Paco Valdez
"Real beds and saloons," you mutter dreamily. "Let's go to Kallow!"
Annie and Gus shrug indifferently. "We'll be as safe there as we would be anywhere else, I reckon," Annie remarks.
Gus looks at you and frowns. "You just make sure to lay low once we get there, you durned fool," he warns you. "If you get into it with Paco's men or the law or anyone else you are on your own. I aint saving your ass again over no stupid bullshit."
You wave a hand at Gus dismissively. "When have I ever counted on you for anything?" you scoff. Gus merely grunts in reply.
After quickly looting the bodies of the Vigilantes you shot dead last night, the three of you depart. It's about a half-day's ride to the nearly-deserted mining town. The gold in the area disappeared after extensive quarrying and mining a decade ago, and the town's been in a rapid decline. The only thing that keeps the miserable little outpost alive is that it lies on a semi-well used road.
By mid-day you've come to a small hill that overlooks the tiny settlement. Gus sighs. "I remember a day when Kallow had some of the best saloons and theaters for miles around."
You shake your head. "From what I hear, the sheriff mostly hides in his office all day drinkin' himself into oblivion. His entire family was killed in a freak storm last winter. They say the town deputies are on the Vigilante payroll."
"That wasn't no storm that kilt his family," Gus said. "That was the Kamani's gods claiming revenge on the sheriff for what he done."
"What did he do?" You ask.
Annie raises a hand to quiet Gus before he can speak. "Save it, Gus. Whatever comes out of your mouth next is like to be more bullshit that the boy can handle."
"It's the damned truth, it is. An' if he wants to hear it, I'm gonna let him hear it." Gus replies curtly.
Annie looks at you evenly. "Do you really want to hear the mess of lies he's gonna spit out at you?"
You shrug your shoulders. "It's a long ride," You say.
She snorts in derision and prods her horse ahead of the two of you, her horse lifting its tail and dropping a clump of shit to the dry earth in mirror of her position on Gus's story.
Gus, on the other hand, smiles and pulls his horse into a cantor beside yours so that you can hear him more clearly.
Gus clears his throat and spits out a wad of brown phlegm before beginning. "I can't rightly say how much of this story is the truth, now, but they say he was a ruthless son of a bitch in the Calvary. I only met him once, when I was sent to deliver orders from Sergeant Styles. Nordick didn't seem like such a bad guy, he was a little upset with his orders, but otherwise he seemed okay.
"Anyway, I guess his orders lead him to a Sookon village. He was suppos'ta burn the village to the ground as a warning to the tribe. From what I hear, they caught the village unawares while the braves were out huntin' or fightin' or some shit. Only the squaws, and childrens was there. Nordick and his men left the children and elders dying in pools of blood and took the women right where they stood. They took turns raping them until the men had their fill. Then they killed every last one of them."
Gus is silent for a while after saying this. "My platoon was the first to reach the village. It was a bloody fucking massacre is what it was." He wipes a tear from his eye and sniffles some.
You're not really sure what to say to him, so you keep quiet for the rest of the ride until you see Kallow in the distance.
Annie falls into stride beside you. "Now don't you go doin' nothin' that's gonna draw attention to us, y'hear? You keep yer head low an' let me an' Gus do all the talkin'."
You nod in understanding and stay quiet for the rest of the ride.
When you get into town, the three of you dismount. Annie tells you that she is going to secure the hotel room, and Gus volunteers to take the horses to the stables. They leave you alone in the middle of the dusty road.
You decide that you could really go for a drink, and spot a saloon not far off. After taking two steps towards the watering hole, you take a second thought and decide that it might be wiser to get some supplies for the road out of here tomorrow. Your eyes scan the town for a General Store and you spot one.
But damn, you could sure use glass of whiskey right about now.
Annie and Gus shrug indifferently. "We'll be as safe there as we would be anywhere else, I reckon," Annie remarks.
Gus looks at you and frowns. "You just make sure to lay low once we get there, you durned fool," he warns you. "If you get into it with Paco's men or the law or anyone else you are on your own. I aint saving your ass again over no stupid bullshit."
You wave a hand at Gus dismissively. "When have I ever counted on you for anything?" you scoff. Gus merely grunts in reply.
After quickly looting the bodies of the Vigilantes you shot dead last night, the three of you depart. It's about a half-day's ride to the nearly-deserted mining town. The gold in the area disappeared after extensive quarrying and mining a decade ago, and the town's been in a rapid decline. The only thing that keeps the miserable little outpost alive is that it lies on a semi-well used road.
By mid-day you've come to a small hill that overlooks the tiny settlement. Gus sighs. "I remember a day when Kallow had some of the best saloons and theaters for miles around."
You shake your head. "From what I hear, the sheriff mostly hides in his office all day drinkin' himself into oblivion. His entire family was killed in a freak storm last winter. They say the town deputies are on the Vigilante payroll."
"That wasn't no storm that kilt his family," Gus said. "That was the Kamani's gods claiming revenge on the sheriff for what he done."
"What did he do?" You ask.
Annie raises a hand to quiet Gus before he can speak. "Save it, Gus. Whatever comes out of your mouth next is like to be more bullshit that the boy can handle."
"It's the damned truth, it is. An' if he wants to hear it, I'm gonna let him hear it." Gus replies curtly.
Annie looks at you evenly. "Do you really want to hear the mess of lies he's gonna spit out at you?"
You shrug your shoulders. "It's a long ride," You say.
She snorts in derision and prods her horse ahead of the two of you, her horse lifting its tail and dropping a clump of shit to the dry earth in mirror of her position on Gus's story.
Gus, on the other hand, smiles and pulls his horse into a cantor beside yours so that you can hear him more clearly.
Gus clears his throat and spits out a wad of brown phlegm before beginning. "I can't rightly say how much of this story is the truth, now, but they say he was a ruthless son of a bitch in the Calvary. I only met him once, when I was sent to deliver orders from Sergeant Styles. Nordick didn't seem like such a bad guy, he was a little upset with his orders, but otherwise he seemed okay.
"Anyway, I guess his orders lead him to a Sookon village. He was suppos'ta burn the village to the ground as a warning to the tribe. From what I hear, they caught the village unawares while the braves were out huntin' or fightin' or some shit. Only the squaws, and childrens was there. Nordick and his men left the children and elders dying in pools of blood and took the women right where they stood. They took turns raping them until the men had their fill. Then they killed every last one of them."
Gus is silent for a while after saying this. "My platoon was the first to reach the village. It was a bloody fucking massacre is what it was." He wipes a tear from his eye and sniffles some.
You're not really sure what to say to him, so you keep quiet for the rest of the ride until you see Kallow in the distance.
Annie falls into stride beside you. "Now don't you go doin' nothin' that's gonna draw attention to us, y'hear? You keep yer head low an' let me an' Gus do all the talkin'."
You nod in understanding and stay quiet for the rest of the ride.
When you get into town, the three of you dismount. Annie tells you that she is going to secure the hotel room, and Gus volunteers to take the horses to the stables. They leave you alone in the middle of the dusty road.
You decide that you could really go for a drink, and spot a saloon not far off. After taking two steps towards the watering hole, you take a second thought and decide that it might be wiser to get some supplies for the road out of here tomorrow. Your eyes scan the town for a General Store and you spot one.
But damn, you could sure use glass of whiskey right about now.