The Run.

Discussion in 'Writers Forum' started by scratcho, Jun 25, 2013.

  1. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Cont.---

    Becky and Lonnie stepped through the doorway and down into the dust, which rose and hung low in the air in thin little clouds when disturbed. Becky saw Josh sitting on the edge of the trough with his feet on the other man of interest, who was for some reason, soaking wet. Maybe Josh threatened to drown him if he hadn't come around to their way of thinking when it came to answering some questions, she thought.

    When Lonnie cleared the doorway, he turned to his immediate left, leaned up against the back of the saloon and gave up the contents of his stomach. He wondered just how in the hell this little girl he had known since birth, got so damn hard. That sumbitch she shot was damn sure deservin' of some serious remedial action, but good lord--that girl gets clean outta control." He lost a little more of his stomach, stood up straight, wiped his mouth off on his sleeve and turned around to see what the situation was back here.

    Becky had taken a place next to Josh on the trough and was resting there as her breathing began to slow and her body started to relax after the business up in the front.
    She could hear the crowd inside shuffling around with calls for beer and the scrape of tables and chairs being returned to their proper positions by the patrons and probably the whores.

    Lonnie walked slowly over to the trough and looked at Becky and wondered just what he was going to say about her conduct. Some of it was fine ,but--------man. She was over the top with this one. They remained in silence for a bit, looking down at the trussed up,wet and now dirty man.

    Finally Lonnie spoke -" Honey, you completely lost yourself in there." Josh looked up and wondered what was coming from Lonnie , whom he knew was like an uncle to Becky. " I know it, Lonnie. I know. I lose control sometimes, but this here time it was called for, don't you think?" " What I woulda' done was something like shoot one of his knees up so's he couldn't never rightly git around", Lonnie replied.

    Josh was wondering just what took place up front, but sat still listening. He figured he'd hear about it in due time and no matter what it was, he was gonna be on Beckys side. "I reckon I need to tell you something, Lonnie." You remember when uncle Amazon come out to the 'stead in the summers ta work?" He were a real estate sellin' and buyin' feller. But he used to sail the world when he were a youngin', like me. He went to some strange places in the world, the names of, I can't even remember. He learned some a' that odd kickin' and punchin' them people use over in them places to defend themselves from attackers and we spent the summers after workin', out behind the barn with him a'teaching me how to do some of it. The first time we went out there, I were about 5 year old. He told me right then that he was goin' to learn me some very valuable lessons about life. They were to be between me and him and no one else. He told me several things that I ain't never fergot. Which I'll get to. First off, he slapped me hard enough to knock me right to the ground. I commenced to cryin' and blubberin' around and he picked me up and told me to give him a good shot right on his face.

    Well, I didn't want to--I was a scared little thing and I didn't. He up and slapped me again' and down I went. He told me he'd stop slappin'on me if'n I slapped him back. So I did. I smacked him a good one. He laughed and asked me if it felt good to smack him. By then , I could feel somethin' rising up in me that I hadn't felt before. " Do it again!" he said, so I hauled off an' give him a pretty good lick fer a little one. A little blood come out of his nose , and he slapped me again! I could feel heat rising that was even hotter than the late afternoon sun. I balled up my fists and give him a real good one right on his cheek. We went on like this fer awile, a' slappin' one another 'till I wasn't cryin no more and truthfully did not feel his slappin' like before.

    Then he grabbed me up and hugged me and told me he loved more than anything in the world. He told me that he had now awakened the one thing in me that I was going to have to be able to draw on in times of trouble throughout my life. He said that the one thing was conquering fear in dangerous situations and not to fool around when a threat arose. He said that this was a mans world and that they think so little of women, that they won't even let em' join in on voting as if they wern't even people. You're gonna get a lot of disrepect from men. You must learn how to deal with it.

