Snake Skin | John Marston (editing)

The Golden Cobra ✅

With a throbbing headache, the woman awoke the next morning. Taking in her surroundings, she realized she had passed out in the grass behind the sheriff's office, leaning against the wall. She got up quickly and dusted off her clothing. As she did, she heard voices coming from the window above her. Curious, she reached for the window to eavesdrop on the conversation inside.

"You pair of degenerates. There's a fine for drunken violence in this town. You're just lucky no one was killed!" one of the officers barked.

"We didn't start a thing," the man in the blue blouse protested loudly.

"Yes, you did," the officer chuckled.

"Well..." the man waved his hand in the air in defeat, "...I don't remember."

"Either of you fools got any money? Ten dollars and you're free to walk," the officer asked, jotting something down in his papers.

"Sure," the dark-skinned fella replied. The officer stood up and walked over to him.

Y/N looked over at the men in the cell and realized it was the two she had met last night at the saloon. They didn't notice her; they could barely keep their eyes open. She sighed and turned her attention back to the officer. Just then, the door slammed open—the sheriff had returned to town. Everyone in the building tensed up as he strode in.

"What are you two doing? Sitting on your asses while we have a deadly outlaw in Valentine?" he thundered. His loud voice fully roused the two hungover men in the cell.

"What do you mean, Sir?" one of the officers asked. "What dangerous outlaw? I ain't heard a thing."

"Of course, you ain't heard. You've been laughing your lousy asses off all morning, I bet!" the sheriff sat down at his desk and continued, "The Golden Cobra is back in town, or so I hear."

Y/N frowned at the sound of that name, almost triggering a flashback to the year she was branded a dangerous outlaw.

The year 1892.

Young Y/N Colter, daughter of the infamous Black Belle, Maybelle Elizabeth Colter, had decided to leave her mother at the ripe age of 19. After her first robbery in Rhodes, Black Belle became an infamous member of the Colter Tobin Gang, of which she was the sole surviving member. It was known that she was married six times to six gentlemen, though she never divorced any of them. Her deeds eventually made her a renowned gunslinger and a single mother.

Y/N Colter felt pressured to leave her mother behind after the law came sniffing around. Just as she was about to start a new life, gunfire broke out and young Y/N had no choice but to turn back and assist her mother in the slaughter. Soon enough, word spread and Y/N Colter was declared wanted, resulting in killings all across the state. What Black Belle didn't know was that she had turned her only child into a cold-blooded killer. In those days, it was a useful trait, but there was always someone looking to profit from it. Y/N left her mother anyway, believing life would be easier without her around.

The name Golden Cobra originated in 1893 when a young woman was forced to rob and kill for a living. The loner outlaw wore a golden ring with a cobra engraved on it, symbolizing wisdom, protectiveness, danger, determination, strength, courage, confidence, royalty, and death. It also represented speed, defensiveness, and gracefulness. Unfortunately, the ring ended up in the hands of highly respected lawmen during a confrontation in Valentine and was never seen again. The ring was extremely valuable, made of pure gold and passed down through generations. Black Belle wore it, and the Golden Cobra was supposed to inherit it.

Every once in a while, the Golden Cobra returned to Valentine to seek out her valuable ring. The locals did not take kindly to her visits, claiming it was a vendetta, some even whispering of a curse. But there was always somebody eager to start a commotion, and she'd let them.