The Promise

12. You made too many mistakes!

Rango tugged like crazy at his jacket. But Bobby didn't want to let him go. Rango looked at Bill, who left the wagon as the last one. Rango took off his vest, ran away, and slammed the door behind himself. His heart beat like crazy. He jumped forward and grabbed Bill's arm.
"Get off me!" Bill said annoyed. "Here we are. The money wagon."
He pointed at the next train wagon.
"And with water," Stump added.
Rango looked at the wooden door of the wagon, which had closed with a padlock.
"Eh... Bill, it's blocked," Rango said.
Bill rolled his eyes. "Of course it is. Do you think it's open door today?"
"No problem," Kinski said and shot the lock away with his gun.
"Problem gone," Bill said and opened the door. Inside there were a lot of water reservoirs and wooden boxes with gold or money.
"Bull's eye," Bill said and went inside first.
Suddenly they heard a loud growling.
They turned around. The wooden door of the flour wagon got fissures.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Rango asked. He was still in shock from Bobby's attack.
"Stupid question!" Bill said. "What do you think? Steal the money and disappear."
"And how?"
"GRROOAAH!"
In the next second, the door of the wagon was gone and Bobby stood outside.
Stump, Kinski and Chorizo ran inside the money wagon. Rango wanted to run inside too, but Bill pushed him away. "You stay outside!"
"WHAT?!"
"Play with him and decouple the wagon, while we take the money. Have a good time!"
With these words, Bill closed the door again.
Rango turned around. Bobby lifted his fists and looked very angry.
"Uh... Hello, Bobby...." The chameleon said.
"Play, play," Bobby said slowly.
Rango forced a smile. "Uh... well... what do you want to play?"
Bobby growled amused. "Dead man."
Rango's blood ran cold. "Uh... maybe I know a better game. What about if you close your eyes and I.... disappear?!"
He turned around and wanted to open the door of the money wagon. But it had blocked.
Rango panicked when he heard Bobby's growling voice behind him.
"Play, play."
For a moment, Rango stood like frozen, but suddenly he made a jump upwards and climbed up the roof of the money wagon. On the top, he ran over the roof. Shortly afterwards, there was a loud stamping.
Rango turned around and saw directly in Bobby's face. Bobby grinned evilly.
Rango forced a smile. "Be a good rabbit. Be a good rabbit!"
Rango yelled when Bobby swung his hand and ran over the roof.

"Alright. You know the plan," Bill said inside the money wagon.
Kinski had managed to open the sliding door of the wagon.
"Throw the boxes outside and we will collect them when we will ride back."
"Hope Roscoe doesn't see it," Kinski said.
"This desert bottle. He would never think about..."
Bill was going to throw out the wooden box from the trail, as suddenly... a crashing sound.
Bill turned around. Pieces of splinted wood fell down the ceiling. In the next moment, there was a hole in the roof.
"AHHH!" Rango fell through the hole and landed directly in front of Bill.
"What the hell are you doing?" Bill shouted.
"I'm playing!" Rango shouted back.
In next second, a loud roar.
Rango jumped up and hid himself behind Bill. Shortly afterwards, wood splintered again and the Bobby landed with a loud crash in the wagon.
Bill growled annoyed. "You wanna play? Then catch this."
Bill drew his gun and wanted to fire a shot. Suddenly Bobby put up a wooden bank and hit Bill in the face. The gunshot missed his target. But the shot brushed Bobby's arm. And this made him totally angry. With high rage he yelled loudly and hit his fists in all directions. He struck Bill's revolver and the lizard lost his helpfully gun.
"Retreating!" Bill shouted.
They turned around and ran on the other side of the wagon. But unfortunately, it had also blocked.
"DAMN!" Bill cursed.
"BILL! Watch out!" Kinski yelled.
In last second, they managed to avoid before Bobby hit them. The giant struck the blocked door and with a loud crash,... the door was gone. Bobby turned around and started a new attack.
"Outside!" Bill shouted.
They didn't need to be told twice. In high speed, they left the money wagon.
"This beast must have the rabies!" Chorizo said exhausted.
"What are we going to do now Bill?" Rango asked.
"First run away and take this monster down."
"But how?"
"I will say later. Forward!"
The next wagon was a very big gas can container. As big as a house.
Rango stood for a moment and looked at the gigantic gas container.
"Are you frozen?" Bill cried, while he moved along the container to come to the other side.
"Uh... nothing," Rango replied and ran forward.
The path which guide along the container was very small. But there was no way back.
He grabbed a rod and wanted to climb, but suddenly he winced. His shirtsleeve got caught on the rod. With effort, he tried to come free again. He looked ahead.
"Bill! Wait! Help!"
But they didn't stop. Either Bill didn't hear him or he didn't want to listen.
Rango pulled on his shirt. He froze when Bobby's shadow appeared above him.

