What makes a king a king? Title , Wealth, Linage or Those who believe he is king.
The king of nothing sits on his throne
Of tarnished gold and broken stone
Surrounded by the air that he owns
His loyal subjects scurry at his feet rabid, and weak
Even for the rats their is no meat
Cobweb chandeliers hang above
And 8 legged performers tumble down
The ensure their lord doesn’t frown
Perched on broken walls the Ravens guard
Looking over the vast kingdom the king never had
One lands on his shoulder and asks
“Your the king of nothing why do you stay”
“Why do you persist on living in dismay”
The king looks to the Raven and said
“Im the lord of all I own, from the mold on my crown to the mold on the gown” Raising from his crumbling throne he slams his fist against his chest and proclaims
“To rule is pleasure to serve is pain
I shall never grace society again
Here I shall stay and live out my days
May my reign be long
And my heart be true
So I can reign justly over mildew
Shall my thoughts be pure
Actions swift
That I can gather bread for the rats to nip
And subjects never sway
I am the the King of Nothing a true King of today”
“I wanted you to be the first to know” Rowan tentatively confided in me. Suddenly the room was a lot colder than before. The creaking celling fan above provided the only sound. I got up and walked to the window, staring at the brick wall of the adjacent building I began to shout.
“Colombia, why Colombia?”
“If you wanted good coffee that badly Rowan I can have some shipped right to your door from their mountaintops, there is no need to go there.” I said
“Or wait is it Blow? Do you want some quality stuff to sniff, if so I’ll get that to buddy?” I said matter of fact “It’s not above my pocket or reach trust me.”
Rowan laughed, bellowed actually,
“Please don’t make me laugh you know it hurts. Sometimes I really feel you should have gone into journalism or politics rather than art, Jack.” Rowan said with a smirk. “Always trying to change a person’s mind, even when the person knows what’s best for themselves.”
Leaning against the sole window I surveyed Rowans apartment. Claustrophobic was the word. A stove, sink and refrigerator filled one corner, in the middle was the perpetually creaking ceiling fan, the only source of air. Below it was his one dining table and two dining chairs. Had it not been for me, there would still be only one dining chair. At the end of the apartment was a murphy bed, surrounded by a floor full of bodybuilding magazines. One door in and out and two others, one leading to his bathroom another to the closet.
“Rowan, I have told you if you want to get out of the place, my SoHo apartment is free please take it.” I implored.
“See there you go again,” he replied exhausted “What makes you feel I’m not happy here, it has everything I need within meters of each other.”
“My minds set Jack, it’s time for me to move on at least see another country while I can, I’m leaving in a week, isn’t this what you’re always telling me, to go live a little, well I am goanna do it.”
“I never meant this.” I said in a hushed looking down at my watch. I was out of time the show was about to start. “This isn’t done, but I’ve got to go.”
“You sure you don’t want to come?” I asked knowingly “It would mean a lot to me.”
“Quit asking answers and go before Carla rips you a new one ok.” I gave Rowan a hug and I left.
Walking out his apartment building the fear and anxiety rose up, “I can’t let him leave.”
CHAPTER 2
Stepping into the night air, the cold penetrated my bones, a welcome numbing. The crown continued to roar inside the gallery. Knocking against a pack of pall mall I intended to send my anxieties up in smoke.
“Why are you out here shriveling your lungs? When adoring fans are waiting to inflate your ego further.” Roma asked. My agent, as shrewd as she is caring.
“Nothing I haven’t heard before.”
I muttered between puffs.
“Six months later and you’re the tortured artist, a bit premature? If you were a writer I would understand.” Roma chuckled
“They buy every piece of work you bring
before them, praise it, interpret it, even value it beyond what we imagine.” Roma
said gleaming “No one has been this accepted in the last decade, it’s a
whirlwind, and everyone keeps asking when the next show is even trying to buy pieces
you have not even painted yet.”
Pressing the cigarette to my lips I took a deep inhale, attempting to stifle my words,
“I can’t paint anymore,”
“Can’t? That’s a strong word Jack, or is it won’t, you people always have creative blocks. It’s a part of an artist’s life. So, figure out the block get through it cause your next show is in two months and I already promised the whole art world at least four new pieces.”
