Manny pov.
Miracle City, a town that's as old as God. It's a little dry and there's a few criminals here and there, okay it's a lot of criminals but aside from that it's not a bad place to live. That is if you're not living as a slave or in poverty. Miracle City used to be a peaceful land but then Sartana and her army of monstrous goons came here from Calavera which is a place I'd rather not talk about but let's just say if there was a Hell on earth it would be called Calavera. All she did was enslave other people and rob others til they had nothing. My family and I are as poor as dirt, my father worked as a blacksmith but due to Sartana's impossible taxes his work didn't mean anything.
Then came that winter when I was six and I had contracted some unknown illness that I would die from. Sartana came in one day with an offer my father couldn't refuse. A life of servitude to the giant El Mal Verde in exchange for medicine needed to save my life. Apparently she had worked out some bargain with that giant. My father knew a life working for him would be a fate worse than death but he valued my life over misery. So he took the deal and if he dare to try to run away from El Mal Verde then she'd kill me.
I never saw my father again after that and I blamed myself. Poor Mom broke down after Dad left. She tried to stay strong but she just couldn't. Six years went by and we only got more poor from then on. We only had three things of value: A stupid parrot that belong to my late grandfather, a donkey we used to plow our fields, and my pet and best friend in whole world Zebra Donkey. A female zebra that Sartana owned had snuck out of the stables and spent the night with our donkey. Couple weeks later zebra donkey was born and well Sartana didn't want him so he was mine.
Mom worked as a seamstress and as times grew tougher I realized that with Dad gone I had to be the man of the house. So I taught myself how to make weaponry and took up Dad's job as a blacksmith. I was nine when I started working and I didn't get paid enough so I had to resort to other ways. I had to steal, Mom didn't like it, she wanted me to do honest work. It made her so sad and disappointed when she found out I was stealing. I didn't want to hurt her but we were starving what else could I do.
One day when I was about twelve and I was working...
"Why don't you go back to your mansion?"
I knew that voice, local poor boys Billy and Che. Like me they stole from other people but the had no morals. I only stole from people who had more than enough but they stole from poor than they were and they beat up the people they stole from and by people I mean the ones smaller and weaker than they are. The cowards! They would rough me up a bit sometimes once they took out some of my teeth but they were baby teeth so I didn't care.
I wondered what got them so upset this time. I saw that they were harassing a girl. A girl! I don't believe it! How cowardly and immoral were they? And she wasn't doing anything wrong yet they felt the need to bully her. I watched them pull on her braided pigtails, man they were long and blue. What kind of hair dresser does she see? But that wasn't important.
I took a clump of mud and flung it right a Billy's fat mouth.
"Hey leave her alone!" I shouted.
"Get lost Manuel!" I cringed when he said my name. I preferred to be called Manny, the only person allowed to call me that were my parents. "Or we'll break your teeth like we did last time!"
Oh please like that scared me.
"Joke's on you those were baby teeth so they'll grow back!"
"Oh yeah? What about permanent teeth." He said cracking his knuckles.
Oh boy I had to think fast. I took a handful of dirt and sand then threw it into their eyes.
"Ahh!" They shouted. "You little rat!"
"Hurry come with me!" I said taking the girl's hand. We ran from the two idiots before they could catch up then ducked into nearby barrels.
Works every time." I chuckled. They may have been stronger they were about as dumb as a brick.
"Thank you for stopping them." The girl said.
"No problem but you better avoid them because they'll hit girls." She didn't look a girl who belonged around here. She was clean and she wore nice clothes, not a single scratch to be seen.
"Seems like they hate me." She said.
"Just ignore them, their brains are the size of beans. So what's someone like you doing out here?"
"Well I wanted to see if I could make friends."
"Hate to break it to you but not a lot of people around here are friendly."
"Why is that?"
"Because we spend pretty much everyday working for the pain in the neck."
"Sartana?"
"You know her?"
"She's my mom."
"You're joking."
"No."
Sartana, the most evil woman God ever made had a child? That's ridiculous, the old snake doesn't love anyone not to mention this little girl didn't look like she could possibly be related to her.
"But she's...Ewww and you're not." I said.
"I think I'm adopted."
That explains it.
"So what's with the hair?" I asked.
"Don't ask."
"Hey Rivera boy!" That was my boss shouted. "Get over here now!"
"Coming." I said. "I'll be right back, wait here."
He went off on me for running out on the job.
"One more like this again and you're fired!" He shouted.
"Alright, alright, whatever." I said.
He knocked me to the ground.
"Show some respect you worm!"
I was used to him getting violent on me. He made me work my ass off, when I could finally leave that girl was long gone. I never saw her again but I do know one thing I pity her if she really is Sartana's daughter.
"Welcome home Manny." My mom greeted me. "Manny what happened to your face?"
"It's nothing Mom I got hit by a tool while working on the job."
"You sure?"