Meanwhile, Bill and the others arrived the locomotive engine, after they climbed over the container with cactus pieces for the fire. Bill jumped in first.
When the locomotive engineer saw him, he raised his hands immediately. "What do you want? Is that a hold-up?"
"More or less. Out of my way! Don't mind. Continue your work."
"Yes, Sir."
"Where is that pet?"
Stump shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know."
"Maybe Bobby ate him," Kinski said.
Bill snorted. "Doesn't matter. Alright. Are your guns loaded?"
"Of course they are."
"Okay. When this creature climbs about the cactus container, you fire everything you have in your guns, alright?"
The others nodded. "Sure!"

"No, no!" Rango cried.
Bobby grabbed his shirt and teared-off. He lifted Rango up and held him in the air.
Rango struggled to come free. "Let me down!"
Bobby grinned. "Down."
He threw Rango through the air and Rango bounced against the gas can container.
Moaning he sat up again.
"Play, play."
Bobby came closer. Rango shook his head.
He looked around. Suddenly he recognized a gas pipe, which loosened of his bounce.
"Play, play."
Rango grabbed the gas pipe, but it was hot. He cried and held his burned hand.
Bobby laughed. He hauled off his fist again to hit Rango in the face. Rango looked aside than again to Bobby. The giant growled loudly and hit.
Rango jumped aside and Bobby struck the gas line. Shortly afterwards, hot water shot out of the pipe. For a moment, Bobby was unable to see anything.
Rango took his chance and went quickly along the path the gas can container.
On the other side, his thoughts ran like crazy. In front of him a wooden empty wagon panel. Behind it, there was a container with cactus pieces. Not far away he saw the chimney of the locomotive.
What did Bill say before? Decouple the wagon. That's it!
Without hesitation, he began to pull a lever, which held together the wagons.
Suddenly he heard again a loud cry. Bobby had recovered from the gas attack. Now he went along the path. Rango narrowed his eyes.
"You'll soon have to play with other people."
At one go he pulled the levers and the wagon detached. Bobby tried to reach him, but the wagons drifted apart. The giant rabbit stood like frozen and growled annoyed. Rango grinned and waved, while the two train parts moved more and more apart.
"Bye! Bye!"