There it was again the anxiety, like a rope wrapped around my chest, squeezing. Four new pieces, she would be lucky if I could get half right now. The rain began to fall,
“Come on inside,” Roma said taking me by my arm.
As we walked I heard my boots slush in the rain, the crackling thunder took me
back.
CHAPTER 3
I was in a rush that’s an understatement, I was in a panic. First potential sale in over six months and I was late to meet the client. Worse yet it rain began to fall, I was too close for a cab when it came down, so I kept running. Sprinting around the corner I knocked someone over, yet another understatement I bulldozed them. My first instinct was to keep going and that’s what I did, turning back to yell sorry I saw them there lying flat. I’m a decent enough guy and at that time money had not become my everything. I back tracked to help out, as I picked up the person he was incredibly light to lift I thought for a moment it was a child. I could see the face Water streamed down their face almost masking the look of excruciating pain.
“I’ll hail a cab and take you to the h..” before I could finish my sentence, he reached for the tube holding my painting.
“You’re an artist?” he asked teeth gritting.
“Yea, but we need to…” again he cut me off
“Go sell this! That’s what’s important plus I don’t need help.” with those words he began to hobble away.
I did not know how to react, but the rain made the choice for me as it started to pour, so I turned and began to run again. I never sold that painting, not because I was late but cause I’m a shit artist.
It’s funny the inherent inequalities of life still existed on Luna VII, the moon’s most advanced colony. As a result, Eddie was no stranger to the struggle of human existence. That’s ironic because Luna VII promised to be a “New World”. At least that’s what it read on the holo-board above Eddie’s apartment. Eddie was nearly 50, which made him one of the oldest people on the moon. It had become home to the young and brilliant those who would make their impact on society throughout research and leave for retirement on Earth, to be nearly 50 on the moon means you needed to be filthy rich to live comfortably, Eddie was barely surviving. Eddie had found his most stable rent earner thus far, he worked as the janitor for a high-end spacecraft storage. It paid the rent, gave him money for meals what it could never do though was shield him from the scorn and taunts of the population, who suffered from severe ageism. To them Eddie was a leech sucking up precious resources and not giving back enough to lunar society. Janitors were not really a huge necessity, the job was given out of sympathy by the storage owner also Eddie’s landlord. Truth was there really was no place for Eddie in Lunar society, or any society. The world had become so automated humanities only true work value lay in the minds of the hyper educated and creative. Eddie simply was a relic. Eddie lived his life day by day and found an escape for himself in his work.
When no one was around at night, Eddie was no mere janitor, you see he became Captain Eddie brave space voyager and merchant. His ship, that whichever he sneaked onto for the night. Tonight it was a class 7 L-Cruiser, the very latest in luxury personal space transportation. The ship’s technology was on par with some military ships, the price as well. Captain Eddie sank into the custom leather chair, Eddie had never felt leather before, he had never seen a cow in real life. Due to their extinction, the only two remaining were in the Earth capital zoo. Earth, another thing Eddie had never seen apart from pictures and the Lunar sky. Firmly grasping the leather steering Eddie began creating scenario after scenario in his head, about his grandiose adventures aboard his ship. For a few moments, Eddie felt like his own man, capable of blazing his own trail. “It’s just a fantasy”, he whispered to himself softly as he got up. Arising from the chair he turned to exit the cockpit and his gaze fell upon a portrait next to the exit. Eddie’s heart sank, the handsome facing staring back at him couldn’t be more than 20, half his own age. “Ha…haha….HA…..AHAHAHAHA!” hysterical laughter was all Eddie could manage. This child was living his fantasy. His head sank against the portrait and the laughter turned into sobbing. You see Eddie knew he would never accomplish his dream, from birth the stars were never in Eddie’s favour.