    You make up your mind whatcher gonna do--and you get it done fast and slick. Man or woman mess with ya'--you recall the feelin' you had when you plum fergot the pain I give to ya' and you intended to smack me. That thinkin' will allow you to end a situation in your favor. That was the first lesson he give me.

    There were many more lessons, physical and otherwise over the summers and wasn't nobody the wiser, 'ceptin Josh. As far as this here world bein' a mans world, I learnt that early and by the time I was 12 year old and had me some breasts and a womens shape, men figured they could paw me up and grab my behind and 'accidently' rub across my breasts-- grown men, mind ya'. I didn't like it one bit and figured my body was mine to do with as I pleased and them motherfuckers was gonna pay , if'n they touched me again in that way. And they have--as you-all know."

    " So me an' uncle Amazon beat the hell out each other summer after summer while at the same time he was showin' me some a' them fancy moves 'a them foreigners and I took to 'em real good. I reckon I growed up too fast fer where I am now ,bein' just 14 and when it happens that the heat comes to me, I do what I was taught." Hey"-Josh spoke up and reminded Becky that she was now 15, as of today. " I plum fergot about it, honey. Guess we'll have to do some celebratin' after we git some answers from this here toad."
     
  2. jimmyjoe1

    jimmyjoe1 toker Lifetime Supporter

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    awesome reading *scratcho*your a real pro :2thumbsup:
     
  3. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Thanks brother. This is my first attempt. Glad you like it.
     
  4. Lynnbrown

    Lynnbrown Firecracker

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    :2thumbsup: !!!
     
  5. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    cont.


    Fifteen. Seemed like she'd never get to fifteen when she thought about it. Some things come a lot faster when forgot, she reckoned. Her Pa had pushed her up against the door way where little marks had been keeping track of her growing body since she was four years old and he had added another mark a couple inches above the last. Her Pa and Ma had kidded her about it and wondered when she was going to stop the growing. She was now six foot two in her bare feet, but she took it in stride and wasn't bothered whatsoever about being taller than most men she happened to be around. Funny, Josh hadn't noticed her gain in height--he knew just about everything else about her, including the beauty of her nakedness which he had seen and appreciated when they were swimming in the slough over the years. She figured he must have grown some too--they still fit together nicely the same way as they always had. Without having intercourse that is.

    They sat in silence for a bit. Soon, Becky said they oughta' get 'ta finding out what this murderin' toad of 'a man kin tell them, so they could get on with what they needed to do. She stood up and kicked him hard in the side and then rolled him over on his back to begin the askin'. After Becky had explained how she spent her summers behind the barn with her uncle, Lonnie understood better about her temperment and the way she tended to handle situations that confronted her. He said nothing when she kicked the man again even harder and his moans increased. She knew one of the ribs on his right side was now fractured and the mans face showed it when he tried to get a decent breath. "Now how many are you-all , where'd you come from exactly, where's the rest of 'em and how was that list got?" Becky asked their prisoner.

    The man knew it was imperative to answer these people, especially to answer that crazy woman, or he might end up a corpse thrown down in the shitter, probably to be left in there. Who in hell would want to pull a dead man covered in shit outa' there. No one. That's who.

    "They was thirty of us to begin with. We met up to Kansas city and one of the men got a list of Rebs that rode with Quantrill ,so the plans started from there about what we was after. Ten come in from the south, ten from the north and the last ten is comin' later to see we finish what we --uh--started." "Murderin', thievin' and killin' women and children's my guess," Josh said.

    "Alright ,the ones from the north is gonna go after the folks up around Jackson and Shingle Springs and the ones we know about, which there oughta be six left, is headin' up that way too," Becky said. Josh asked the other two what they were going to do with the trussed up, broke down man that was sobbing quietly in the dust before them. Before Josh or Lonnie could react, Becky pulled her Colt and fired a round into the mans left knee. He screamed this time and Becky kicked him again and told him to shut the fuck up. He did the best he could ,but it was damn hard to keep shut with a broken rib and a blown out knee. Josh and Lonnie were trying to regain their hearing from the shot and Becky said ," See--I done took your advice ,Lonnie. Just a knee. And well--maybe a rib 'er two. Let's go take care 'a that sonuvabitch I kilt out front and call the doc fer this'n.