"Yes." He lied.
"Okay." She said unsure. "Listen I sold Senor Chapi today."
"Good riddance to that rat with wings." I said.
"Yes but the money for him isn't enough so tomorrow I want you to sell the donkey."
"But Mom we live off that donkey."
"I know dear but we need the money. Now you'll be in the market which means there will be plenty of rich people so promise me you won't steal anything."
"But Mom-"
"Manny I know you mean well but I don't want my son to grow up to be a liar and a thief. I want you to good and honest like your father was may God be with him wherever he is." She said. "So promise me you won't steal."
"I promise." I said. Now I knew I couldn't steal because I could never break a promise especially to my mother.
So the next morning I took our donkey to the market. There were farmers, merchants, and wealthy people. I hoped some farmer with more money than us would buy the donkey but apparently most of them already had a donkey. I was at that market for eight hours listening to stuck up rich people throw insults at me I swear if I hadn't promised Mom that I wouldn't steal I would've robbed them blind. When it got dark and started back home.
"Excuse me." I heard a voice say to me. It was coming from a crippled old man. "How much for the donkey?"
Thank God! A buyer!
"That depends, how much money you got?" I asked.
"I don't have any money but I do have something just as valuable."
"Gold?"
"No." He stuck his hand inside the pocket of his coat and pulled out five beans.
"Beans? You intend to pay me with beans? How old are you?"
"Young man I'm perfectly right in my head and I'll have you know that these are no ordinary beans. These are magic beans which will lead you to an incredible treasure."
"Uh-huh." I said no believing a word he said. "And if these so called magic beans can lead a person to treasure why don't you use them?"
"Because this treasure is guarded by a horrible giant and I'm so old and frail that I'd surely die if I fought him but a strong, young lad like you might actually get the treasure and come back alive."
"Wait a minute how can I be sure that these aren't just regular beans and that you're not some con man?"
"Watch this." He pulled out an egg and threw it on the ground. Instead of a yolk there was a gold coin.
"Whoa! Anymore of those eggs?"
"That was my last one. So interested in my beans?"
"Okay."
After I made the trade I returned home.
"Mom! Mom! Look what I got!" I said when I arrived.
"Is it something valuable?"
"Yes. I traded our donkey for something incredible. Magic beans."
"Beans? You traded our donkey for five beans?"
"No Mom they're magic. The man said that the beans would lead us to great treasure."
"Oh Manny I know you meant well but...I'm afraid that man conned you. There's no such thing as magic."
"But Mom-"
"No it's my fault. I should've known better than to send you there by yourself you don't know how clever and sneaky can be. I just hope we don't starve."
We didn't eat supper that night unless you call boiled water with lettuce supper. That night I woke up to get a drink of water but on my way to the kitchen I saw his mother sitting at the table crying.
"I don't know what to do Rodolfo." She sobbed. "Things just keep getting harder and harder. There's only enough food to feed one person and I fear that if I die from starvation there will be no one for Manny."
At once I forgot my thirst and went back upstairs to my room. I was a horrible son, I try to help Mom and make life easier for us but all I do is make things worse. Mom's better off without me I'm sure. So I packed up my things and prepared to sneak out the window only to have Zebra Donkey try to stop me.
"I'm sorry boy but I can't stay here anymore. Mom's better off without me, I only make things harder. Don't worry I'll be fine."
But he kept tugging on the cuffs of my pants. He finally agreed to let go when I decided to take him with me. Before leaving, I left behind the watch my father gave me and a goodbye note telling Mom to sell it.
Off I went into the cold, dark, western night. Some people are scared at night but me not so much. In fact I found it kind of peaceful and quiet. However my quiet evening of sneaking off was interrupted by the sounds of angry people.
"Someone stole my magic beans!" A voice shouted.
"Calm yourself sir!" Another said.
"Those beans are my property! And when I find the person who has them I'll have a bullet shot through their head so fast that it'll knock out some of his teeth!"
I gulped at that. Those beans were stolen? That crazy old man! He tricked me into being the fall guy for his theft. I wanted to return those beans and let them know I was innocent but I wasn't going to risk getting my brains blown out by that lunatic.
"Old man!" I heard the first guy shout. He had the old man who sold me the beans by his throat. "Where are my beans? What did you do with them?"
"I gave them to a boy." He croaked.
"What boy?"
"Manny Rivera."
How did he know my name? I never told him that. But I didn't have time to ponder it, I needed to get out of here. I stuck Zebra Donkey into my bag and ran like the devil was at my heels. I found an old abandoned shack to sleep in for night but unfortunately it started raining and the roof had leaks so it wasn't exactly a good night. The next morning I found a wanted poster on a tree with my name and picture.
WANTED: MANNY RIVERA, DEAD OR ALIVE, HUGE CRASH REWARD FOR CAPTURE.
Great I was a wanted man or kid if you wanna be technical. Aren't I lucky?