jack, Jack ducked and grabbed his LeMatt from the table, and fired at the butt of the rifle, which knocked it from his grasp. "Amos! Stop!" Bonnie yelled. Bonnie pushed Amos back and ran into the cabin, throwing her arms around Jack. "The hell?" Jack exclaimed, keeping his hands where they could be seen.
"Jack! John's son!"
"Should'a known." Amos said.
"This whole ranch is riddled with the crazies!" Jack said as Bonnie backed off. "Do I know you two?" Jack exclaimed.
"Don't you remember Jack? Your dad did some dealin''s with me back in 1911."
"Damn. Lady, I don't even remember what happened last week, let alone that long ago." Jack gave out a small laugh. "I'm jokin', course I remember."
"Well Jack, whats mine is yours. Come on up, we'll get you some breakfast." Bonnie said, patting Jack on the back. Jack followed Bonnie to the big house, Amos grabbed his gun and went with them. Amos went off somewhere, and Jack was left sitting at the kitchen table as Bonnie ran around, fetching some meat. She placed it on the stove to cook. "So, what'cha been doin' with yourself since we last spoke?"
"Less said 'bout that the better."
"... Oh. Gone the way of your father, huh?" Jack looked away from her.
"I wouldn't put it like that?"
"Why, you stupid boy? You got some of your dads high-standin' morals? Steal from the ritch to give to the poor?"
"No. I jus' gave up carin'?"
"Why? Why would a young man give up carin'?" Bonnie asked, sliding out a seat and sitting.
"When Paw died, it made me jus' think... What God would do that?"
"What?"
"Make a man desert his family, gain redemption, then put hunks of led into him, huh?"
"Life's not like that."
"God is a sadistic being, an' if my Paw went like that for crimes he'd made up for by gainin' redemption then what? What's the point?"
"So what? What's the point of anything, that what you're sayin'?"
"Yeah!"
"You're so young! You'll get married some day, have a family of your own!"
"I don't want that!"
"Then what do you want!" Bonnie said, loudly, standing up.
"To die!" Jack yelled back.
"You silly little boy!"
"I have nothin' any more! Nothin' left! Them crooked real-estate government bastards took my ranch-"
"What?"
"You're the robber? The next 'Blackwater Massacre' took place 'cause of you!" Bonnie said, slightly calmer, in a more condecending tone. "You got blood on your hands boy."
"Wait... You think that's wrong? Protectin' my ranch... I've been roaming about the place, killin' off criminals! And the government makes me out to be the bad one!"
"Oh boo-hoo!" Bonnie said, and put the steak on a plate. "Let's just move on the conversation. I doubt you want to chomp your steak inbetween yellin' at me." Bonnie said, and sat down again, placing the steak down. Amos came back down the stairs, still nursing his gun. Bonnie handed Jack a knife and fork, and Jack got tore into the steak. Amos sat in the chair opposite Jack, Bonnie was in the seat beside him. Amos put his shoes on the table, pushing back in the chair. "Y'know how to handle a gun, don't y' boy?"
"Yeah, 'bout the only thing ma' paw gave me that's useful."
"Bonnie never stops yappin' 'bout your paw, only met him a few times myself."
"Yeah, well, you ain't gonna meet him any more. He's dead." Jack said, inbetween taking the lumps of meet off his fork and chewing on them. The rest of the steak was spent with the three awkwardly glancing at each other. Jack finished the steak and Bonnie took the oppertunity to clear the table. Amos left the table and went outside to continue the ranch work. "Jack, you can go sit in the front room." Jack tipped his hat and walked through to the front room, taking a seat. After about ten minutes Bonnie came into the front room and sat. It was awkwardly quiet for a minute. "Y'know, your dad was a good man."
"Tell that to all the people he killed. Do we have to talk about my Paw every five seconds? He's in the past!"
"I just want to get it off my chest."
"Yeah, well you can keep it there for a while." Jack said.
"What've you been doin' with yourself, Bonnie?"
"Well, after my paw died, I had to keep this ranch a float. Married that dumb ranch-hand."
"You happy though?" Jack asked.
"... I don't know."
"Well, you're either happy or your not!"
"Look who's talkin'!" Bonnie said, giving Jack a look, Jack smirked. First time he'd smiled in a while. Bonnie smiled back. The sun caught her just right, which made Jack smile even more. "I can remember thinkin' when I first saw you how beautiful you where."