    They cleared the swinging doors out front and walked on out over the porch and down to the still corpse which lay in the dust undisturbed. They figured to get a local to carry this one out to the country in a buckboard and put him under. A voice hollered from up the street---HEY. YOU-ALL STAND STILL. DON'T MOVE NOW!! It appeared to be the sheriff and one of his deputies advancing toward them, guns up.

    To be cont.
     
  6. Spectacles

    Spectacles My life is a tapestry Lifetime Supporter

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    I was wondering if there was a sheriff
     
  7. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Cont. The Run.


    As soon as the command from up the street had died out, Becky turned immediately, raised the big shotgun and began her customary long strides towards the two men who were advancing, albeit a little slower now that they had seen who they were dealing with. The men stopped as she advanced on them quickly, holding the fearsome gun out in front of her, pointed right at the sheriff. She strode right up to them and said " This here ain't in no way any of yore business ,Tom. This here's Missouri business and that there snake laying in the road was kilt by me for burning out the Pryors and killin' 'em too. They tried the same thing out to our place and the Hays place also. Fortunately , they didn't git it done at either place. They's others we're after and we're a'gonna kill 'em all sure as I'm standin' here and there ain't nothin' you and yore deputies or anyone else is gonna do about it."

    Lonnie and Josh were standing still over the dead man, looking down the street at Becky and the two men and wondering what the play was going to be on THIS move. What ever it was going to be--Becky was calling it. The sheriff and the deputy still had their guns up and pointed at Becky and she told them in no uncertain terms that the next thing that they had better consider was pointing them at the ground before she lost her temper. They did so. The sheriff hadn't heard anything about the Pryors or the rest of it so he implored her to come back to his office to fill him in on the details of the last couple of days. " Call Doc Henson. They's another murderin' sonuvabitch out back 'a the saloon by the trough that needs some help. That's my good deed fer the day."

    "Jesus, Becky. You made look us like we was fools out there. Dammit, girl--can't you control that temper 'a yours?" I had seven or eight cow hands and a couple 'a locals come in here and tell me there was a wild woman doing some horrible things to someone up to the saloon." She stared at him with her odd , almost luminous eyes and started to speak, but the sheriff continued, " Now don't get all het up Becky. I been knowin' you almost since you was born and I know what you're like when you get that fire a'goin, as you call it. Now please--settle down and talk to me.

    Josh and Lonnie came up on the steps and entered the jailhouse and stood warily up against the wall adjacent to the door waiting to see how this all was going to play out.

    To be Cont.
     
  8. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Cont.


    The story told , the sheriff leaned back in his chair and kept still for a bit, then spoke up. "But hell, becky, you can't just be a' killin' those men in the street like that. I shore wish you-all woulda' taken' 'em out on the flat to do the killin'. I understand what yer doin', all right. Jesus--all the Pryors,you say?" " All 'ceptin' the two little ones who is out to the lake with the cousins," Becky replied. " You need anyone else, maybe another hand 'er two to go with you-all to catch up with them two-bit killers?" Tom inquired. "I don't know, Tom. Maybe. That new deputy of yours--I hear he's good with the iron." "He is," Tom replied." But I don't know if'n the boy wants mixed up in this. This really don't concern him as I see it." "Well, see to it then cuz we got to git rollin ,Tom. We may be too late as it be, now." We'll be at the saloon for an hour or so, then we're gonna' ride on out, and pursue them other murderin' Jayhawkers.

    Entering the saloon, the three of 'em recognized that the twenty dollar gold piece Becky had flipped to the bartender had caused some serious damage to the beer stock. The piano man was plinking out some kind of a tune and the whores were dancing and a good time was being had by all.