His parents were from two worlds, not literally, however. His father was an accountant, a near extinct profession. By chance, he meet his mother, a young lunar geology prodigy. There’s was a whirlwind romance that led to marriage and conceiving Eddie within months, naturally, the next step was to migrate to the moon. Halfway through the trip, a rogue satellite struck the shuttle, the shock sent Eddies mother into labour. She died giving birth. You can say Eddie was the sole survivor of his family on that trip. While his father made it physically he was now a broken man. They settled on Luna VI which, at the time was the most recent lunar colony. Eddie’s father had been a dentist on earth, so he continued this practice until he was laid off. The hospital said he lacked any drive, and robots were far more precise now. Truth was he lacked the will to live if not for his son nothing might have kept him going. He ended up taking a job as a manager for distant mining outpost. They resettled there and this is where Eddie was brought up. The education there was as basic as it got, along with every other aspect of life, but Eddie’s father pushed him and got him extra lessons. For it was his son’s dream to become a rocket engineer. This way he could make it safer for everyone to travel through space and so that they would never face the loss he did. Eddie was no slouch either given his mother’s gift for academics he thrived despite limited resources. When he turned 18 Eddie left for Luna VII the newest colony, there he was gonna enroll in the only Lunar college to become a space craft engineer/pilot. Upon his departure, his father told him to remember these words, a old earth phrase “Every cloud has a sliver lining”, Eddie had been his father’s sliver lining.
A week later, his father died when a malfunction sent lunar rock hurling in all directions at the outpost. Eddie struggled through college and eventually flunked out, he just couldn’t keep up, his existence became the struggle it was today since then. He always felt his life had been a mistake, in a time where society had become so precise Eddie felt he was a cog in the machine.Suddenly it all became to much and Eddie felt burdened, in a time where the universe was being explored and life was more grand than ever Eddie felt completely alone. “Every could has a silver lining” he kept repeating it to himself over and over as he sobbed. He knew what it meant, every bad circumstance has a positive, he just didn’t belive it. “Every cloud has a sil…..There are no clouds on the moon” Eddie growled to himself. Throwing his head back Eddie slammed it against the potrait. Blood and tears flowed down his cheeks and over his lips, making his sobbing sound all the more pathetic. His cries became increasingly louder and louder…
Once their was a little boy who lived upon a lonely mountain. Often he wondered, as one often does, why he was placed there. His only company was that lonesome eagle that flew above the house every night when the moon was highest. One night the little boy called out to the eagle, “What do you see?”. The eagle replied “I see a forest to the left, a desert to the right,a ocean straight ahead and a frozen tundra behind us.” Curiously the little boy’s. Response was “How can you tell the directions?”. The eagle replied once more “The stars and the moon guide my eyes.” It took him a moment but then the boy asked “Well what direction is home?”.
The eagle soared for a minute then said “Home has always been right here.” From then on the eagle and the boy shared the hours and the days together neither of them ever knew, why they were put there or if there were others below the mountain top they know however they had discovered happiness in each other’s companies and thus made a home.
In a castle in a sky a lot of curious things can happen. Pigs can fly, apples taste like oranges and a lonely mysterious old woman can create gigantic serpents to keep her company. Daily they would soar through the clouds and above kingdoms and everyone adored the flying serpent. At Night they cuddled for warmth. He was gifted and fed best meat of the kingdoms. Oh how fortunate it was to have such a loving creator the serpent felt. She grew fond of his company and desired more so she created an Eagle proud and large, its wings could block out the sun and its talons take down mountains. Then she made a boy, Curly haired and bright eyed she grew to adore him with her whole heart. The boy feared the serpent and often decided to spend his time on the back of eagle instead. Day in and day out the serpent saw it’s affection waning and soon enough he felt like a mere afterthought. As the trio would go about enjoying the castle and the lands below without him. Even the villagers were no longer amazed and the gifts stopped. They much rather gather on the back of the eagle and take to the skies. Even its creator had seem to enjoy the plush plumage atop the eagle’s back more thank the hard scales. One night angry and alone the serpent cried out “Why have you forsaken me, was it not you who created me like this and now you cast me aside for another.” In anger it attacked the eagle and boy for taking the one person that gave it a love worth living for. She had created the serpent and knew the only way to end it would be death and she could bear to destroy him so she left him destroy himself. For ages the eagle and serpent fought the same battle . With each death leading to a rebirth at the hands of their creator. She had grown weak and weary after using so much of her power. So she hid them this time and took their memory so they would not seek each other out. But the serpents eternal love was now eternal hate and he remembered. Now he found his nemesis. The battle would begin after all and nothing promised to be the same this time.
A lone ship sits in open waters. She would rest here tonight, there is activity aboard her deck, but she’s never bothered especially not tonight as the ocean has captured her attention once more. Moonbeams bounce off the tranquil waters, as gentle waves caress her bow.
