Charlie Rose

Third Chap

Charlie Rose exited the bar with her head held high and her hand twitching at her sides, her fingers itching for the gun that was only inches away. People had gathered around, townspeople, to watch. But she was greeted by the one person she owed all her misery to. Carlton White walked up to her, with a wide smile on his round face. "There's nothing this town enjoys more as newcomers entertaining." Charlie did not want to stare into his eyes for a long time so she severed the contact and met the lone person's fifteen feet away from her. His hands were on his belt, his fingers itching for his guns on both sides. She had not seen him before. He had mousy brown hair that was long, his bangs reached his brown eyes, which were already mostly covered with his hat. He was staring at Carlton, Charlie knew that and she started to presume that this guy was being made to do this. Just like me. People gathered around at the sides of the empty space between the two shooters. Carlton had been talking but she had long tuned out, clearing her head as much as she could as she was about to kill someone for the first time in her life, someone who wasn't the old mayor in front of her.  

Finally Carlton moved away from her and she stepped closer. To her it was now just the two of them. Kill or be killed. They both knew that and she knew that both were already assuming they were the first ones to reach for their guns; first to draw them up; first to shoot; first to kill. 

Cannonball fire erupted the silence that had swept over. Charlie knew it was cannonball fire without even disrupting the intense eye contact with her opposite, because she had heard it before her parents died - her father had taken her a couple of times to a newly-taken over Indian land where they still kept their cannonballs in memory of the brave battle - and once after. She had been strolling the streets of some small town in Georgia on her trusty horse when all of a sudden it sounded off. But that time she didn't actually see it, she only heard it but that was enough for her. Just like it was enough for her now. Without even thinking, she drew up her gun and shot three times. Time stopped. Her heart stopped and she held her breath. She had heard a shot and it was not from her gun. 

Finally the guy fell to the ground, with blood leaking out of his chest on three places, not far from each other. Her heart started again and so did her breathing. She let out an exhale and pursed her lips so no one would hear her sob. Tears welled up in her eyes. She had just shot an innocent man to death. No! Stop it.  She told herself. I won't break down until I am alone and away from all these people that don't know me as me. So, Charlie Rose bit down hard and put on a game-face. She rolled back her shoulders and cracked her neck to stop seeming so tense and then and only then did she notice the cheering and clapping. Cheering and clapping for her. Her eyes swept over the crowd who were all smiling and staring at her. For a couple of seconds she met Jeremiah's eyes and she saw even he couldn't help but smile. She smiled also but she knew it didn't reach her eyes and she couldn't care less. Killing a man other than the murderer of her parents is the worst thing she could ever do. She was just about to start thinking about it again when the man behind all of this madness stepped forward from the crowd, slung his arm over her shoulder and complimented on her swiftness. 

There were three more shoot-outs scheduled for today. One was going down in two hours. The next one midday, and the last one happened right before twilight. Charlie thought she was at crossroads at the moment; she knew not what to do for the rest of the day. She had no desire to watch more blood shedding. All she had desire and energy to do was get Carlton White alone and kill him. That only leaves me one choice.  She had wanted to go back up to the bar and crawl under the covers for the rest of the day but life was not going to be so easy on her. At least I have the advantage of Carlton actually taking an interest in me, she thought to herself and pursed her lips. She was going to have to take full advantage of that, so much that it severed her pride.