    They each got a beer, on the house of course, and set in to wait on word from the sheriff about taking another gun hand along with them. Becky whispered something in Josh's ear and he lit up with a big grin and whispered something back to her. They both grinned and Josh said--"but we better get the preacher first!" " I guess we'll have to wait, but I'm sure getting to where I need to see you naked again," she said quietly so only Josh could hear. " You ain't the only one,sweetheart. You ain't the ony one."

    It was as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened earlier. Men were hootin' and hollerin' and jiggin' around with the whores, the card players were back at playing, people were laughing and talking and about the only thing they could figure was that lots of beer takes care of about anything that could come up. The one thing that was pretty much the same, was that wherever Becky moved around the room, the crowd parted for her without complaint. Damn!! Fifteen today!! Might as well have a couple 'a beers and see what Josh'd do if she moseyed up behind him and grabbed his ass.


    To be cont.
     
  9. Lynnbrown

    Lynnbrown Firecracker

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    :2thumbsup:

    I've always heard the threat of death makes people extra happy - and demonstrative - to be alive. :)
     
  10. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Cont.


    The three were leaning against the bar, Lonnie and Josh facing toward the huge mirrors on the back wall with the myriad containers of liquor lined up just in front of it and were having a quiet conversation. Becky was facing the crowd of revelers and the front door of the saloon as she leaned into the bar with her back to the mirrors and all those "poisonous concoctions" as she like to call them. Too many times when she was eleven or twelve had she put up with drunken, liquored-up fools takin' her for a full grown women and had then started up on the pawin' and gropin'. And the damn beggin'. Usually it was some damn fool cowpunchers that had just rolled in town with a britches full 'a money and a hankerin' fer a good drunk and the company of a woman. Don't pay to fill out early, she thought. She'd had to resort to givin' some of 'em an ass-whoopin', so the punchers that had been here before knew what the deal was. You don't fool with the tall girl with the odd lookin' eyes.

    A man came through the swinging doors , looked around and spotted Becky leaning with her back up against the bar and came over to the three. He had a deputys badge on and two Colts, slung one each to a hip. "You Becky?" "That's right, And this here's Josh and that ones Lonnie. You the one might come along to give us some help?" "yup" the man said--" it just so happens I got me some relatives in Missouri. Uncles ,cousins and such. That's what this is about, aint' it?" "Yeah. What county are them relatives in ,you say?" He hadn't said, but she didn't want no bullshitters on this trip. " They's in Jackson county", he responded. "OK". Guess that was something ,she thought. "You got yer mount ready and yer travelin' food aboard?" Indicating that he was ready to ride, he noted in passing the odd appearing eyes on this very tall girl and wondered just how much of what the sheriff had told him about her was fact and what was fiction. He realized that he was looking up at her, which was quite a differant situation for him, being as he was pretty near six feet tall himself. "Whats yer name, deputy?" It's William , but I answer to Billy." " Sheriff told you 'bout the last couple 'a days, did he?" " He did and he graciously offered me half pay if I went with you to help with catching those scoundrels. Sounded good to me, 'specially when I heard that had they killed that family and burned 'em out." Scoundrels, Becky repeated to herself. Strange word to use. Wonder if this guy has him an education. She sure wished sometimes that she had an education. She could write using proper english, but she never spoke much of it. Just spoke like the rest of the folks she was around ,but occasionally heard the differance when she was around someone with an extensive vocabulary.

    "Alright-- Billy--Josh--Lonnie--let's ride. We're a'gonna head up the valley to the Lancasters which are situated some ten miles north of the Fresno settlement." Billy looked to the men to see that when she spoke that this was actually the sign to begin moving and when he saw that it was a natural thing for them to follow her lead, he figured he had this bunch figured out.