"It doesn't come, Bill," Chorizo said.
"I see!" Bill said. They waited for a couple of minutes, still in anticipation that the giant appears to shoot him down.
Bill stamped his foot. "Someone of you has to lure him to us."
"Oh- good luck," Stump said.
"Who says that I lure him?"
His men looked at each other. "Uh... who..."
Bill grinned. "You will lure him to us."
Stump grew pale. "What?! Why me?"
"Don't ask stupid questions! Go!"
"No Bill! I wanna live longer."
"GO!"
Bill pushed him forward above the container with cactuses.
Stump trembled like crazy. Carefully, he looked over the cactuses to the other side.
"What is it?" Bill asked impatiently. "Is it coming or did it eat that pet?"
Stump wasn't able to say anything for a moment.
"Eh... more or less..." He began. "Ehm... Bill... sorry for you, but... the train is gone."
"WHAT?!"
Bill jumped forward and pushed Stump aside. Stump fell and landed between Kinski and Chorizo in the locomotive engine.
Bill looked ahead in disbelief, when he recognized the rest of the trail was really gone. Only the empty wooden plane wagon stayed over. And on the wooden floor stood the chameleon.
"Where is..." Bill stood up and ran over the cactuses and then over the wooden floor. His men followed him.
"Don't worry," Rango said. "We are in safe! They will be away for a while. Somewhere on the rails."
Bill was speechless for a moment. With empty eyes, he looked at distance in hope to see the other wagons of the train somewhere.
Rango crossed his arms on the back of his head. "What do you say now?" He asked satisfied.
Bill turned around and looked at him with high rage.
"Are you completely nut?!" Bill shouted. "Roscoe has all the money now!"
"Including water and soda," Stump said indignantly.
Bill pushed him aside. He looked like he would explode every moment.
His hands clenched to fists.
Rango's eyes grew wide. "Bill, calm down, calm down! That's not good for health."
"I will show you, what's not good for your health!" Bill shouted. "I will show it so clearly to you that you will land in hospital. Or better at morgue!"
Bill jumped at him. Rango tried to jump aside. But Bill was so in rage that he managed to grab Rango's arm and threw him on the floor. The Gila monster pressed him down and held his head near over the edge of the wagon plane.
Rango tried to free himself. But Bill was too heavy for him.
"Bill, you know very well, I had no other choice," Rango cried.
"You damn creature!" Bill hauled off his fist.
Rango buried his face in his hands. "Bill! Don't! Please! If you kill me, I have no use for you anymore!"
"What shall you do for me, damn pet?!" Bill asked annoyed. "Nothing. You bring only bad luck!"
"Same like I threw the dynamite?" Rango asked wheezily, because Bill started to choke him.
"I curse this day!" Bill said.
"Eha... Bi... don..." Rango gasped. "Plea...se."
Bill narrowed his eyes. Then he released him. Rango gasped for air exhaustedly and rubbed his neck.
Bill stood up and looked at him with despicable look. "You're not worth it. You are nothing!"
He took a very, very deep breath and turned around to his men.
"Stop that damn locomotive!"
"Alright," they said and ran ahead.
After the locomotive stopped, they left the engine. Not far away their roadrunners waited for them, which rode near the train all the time.
No one said a word. Silent they started their way back home.

Hours later, they reached the hut. Without a word, they descended from their roadrunners. While the others unsaddled the roadrunners, Rango stood beside silently and kneaded nervously his fingers. Then he cleaned his throat.
"Uh, well, at least, we are still alive, aren't we?"
Bill gave him a foot kick.
"Ouch!" Rango rubbed his bottom.
Bill turned around and hanged the reins on a hook at the fence.
Rango sighed deeply, but he had to ask this question.
"Bill?" Rango asked reluctantly. "Can I go now?"
"No."
Rango jumped up with disgust. "What do you want more, Bill?! Tell me, but please, let me go today!"
Bill snorted. "Sorry, sheriff. But you made too many mistakes."
"But you promised me..."
"That I would let you go out of the hut. For this moment. Not forever. Besides I saved you from falling off the train. In this case, we are square and everything is like before. You are still a prisoner."
Rango stood like frozen. "But Bill you can't..."
Bill didn't listen to him anymore. He grabbed his arm and dragged him to the hut. His men followed him in distance.
In the hut, Bill threw Rango in a corner.
"Stay there and don't move!"
Kinski cleaned his throat. "Uh... Bill, maybe we could..."
Seconds later, Kinski held his bloody nose.
Stump and Chorizo stepped back. Bill was too annoyed to hear a suggestion.
Bill tried to vent his rage and went up and down.
Rango watched him nervously. He had to think again of his town. What's happening meanwhile? What if it's too late for someone?
Reluctantly, he lifted his hand. "Mmm... Bi..."
"SHUT YOUR TRAP!" Bill yelled.
Rango winced shocked and pressed himself against the wall. Kinski, Stump and Chorizo ducked their heads. Bill was really in a bad mood.
Bill meanwhile had taken a deep breath, but his hands were still clenched to fists.
"I don't want to hear a word!" the Gila monster said. "Absolutely not if you wanna stay alive. Get it?"
Rango nodded frightened. He didn't dare to say a word anymore. Quiet and anxious, he sat in the corner, while Bill lighted a cigar to calm down.

