Some time had passed since the gang split and me, Abigail, and Jack were left on our own. Dutch and the rest of the boys were heading for Mexico, last time I checked, while we were bouncing around from place to place looking for a fresh start. My gunshot wound that made me decide to leave is almost healed and I sort of feel like my old self again.
When we're moving around, we use different names. This time we were in Valentine under the name Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun. The names and the places change but the nightmares are always the same. I don't mind killing if I have to, but what keeps me awake at night is seeing the people we lost. Arthur, Sean, Hosea I cant get rid of them no matter how hard I try. Abigail and Jack are the ones that keep me out of that dark place. I know that I am a bad man, but to them I am more than just an outlaw. Why and how I am able to keep them from leaving I'll never know.
The money we had stashed since we started our new lives is starting to run thin and I either need to find work or go back to robbing again. Something interesting did pop up though. I heard some men talking at the saloon about a house with some gold stashed away.
"Your a goddamn fool if your thinking about going up to that old house," the bartender said to the old man.
"No ones been up there since Limpany burned to the ground, no one will go near it", The old man, who I found out later was named Frank, rebutted with a sense of confidence.
"Because the gold is just a rumor, and people say they've seen things walking around at night". The bartender said with a serious tone and a straight face. When I heard that I almost outright laughed. I may be a stupid man but I am not fool for ghosts or demons. As I sat there drinking my bourbon I thought to myself, what's the harm in taking a look around.
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"Damn it John, what do you think you are some kind of treasure hunter", Abigail said with fury that I knew was inevitable. She wanted us to go straight, but it takes time to break old habits, and besides it wasn't as if I was shooting or robbing anyone.
"I'm just going to go down there and take a look around, there ain't no trouble in that."
"What if someone recognizes you from your days with Dutch huh?" "Not even the government is looking for me, I think we're in the clear." "But the house John..." "What about it?" "What if it really is haunted?" "Then I'll have a good time with some specters of the dark", I said sarcastically. Abigail only sat there in silence and worry. She knew I had no choice but to go and look. "I'll be fine", as I said finishing my packing for the trip. "And you...", motioning toward Jack. "Behave for your Ma". "Okay, have fun with the ghosts pa", he said in an almost joyful demeanor as I walked out the hotel door.
As I packed my horse and checked my guns and ammo I noticed that the sun was going down. Off on a horse heading towards an old house that's rumored to be haunted in the dead of night. How fitting...
