Dead Before Sunrise: Amber's Story (18 +) Mature content (sample)

35 Mature Content

While the long, loud, slow whistles grew bolder, all the horses became fidgety. The gang's emotions and nerves heightened. The group neared the edge of the building area. The whistles were all around them and at a deafening volume. Right before men appeared in front of them, the whistles abruptly stopped. A very uneasy silence engulfed the entire group. As Amber twirled her stud around, she scanned their surroundings. Promptly, she noticed men hiding behind vehicles all around them.

"Be alert. They're all around us," warned Amber.

Amber quickly rode her stallion beside Joseph's SUV and opened the door. She leaned down, so she saw her son.

"How bad is it?" asked Joseph.

"Bad. There are a lot of them. Keep the girl safe," answered Amber.

"I will do that," related Joseph.

"Keep the caravan back here while we check this out," commanded Amber.

"We'll watch your back," remarked Joseph.

"Thanks. Watch your own. They're hiding behind the parked vehicles," informed Amber.

When Amber started riding away, Stephen halted her progress and stated, "I'm coming with you. Two is better than one."

They rode cautiously toward the men while the rest stayed in their places. Davis, Zachary, and David snuck around, keeping the men in sight. They stayed out of the men's view.

"You can decide rather to join or not. If you join, you get help and a woman that wants you," reported Amber to all the men that were within earshot.

Instantly the grimy normal-looking man scanned the men closed by them and laughed.

"We can kill the men and take everything we want," declared the leader.

When the leader finished his speech, Amber's head and shoulders went forward as she huffed quietly.

"Your choice. Our men aren't the only ones that fight," remarked Amber.

Once the words were finished, Amber kicked her stead into action. The leader only saw the hooves as they came down on his skull. At once, Amber's horse stomped on the leader's head. She aimed the crossbow at another man's head and shot. The bolt landed with a wet thud in his neck. The man's hand touched the bolt that protruded from his neck, and he coughed blood. Instantly blood seeped from between his fingers. Amber's crossbow fell at the side of her stallion's shoulder then a pistol with an extended barrel came out of the holster. Soon there was a silenced crack followed by a few more. Soon two men fell on the blacktop motionless as blood oozed from their corpses.

Meanwhile, Stephen sliced the head off a man before he had any time to react. When the men started shooting at him and Amber, he pulled the sawed-off shotgun out. Stephen ran the mare into one of the men. Straightaway, he shot another guy when the first man was getting back on his feet. Stephen shot that man. Before the fight was over, Stephen shot another man. He looked at Amber and her carnage.

"What were they thinking? We had the numbers," stated Amber.

Amber scanned her party, making sure no one was dead. When she noticed none of her party was killed, Amber glanced at Stephen.

"Stephen. You shot half his head off," conveyed Amber.

Stephen shrugged and nonchalantly said, "It is a double-barrel rifle."

As the two of them rode back for their people, she laughed at Stephen. He noticed Amber holding her arm.

"What happened?" asked Stephen.