Gunslinger IC

[Daisymell]

Cassandra woke with a start grabbing at her waist searching frantically for the gun she knew should be there. When she only touched her naked hip she threw her head down on her pillow and sighed in frustration. God she hated that nightmare. She hadn't seen hide nor hair of the jokers following her. They wouldn't ever expect her to come to a town like Bakers Town. It was a typical peaceful town with one saloon that had some gambling and surprisingly no women upstairs. This is what she called a Marrying Town.

Cass got out of bed shrug her sore shoulders and stretching her muscles out. She missed her normal clothes; wearing dresses was becoming a pain in the ass. She did like sewing them for the women of the town though. It calmed and focused her.

Cass wasn't exactly what she would call womanly but she had her own beauty in its way. She stood 5' 8" 150 lbs. She had reddish brown hair to her waist that was always in a lopsided bun most the time. She was muscular for a woman and her blue eyes seemed tired but deep. Her face was long but slighly rounded to not look like a horse.

Cass quickly washed up and got dressed decently to take what items she had finished to the General goods store and to a customer on that side of town. She had a horse, Starlight, but she liked to walk into town. It made her blend in. She took up her basket and would need to go by the bank afterwards to deposit some of her money. Right before she got to the door, Cass knelt down and pulled up a couple of floor boards to reveal several items, one being a money bag. She grabbed ten dollars and put it in the bottom of her basket.

She replaced the boards and walked out of her one room house on the edge of town sheltered behind some trees and not far from a small river that wound around the town. She did her errands quickly and moved towards the bank. She knew it would be peaceful like always and the man behind the counter would be there like always.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

“I got a letter from my sister in Dodge City just the other day and do you know what she said in it, Joseph?” said a middle aged woman standing at the teller’s window in the town bank, counting out small amounts of money onto the counter.

“No ma’am,” replied Joseph, the cashier behind the counter, as he checked the money before him. “What d-d-did she say?”

“Thirteen men were gunned down on the streets in the past month. Thirteen!” exclaimed the woman. “I keep telling her that she needs to pack up her family and move out here before her husband ends up on the wrong end of a gun.”

“Yes ma’am, b-b-best thing for y-y-your sister to d-d-do,” answered Joseph. “Why, in all the y-y-years I’ve lived in this t-t-town, there’s only b-b-been one shootin’. And I’ve b-b-been here nigh on t-t-twenty years now!”

“That’ll be five d-d-dollars for d-d-deposit, right ma’am? Will that b-b-be all, Mrs. McLintock?”” asked Joseph.

“Yes, thank you Joseph. Have a nice day,” replied the middle aged woman, Mrs. McLintock, turning about and leaving the bank.

“You t-t-too, ma’am,” said Joseph. A few minutes passed with no one entering, but just as Joseph was reaching over to close the gate on the counter he stood at, a customer walked in.

“Ah, good m-m-morning, Ms. C-c-c-assandra. Just in t-t-time. I was about to c-c-close up for lunch,” said Joseph, looking at the young woman. “Anything I c-c-can d-d-do for ya t-t-today?”

It seemed to Joseph that every time he saw Cassandra, she seemed different compared to the other women in town, although he could never tell what exactly set her apart. It couldn’t be her 5’8” frame – that was about average for the women-folk around town. Whatever it was, it really didn’t concern Joseph, so he never asked.

Joseph, however, stood out in the town due to his 6’4” height and 190lbs. Most of the men in town tended to be shorter and more well-built, making Joseph’s tall, lanky frame stand out. And with his short brown hair, brown eyes, and angular face adorned with wire-rimmed glasses, Joseph looked every bit the bank cashier he was.

 

[Daisymell]

Cass smiled at Joseph. He was one of the few men she wasn't almost eye to eye with. She was made it a practice to be patient with him. He may studder but he was cute. Cass, if she was normal, might have flirted with him. She prefered to keep their connection light and friendly.

"Hi Joseph. I am sorry to keep you from lunch, but I will make it quick. I have this," she pulled the ten dollars she had pulled from the floor boards and a couple dollars from payment of her sewing work. "I believe its twelve dollars."

She watched as his large, long hands counted out the dollars noting calluses in some areas along his fingers that made her wonder if he did yard work. She wasn't even sure if Joesph lived in town or nearby. When he was done counting she waited for him to verify the amount.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

“Hi Joseph. I am sorry to keep you from lunch, but I will make it quick. I have this. I believe its twelve dollars."

“Ah, for d-d-deposit I t-t-trust?” asked Joseph, taking the money and beginning to count. “So, Ms. C-c-cassandra, anything new with y-y-ya? Pi-pi-p—sewing doing well?”

Joseph continued to count as he listened to Cassandra’s response, nodding at the right times. He was an intelligent man, about early to mid thirties, he just had a hard time getting words out of his mouth, some words being more difficult than others, hence the stutter he has had for as long as he can remember. Once he was done counting, Joseph wrote out a quick receipt and handed it to Cassandra.

