RANGO // OӘͶAЯ - Another Outlaw Story [Engl.]

17. (Un)welcome

In the same second Jake twirled around. Between one and another second, he aimed his gun behind, where the shot came from. Several times he shot, but in the next second he brandished his improvised gun aside and the bullets hit the wall of the bar.
Buford could hide behind the counter in the last second.
The eyes of the snake stuck on the floor where one of the Danby rabbits was laying contorted with pain and held his bleeding arm.
Jake's bullets didn't hit him, but who had fired the first shot?
A creaking sound on the saloon stairs let him wince. On the terrace of the stairs stood Bill, with a gun in his trembling hand. All eyes wandered at him.
At this moment the Gila monster lowered the revolver.
"Uhm... I couldn't allow that he would... I mean." Quickly he put the gun away.
"You!" sounded Danny's voice and pointed at him. "How dare you!"
The Danby leader boiled with indignation. But suddenly he froze when he was feeling Jake's gun on his back. He raised his hands immediately.
"You will leave the town now and don't come back!"
The snake pushed him forward.
"And take your friend with you."
Deny cleaned his throat. "Uh, more precisely he is our brothe... Ouch!"
Danny booted on his foot. His angry eyes looked at Kinski and the others. He snorted with rage and walked backwards to the exit.
"Mark my words! Be sure, you didn't see us for the last time... Ouch!"
He rammed his head against the swinging door by mistake. Cursing, they left the room, while two others Danbys dragged away their wounded brother outside.
Jake stood there a few seconds, then he slithered outside and saw how the Danbys walked down the street with fast steps.
Suddenly he heard quick footsteps from the other side.
"What's going on here?"
Stump was running down the street in his direction.
"I heard shots? Did anything happen?"
"Dad!"
Portley and Stanley ran into their father's arms.
"Danbys," Kinski said who had also left the saloon.
"Danbys?" Stump didn't know what's going on.
"Bill shot him," Stanley said loudly.
"Shot? Who shot who?" Stump was jazzed.
"Not really," Kinski corrected. "Everything is okay. Little shot-out. But now they are gone."
"What happened?"
All faces looked at Mayor John, who was rolling down the street.
"I only had a little meeting with the Danby Clan," Jake said.
"Anyone shot?" the turtle asked more.
"Not really. Bill gave me a little back up."
Mayor John looked at him with surprise and then at Bill, who also came out of the saloon with slow steps.
"William?" Mayor John asked with more surprise. "Since when do you carry a gun?"
"Yes, and what have you done in the rooms of the saloon?" Kinski asked nosily.
Bill blushed a little and put his fingertips together. "Nothin... none of your business."
"What's that?"
"Hey!"
Without reply Kinski took the weapon from Bill's pocket and read the initials. "Fresca? Our saloon lady? Do you have secrets?"
"It's really not what you are thinking!" Bill hissed more threateningly than before and pushed him away.
"All right," John said nervously. "Mr. Jake, please send me a detailed report. Those Danbys. Not even on a funeral day they could be quiet."
With that, he turned around the wheelchair and rolled to the town hall.
Bill wanted to follow, but Jake retained him. "Wait!"
Bill froze. "Anything wrong?" he asked.
Jake nodded to him. "Thanks."
Bill nodded back. "No prob."
"Wait."
"What more?"
Jake's face was serious. "You made a stand against the Danbys. Now I think we are sitting in the same boat."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Well, after that, I think it would be safer for you to work with me."
"As a deputy?" Bill stepped backwards. "No thanks."
"You aren't a bad shooter."
"I don't need more troubles."
"But maybe you could be a target for them to take revenge." The snake grinned. "I don't think they could take a joke."
Bill was silent. Jake sighed. "Think about it."
Bill said nothing and ran away.
Meanwhile, Kinski had explained Stump what happened.
"Mr. Jake," Stump cried. "I have to say thanks for that."
"No need to thank me," Jake replied and crawled away. "I only advise you to be careful. I have the feeling that a storm is coming."

The sun was already gone. Jake wanted to clean the sheriff office before he went to bed. Sheriff Amos wasn't so bright with a sense for cleaning. No photos of family members. Only empty bottles, burned off cigarette ends, old painted wanted posters, old newsletters from "Daily Dirt", handkerchiefs, remnants of bread, dried gun lotion, gun brasses and unimportant paperwork. All in a mess in a corner or in the desk.
Suddenly someone knocked at the door.
With effort Jake circled around in the narrow room and opened the door.
Outside there stood a woman. She was a very thin squirrel in short dress and feather boa around her neck.
"Good evenin', Sheriff," she greeted with a little shy face. Her hands crossed on her back.
Jake nodded to her. "Uh, good evening, madam. Can I do something for you?"
The woman chuckled. "Uh, no, Mister. I... My name is Fresca. Maybe you heard my name today already."
Jake cleaned his throat. "Indeed. I did."
Fresca laughed shyly. "Well, I had heard how you talked with Bill and before you waste your time by looking for the reason... well, I don't want that you receive a false impression. Yes, Bill was with me and my friend Melonee, but not what you are thinking. Bill didn't want to talk about it. He only came to us to talk about women. Uh, it's nothing what it sounds like. He wanted to know how to impress a woman. You know, it's not easy for him to stay alone."
Jake didn't say nothing and nodded with understanding.
"You have to know, he has been living in town since he was a child," Fresca continued. "John's wife loved him very much. And didn't have an easy childhood before. But I don't want to talk too much. I only came to make things right. I mean, I like him, but we wouldn't fit together. Not with my job, you know."
Jake nodded. "That's very reasonable from you."
She smiled. Then she waved her hand that he should bend forward. With hesitation Jake moved closer. He winced when she put her hands on his cheeks and kissed him on his lips.
"Sorry, but that's my way to say: Thanks." She smiled apologizingly and took her hands down. "Welcome to our town."
With that, she turned around and walked back to the loud saloon. For a while, Jake stood there abstractedly. Then he shook his head and left the sheriff office for today.