Chapter2: An Active Evening

Roland was sitting the bar several minutes later. He had only drank one glass of the bottle of whiskey he was waiting for one of the three exiles to approach him. He then took out his tobacco and began to roll himself a cigarette. When in the corner of his eye he noted the one known as Evan had stood up and was making his way over to Roland.

Roland pretended not to notice him and went on rolling the cigarette.

"Hile Gunslinger" Evan said as he came to sit down next to him. Roland easily picked up in the contempt of the word Gunslinger.

"Hile-Exile" Roland replied, then licked the cigarette along the edge and folded it over.

"Oh, strong words Gunslinger, what even makes you think I'm and exile" he laughed as he sat down, "I might have merely picked up these guns off a 'slinger I killed" Evan continued obviously testing the ground before he stepped out into directly offending Roland.

"Careful Exile, I could shoot you here and now if I so wished" Roland replied lighting the cigarette.

"I wouldn't do that 'slinger you'd bring about the displeasure of my friends over there and the sheriff. We may not be deputies but we're good friends" Evan smiled. "Beside I've only come across offering you my greetings and my company. You know being friendly"

"I want neither, Evan" Roland turned to face him. "I have met several exiles in my time and I've trusted none of them"

Evan smiled. A smile Roland was beginning to hate already it suggested something was not quite right in his head. He also frowned slightly when he smiled, the smile of a mad man. Many exiles tend to have a hint of madness after being cast out by their own people. It didn't help sanity to be outcast into a desert where all the local settlements would treat you as a beggar and likely get beaten for sneaking around.

"Well wary 'slinger, this is our town and remember that." He smiled. Then got up and left.

Roland may have won in that one face off but he doubted he could face them in a fight. All three looked travel hardened and there was something about the one known as Abel. The aura that Roland found so disgusting was emanating from that corner and no doubt from Abel.

Roland grabbed the bottle he was sitting by and retired to his room prompting everyone in the bar to once him leave.

He was tired from his traveling he needed to sleep and the rest of the afternoon and tonight would suffice.

He entered his room, which was upstairs of the bar. He entered the room and it was finely light, the window opposite the door was facing out into the street. There was a bed in the room and also a bucket and a bedpan. Roland paid these little heed he meekly locked the door placed the bottle next to the bed and lay down on the bed. He finished the cigarette then cast the stub aside then he fell into a heavy sleep.

He was awoken quickly by a scream somewhere from out in the street.

He rolled of the bed a rubbed at his eyes. Some lights flickering outside and voices talking soon followed the scream. Roland tried to listen to the voices to try and figure out what had happened but he couldn't make out the voices there were too many mingled together. So he stood up and stumbled over to the window glancing out of the window he saw a crowd building up in the street and they were gathering in a huge mob around something. He decided to go and take a look so he left the darkness of his room and went down into the darkness of the bar.

The bar was empty no surprise there, but he wouldn't have been surprised if the three exiles were sat in their corner talking and laughing. He continued outside. The first person he saw was the barmaid. She was stood out on the porch of the inn staring across.

"What's happened" Roland grunted.

"Oh" The barmaid jumped, "'slinger you almost gave me a death scare."

"Sorry, even though he was wearing heavy cow boy boots he couldn't help but move quietly it was just who he was.

"There's been another one, some one else has been got" she replied answering his question.

"By what?" Roland pressed

"No one knows, I reckon it's them exiles if you ask me they've caused nothing but trouble since they've arrived."

"When they arrive?"

"About a ten-month now. Abel turned up with Evan, than Imp turned up about a tenday later. He's only a kid as well when he was cast out from his city, who would cast out someone at that age?"

"The people of Gilead cast some gunslinger younger than I about two year ago now, he had failed the trial. He was only sixteen"

"Might be him" the barmaid joked.

"Perhaps" Roland nodded.

"You still haven't asked my name yet 'slinger" she continued with a sly smile.

Roland raised an eyebrow at her more out of confusion than anything. "What is your name barmaid?"

"It's Amelia" she replied beaming.

"So, where's the Sheriff, surely he'd be hear by now if there's been a killing?" Roland said trying to move on as quick as possible who had no desire to get involved with a bar maid who'd probably already had her fill for the night of some random drunk in the bar.

"Ha! Sheriff Luthor is normally gambling with the exiles this time of night."

As if prompted by Amelia's words around the corner marched the three exiles in a line together, Abel in the center again. There behind walked another three men all three had badges on. The Sheriff and his two deputies.

time. His hair was slicked back and he waddled from side to side some what as he walked. The clothes he was wearing seemed to not fit him properly and Roland was sure if he bent over his fat ass would rip through the trousers he was wearing.

"He looks...capable of his job" Roland mocked.

Amelia laughed, a cackling whorish laugh that made Roland wish he hadn't made the joke.

"Out of the way" Luthor shouted at the crowd, which quickly parted to allow the six men through.

"I thought the exiles weren't deputies?" Roland asked trying to stop Amelia's cackling.

"No but they might as well be, no one would dear challenge them, they've killed at least five people since they were here in the open too but they've gotten away with each one."

"I don't see a gun on the one called Abel" Roland observed. He had seen nothing of Abel other than his clothes his hood was up again and his rob stretched down to his legs and was dragged along the floor behind him. There was a bit of rope tied as a belt around his waist that had a chain running of to which a book was attached and there were several symbols attached one Roland was sure was a skull of a cat.