“It’s a fine night when you’re not rushing from isle to isle, finally we can talk again” Said the ocean.
“It has been a busy day for me, but any day I spend exploring every inch of you brings me joy” she said
“I cannot lie,” whispered the ocean “Of all who sail across me I prefer you best, I remember seeing you built in Manchester, your first voyage around the Horn…even that regretful day.”
“Let us not speak of it.” She interrupted
Before either could continue the sound of gunpowder exploding intruded.
“The boys are just being rowdy” she assured sea, who had begun to rock her now.
“How long will you allow them to desecrate someone as fine as yourself, I can help you rid of them” the waters coaxed. “A strong wave would wipe your decks clean”
Pondering she replied “They are really not that bad, they scrub me free of barnacles and have filled me with unimaginable treasures” she boasted now
“Are treasures worth the blood that pours into me from your deck?” the ocean questioned.
She had no response for it was true, her sailors were murderous vile and greedy pirates. Since they had captured her from the merchants in Africa blood shed on her hull and gold filled her holds, but she remained un phased. In her stern slept the most wanted man in all Europe responsible for more pillage and plunder than history had previously seen. The glimmer however, the feeling of solid gold and precious stones lining her innermost parts, of exotic cloth flowing from her rigging was intoxicating.
“Farewell for tonight my dear waters. I shall not have you speak ill of my crew any longer.” The ocean remained quiet from then on, heartbroken for the ship he loved seemed to be truly lost.
Raising anchor from the coast of Lagos she groaned under the weight of her load. Even her previous crew had never brought on this much or type of cargo. The glamorous wanton pirates had been killed in a duel against an obnoxious English War Galleon. They had left her broken, stripped of her wealth even her soft sails had been replaced with something coarse but durable. They ran her now and the shine from her deck was now gone replaced with a dull red stain, the very deck on which hundreds of bodies gathered the weight of their pain and suffering was more than she could bear. Even the devilish pirates never used her to create such carnage or sorrow. Now she was transporting the new source of wealth. Misery did not begin to describe her new demeanor, she loathed those who ran her ragged across the Middle Passage.
“Ocean if you had truly loved me like you said I implore you deliver me from this hellish existence!” She cried out “Though I had love the freedom to cruise your waters above and see new lands, it pains me now this triangular route of horrors.”
The Ocean remained silent as moonbeams struggled to pierce through dark clouds.
Six weeks later she was on her way back to Lagos. Filled with weaponry, mirrors and other trinkets. There was no sign of moonbeams as the night sky was blackened by clouds. Strong winds pushed against her to the brink.
“Darling I have heard your cries and I can end this once and for all.” The ocean whispered suddenly
“I will accept my fate for that fortune is worth more than my current course,” she retorted “I regret not my life of glamour with the pirates however I detest what I have become what they have made me into, I’m ready to join you for eternity as many have done before, to lose my ability to tread above these waters is to grant freedom to so many others” “So shall it be” said the ocean quietly.
The currents suddenly became intense and drew her faster and faster into the whirlpools center. The crew cried out and tried their best to not share her fate. The ocean was relentless and sucked her in before anyone had chance to escape. In an instant she found herself under the waves and sinking deeper in that which she loved and loved her, here she would forever able to talk to her love and escape the clutches of humanity who had never loved her as the ocean did but used her to create profit and pain. Moonbeams bounced off the ocean as she settled below where eternity would meet her.
Derrick peered out the classroom window. Sunshine struggled to shine through the thick fog that seemed to go for miles. It’s Monday again, today was special, however, because it’s Halloween. Halloween is the eve of All Saints day but Derrick always preferred sinners. A born prankster, Derrick revealed in mischief. Halloween was the one time the town came alive to him, people of all ages, skin color, sexuality, and even religion participated. The great equalizer to him was Halloween. The fog continued to roll closer to the school, Derrick mentally reviewed his plan for the day when suddenly his mind went blank.
In the distance, Derrick saw himself, not his current self but a paragon of himself. His heart was racing as his brain struggled to comprehend what he saw, the figure slowly emerged from the fog then burst into a sprint. As it ran straight toward the window Derrick began to cold sweat unsure of what to do or think, it was getting closer and closer when suddenly the school bell rang out. “Argghhhh!” Derrick screamed, wide-eyed and fell out of his seat. Shaking he pointed to the window, all he saw was his classmates wide-eyed staring at him. The room erupted in laughter as everyone cheered him, his teacher commented that signaled the start of Halloween festivities for the students. Derrick arose to his feet and began playing along, knowing a prank made more sense than reality.