“T-t-twelve dollars on the d-d-dot, Ms. Cassandra. Anything else for t-t-today?” asked Joseph.

 

[Daisymell]

When Joseph asked about what was new with my sewing, I just automatically spewed out random information that really said a lot and nothing at all at the same time. I wasn't into giving out much information worthwhile to a person. It was what kept me safe. I mentioned I was playing the piano tonight at a recital tonight that they had every month in town. It gave them a reason to dress up and socialize in the small town.

When Joseph asked for my signature, I breathed in and out of my nose. Yes, my first name really is Cassandra, but my last name changed all the time. The proof of that was beneath my floor boards at home. I signed my name I had given myself just two weeks ago when I entered town and smiled at Joseph.

"Are you going to the recital tonight Joseph? I never seem to see you in town really unless its working?"

I watched him carefully waiting for a response. Little did I know on the outskirts of town, in the shadows of the dense woods that edge the town. Someone was waiting for darkness to fall to enter the town and hunt down his target. Me.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

"Are you going to the recital tonight Joseph? I never seem to see you in town really unless its working?"

Almost as soon as Cassandra mentioned the recital, Joseph knew that she was going to ask if he would be there; most people usually do. Truth be told, the monthly recital in town was one of the few times during the month that Joseph actually spent time after work in town. The rest of the month, he could be found near his house near the river southeast of town fishing, especially on weekends when he would spend the day by the river. Joseph usually did catch and release when he caught more than one fish, but sometimes a few women in town would come down and ask for any fish he caught, in which case he kept the fish alive in the water barrel next to his porch for the women to pick up later.

“Of c-c-course I’ll be at the r-r-recital,” said Joseph. “It’s one of the few things in this t-t-town that is remotely ent-t-t-t-tertaining. Otherwise, you’d find me d-d-down by the river south of t-t-town fishin’.”

Seeing as how Cassandra hadn’t indicated that she had further business with the bank at this time, Joseph proceeded to close up his little counter space, then with keys in hand headed for the door and waited for Cassandra to exit before locking the doors from the outside.

 

[Daisymell]

I smiled as he opened the door for me, "Thank you for staying so I could get my business done Joseph. Its appreciated. Are you going over to the saloon for lunch or going home?"

As I walked down the stairs to the ground, I looked back at him shifting my basket. Joseph was a nice looking guy. He appeared to be someone who would marry and have kids but he lived by himself and liked to fish. Even she had eaten some of the fish he had caught.

It was a usual sunny day with big white clouds but in the distance it looked like the sudden down pours we got in this area would be around for tonight. The recital would still go on and it would probably get out earlier than scheduled.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

"Thank you for staying so I could get my business done Joseph. Its appreciated. Are you going over to the saloon for lunch or going home?"

“I’ll be headin’ on over to C-c-carter’s,” relied Joseph, referring to the only saloon, restaurant, and hotel in town. “It’d t-t-take too long to go home an’ eat.”

Joseph then looked up at the sky as he started down the walkway to the saloon. It was indeed a bright, sunny day with a few clouds drifting by overhead. But off on the horizon, Joseph could see storm clouds building. After twenty years of living in that little town, he knew the signs of the storm that came once every 5 years.

“Best you stay indoors t-t-tonight, Ms. C-c-cassandra,” said Joseph. “Big storm comin’ in t-t-tonight. Last t-t-time I seen clouds like those, half the t-t-t-town went down the river.”

 

[Daisymell]

"I will be careful Joseph. I will see you tonight at the recital," Cassandra turned and walked away towards home. She took care of her horse, some laundry and cleaning, then got ready for the recital. Something was in the air that night, she could feel it. She looked towards the floor boards before moving to them.

Cassandra rarely took out her six shooters but, for some unknown reason, she pulled out one and put it into her music bag that she was taking for the night's piano playing. She tucked everything else back away under the boards and moved towards the door. It wasn't raining yet but she moved swiftly from her home to the well packed recital hall in the darkness.

Cassandra entered and sat with the other performers in the first row. When it was her turn, she played the "Moonlight Sonata" and few other slow songs that some danced to on the open floor in the back. Once done, she moved towards the back of the room as someone else was taking to the piano when the double doors in front of her burst open.

She shied away from the four men with kerchiefs over their mouths knowing them instantly by their eyes. She moved towards the crowd and screamed like a woman in skirts would as she noticed the guns. Everything was dead still, Cassandra's scream still echoing. The front man slapped her across the face telling her to be quiet. Her music bag was flung from her arm to somewhere on the open dance floor. She stayed on the floor wishing they had never found her, for this time she would have to kill them all if she was ever going to live in peace and have what was rightfully hers.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Joseph parted ways with Cassandra a short distance down the road, he going into the saloon to eat, she heading off elsewhere. Joseph had lunch, went back to work, and spent the rest of the day playing solitaire. Closing time eventually arrived, and when it did, Joseph was prepared as usual. He grabbed his top-hat that made him seem even taller than he already was and the knee length waterproof coat he kept in the bank for when storms rolled through town, locked up the bank and headed over to the saloon for dinner, after which Joseph went over to the recital hall for the night’s entertainment as lightning flashed in the clouds above accompanied by the distant rumble of thunder.

