Picture 2
KendallJaye Collard’s Picture Choice: 1
Title: Hellshot to High Prairie
I’d barely made it out alive. Blue Eyes had an entourage that I hadn’t accounted for. That meant that every shot had to count. One final, deep breath and I kicked open the door to his hotel room.
Blue Eyes jumped back from the round table where he and his followers were playing cards. “What the...” was all he managed to say before my gunfire rang hard and heavy in the tiny room. As they all reached for their guns, I pointed and fired barely looking their direction. I didn’t want to lose a moment of Blue Eyes’ reaction as I calmly dispatched his entire crew of five. By my count, I had one shot left. Blue Eyes frantically patted his ribcage, his pants pocket, his waistband. I knew his gun was on the bedside table and out of his reach. I continued to walk through the room while Blue Eyes backed himself into the corner. The panic was thick in the room, and it tasted delicious.
“What do you want? Who sent you?” he demanded with little conviction.
“You don’t remember me. It’s been a while. There’s a lot of years and a log book of miles in between here and there.”
I knew I didn’t have time for a monologue. I could already hear people gathering in the hallway.
“Wait,” Blue Eyes mumbled as those icy eyes narrowed. “You’re that Kid. Kid Harper. I heard about you. I never thought I’d get the chance…”
I shot him in the shoulder.
He slid down the wall.
“You missed,” he taunted.
“Hardly,” I bit back. I clobbered him with the butt of my revolver.
His eyes rolled up to the sky, and he went limp. I turned around to the crowd that had gathered outside the room. “Nothing to worry about people. This here man is wanted by Washita County Sherriff in Oklahoma. I’m a US Marshall.” I rummaged in the breast pocket of my coat and pulled out an official enough looking badge that would allow me passage. It was a trinket I had picked up from one of my prior bounties. He was a pedophile scum in Kentucky that used his small town badge to manipulate kids. I kept it. Figured it would come in handy. I held it up long enough for everyone to be able to make out that it was a badge, but not long enough for them to tell where it was from.
The people made a path for me as I slung the unconscious body of Blue Eyes over my shoulder. My height belied my strength. Fine by me. I used every advantage I had.
“I do thank you for your patience, folks. Let the hotel owner I’ll be sending a check for clean up and funeral expenses for these men.” I jerked my head in the direction of the heap of bodies littering the floor. “I need to get this guy to Oklahoma by tomorrow sunset.”
I made my way through the crowd and out the door. I heard the standard hushed voices that always accompanied my work. Let them talk. Let the legend grow. It made my work that much easier.
My mare was waiting for me right where I left her. A quick yank on the reigns loosed the knot. She stayed perfectly still as I gave her soft muzzle a kiss. Most faithful, trusted thing I owned. I heaved the unconscious man over her backside, and I whipped myself up into the saddle.
I made like hellfire out of the two-bit town.
I had my sights on one thing now.
The place where it all started.
I dug in my heels and headed north.
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KendallJaye Collard gets her kicks above the waistline, Sunshine. Wine drinker, Cancer Survivor, and protected by rocksalt. Spread the love with her at @KJCollard.
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a great snippet from what feels like a much larger story. X
ReplyDeleteThat's the plan! This is the second installment of Kid's story.
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