"Mr Marston!" I'm a married woman!" Bonnie said. And stood. "I have chores to do." She said, and walked off, Jack followed her like a little lost puppy.
"I can help, I'm not entirely useless." Jack said. Bonnie walked out the back door, Jack followed. Bonnie set up the cleaning tools, a board, the clothes. Jack caught her chin with the space inbetween his thumb and first finger, and kissed her, she kissed him back. Amos could be heard screaming. Amos charged. From the very top of the barn to the location of Jack and Bonnie, Bonnie backed further and further away from Jack, Amos punched Jack, hard on the nose. Jack fell back onto a pile of wood, the wood spewing over the ground. Amos raised the back of the hand to Bonnie and thrashed her, Jack stood, his back throbbing. "Amos, why don't we settle this like men?"
"You got yourself a duel, PARTNER!" Amos said. Amos walked to the centre of the ranch, Jack grabbed his belt and holster from his cabin, put it on and joined Amos, 20 steps away. The sherrif spat some chewing tabacco into a bucket, a man glanced to the side, the man was leening against the post of the General store. Jack and Amos glared at each other. Jack closed his eye's. "C'mon Jacky Boy, you can do this. 3, 2, 1." He pulled his LeMatt out, his hand flew over the barrel, he fired the bullet left the body of the gun and soared through the air, ripping it's way quickly through the particles that made the air up, smoke leaving the barrel of Jacks gun. The bullet slapped Amos square in the chest, and continued through the heart, and stopping. Jack and Bonnie had littrally broke Amos's heart. He fell. Bonnie ran from the house where she'd been watching, passed Jack by, and ran to Amos's side. He was dead. Jack whistled for his horse, and she came. He jumped on, kicked her, and she ran. Ran into the rising sun.
Jack rode home, Beechers Hope. He shouldn't leave the place, he knew he shouldn't. The government could be back any minute to burn the place down, even though he'd killed the real-estate developers, there was still space for people to try to steal his land. He was going to get back at the world, at society.
And uneventful night in front of the fire brought planning. He was going to rob Blackwater bank.
Smoke billowing from the fire-place, Jack donned his white gentlemans suit, his hair up in a little ponytail. He got on his horse, and rode to Blackwater. He fitted in just fine, although it was unsettling to see "WANTED" Posters with composite sketches of him everywhere, they didn't look to much like him. He walked into the bank, he'd taken his Sawn-Off Shotgun. A man stood in the bank, in the que, who looked familiar. He wore a suit and a bowler hat. Doing this alone was stupid, but Jack made stupid decitions. As he reached the front desk, he'd already pulled on his bandana. He grabbed his shotgun, and thrust a bag at the woman, "Fill this or I blow your brains out!" He yelled. "Oh my god! Oh my god!" She whimpered as she filled the bag, Jack had now turned to crowd control. "Anyone tries to be a hero and they get a fistfull of boomstick!" Jack yelled, the police-man in the corner stood, pulling his pistol out and fired, it sliced though his left shoulder, he fired the shotgun. The buckshot broke some of the glass behind him, but that didn't matter, what mattered was he'd taken out the fuzz. The woman returned. "This was all that would fit!" She said. Jack grabbed it, and shrugged, then shot the woman down with the shotgun. He ran out the bank clutching his loot, attached it to his escape-horse, police where firing, Jack whipped out his LeMatt, almost in slow motion he shot down all the police he could see, a total of 8. He kicked the horse, and it shot off, the money jingling in the back off the horse. "YEEHAW!" He yelled, hooting into the distance.
Bounty: $1000.
A loud rattle could be heard on the Beechers Hope household. Jack grabbed his full shotgun from the kitchen, his dad had left so many guns behind. Jack opened the door carfully, the person on the other side of the door was surprised to be met by the end of a double barreled shotgun kissing her on the end of the nose. The woman on the other side of the door was in her thirties, she had dirty blonde hair. She wore a white shirt and chaps. Her face was a little bit sunned. "The hell d'you want?"
"Hey! Uh, you don't understand!"
"Yeah, I don't understand why you're still here!" Jack said.
"I'm looking for my dad!"
"I still don't rightly understand!" Jack said.
"His name's Red Harlow?"
"Shit, guess what, Still don't know what the hell you're talkin' about!" Jack said.
To be Continued.
