SMOKE AND FIRE

4A - LONE RIDER

The sun began to set in the west, displaying magnificient colours upon the dark bluish firament.

The hot air from the semi desert arid land was slowly loosing its heat, blown by the evening breeze but its bright twilight persisted for awhile before the reflective moon takes over.

"It is time to set camp for the night." Whispered Reeves, the lone rider.

He unsaddled his horse, rubbing its temple saying, "Time to rest for the night old boy. "

He then placed his saddle, leather bag and blanket underneath an over hanging rock, typical of western arid desert.

He did not border to tie his horse onto a nearby retarded trees that grew among the cactus trees.

His stallion had been through rough days together all his life so he wouldn't worry about it of leaving him.

He placed his rifle beside a huge boulder and walked around to collect dry branches and twigs that littered the rocky creek.

He had his fire going and soon was on the way for a heartly meal, the last one for the day, unless he could get his ration from the nearby town, he could end up eating berries or worst still rattle snakes.

After a quick dinner he sat down, checked his pistol for any sign of dust or rust. The last time he did was two days ago while crossing the Rio Grand.

He held his pistol and tested his reflex onto a quick draw known as double rolling, a skill he learnt from the Mexican.

It was simply a quick draw with fast double shooting on the same spot. It was bullet consuming but it was deadly and never miss the target. And it was good during duel.

He smiled feeling satisfied with his skill, a deadly skills that had preserved his life during the war of  Texas Independence.

During the height of the war, there were hordes of youngsters who crossed the border to fight the Mexican Warlords or like him, just looking for adventure and fortune.

At last, it was time to head for good old home at that old farm in Arizona.

It was good to be a cowboy again and probably to settle down with a lovely damsel.

(If I got it right, I would be at Jacksonville, Arizona by tomorrow sunset.) He whispered looking at the beautiful sunset. (It is good be home again).

The eagle gave a loud cry ontop of a browish canyon as the ray of sunset glowed dim.

Then he saw a shilloutte among the boulders, not only one but two, no three.

He went for his pistol but then he felt a sharp pain knocked his head cold.

The last thing he heard was a mexian accent saying, "Not so fast gringo."

He felt his head spinned before he fell like log onto his blanket that serves as mat.

............

When he regained his consciousness, he was sitting down with both his hands tied behind his back.

He felt a bump on his left neck which was slightly below his ear but he guessed it was not that bad.

"Ah... gringo! .. wake up at last. We apologised for the rough treatment but we are so hungry that we can't wait  to ask politely.. no? Haha!"

A man dressed as Mexican warlord was sitting on front of him munching his last dinner, laughing and  jeering at him.

Reeves saw three others mexican behind the warlord drinking his coffee and laughing.