    To be cont------
     
  11. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Cont.-------


    Billy knew he was damn lucky to have been warned to let the three know that he had people in Jackson county, Missouri. Also that this odd girl--or was she a woman-- hadn't pressed him on any names of his so-called uncles and cousins. He was a new hire as a deputy and was sent west to this very town to find out how his fellow Kansans were faring with their business at hand. Man--did he luck out getting a job right off and then falling directly in with the little group that thought they were going to be able to handle his rough and tumble fellow Kansans, as they got their revenge on those god- damn rebs that had caused them so much grief and trouble. He thought these fools were fortunate to still be alive at this point. How much longer it would remain that way, depended on his skill and a little luck. Of course he could pull down on 'em and back-shoot 'em, gettin' it over with in a hurry, but it might be better to wait and see what he could learn about them and theirs and if there were other armed groups on the lookout for the Kansans. Plus, if it came to it, he sure would like to get a poke at the woman-girl after the others were dealt with. Obvious to Billy she sure was built up real good under those clothes. The sheriff must be some kind of a coward , the way he described this girl, anyway. The day he was afraid of a woman or a girl, would be the day the sun came up in the west. Slap 'em around some, maybe knock 'em silly if they weren't up for takin' in what he considered one of his prized possesions. Easy enough,Billy surmised.

    As they headed north out of town, Billy soon noticed that Becky always managed to be in the rear of the little column, even if he stopped for a piss and rejoined the others down the trail a piece. Hmmm, he hummed to himself. She ain't no dummy, that's for sure, but there's no way I've given her anything to be suspicious about. Or maybe it's just a habit, she does that. Bears keeping an eye on.

    Billy's observations were soon forgotten as the mid-day heat felt as if it was a living ,breathing entity pressing down on them as they began to approach and then to ride through some more slough-water with thickets of dry brush throughout the ever present cottonwood stands. Thick mats of green moss floated on the surface of the dark water. Soon, a good size river came into view. They found a decent place to ford without having to ride too far out of their way, and they swam beside their horses and hung on to the saddlehorns so they wouldn't lose contact with the strong swimming mounts.

    They decided to camp after dark although the girl wanted to keep going and get where she said they needed to be. She finally gave in. It was dark now and a small fire had been started and as they sat around it, they chewed on some jerky and dried fruit. The coffee was going and the three Missourians were having a conversation about this, that and nothing in particular. Billy was re-forming the image in his mind of Becky with her clothing placed on the bank and her being naked as could be--standing in the river washing herself and even though it was dark--Oh- my- god--that sure as hell wasn't any girl, he'd thought. He'd been with whores from Texas to Utah, but none of 'em compared to this tall, statuesque woman. Girl, my ass! He was out taking what he would now consider a fortuitous piss after camp was set up, when he happened to look through the foliage and catch sight of the girl. He now considered that piss to be one of the most important of his life! I definately need me some 'a that. Mighta' been trouble had the men seen me peering through the greenery at her. Yes sir--this trip's gonna be one to remember. For me AND her.

    To be cont.
     
  12. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Cont.


    Thing was, she thought, he didn't follow through after he said Jackson county when she asked him whereabouts in Missouri his people were. Most people would then ask if you'd heard the family name of the people they were referring to, to find out if their families had had any interaction at all with your family. Normal way 'a doin' things. So, something's definately off. Well, more than likely, anyway. Ridin' behind him like that was just good thinkin and followin' through on what I been taught. That trust issue.

    If'n he'da gone for that pistol 'a his--I'da dropped him in a hurry. If he was plannin' to back-shoot 'us, I think I gave us some time to figure him out better by showing him something none of 'em can resist. She knew he was watching her bathe and made a show of her movements, figurin that he would hold up on the shootin' if he reckoned he could have her for a time. She wasn't the type to run screeching up to get her clothing if someone happened to see her without it, anyway.

    She wasn't going to mention any of this right off to the others. Just keep a close eye on him without alertin' him to what she was thinkin'. What she didn't know was that Josh and Lonnie were keeping him closely watched also, just as a matter of course. Trust can't be given freely in a world where everyone is carrying iron and a bunch of 'em would just as soon draw down on you as look at you. Or back-shoot you and relieve you of your worldly goods.


