Legends of the West Reborn: Abbie Oatley

Abbie Oatley

Chapter 1: The Cattle Thieves Get Crumbled by a Tough Cookie

The capacious perimiters of the vast and wild frontier of the west spread out like cashew butter across the

borderline of VinceBurrough City, Nevada. The cactus plants grew in great abundance in those eerily wide spaces

like a tangled web of green mystique. It was to be on a stormy day that a passersby and his wife spotted a lightening

bolt from above hitting a cactus plant with contempt and passion. Then a rainbow formed in that exact spot.

Jack Pickworth and his wife Rose were on the case.

"Let's go see the rainbow, Jack" said Rose.

"Nah, let's head back home. We need to get to the corner store to pick up some milk and horseshoes" said

Jack. But then they suddenly both felt a strong compulsion to go forward towards the rainbow.

So they galloped upon their trusty steed until they reached the cactus that had been struck. Jack dismounted and

he urged Rose to stay back as he gauged the potential dangers of the situation. When he saw the result he simply

urged Rose to join him and she was astonished to see a small basket where the lightening had struck with a note that read:

From Ohio with Love,

Sincerely

The Mosely Family.

"What in tarnation? A note from Ohio? And how did it get inside that cactus? What's this? WHAT?" shouted

Rose, as she lifted up a blanket from the basket and witnessed a small baby girl kicking her feet. On her

chest was a name tag that read: "Annie Oatley"

"That's a hell of a lot to live up to" said Jack.

"I don't know something about this feels legit. How did she get here?" asked Rose.

"Might have been swept up in a tornado, happens all the time" replied Jack.

"Yes Jack, but placed inside of a cactus?" asked Rose.

"We don't know if she was really inside the cactus. Hell, people open up grapefruits and find frogs and baby lynxes break free from em sometimes" said Jack.

"I doubt the latter. Anyhow, I'm going to take her home with us. She's our daughter-adopted from a cactus" said Rose.

Eight years later...

Oatley had been quite the child for Jack and Rose. She was unusually intelligent for such a young child, being very fastidious and alert, though at times

somewhat reckless. She possessed black hair and brown eyes. She had gumption, but it was maintained well by the watchful eyes of her parents-most of the time.

She craved oatmeal, cornbread, and to the shock of Jack and Rose she found brisket quite delectable

even at age six. She had a yearning to learn all about the famed Ohio sharpshooter Annie Oakley. One day she ventured outside to go buy some candy and

a bottle of apple cider.

"Can a cocker spaniel bake rustic nutbars on the moon?" asked Oatley.

"I don't know sugar, what say you Rose, darlin?" asked Jack.

"She's askin' if she wants to go outside, darlin, reckon it's alright, just her way of asking that," Rose assured her husband earnestly.

"Sure, she can go outside" said Jack.