Sweet Texas Revenge

Chapter 1

The dark blue sky was decorated with pinpoints of lights as the full moon shone down on the campsite acting as nature's lantern. The air was a little brisk since winter was upon them. Samantha Harris turned on her side and brought the covers closer around her. Opening her eyes, she searched the campsite. Four snoring bodies were spread around the small fire. The MacDonald gang were a rowdy bunch but deep down inside they're so caring and kind to her.

Pushing herself up on one shoulder, her brown braid fell down and hit the side of her head. With a grunt, she tossed it back. Samantha had always wanted to cut her hair so she could fit in but Freddie Mac forbade her to do it.

Her tired brown eyes swept the campsite again looking for danger but instead found Freddie Mac leaning against a tree, smoking a cheroot.

Freddie Mac was the leader of the MacDonald gang and her father. Well actually not her biological father but she loved him just the same. He found her when she was twelve years old, wandering the town of Proffitt, Texas - orphaned. Her parents were attacked by a renegade group of Apache Indians led by a family friend that came to the farm one night.

Samantha closed her eyes and relived the whole scene. Her dear sweet father, Randall Harris fought with all his might to protect his wife and only child. He even succeeded in shooting and killing three of them before two arrows got him in the chest as they swarmed on him. Still he was able to get one last shot before succumbing to death.

Her mother, Amanda, ran inside the house, locking the door and forcing Samantha to hide but stubbornly she wouldn't leave her mother's side. As the shouts subsided, Amanda dared take a peek outside and saw her husband lying on the ground. Crying, she ran to him thinking it was safe to do so. Roddy Laws, a family friend from Boston appeared from around the corner of the house.

"Where is she?" he said in a half growl.

Amanda quickly stood up while Samantha hid in her mother's skirt. "Why Roddy?" was all Amanda could ask.

"I loved you Amanda. I would have been a wonderful husband to you. Why did you leave me?"

"I don't love you Roddy. Please understand. We were friends and nothing more."

"We were almost engaged until he came along." Roddy pointed to her father's lifeless body. Samantha gave a whimper. Roddy spotted her and drew out his knife.

Samantha gripped her mother's skirts, tighter, shaking.

"Because of her. If you weren't pregnant with her, we would have been married."

Amanda shook her head. "Roddy, I never loved you. Only as a friend. Please understand." Amanda tried pushing Samantha towards the house but she wouldn't let go.

As Roddy lunged towards Samantha bringing the knife in an arc, Amanda threw herself in front of Samantha, protecting her and received the death blow in the chest. Roddy caught Amanda as she stumbled forward. Amanda was dead before she hit the ground. Roddy howled a cry of disbelief. Samantha just stared with wide eyes. Her mother was dead, killed by Roddy Laws.

He turned his eyes towards her. "This is your fault. I'll kill you!" He lunged towards her but Samantha picked up her skirts and ran into the house. She heard Roddy behind her but since he didn't know the layout of the house as well as she did, she was ahead of him.

Already up the stairs and hidden in a trap door in her parents closet, she heard him yelling for her. She covered her ears, trembling. His shouts got louder and louder, closer and closer. She held her breath until the sounds started to recede. After what seemed like an eternity, she smelled smoke. Placing her hands on the door, it was hot to the touch. Samantha jumped back and scurried to the window. Taking deep cleansing breaths of fresh air, she was able to climb out the window, crawl carefully down the ledge of the roof and throw herself onto the ground. With a limp, she crawled to her mother's lifeless body and dragged her away from the burning house. Sitting next to her parent's dead bodies, she watched her house burn while she cried.