Slamming his bedroom door Derrick tried to shake the image from
his mind but the unsettling sight stuck.
“Something on your mind friend?” an unfamiliar voice asked. Turning
around Derrick came face to face with himself. A scream began to rise up from
his throat but never made it out. “Let’s
not cause a scene, shall we?” the doppelgänger said. Derrick nodded
his head “Who are you?”
“Call me Lou ” he replied, “let’s say I’m the old Saint Nick of
Halloween, but I’m no saint”
“Why do you look like that?” Derrick said. “Just a taste my
friend,” Lou said smiling ” Of what I can do, what wonders I can
conjure, today all this power is at your command, my child”. “Why me?” Derrick asked.
“I keep my own list Derrick, of peculiar boys and girls with a penchant
for playfulness,” Lou said, “Every Halloween I choose one lucky soul to
bestow my powers until midnight.”
Derick’s mind could barely contain his thoughts. One thing was certain to him however, he did not trust Lou.
“Your heart’s desire shall be granted,” said Lou “Whatever you truly focus on a desire will materialize from this moment” A smile crept across his face.
“Thanks,” said Derrick. “I probably won’t need it but yea alright”
Derrick thought to himself this could be a blessing, and make this his greatest Halloween yet, he forgot however, there are no blessings on curses on Halloween night.
“Welcome to a night to remember,” said Lou as he vanished.
Derrick arrived at the local cinema, for the fright fest which he didn’t miss.
Each screen showed a different classic horror movie, a perfect treat. Still
shaken by the whole experience and wondering if he was insane he saw his
friends Ethan and Cole stood.
“Took you long enough, the movie already started come on,” said Cole.
“Sorry, something came up,” said Derrick.
“I got the firecracker,” said Ethan “Were going to get them so good this year.”
“Oh, you have no idea,” said Derrick, Firecrackers are child’s play compared to what I have planned, he thought.
As they entered the dark theater a classic werewolf movie was
playing, just the kind of slasher Derrick was hoping for. “I say twenty
mins then we blow this joint, literally,” said Ethan, handing out
firecrackers.
“Hold up, I got something,” Derrick said. Ethan and Cole
looked at their friend with scrunched eyebrows.
“You’ll see, be right back,” said Derrick. It’s not that he didn’t trust his friends, like any good magician a prankster never revealed his secrets. Finally, alone in a bathroom stall, he thought to himself, my first great prank turning into a real werewolf and scaring the life out of the theater. He visualized what he wished to achieve, fur black and thick covering him. His arms and legs stretching taking a brawny form with jagged claws. A wolf’s head replacing his own complete with razor-edged teeth. Derrick saw the transformation in his mind over and over. One too many minutes passed.
“I must be insane,” Derrick said out loud.
He exited the stall and stared in the mirror. Splashing cold water across his face he wondered if it was all a hallucination. Lou, the conversation everything. He did what he was told and nothing. The bathroom door opened, a guy walked in. Derrick noticed him out the corner of his eye. Chuck the local bully, more like a teen alcoholic with daddy issues as Derrick liked to think.
Turning to head out, Chuck bumped into him, heading toward the urinal.
“No manners turd, say sorry,” Chuck demanded.
“Sorry,” said Derrick through his teeth.
As Derrick was drying his face, Chuck turned to leave. On his way out, he shoved David against the wall knocking the breath out of him.
“Loser,” said, Chuck, as he left.
Derrick sank to his knees coughing. “He didn’t even wash his hands,” Derrick said to himself. He couldn’t stop thinking about how much he hated Chuck, he kept replaying it over and over in his head, wishing he had punched him back, anything to teach him a lesson. All of a sudden, a heat flowing through him, his skin felt like it was being seared. Running to the sink, he threw his shirt off and began throwing water on himself. Looking into the mirror he realized the world was losing color. His eyes burned. Muscles spasming. Then darkness.
As his vision cleared Derrick was laying on his bed.
Derrick jumped up, “What the hell happened back there!”
He was naked, that was even odder, his head felt like someone took a jackhammer to it. His memory was totally blank.
