𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 | 𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐑 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

ROSA JUAREZ
16 yrs old.

I heard shooting come from outside the camp. I walked over to the sound and saw John shooting bottles. Arthur was by his side.

There was a fence separating us. "Hey, Arthur!" I greeted and he glanced over at me. "Hey, Rosa."

"If you're teaching John, could you teach me too?" I asked him and John scoffed raising his gun up. "Get outta here, kid."

"Arthur, please." I leaned my body on the railing. "I won't stop asking."

"No." Arthur plainly said.

"Why not?" I whined.

"Rosa," John looked back at me. "you know damn well why. You're too young."

"I'm about to be seventeen." I told him. "By that age, you were already on bounty posters." I told John and he shook his head. "But you're a young girl."

"I know, but c'mon. I don't want to spend my life held up in this camp doing house chores." I looked over at Arthur. "I want to be a gunslinger, rob banks, and do the things you two do."

He looked like he was thinking about it. "Alright." He gave in. "Come here."

"Yes!" I smiled and went over the fence.

"What?" John looked at Arthur confused.

As I made my way toward Arthur, I stuck my tongue out at John mockingly. He just rolled his eyes.

"This don't mean you're gonna be a gunslinger, kid." Arthur told me as I approached him. "There's more to that life than throwing a gun around."

"I know, I know." I rolled my eyes. It feels like we've had this conversation about a million times.

"Okay." Arthur got into position. "Make sure your stance is firm like this. It ain't just about your arm, it's about your whole body." Arthur explained. "Your stance is very important."

"Okay." I copied Arthur's movements.

"Now, when you draw, you gotta make sure you aim right. There's no use of being quick if you ain't accurate."

I nodded. "Okay, Arthur."

"So, pay attention to me." Arthur performed the draw slowly. "Now, faster." He did it again but quickly. He shot the glass bottle and I nodded. Arthur really was quick.

"Okay..." I breathed out and tried it. I wasn't that quick, but I was accurate. I shot the bottle and I breathed out in relief.

"You're a real natural, kid." Arthur complimented and looked over at John. "You might have some competition for number one student."

I really wasn't a natural. I had studied Arthur and John's practices. I worked my hardest to be barely decent.

"Well, it's in my blood." I referred to my father being a gunslinger. Arthur chuckled and gave me a pat. "I guess it is. Hey, how about we go check on that stew. Take a little break from this?"

"Okay." John put his gun away and I did the same.

We began walking back to camp. I looked over at John. "Hey, John, did you wash up today?"

"What are you getting at?" He furrowed his brows and I shrugged. "You smell funny, is all." I said and he looked down at me. "Oh, really?"

"I noticed the smell this morning, but didn't want to mention it in front of that Abigail." I joked and John smiled a little. "Is that so?"

"Yeah." I nodded and Arthur looked over at John. "You know what, you sorta do stink, Marston."

"Oh, not you too." John said.