𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝒊𝒅 & 𝑰 - A Billy the Kid western romance

Desperation

The following day I set off in the early morning hours. I haven't let Jane know where I'm headed or that I won't be by the saloon today. There's simply no time, and I am hopeful that she will understand.

It feels like I've walked for hours, gun firmly strapped around the malnourished waist under my shirt, when the sun begins to really take a toll on me. Fortunately, I begin to be able to make out a few wooden cabins in the distance. Anger has been charging inside me during the entire length of the walk. Perhaps they shoot me on sight. Then so be it. I would rather die than have my brother hung in front of me, along with his childhood friends.

I arrive at the gate to men shouting. Suddenly it strikes me that they are presumably threatening my life as I close up on their gate. These are dangerous people. "Coño, pero si es una chiquilla" One of the men murmurs. "Hold your fire." Someone commands, which is followed by complete and utter silence. I recognize the voice, it's Billy's, and now I can see him standing in the middle of the grounds. His arms hang to his sides, as he analyses me with his usual intense aura, not saying a word from the opposite side of the gate. All I feel is fury. He has hired 16 year old innocent boys to do his dirty work, get themselves killed, and he is going to pay for it.

The men are ordered to open the gate for me, which I am herded in through. They poke me in the sides with the barrels of their guns like I'm some kind of animal. "¿Dios mío, que hace esta aquí? Si parece hecha de azúcar". I don't speak Spanish, but they look at me just as analytically as Billy had a moment ago. He answers something fluently and swiftly, and they take a single step away from me, relieving the tension ever so slightly. They return their guns into their holsters. Now their arms hang apathetically too, hands far from their guns. I assume that they wouldn't be so calm, had I been a man. Perhaps that is the grandest mistake a sheriff can make hunting Billy; being a man?

They all seem to have their guards down. My holster is safely covered by my white shirt. They believe I'm unarmed. Billy still looks puzzled, "Why are you here?" He asks shortly. "I have a matter to discuss with you", I reply coldly. Many feet remain between us and we are at a standstill. His eyes narrow, but he says nothing. Suddenly he has turned around and is walking toward one of the buildings, still limping slightly, of course. I am confused as to whether I am expected to follow him or not, but by the looks of the surrounding men's faces, I am, so I do.

I walk in, unsure whether what I am doing is wise, either way it's far too late to turn back now. The light is warm, and on the walls hang several framed wanted-posters, of which three are Billy's, the first dates back a couple of years. Back then he wasn't worth much compared to the continually increasing reward on the other two. The rewards are written in bold, under the text "Wanted; dead or alive". The reward was tripled from the second to the most recent warrant.

He sits down at one end of a relatively long table, and I at the other. Seemingly still confused as to why I have voluntarily walked straight into a hornets' nest, he sits motionless and waits for me to speak expectantly. Our eyes lock, and he seems somewhat softer than the night we met. It is undeniably unusual that a gang leader is spoken to by a stranger in an empty room. I must seem entirely innocuous in their eyes. 

I clench my fist under the table in order to contain my anger. "You are to stay far away from my brother" I eventually remark sharply, in response to which his head tilts. His lips are slightly parted, in confusion.

His orotund voice then fills the silent room. The softness I had glimpsed of him earlier disappears rapidly. "I wish to understand you correctly in your agitated state. I want nothing other than to leave you and your family unaffected of my business. However, the two of you show up here unprovoked and unwanted, to engage with me. I had my men speak to him, and have myself not as much as looked his way, assuming he is one of the four that showed up out of the blue yesterday, that is". There is a rasp to his voice I haven't heard before. "Once enlisted you must nonetheless understand that there is little I can do for he who deserts. I regret to inform you that they have sworn away their loyalty, and my men do not take the matter lightly". He remains adamant.

My body swells up with rage at his words because of the sheer hypocrisy. He himself deserted Murphy's gang to join rivalling Tunstall's, yet he won't do a thing to save four children from the unavoidably awaiting horrendous fate. Either they die fighting someone else's conflict, or they are executed by the sheriff they have prior entrusted with their lives. Surely, he as leader has enough power to have his men forget they ever approached the camp, considering how attentive they were to his orders some few minutes ago.

"He is to have absolutely nothing to do with you". I raise my voice almost unconsciously, and he finally raises his too, in response. "I would choose my words more carefully if I were you" He spits out. The feeling of the gun handle against my skin under my shirt nicks my attention. There is only one way to get Milo out of this, now.

I reach for it in a flash.

A loud holler is heard, and before I know it Billy has his revolver raised.

And he fires.