"He's a wizard, or so he claims no ones seen him do magic" Amelia told him.

"Well I've seen enough for tonight I'm going back for some sleep now. Thankee Amelia." Roland said and was gone before Amelia had chance to reply.

The next morning Roland awoke, sunlight was shining through the window and he could hear the chirping of birds from the forest and the sound of cutlery clashing downstairs from the barmaid cleaning up before opening.

Roland he had actually decided to get undressed before he went to sleep after being woken got changed all be it a bit slowly.

Once he was dressed he left the room making sure to lock the door. He'd also taken the opportunity last night to polish his guns and they currently sat on his hips gleaming from the sun light which littered the landing in certain spots.

He trudged downstairs. He entered the bar to see Amelia stood behind the bar with a mug cleaning it. The three exiles were back but this time sitting in a row at the bar. Abel his hood still up.

The Sheriff was also there sat next to a man dressed in quite a smart suit.

"Ah!" Amelia exclaimed "'slinger these men are 'ere to see you"

Roland glanced at them all, as they turned round to look at him. The man in the suit instantly started smiling and clapped his hands together

"Jesus by praised, the rumors were true a Gunslinger here in our town."

The man hopped off the stool and moved over to Roland and grabbed his hand in a hearty handshake.

"I'm so pleased your here Mr.?" he continued.

The three exiles and the sheriff all sat on their stools on moving. Evan was back to his manic smile and Benedict merely sat looking at Roland with a hint of contempt in his eyes.

"Roland Deschain of Gilead." he introduced himself.

"Of Gilead? Sad business but then we are far from Gilead and the Good man's reach I pleased to say" The man sad trying to offer his condolences, but he sounded like he was pleased of Gilead's descent.

"I am Mathew Harper, The mayor of Road's Meeting"

Roland couldn't help but think of the mayor that had been under Jonas' influence as he looked past the mayor and glanced at the three exiles.

"Pleased to meet you Mayor Harper." Roland said

"Oh please call me Mathew, may I call you Roland" Harper said.

"If you must" Roland said, he hated when people who held high positions of office pretend to be your friend as though you like them. Roland had only been around this Mayor Harper or about half a minute and he hated him already.

"Well, Roland, We here at Road's Meeting may appear to be a friendly and a happy community but we have a problem, one which my gallant officers of the law are unable to deal with" he said glancing around to give the four a snide look. Luthor didn't react and Imp quickly flicked a knife out of his thigh belt and began to pick his teeth with it. Evan's smile just increased and Abel seemed to be dead on his seat.

"So I wonder if you could aid them in this process of trying to catch it."

"I don't really have time I must rest then continue my journey." Roland said backing out of it even though it was his sworn duty to help people.

"Sure I understand, I presume you're chasing that man Flagg?"

"I might be"

"I assumed he was an outlaw the moment he offered his services to me."

"He was here recently then?"

"Yes left about three days ago now."

"I'm catching him then." Roland mumbled to himself.

"So will you help us, unless I'm mistaken it's your duty and we're desperate besides your on horse and he's on foot you'll catch him in no time."

Roland nodded; he supposed he'd have to help them now that the Mayor had figured that out.

"Oh! Excellent" Then the Mayor grabbed his hand again and shuck it stronger than before.

"I'd like to know what you're trying to catch though" Roland said breaking the handshake.

"But of course. Well it's hard to say we don't rightly know our selves it has killed people but only at nights. So far we think it's a large wolf perhaps one of those big cats. All the people who've been got by it have been mauled to death so quick they haven' had chance to scream."

Roland nodded.

"But I have business to attend to now, but Sheriff Luthor and the others will fill you in on the rest" the Mayor said. Stepping back to introduce him.

"Pleasure to meet you Gunslinger" Luthor said tipping his hat at him, Roland replied the gesture.

"Excellent, Thankee Roland, Long Days and Pleasant Nights to you" Then the Mayor was quick out of there. He'd gotten what he wanted so it wasn't surprising he'd decided to leave.

Luthor jumped off his seat and waddled of to Roland.

"Right, I know you's 'slingers don't like 'em but these 'er exiles have been nothing but 'elpful to me and me deputies."

"This is there leader Abel."

Abel at that queue seemed to lightly hover off his seat then glided over to stand next to Luthor.

"Pleased to meet you" Abel said at last bring down his hood.

His skin was incredibly pale, he wasn't exactly ugly but his complexion was very pale making him look as though he was very sick. His hair was jet black and like his fellows his hair was quite long to cover the sides of his head. His eyes were another feature that Roland found it difficult to gaze upon his iris where deep red and the pupil in the centre seemed to be silver as though there was a moon behind each eye. He offered his hand, which again was a deathly white, and his fingernails were quite long and had been filed to a point.

Roland took his hand even though he didn't particularly want to but this man had done nothing wrong yet.

"This is Evan". Evan jumped off his stool and sprang over to them like a complete mad man.

"We've already met, but not on the best terms" He said smiling and offering his hand, which Roland also took

"Finally Imp."

Imp seemed to force himself of his seat and plodded over slipping the knife back into his belt.

"Hile 'slinger pleasure to work with you" he said holding his hand out. Out of the three Imp was the only one who Roland didn't have a problem shaking hands with. Imp also seemed to have an air of childish charm to him that Roland felt would come through if he ever got to know him.

Roland took the hand and shook it.

"Right now that we're introduced let's get down to business." Luthor said