“Hey, Lou! You there?” silence followed as Derrick looked around “My mind is totally gone”. The last thing he remembers was trying to access his new powers. “So much for that.”
Dazed Derrick checks his phone. Two hours had passed since he left for the cinema, and apparently, five missed calls from his friends.
“That’s so weird, I don’t even remember going back to me them, I better call” as he dialed the number, flashes of red kept appearing in his mind.
“DERRICK WHERE ARE YOU” screamed Ethan on the phone.
“I’m home what’s wrong?” Derrick said
“You didn’t come back to the movie and we were worried, Cole left to look for you and when he came back….<STATIC>”
“Ethan I can’t hear you..”
“<STATIC> so get down to the lake ASAP,” said Ethan as the call went dead.
“The lake now is not the time, I didn’t even get to pull off a decent prank yet.” Said Derrick. Begrudgingly he left his house lake bound. About a block away from his house Derrick swore he heard sirens in the distance but thought nothing of it.
As Derrick arrived at the lake the place was a ghost town, only his friends stood by the water’s edge.
“Yooo,” Derrick called out as he approached them.
Cole and Ethan turned toward him, a look of dread on their faces.
“Why did you do it, Derrick?” Cole said sobbing.
“Do what…skip the movie” Derrick said, “No need to cry man, I don’t even remember why I didn’t come back”.
Ethan consoled Cole, “Derrick swears to me, you’re not lying right now”.
“What the hell is going on!” Derrick was upset he needed answers, first, he blacked out and now his friends were acting weird “Did you guys drug me or something! That’s it right this is all a prank”.
Derrick burst out laughing “That’s a little far even for you guys, must have been you then Ethan who slipped something into my drink, so I was hallucinating since morning.”
His laughter filled the empty lake, as his friends watched on fearful.
Ethan extended a phone to Derrick
“Cole recorded this when he went looking for you”
Derrick peered at the phone screen. His heart leaped into his throat. Sinking to his knees he began to weep.
“It can’t be, what is this” Derrick said, he began to puke, he could not handle what he was seeing.
On the screen, there was Derrick on all fours like a dog attacking Chuck in the cinema hallway. Blood was everywhere.
“I swear it wasn’t my fault, this guy Lou he promised me some power, he must have possessed me….” Derrick managed to say between sobs “Is Chuck…”
“He’s critical, doctors aren’t sure if he’ll make it,” said Ethan “We had to see you ask you why in person, I just wish you would have admitted it, Derrick”
Derrick looked up at his friends, as the sound of sirens drew nearer. He stayed down, defeated. This day was beyond comprehension. The cops came and cuffed him, as the put him into the car he began to cry, unsure of how things ever got this far.
“Rough Day champ,” said Lou suddenly beside him.
Derrick immediately lunged at him attempting to headbutt him. He began thrashing about in the car, the cops subdued him.
“What are you doing kid, only making this worse for yourself.” A cop said.
Derrick looked around and Lou was nowhere to be found. Derrick finally understood what they meant by better the devil you know.
They say there is no life in the desert but like the cactus, the rattlesnake and the vultures the Outlaw was a survivor. His mother’s job made it hard for him to know his father and to love her who despised him. Constantly he sought out her affection and was meet curses and violence. To her, he was a mistake she could not afford to look after. So the bandits filled this gap, Tales of gold, cunning schemes and daring gun fights do a lot to a young boy with no possessions or ties to this world. He found a home and a family with the men who visited her every night, as soon as he could lift a gun, with nothing to pack and everything to gain he ventured off into the sunset with a band of death dealers.
Mary was the firstborn on the ranch, a curse to her father already. Killing her mother during childbirth was adding insult to injury. Her father grew more angry, drunk and tired of working alone as the years went by. So he began to show his love the only way he knew how and she ran. With no one to turn to and her only inheritance being heartbreak, she found shelter from the scorching Arizona sun in the Brothels. There she found kindred spirits women with nothing to call their own selling the only thing they owned. They stuck together becoming whatever the other needed a mother, sister for some even lover. The men they served however could care less about what they needed, so she learnt to detach herself. Her body would remain but she would find herself in the canyons she would run to nights her father was looking for her. Here she felt safe, red sandstone walls protected her on either side. They were jagged and curving yet smooth to the touch, cool air would always flow through calming her hot skin. This was her place of refuge, until she heard a belt buckle or a spur knocking, meaning she had done her job and it was safe to return. The women always comforted each other afterwards, they became doctor to those who meet with particularly violent men. Mary had been lucky she never experienced that. Despite all this nights when she was alone, the thought always crossed her mind, whether it was time to go the only place peace truly existed, six feet under.