Despite having a seat in the back, Joseph enjoyed the show due in part to his height allowing him to see over everybody else and also because there wasn’t much to see anyways – most of the acts were not the type that had to be seen to be enjoyed. The evening progressed smoothly, each act getting its due amount of applause as the next act got ready to start up; that all changed shortly after Cassandra’s performance.

The just as the sky outside flashed with lightning closely followed by thunder, the doors burst open, the noise covered by the thunder. Joseph, however, just barely heard the doors slam into the wall and spun in his seat to see for masked men with guns on their hips walk in. It was Cassandra’s scream that got everyone’s attention, and subsequently got the gunmen noticed. The kerchiefs covering their faces and the guns on their hips were enough to make everyone realize that these uninvited guests meant trouble. Everything was quiet as the storm picked that moment to die down a little, Cassandra’s scream still echoing in the hall.

Joseph stood up as he watched one of the men smack Cassandra across the face, sending her sprawling across the floor. It was hard for the gunmen to not notice Joseph as he stood, each of them drawing their guns, quickly noticing that Joseph was unarmed.

“Whatever it is you g-g-gents want, it’s not worth hurting anyone over,” said Joseph, raising his hands to chest level leaving no doubt that he was unarmed. “So d-d-d-don’t hurt the lady anym-m-m-more.”

Joseph took a few cautious steps over to Cassandra and then knelt down next to her to make sure she was alright.

 

[Daisymell]

"Joseph...I need my bag...I have a...just get me my bag."

I slowly stood up as the men came further into the recital hall. The older man and leader of them sneered, "We are looking for Rebecca Morley. She is an outlaw, gunslinger, and thief. If you have seen her," he looked towards me tilting his head slightly, "there is a great reward for the one who turns her into me."

Someone in the crowd said, "What does she look like?" He was shushed after that.

The man sneered even more, "She looks a lot like...her," he pointed at me.

"Me? My name is Cassandra," which so happened was my middle name. Yes, I was Rebecca "Cass" Morley.

"Well, her hair is too long and I can't remember eye color but, very similar."

The man that had spoken before said, "She has only been here a couple weeks. I bet it is her. Hair does grow."

I started to panic. I looked to Joseph hoping all this time he had been looking for my bag, which it seems he had. The leader looked at Joseph and growled.

"Put that down and stay still," the man punched Joseph sending him and her bag flying. I watched as my gun skidded out of the bag next to Joseph's hand. I went for the gun, just as the leader saw it, and pulled me towards him with my braid.

I screamed at the pain and watched as the other men slowly walked towards Joseph.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

"Put that down and stay still."

Joseph’s head rang as he was punched to the floor after having just picked up Cassandra’s bag. The gun that had been hidden in the bag thudded across the wood floor drawing the attention of everyone within earshot, most notably the gunmen. The butt of the gun came to a stop between Joseph’s thumb and index finger as he lay there on his side. Joseph tried to shake the pain out of his head, but it took Cassandra’s scream of pain to bring the gun at his hand into remarkable focus. Three of the gunmen paused as they noticed where Joseph’s attention was at, but they began to approach when he didn’t immediately act. That would turn out to be a fatal mistake.

A gust of wind blew in through the open door, dousing all the lights within the hall, and just as the darkness became absolute, thunder and lightning ripped the sky apart, the flashes making the action on the dance floor seem to happen in stop motion, all sound drowned out by the thunder. The flashes revealed the form of Joseph gripping the gun in a firm hold, flipping over to his back, and four flashes from the end of the barrel as he pulled the trigger. Several flashes came from the ends of the guns held by the three approaching gunmen as they reacted too late to Joseph’s sudden maneuver.

As the ambient glow from the surrounding buildings filtered into the hall, a shadow moved on the floor and rose above three others. Another, more distant, flash of lightning revealed Joseph standing taller than ever above the bodies of the three gunmen, the fourth one who had grabbed Cassandra’s hair, standing several steps behind her, holding his gun hand, blood dripping from it. The gun in Joseph’s hand was leveled upon the gunmen’s chest.

“Mister, you picked the wrong town to come lookin’ for someone,” growled Joseph, his voice smooth and icy, a full octave lower than normal. “If you don’t want to join your useless finger on the ground, you better get on that horse of yours, ride out of here just as fast as you can, and never return.”

More flashes of lightning revealed Joseph’s eyes, and they weren’t at all what they used to be. Before they were soft, carefree eyes, but now they were cold, their gaze carrying with it the promise of death to the one on the receiving end.

“Now,” growled Joseph once again, pulling the hammer back on the revolver in his hand.