Gold, Guns and Death in the West - A Wild West Story

CHAPTER 1 - The Bounty

The late morning sun shone down onto the Badlands, as a lone young man on a horse made his way through the twists and turns which the unique terrain brought forth. Charger reared his head as the boy calmed down his steed. Leashing his ride to a nearby dried tree, he brought out his lever-action and cocked it. But not before he patted his horse's neck and brought out a carrot for him. Looking around staunchly for any sign of his prey, he narrowed his eyes as he kept his rifle by his side.

He took off his duster coat and slung it over a cactus, adjusting his hat so the sun didn't hit his eyes. All the while alert for Aaron Stanton, whose name was on the piece of paper he'd torn off of the sheriff's office. Along with a reward of ten thousand dollars, for whoever was brave enough to try and kill the man responsible for fifteen stagecoach robberies and four dead lawmen.

The sun was at its greatest point of day, the immense heat beat down like a hammer. Luckily not too bright as to obscure his vision.

Traversing the maze-like canyons of the Badlands was a mounting task, luckily along with the mugshot poster he had brought a map of his last known location.

As he turned a corner, he caught sight of what looked like a campsite. Wagons and stagecoaches along with a burnt out pit with charred wood still in it. Taking off his hat, he placed it on a nearby stone. Before concocting a plan to deal with Aaron and anyone else that was there with him. Aaron almost always had a partner with him during his stagecoach robberies. She was worth about a quarter of his bounty.

He smacked the stock of his rifle against the boulder, causing an immense sound which echoed throughout the canyon. Past that, he could hear a couple of gasps from the encampment. More than two.

"What was that?" Someone asked.

"Go check it out." Another said.

The boy could hear the first voice pick up something, heading towards where he was waiting for them.

He stood by and waited for whoever would round the corner to appear. His hands began to sweat slightly in anticipation.

As a man rounded the corner, the boy pulled the trigger of his rifle. Only for it to click and give away his position, had he not loaded it?

No, it was jammed.

The intended target heard the click and turned to see him, his attacker thought quickly and knocked him out with a hard smack of the rifle butt. Prompting all others in the camp to open fire. Luckily, the boy was able to hide behind another rock as he cycled his rifle in order to try and fire another shot.

He waited until the gunfire stopped to peek and take a shot at his targets, he gunned down a man who was too slow to react to his appearance. Now, by the sounds of it only two of the gang remained. Aaron and his regular partner.

"Hell of a shot you are, boy." Aaron called over to him. The boy simply reloaded his rifle, waiting for another window of opportunity.

"You already took out Bronson and Fonda, I bring forth my most sincere commendations." He could hear footsteps from behind his cover. But, he couldn't distinguish them.

"I reckon you're here on the behalf of the feds? It's always easy money for you hunters." Aaron called. "Hell, I've got more cash here than I'm worth. You know them fifteen coach robberies? Those are the ones they know of. I'm worth more than the law claims, kid."

The boy stayed silent, Aaron was just using this to try and stall. Those footsteps were likely those of his partner, trying to sneak up while her friend attempted to bribe his way out.

"I can cut you a deal boy, I always can." He promised. The footsteps only got closer. "They always accept."

Abigail Stanton appeared from the side of the stone, revolver in hand. Though, before she was able to even take aim at the bounty hunter, she was peppered with rifle bullets.