• Blood Guns - Part 1


    Jake, I need your help fixing the wagon." "Yea, I’m on my way." Jake ran out to his father and brother, "what’s wrong with the wagon?" in reply his father said "the wheel needs replacing, it got loose on our way here and it snapped. So I’m going to have to get you to go to the market and ask Mr. Becker for a spare." Yes sir." Jake and his brother Carmen climbed onto the two stallions and rode off to town.

    Upon arrival some drunken outlaws blocked his path to their destination. They stood there not moving and said, "Boy those are some mighty fine horses your riding." in reply, "yea, my pa. Bought them off of the stableman in town here.", "well I’ll tell you, you might want to give the horses to me or I might have to force you to give, them to me." Jake and Carmen got off the horses and remained silent" The drunkards grabbed them and threw them onto the ground and then he pulled out his army colt and placed his finger on the trigger. "You Boys should've given me the horses!"......... "Bang!" the outlaw holding the gun was shot. Mr. Becker stood there with his rifle "if any one else touches this fine boys, I will to kill, them." The outlaws’ slowly backed away and said "sorry sir we didn't mean any harm just wanted a drink that’s all." they took off onto their horses and rode away. Mr. Becker walked up to Carmen and Jake pulled them off the ground. "So what did you fellers come to me for?" Carmen said "we needed to ask you for a spare wheel for our wagon." Mr. Becker chuckled at the thought that they came thought that trouble just for some help. "Sure, I do please come with me to my house and I will strap it to your stallion horses." The two boys joyfully hopped on their horses and followed Mr. Becker to his home. Once the wheel was attached to the horses the boys thanked Mr. Becker and rode back.

    On their way home Carmen said, "Hey Jake you smell that?" "Yea, brother smells like.... Smoke." they looked at each other and started onto a gallop. The glow in the distance got brighter as they neared their house...."Papa!" yelled Carmen They arrived at the flaming house, and there they seen his dad and mom.... hung from a rope. They stumbled off their horses and stood there frozen staring at the dangling bodies. Their tears moistened the ground in front of them as they heard gunshots coming from the distance. The two boys stared at each other knowing that the cause of their parent’s death was the marauding band of drunken outlaws they were assaulted by.

    Carmen woke up looking around to see if he could remember where he was, then he realized that he was in front of the burnt down home they lived in. They spent the rest of last night burying their parents and making a tombstone for them. The ash in the air made Jake cough twice before waking up. Carmen sat there with his little brother hoping that they dreamt all of the nights events but reality caved in on them, They both got up stretched and examined the house that used to be there, in the middle of their dinning room sat a chair black from exposure from the flames and ash, then in the next room sat their bed stiff and broken, they wept as they explored the rest of the house, upon leaving the house Jake collapsed from shear breakdown but Carmen stood there building up rage in his heart. "Jake get up! we aren't just going to stand here and let our tormentors do this!, we are going to stand up tall and hunt down these damned outlaws!, so pull yourself together!" Jakes tears stopped and he nodded "Jake, lets move.” Carmen climbed onto his horse and so did Jake, and they traveled to town. "Hey Carmen we only got a pistol, these horses and $10 how are we supposed to get weapons to hunt them down with?" Carmen said boldly "we will sell the horses and gun and buy new ones, and then we will go see Becker and tell him what happened."

    "Aye Mr. Becker, sir, our parents were hung by those outlaws that attacked us last night." Mr. Becker too shocked to reply stood in awe as the two young men told the story. "I grieve about the death of your parents, they were my greatest friend and as such I will give you this gift your father gave to me but he would've wanted you to have it." Carmen stared at the carvings engraved on the case, and opened it to find a hand engraved gold Calvary pistol M1873 fast draw with blank firing pin. Carmen stood in awe at the beautifully crafted pistol "well thanks Mr. Becker" "don't mention it! By the way do you need anything? A place to stay for a while, or food and supplies?" "No sir thanks but we are hunting down those damned outlaws and must be going now." "I would help but harvest season starts next week and I got to be ready but if you boys ever, need anything you know the man to ask." "Yes sir, and thanks." the two men left the property.