Wounded Bird sighed deeply. Worried he watched the sun. Since morning time, he searched for Rango's traces. Now the landscape became dusky. No long and night would come. He looked back at the ground. At least, he found the way, which Rango used.
Suddenly Wounded Bird smelled something different. He stopped.
Chameleon, Gila monster; he knew who; Bill's henchmen and...
He smelled concentrated. Coyotes... many of them, over 20. Guns. Expensive clothes and after-shave. Including a very big rabbit. Rode westwards. Touch of dynamite explodes. Rode southwards after three hours... Rode back.
"What are you doing here, old man?"
Wounded Bird turned around. Three coyotes on their roadrunners stood in front of him and looked at him with mistrustful eyes.
"Hey, are you dumb, what are you doing here? It's our area now!"
Wounded Bird looked at them with surprise.
The third coyote snorted annoyed. "What are you doing here?! Will you hurry up?!"
Wounded Bird raised his right wing. "I have no bad intentions. I'm looking for a missing person."
The third coyote rolled his eyes. "And who? We didn't see anybody here."
"Maybe you will remember, if you have seen him. He is a chameleon."
The slim coyote raised an eyebrow. "Chameleon?"
He swung his hand. "Get him!"

All the time it was silent in the hut. Bill sat on a chair and looked out of the window.
Kinski, Stump and Chorizo also sat on their chairs and looked around.
Chorizo cleaned his throat quietly.
"What?" Bill asked annoyed.
"Bill? Could we... eat anything?"
Bill looked at Rango. Rango grew pale and swallowed hardly.
Bill snorted with disgust. "If you like."
Chorizo stood up slowly.
Rango pressed himself closer against the corner. But Chorizo went to the shelves above the oven where the cans stood.
"What do you want to eat?" he asked.
"What do we have?" Kinski asked back.
"Mmm... corn, ham .... Oh... mmm... and... beans..."
He took out the can of beans and held it up.
Kinski and Stump grinned.
"Oh-oh. Think it's the perfect meal for our little friend, isn't it?" Kinski said. "What do you think, Bill?"
Bill said nothing. He just looked at Rang with vacant stare. Rango didn't dare so say something, not even a little smile. His face was like frozen.
"Bill?" Kinski asked. "Everything okay?"
"Oh shut your trap. Chori, don't stay there like an idiot. Serve the slop."
Chorizo nodded cowed. "Oh, okay."
He brought plates and forks and put it on the table. He opened the can and distributed the beans. After he finished, he gave everyone his plate. Kinski gave him a push and whispered something to him.
Chorizo nodded back. He took a single bean and went to Rango, who still sat on the floor in the corner. Rango looked up when he stopped in front of him.
"Here you are," Chorizo said and put the little single bean on the floor. "Greetings from your girlfriend."
Kinski and Stump laughed. Bill was the only one who didn't laugh. He was still annoyed about their defeat. Chorizo turned around and sat back on his chair.
Rango looked silently at the bean on the floor. Then he picked it up and contemplated it with sad eyes. After a while, he closed his hand softly and pressed it on his chest.
Kinski, Stump and Chorizo exchanged glances. Stump tapped his forehead. Then they started their dinner. Bill wasn't in mood to eat something and looked still at Rango. Rango didn't look in his face. Instead, he sighed and looked out of the window. The sun was going to disappear and with every second, a bad feeling grew inside him.