    They set watch and gave the deputy the chance to get a good nights sleep by letting him off of a watch. Becky and Lonnie would each take a four hour watch and that would bring 'em around to just before sunrise when it was time to move. As she found out later, none of 'em had wanted to sleep with a new man watching. Not with any doubt about his intentions.

    Lonnie set the horses to picket and he and Josh turned in to their bedrolls. Their bedrolls were'nt much of anything this time of the year when it was usually in the high seventies most of the night. Becky set up fifty feet or so away from the men , pushing back into some thistle well away from the now almost burned out fire. She was consumed by the darkness. She could not be easily seen, if at all.

    Other than a herd of elk passing by in the darkness and a grunt or two from a pig that had probably wandered down from the west hills, the night was uneventfull.

    After the usual morning rituals of washing away the sleep of the night in the cool water of the river, downing some camp coffee, grounds included, they soon were on their way. They intended a quick stop in the next small town to inquire about any group of riders that came through that were not familiar to the regular folks that lived there.

    As they approached the small gathering of houses and the few business buildings, in what could barely be called a town, they saw the saloon at the end of the short businss district. If any unknown riders had come through here, those regulars at the saloon would surely know about 'em, they figured.

    Josh said he'd look for a livery and take care of the horses , so he led them off toward what looked like some corrals in the area behind the general store. The general store was across from the saloon. Billy said he was going over to the general store to stock up on "some things", which no telling what that meant.

    Lonnie and Becky pushed the swinging doors into the interior of the darkened space and entered. Ten men were at the bar and several were seated around a card table drinking coffee and talking. Probably the men that figured nine o'clock was a little too early to start in on the beer. They joined the men at the bar and requested a couple 'a beers. The man behind the bar was frozen in place looking at Becky and hadn't moved from his spot. " Beer, god dammit! What's the matter with you, boy?" He awoke from his stupor at Becky's command and moved over to draft some beer for the two of them. Lonnie chuckled and nudged her in the ribs and she returned a smile on him. " Gotsta' set these boys right", she whispered to Lonnie.

    She drained her beer in one long swallow and asked for another. The man was staring at her again, so she snapped her fingers about two inches away from his nose. That made him mobile again. She accepted her second beer and turned around to face the room and began to look at the patrons one by one. Then, "listen up." The room quieted some." Has there been any strangers ridin' through here yesterday or today? A group of six or so." " Who wants to know?" ,a man piped up as he sat at the table with his fellow coffee drinkers. " "Becky Pearson wants to know and this here's Missouri buisness. A bunch a' thievin', murderin' snakes from Kansas have rode through and burnt out and killed a whole family named Pryor down south 'a here. It has to do with the damn war that's been over a decade now." Just then a woman began to descend the stairs and when she reached the boot blackened, smooth floor , she moved over to where Becky was standing and waiting for someone to answer her question. "Hey Becky. I heard some of you was lookin' for them bushwackers. " Hey Karla. What're you doin' here?" "I come up here yesterday, after all that business at the saloon. I been poked by every man in that town anyway--well--them as has use for a whore, and I'm startin' over here. Smaller town , but probably more civilized. An' I seen those riders you was askin' about. They come through yesterday and they stopped off at the livery to see to their horses, got somethin' to eat at the cafe and the left on out."

    Billy came through the doors and headed to the bar to get himself a beer. He didn't order a beer though. He ordered a double whisky and took it right on down. Karla got a concerned look on her face and whispered to Becky; "See that man that just came in?" "You mean the one at the far end?",Becky asked. "Yeah. He come around fer a pokin' six or seven times and when we got close ,he told me he was a K. City man!"