Long gone were the days of guarding the horses at night, keeping the bank teller in line while another puts the money in the bag or his pocket. Our outlaw was no longer the first out the door to guard others from the onslaught of bullets from the sherif and his deputies. The fresh faced eager roughhouse was gone.He now had bullet holes some without exit wounds, permanently swollen knuckles, a knife scar running down his left check straight to his collar bone. These marks showed his mettle, marks of a real outlaw. He was a man now running his own gang, he was respected by those who society rejected. If ever in need he took and gave no apologies only lead. Sheriffs and Deputies tried and failed to hold him accountable, he held himself accountable to none. He never had a name, his mother didn’t bother to give him one so he never took one. People only referred to him by one word, Red cause bloodshed everywhere he went.
When a man fears no one he goes where he pleases and sleeps where he wants. Red and his gang never camped in the Wild they would always ride into the nearest town and sleep there. Sheriffs knew better than to challenge his presence, well the smart ones. His men always found the nearest brothel and made a home there. Red whoever slept in the most expensive hotel. This show of wealth was respected by his men and gained the attention of the townsfolk. Red was glad no one questioned his adversity to sleeping with whores. Truth was they were always more than that to him, the memory and hole his mother left was the one thing that could bring a hardened bandit to tears. So he slept with the civilized folk and felt at peace. Living like he did however there was no place for empathy, a lesson soon learnt. Booze and Brothels go hand in hand and so do violence and gunslingers the latter he knew all to well.
Outlaws, are very light sleepers, well the ones who want to stay alive at least. Therefore a Colt Patterson was already cocked and pointed toward the door as the silhouette staggered in.
“Pardon Red Pardon, don’t shoot!” Pleaded the figure as it fell to its knees
The groveling voice was unmistakable, Levi, Red’s second in command. A more than capable gunman but a chronic drunk.
“What the hell do you want!” Red screamed finger on the trigger.
“The boys, their fighting the brothel!”
“Their fighting the brothel… what You drunk son of a..”
“Their fighting in the Brothel! Judah’s men is there..”
Before Levi could finish Red had stormed out gun in hand.
Stepping outside the hotel Red felt the night air envelop his body. Only thing that could make a man wish he was baking under the noon sun, was the night the moons gaze frigid a promise that frostbite was near. Red’s hand had turned white gripping his gun, he hated having to go there but knew the necessity. The shouting and shattering of glass had woken the town. From the distance Red saw the Sheriff and deputies rifle in hand bearing down toward the brothel.
“That won’t do Red, them lawmen gonna get slaughtered by Jackson’s boys, the townsfolk then blame you, you feeling for a bounty with all that gold in tow?”
Red simply pointed his gun backward to Levi and heard him stumble and fall as he ducked from any possible shots.
Red stood in front the door as the Sheriff and his boys approached.
“Red” said the Sheriff, he and his deputies looked mean, the way all lawmen do hats square on their head, faces stern, hands always on their gun but never the trigger.
“Sheriff” Red replied looking him dead in the eye. Levi stood with a crooked smile eyeing down his deputies.
“Them your boys” Sheriff asked pointing his rifle toward Red.
Levi laughed, last man to point a rifle to Red was the last man to do that. All lawmen knew he was no respecter of persons. Red walked straight until the rifle was against his chest.
“It’s late Sheriff, I was enjoying my rest same as you, now I suggest you and yours return and continue doing such and I’ll take care of mine.” Red stated as he took the rifle from the sheriff’s hand. With one swift motion he slammed the butt into the nose of the Sheriff. Levi noticed one his deputies drawing their finger nearer to the trigger.
“I wouldn’t do that boy, lucky that all he got, we have important matters to attend to now, be off”
Rifle in hand Red turned back toward the door.
“Sleep tight” Levi said winking as he followed behind Red.
The deputies turned and followed the trial of blood.
