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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

High Noon

This short story is one I wrote and originally posted on the Beasts of War forum.

I hope you enjoy,
Wildchevy





High Noon
By Wildchevy


Blistering heat from the sun dries out the air as the Deputy pulls me out to the street. I can feel a slight breeze cooling the sweat in my shirt as I take a gander of my surroundings. There’s a dead silence coming from the onlookers as I’m lead out to face my fate.

Its almost noon and my head is still killing me from the night before, cant tell if this headache is from the whiskey or that punch the stranger through at me. The pounding in my ears is all I can think about as the Deputy goes on and on, he’s a real chatty one. I give him enough attention as he hands me my gun; a well used Colt that once belonged to my brother.

“Now see here, we gave each of you just one bullet. The Sherriff’s gonna toss a coin and you guys draw once it hits the ground. If you shoot before, we’ll hang you for murder once the judge comes into town.” He walks me over to the priest and I’m given last rights. “Now there’s a trick here, you see, you gotta…” this guy talks more than my sister, time again to stop listening. I cycle the cylinder, slide my gun into its well oiled holster, and prepare myself.

The stranger across from me is ready and our time has come. My stomach is pinched and I can feel my palm getting sweaty. All is quiet until the church bell starts to ring. Each toll sending a shiver down my spine. On the twelfth the Sherriff looks at both of us and flings the coil into the air.

I lock eyes with the man who cheated me in poker, his cold stare grips me with fear, all I can think about is how I got myself here. As the coin arks through the air, all the muscles in my arm tense up. Its all down to chance now.

The metallic ring of the coin hitting the ground is followed by two shots that echo in the silence. All is still until one man falls to the ground.



1 comment:

  1. Soooo, WHAT HAPPENS?!! Who DIES!?

    Cool little story there Al. I dig it.

    ReplyDelete