The Strip Marshal

Crip pulled himself together and he and Juanita were discussing what they would need for the ranch as they arrived in front of the General Store. This mundane moment was shattered by the sudden blast of a gun. Turning swiftly on her seat and looking for the source, Juanita saw three men with masks over their lower faces burst from the bank and run towards waiting horses, their guns leveled and ready to throw lead at anyone brave enough to interfere. Chance had just stepped from his saddle when the shot broke the stillness. His eyes narrowed and quickly swept the area, locking on the first man to reach his horse. Without conscious thought he exploded into action: the six-shooter cleared leather in a split-second, spitting flame and lead. The bullet spun the outlaw in mid-air before he tumbled to the waiting earth as his horse spooked, running blindly down the street. The second bandit whirled, bringing his gun up in a tight arc. His eyes locked on Chance and a startled expression flew across his face just before the gun in Chance’s hand blasted again. The outlaw staggered backwards into his horse, blood spurting through clenched hands vainly striving to staunch the flow. He pitched forward, face down in the harsh red dust. Still running, the last outlaw snapped a shot that tore the hat from Chance’s head just before Chance’s third bullet ripped through his throat. He toppled slowly, one hand clutching his throat and the other groping empty air, seeking an answer to the confusion on his face. None came as death gave the final reply. The sudden and complete silence was broken only by Chance as he punched out the empties and reloaded from his belt loops. Although it seemed an eternity to the numbed townsfolk, no more than five or six seconds had elapsed since the guns opened up. Chance strode towards the three men lying in the street. He stopped at the first body and casually rolled him over with the toe of his boot. Juanita came to his side, her heart slowly settling back to its normal rhythm. She had never seen things happen so fast in all her young life. The first bandit being beyond help, they quickly went to the second man, still alive but fading fast. Both Juanita and Chance knelt down to attend to the dying outlaw. His eyelids fluttered open and dimming eyes settled onto Chance. Lips moving, he tried to raise his head, then it dropped back down as weak words sputtered around the blood coming from his mouth. “Why? Ch...” he muttered before the eyes rolled back and his breathing ceased.