Red kicked open the door, the brothel was in anarchy. Every man had a chair, bottle or knife in hand, the girls collected guns at the door and held them for safety. That didn’t stop bloodshed. Red shot two rounds above the crowd of men.
“This ends now, I don’t care who started i’m ending it”
Reds men slowly stopped fighting, And gathered one side.
“We don’t take orders from you boy!” Said one of Jackson’s men picking up a shard of glass and marching toward him.
“Oh that wasn’t my command, it was old Winchester here, he don’t take to kindly to be disobeyed either….boy” with that Red raised the rifle and prepared to shoot.
“Well done boy, I must say you know how to control a crowd”
Red searched for the source of the voice he knew, he dreaded it.
“Up here”
Red looked up and there he was, Jonas, Jackson’s right hand man on a chair against two great doors. A mean looking man with more beard and belly than height.
“That there was very dangerous what you were about to do, shoot one of my boys, the fight was nothing more than rough housing between former brothers. No need for bullets right?”
“Your boys, more like wild dogs, ride out of here already will you.” Red said as he took a seat at the bar and began to down a bottle of whiskey, rifle still in hand.
Jonas began to laugh and his men followed. He rose from his chair and leaned on the balcony.
“Wild dogs? Have you forgotten you used to be one of these here wild dogs boy, hell Jackson even made you alpha dog. Until you grew soft on us, just what’s expected of a boy.”
Red slammed the bottle of whiskey down. He hated that word, boy ,Jonas and the other men always referred to him as boy. He had shot, robbed and killed more than them but yet he was a boy in their eyes.
“Jonas, Fu..” Red was interrupted by the sound of doors slamming open.
Red turned pale, he heard many men speak of ghosts and other such apparitions but he never thought he would see one with his own eyes. The playful brown hair, accented by pale skin, piercing eyes and a tall frame. The only difference is this girl looked 10 years younger… but the resemblance to his mother stirred a feeling he had long suppressed.
“I want all of you out of my Brothel this instance ya heard!.” She screamed at the top of her lungs.
Jonas and his men began another bout of laughter, Red’s men watched on quietly knowing what could happen. He turned to Red.
“Well Boy, looks like this Girl here wants you and your men out, so go on git.”
“That goes for you to mister, them there men were mighty quiet until you came in began destroying my Brothel.”
Jonas turned to her and faced her down, Red’s grip tightened around the rifle.
“I don’t care who you are sir now get..”
She never finished that sentence for Jonas’ hand was squeezing the last bit of air out her. Jonas pushed her to her knees hand tight around her throat, he reached for a bottle nearby.
“You see, this is why we don’t discriminate with death Boy, some women just don’t know their god damn place!”
Glass shattering pierced the silence as Jonas broke the bottle against the bannister. He raised it to her throat.
“I’ll have to silence this one myself”
A shot rang out and rifle smoke wafted toward the ceiling. Blood flowed over the balcony and dripped onto the floor below. It was the loudest sound for what seemed like an eternity.
Jonas’ blood flowed out his chest and over the balcony. As it dripped onto the floor below. Red marched toward the rest of Jackson’s gang rifle in one hand Colt in the other.
“Go tell Jackson I’m waiting.”
With curses and spit, the men backed out the door and mounted their horses.
“Jackson’s going to kill her and every other living soul in this town! It will all be on your conscience boy” Shouted one of the men as they rode away.
Red stood outside the Brothel, he could feel all eyes on him. Townsfolk looked shaken, not a man alive didn’t know Jackson’s reputation for revenge. Red knew it all to well. He looked the Sheriff in his eye as he walked away heading back to his hotel.
Mary couldn’t stop the shaking. Her hands her legs. The twitch in her eye the lump in her throat. She had felt fear before but this, this was beyond that it was as death had put his hand on her shoulder. The girls took her up, they cleaned her off and changed her. She didn’t speak, she didn’t move. Death is daily in the West, murder before her eyes, was not. There she found herself between the jagged curving rocks. Safe and alone gathering her strength.
“I’m going to see him.” Mary exclaimed as she arose suddenly and began storming toward the exit.
The girls followed her frantically, pleading her to stay fearing she had lost her senses. Quite the opposite however Mary realized her fate was now intertwined with that of Red’s. Mary could feel the eyes as she walked. Had her dress not been blood speckled, they would still stare this Mary had been accustomed to. The very men who visit her es
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