    "Well, I reckon I'ma gonna have to have a little talk with him. Get this sorted out. Thanks Karla. And good luck in this place." No. No. Keep the heat down. Control, like Lonnie said. Control yourself now. --------She could feel the heat rising. And she knew. She pulled away from the bar and started striding toward the man she'd been riding with and the heat was on her.


    To be cont.
     
  13. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    I had to go back and make some corrections. Hopefully it reads better now.
     
  14. Lynnbrown

    Lynnbrown Firecracker

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    my my...this just keeps getting better and better. :)
     
  15. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Cont.


    Hold on now. Hold on. Slow down. We don't know these people and don't know how they'd react to a shootin' in here. Control now. Becky was trying mighty hard to hold the heat back. Let's see what this sumbitch has to say for himself, she was saying to herself. She leaned her long fame against the bar and gave Billy a smile that he returned after he finished looking down at her breasts for a few beats.

    They always look. Damn near every one of 'em. Can't see nothin--I don't know why they bother. Imagination, she guessed. He's on the whiskey already so maybe he'll make a grab fer one of 'em, she thought. I sure hope so.

    "Give this man another shot 'a that rot-gut, bar keep." Billy looked at her ,but it was difficult to hold a stare with her, damn if he knew why. The double shot came and when Billy turned his head up to take it in, she reached over and withdrew his Colts from their holsters and slid 'em down the bar. Lonnie stopped their motion ,took 'em down off the bar and stuck 'em in the belt at his waist. Something is beginning and sure as hell, it had to do with Becky

    Billy threw the shot glass down onto the bar and it bounced on the surface and then hit the floor next to the bar keep. He turned quickly and launched a hay maker with his right hand towards Beckys left cheek. Aww man --this is going to be easier than I expected, she thought. She stopped his arm in mid air and squeezed his wrist in a vice-like grip. She turned his hand up and that brought him down closer to her waist, where she was able to deliver a sharp blow to his forehead with the heel of her right hand. He went lights out and down hard. Now, most of the men in the bar were turned her way to see what the racket was about. "Guess I need to tell you fellers what this here is all about again. I thought I done that already." "What the hell-that's a god-damned woman, came from somewhere in the crowd of increasingly agitated men. Why, she knocked that feller out cold. Who in hell are you people? If you think you can get away with knockin' people around in this town when you please --you got another think comin." As some of the men closed in on her, she reached out and caught the big shot gun Lonnie had tossed to her. "We're a'gonna do this the talkin' way, and Im a'hopin you'll listen and understand, or this place is gonna get shot up like you ain't never seen. We ain't to be stopped over this. Lonnie spoke up and said " that's right"and then Josh cleared the door, Colt up and ready and he put his mouth to workin' on the situation too. " Now that's better. Nothing I like to see better'n a buncha men holdin up and not causin' no damn trouble." This seemed to be a complete renewal of a situation to the locals that had happened some time back in this forgotten and peacefull little back water town. The locals had not forgotten the men that had come upon the town and just about tore it apart awhile back. People were hurt and property was trashed. They weren't having any more of that. Some of the men were now sitting quietly and not a few were looking at the front of her shirt---imaginin' she reckoned, and several were staring at her. When she looked at them individually, they were compelled to look elsewhere. The checking of footwear again. The crowd settled some. "Here's how it is--she began.

    To be cont.
     
  16. Colimon

    Colimon Cheesus Christo

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    All caught up now. You haven't ceased to amaze me! Keep up the good work!
     
  17. _luckyme_

    _luckyme_ Member

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    The little mouse tiptoed in to read this story, to find out all the parts are to be tracked down in the thread, tucked away between comments. "Would it not be better to start a new thread for each part and link to the previous and next above and below the one at hand?" She wonders. "And hitting the enter button to give each para some air at the appropriate moment wouldn't hurt either." She smiles encouraging as she reads and copies the first part to show what she means. "You do know it is possible to adjust the formatting after you have posted it on the boards, don't you? Just hit 'edit' and you can change whatever needs changing." The little mouse sips her first coffee and nibbles on some cheese while she prepares to paste.

