A Cowboy Lost in Time

Chapter 2. The Stranger

Chapter 2. The Stranger

I woke up seeing the redness of the bright sun shine onto my eyelids and feeling a sharp pain in the back of my head. I couldn't open my eyes the hurt too much, the bright red of my inner eyelids fades as a shadow takes its place, from what I could tell from the weight of the steps in the dust and gravel all-around me I could conclude that these were the steps of a heavier individual. I feel a warm drip fall onto my forehead "Oh great, you're leaking on top of me." I thought to myself "Hmm, appears dead, don't mind if I do." I heard a strange voice say. Just when I was ready to give a response that my ticker is still beating I feel his hand go in my pockets "I've never seen anybody wear such odd attire as you, sir." the strange voice said speaking to my so called dead body. I try to look prudently through my eyelids as I can, to which I see a short overweight man, not checking for any signs of life, but more so robbing me! I am planning to act until I see his bowie knife strapped to his side, so I start planning in my head: "Ok so, he is a heavier fellow that would mean he has weaker ankles and an overall worse balance than the most, so that would mean I could tackle him pretty easily from this position." I look again, and I spot a big iron on his hip. "Oh, that could be very, very bad with something showing as bright as day as that he probably wouldn't be scared to use it." I thought to myself again so if something is going to happen I've got to act quickly, luckily, I indeed was a very swift one. So, I decide to act.

When the man turns his back on me I decided to make my move, I raise my left leg and kick the inside of his knee as hard as possible. Although the stranger doesn't fall to the ground as I hoped he would, but he majestically stumbles in shook that the body he just robbed wasn't so dead after all. I get up as quickly as possible at that moment I see him struggle to get his revolver. The second I was completely stable standing on my feet the man turned swiftly turns around and looses a shot directly at me, at least, he tried. The man is as white as a sheet and his body is shaking all over, he can't even cock the pin on his revolver to take another shot. I make a leap forward and blindly swing my right arm upwards hoping it would collide with his jaw, which it did. The stranger fell on his back in an instant, I kicked his right hand as hard as I could to at least save myself from getting shot. I quickly got on top of him and reached for the knife on his hip, I felt a sharp pain as I tried to grab the knife. As it would seem I did not grab the handle but firmly grabbed the knife itself with now the knife soaked in my own blood I put it up against his throat "What in the living hell did you think you where doing?!" I yelled at him "I.. I.. I.. don't know sir times are rough you know?" he stuttered scared half to dead "How old are you?" when I finally got a good look at his pale face "I'm 23" He stuttered "Well you know what I'm sorry." I said in a whispering voice "Well I get it, partner." He said somewhat relieved. His eyes shifted towards his revolver, I pretended I did not see that just too see if he was planning something "Where are we anyway?" I asked "What do you mean partner? We're in the greatest country in the world, WE are in 'merica!" he said proudly whilst slowly extending his right arm out. "I wouldn't try it if I were you." I said softly, and just as soon as I finished my sentence the stranger made a deep gurgling sound and *Grrr...Psst* the stranger had spit right in my face with the hope to distract me from him getting hold of his revolver again, I firmly pressed the knife against his throat "Are you sure you want to end it this way?" I said as intimidating as possible. The stranger did not seem to hear me and kept reaching for his revolver, I pressed my knife even firmer against his throat. A dark stream of blood was now mixing with my blood and the eyes of the stranger turned back to me, lifeless, as if he could not believe this just happened to him. I felt a deep pain in my heart knowing this was the actual first time I had killed another human being sure he tried to do the same to me, but I couldn't help feeling bad for him. I leaned to get closer to his ear "I'm sorry..." I whispered and pushed the knife all the way into his throat.

The stranger looking scared and angry at the same time was trying to say something but whenever he tried to say something or even breath only dark blood came out, his eyes started to look more lifeless every second. I slowly got up and went for the revolver laying there in the dust. I picked it up and walked back towards the strange. Readily to accept his fate the stranger closed his eyes and opened his mouth one last time, allowing a small stream of dark blood to flow over his cheek. I took aim...*Bang* the sound of the shot was heard long after pulling the trigger. I grabbed his hat and put it on myself, I slowly looked up "So, where am I?"