Playing Cards & Tight Nooses

Chapter Two: Just Hanging Around

GraveYard had now entered the abounded town of Hendrick's Post for she's heard about the Hangman's murders from the Gambler's mouth and was asked to get rid of the dead murderer.

The ghost town of Hendrick's Post was eeriely still, and the wind oddly wasn't felt in the heat of the Arizona sun.

Suddenly a caw from a raven broke the silence, and the black bird burst into a feather frenzy as it pushed off from the grave it stood upon. The living corspe then could see a flock of ravens gathering around her, almost like they were watching her.

The rotting girl stared at the black birds and felt nervous of thier glares. She mutters, "Lots of b-birds for an old dead town..."

"Well well well. Little Missy has a sharp tongue." A male voice hisses in her ear.

Grave jerks over quick towards where she heard the voice in fright. As she turned, she realized she was alone. But she did hear a male voice. Suddenly she catches a glimpse of a swinging rope in the nearby and a figure on the branch. Nervous even more, Grave stares at the figure and walks over towards it to get a better look.

It seemed to be a figure of a man. His hat covered his face as the wind picked up and Grave could see long brown hair fly with the breeze. The noose was tied to the branch and the rope was bloody. The mans outfit could've belonged to a cowboy from a John Dwayne movie and not look out of place.

The living corspe approached with caution and stuttered, "H-Hello?"

"Howdy." the man's voice rumbled from his throat, the Southwestern accent was clear as day.

Why're you here?", the corspe inquired.

"This is my town, little lady." He snarls, lifting his face up to view. His appearance was only described as grotesque and horrifying. His eyes were black except for the light brown irises in the middle of the blackness. Blood poured from his mouth and eyes and his neck was mutilated with the angry branding of a ropes ribbings.

The living corspe cringed, intimated and frightened by his apperance somewhat. "Wh-Why is this place yours? Is it because you're d-dead like this town?", she questions him, unaware that can be seen as being rude.

The long haired cowboy let's out a snarl and pulls out his revolver. He levels it with the woman's terrified expression. "Better bite back those words missy!"

The zombie apologizes quickly.

"Now I'll ask one last time. Why are ya here?!"

"Y-You never asked a-anything in the first place...", she mumbled, "I heard there was a damned soul here who' has been stringing up people. I'm g-guessing that's you."

"They call me the Hangman for a reason, darling.", he tipped his hat a tad in a annoyed manner.

"Well, welcome to the West. " the man sarcastically snarls. "Who are ya?"

The rotting Grave didn't pick up on his sarcasm since she never learned how to and answers, "My n-name is Graveyard, Mr. Hangman."

"Hmmm...then why are ya looking for me?"

"To make you stop your killings."

The cowboy bursts out laughing. "Child, be glad I don't kill woman folk and children!"

The living corspe stares confused by his words and laughter. "Y-You lie!", she bitterly blurts out.

"How so? I only kill men that have sinned."

"A-Another dead man told me you k-kill for the pleasure of it."

"Pleasure?! Hell naw! I serve justice to those who deserved it!" The Hangman's stare turned icy. "And who told ya those lies?"

The decaying girl answered, stuttering, "A man that called himself 'The Gambler'."

"Fucking hell! ", he growled, "That bastard should stick that machine gun up where the sun don't shine!"

"You know him?", she asks nervously.

"Unfortunately.", the cowboy grunted.

"How come?", the living corspe titled her head to the side, confused by his anger.,

"Let's say he's an asshole from the start."

"He wasn't as much as he could've been when I talked with him.", the zombie mumbles.

"Hmph. Damn gangster ain't welcomed either way."

"Maybe you're just a bitter man.", she suggested.

The phantom fires a shot and it ricocheted off of Grave's shovel. "Don't. Insult. Me."

She shuts up, noticeably scared with her face paled.

"Now. You better leave miss before I have half the mind to put lead through that skull of yours."

"Didn't you say you don't k-kill childern or women?...", the zombie uneasily questioned.

"Undead don't count, Missy."

"Oh.."

"So what's your story?"

The decaying girl explains him with some hesitation of the part where she killed a child by accident.

"...Ah..." he seemed..hesitant and uneasy.

The zombie stares at him, asking, "Do the things I've done make me a b-bad person?..."

"No..no my child no. You did it on accident..I however did my deeds out if revenge.", his voice had pity in there.

"But I've killed others so I d-don't die..."

That's defense. Self defense. You aren't bad nor evil. Just lost."

"L-Lost?...", she asks in a shy voice.

"Misdirection... uncertainty...You are a wanderer.."