    After reading this piece the little mouse sits back and ponders on it. "Yes, a very nice story idea, but it needs much work," she says. "There is a lot of tell and little show, the order of events are not optimal, comma and spacing as well as sentence structure need work, but with a bit of study on the technique of writing you will be able to turn it into a worth while read that doesn't muddle the brain with run-on sentences and sudden acts"
     
  18. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Thank you. Appreciate the observations. They can't but help. I am encouraged by the post count and the comments of those of you who have stuck with me and my yarn. I love and admire TOUGH women. Becky is certainly one such----and I love her.
     
  19. fleamailman

    fleamailman Member

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    ("...reads well where being read it certainly is..." smiled the goblin leaving it to the mouse to advise then, adding "...me I'm better at listening, just tell me more when you're ready...")
     
  20. scratcho

    scratcho Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Cont--


    Lonnie spoke up. " Listen--we didn't come through here lookin' to pull iron on you people. She told you what we was about doin'." He figured it was time to speak up. He'd let Becky take the heat too many times. It was easy to do because she always took the lead. It was her natural inclination due to her own personality and the intense training her uncle had given her. " What we're a'gonna do, is back on out'a here and take this varmint with us and we ain't a'comin' back through, I can guarantee it." Becky was quiet and watching to see what the reaction was going to be now that Lonnie had taken on the situation as his own.

    " Good idea" came the reply to Lonnies statement from somewhere in the crowd. "You-all take your Kansas and Missouri troubles elsewhere. We don't want nothin' to do with 'em."

    Josh moved to pick up the prone Billy, threw him over his shoulder and moved out of the bar doors. Billy was coming around enough to be leaned up against his mount, so Josh raised his hands up, tied them to the saddlehorn tightly with a loop of rope and all but threw him up into the saddle. Becky and Lonnie cleared the doors backing out and set about getting mounted.

    Didn't take long to clear the end of the little settlement and they were as one, glad to leave it. Lonnie guessed he understood why the folks there didn't want anything to do with civil war business. Most everyone wanted it all put behind them. It was a bad time and so many got killed because it, that it WAS best to put it behind. Too bad the feeling was not held by those that had caused his people so much misery the last few days.

    As they plodded along in the countryside, the mid-day heat was stifling and turned the distance into shimmering water mirages that were always and forever out of reach. " What're we gonna' do with this sumbitch" Becky asked Lonnie, who seemed to have taken charge, at least temporarily. "I ain't rightly sure just yet. I'm a'thinkin' on it. He can't hurt us, tied as he is. He can't run his horse off, tied as he is , or he'll be stomped to death. So, maybe he can do us some good somehow. Don't know exactly how though. Just yet. I know what you'd like, honey," he said to Becky, " but another dead body might not do us any good compared to--hell--I don't know yet, like I said." Billy had said nothing in response to the comments of his captors.

    "Alright. I reckon we'll keep him alive for now 'till we can figure out if he's gonna' be of any use to us or not," Becky said. Josh was relieved to hear that Becky wasn't going to lose her self control and that he wouldn't have to watch a repeat of some of her recent actions against those that chose to tangle with her. His stomach was not as stout as Becky's. Her recent "actions" were in stark contrast to the Becky that only he knew as a gentle, loving girl that always treated him with care and respect. He let his mind wander back to the times when they were lying naked after swimming in the slough as they had done since they could swim. Each had watched the other as their bodies had matured through the years. They each had learned what touches and caresses gave the other pleasure in intimate ways, except in the most intimate of them all by mutual agreement. Damn preacher, Josh thought. Never around when you need him. She had asked him if it weren't about time, back at the slough, so he reckoned she must be ready also.

    Becky was in back of the line of travelers and been thinking of something very similiar to the thoughts her man had been entertaining, when she she saw a very large group of men on horseback coming their direction.

    To be cont.
     

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