Retired Gunslinger

It was halfway through the spring season. I don’t know how that happened, as I’m pretty sure it was winter just ten days ago. Welp, I guess time flew by when you’re a man just living day to day. Either that or I just miscounted.

I decided to wake up a little bit early this morning. Yesterday, I received a letter from a man with the initial K.H., nothing comes to mind at first.

I don’t remember having a friend with a first name that starts with K and a last name that starts with H. I then inspect the letter carefully. What’s written on the letter was not much.

Dear M.M.

Meet me by the lakeside early tomorrow morning.

Sincerely, K.H.

That’s funny. I don’t know his last name, yet, he knows mine. That makes it easier, only a few knows it. That means the person was in the same gang with me.

Seems like he doesn’t know how to properly write a letter. Welp, can’t blame him. At the very least, I recognized the handwriting.

I stood up from my bed after sitting for a few minutes when I was gathering my thoughts after waking up. I opened the wardrobe and took out my leather boots as well as my vest.

I glanced at the wooden box on the bottom of the wardrobe. I haven’t open that thing in a while. The thought of the letter was a trap did crossed my mind. But I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. So, I don’t think I need to bring what’s inside with me.

I sat back down on the bed and put on my boots, I then got up and put on my vest. Lastly, I grabbed my cowboy hat that’s on the table.

The room in this Inn is small. It only has a bed that’s hard to sleep in, a small wooden wardrobe that can barely fit anything, and a wooden table with a chair that’ll probably break if I sit too long. Can’t complain too much as it was cheap.

After leaving my room, I head downstairs and go down the step rather carefully. Why? Beside the fact that it’s creaking everytime someone step on it, I once slipped and fell down the stairs.

“Morning Ma’am!” I said, as I tipped my hat.

“Morning Marshall! Unusual to see you up this early.”

“You see, the letter you relayed to me yesterday, the sender wants to meet with me. Also, the closest lake from here is Brike lake ain’t it?”

The lady who was writing something in the guess book suddenly stopped, as she fell in deep thought for a minute. With a calm voice she then replied to me.

“It has to be, right? The other one is probably Lighten.”

I chuckled a bit.

“That thing is a pond Ma’am, not a lake. I’ll be on my merry way now.”

When I walked out of the Inn, I passed by a lady who wore a wide-brimmed straw hat. She entered the Inn as I left.

As I stepped out from the Inn, my ear is filled with the galloping of horses that’s travelling down the street.

Horses ridden by well dressed men, Wagons carrying carrots and other goods are heading to the south district, and stagecoaches carrying passenger that seems to be in a hurry is the things I see as I continue to walk down the city street.

I arrived at this city in winter. The reason I chose this big city over towns that are smaller, is because it will give me more opportunity. As luck would have it, I got a decent job and a cheap place to stay in on the same day I arrived.

After walking the streets that made from cobblestones and passing by buildings that’s sometime two or three stories tall, I’ve arrived to the livery stable at the edge of the city.

“Howdy Mister!”

“Howdy partner, what brings you here today?”

“I want to pick up my horse, the name’s Marshall Mallow”

“Oh, Mister Marshall. Don’t you worry, we’ve been taking a good care of her.”

“Well I’m grateful for that!”

After that exchange, I wasted no time. I paid the fee, mounted my horse, and headed straight out of the city while riding my horse. I know that she probably doesn’t understand me, but I decided to talk to her anyway.

“How long has it been huh Betsy? A week? Two week?”

The only response I got is a grunting neigh, as she seems to be grateful to finally go out and riding again with me. Welp, at least that’s what I thought it was.

I’ve never been to this lake before, but I know where it is from the map that’s plastered on the inn’s wall near the entrance.

I headed southwest from Plum fool City along the dirt road that takes me to Brike lake. I can feel the calm breeze as I continue to ride hastily.

Up ahead, there’s a wooden bridge that is suspended by ropes that needs to be replaced. I’m surprised it hasn’t collapsed yet. But it’s an important bridge nonetheless, because there’s a ton of rivers in and around the city. And this is one of the three bridges that leads out and into Plum Fool.

I crossed the bridge with the gentle sun that’s reflected on the flowing river underneath it. I passed other people who’s riding their horses with wagons attached, from the looks of it, they are trader heading to the city.

The scenery changed from the green plains to wooded labyrinth as I enter the forest. If it wasn’t for the dirt road, I will be lost for sure.

The aspen trees is decorated with fresh green leaves and catkins, as they have woken up from their winter dormancy.

After a few minutes, I got out from the forest as Brike lake slowly came to view. There’s a hut on the edge of the lake. Next to it, there’s a man holding a fishing rod with his horse beside him.

I slowly approached, as I greet him with a sarcastic tone.

“Just when I thought you’re probably dead somewhere eaten by a bear, I’d be lying if I’m not surprised to see you still breathe.”

The man, turns to me and put his index finger in front of his face. While holding the rod with his left hand, he shushed me.

“Quite lad! The fish will go away if ye shout!”

“Kevin, don’t say you told me to come here just to fish with you? Beside, fishes can’t hear.”

I dismounted my horse, then walked and stands beside him. He proceeded to speak with a pinch of concern in his voice.

“It’s about Big Timmy, they got him!”

“Where?”

“Lafer Town, he was caught while trying to flee for the next town.”

“What about his wife and kid?”

”They had gone their separate way beginning last summer. She and little Jimmy are laying low in a ranch owned by a wealthy man. She then decided to remarry said man.”

“Welp, at the very least they’re safe. Just in the span of two year they got Jean, Clark, Tony, and Big Timmy huh?”

I then walked back towards Betsy to give her a piece of carrot. In an effort to change the subject, Kevin asked me a question.

“Say Marshall, what’s your plan going forward?”

“Plan? Simple. Stay out of trouble, and live an honest life.”

“Glad that the youngest one chose the right path, let us the old ones to be miserable and atone for our sin.”

That’s a sentence that I never thought I’d hear from him. At least not from a man who is usually blackout drunk almost every night from drinking too much in the saloon.

I then replied to him, as I sit down on a rock near the hut.

“I’m not that young anymore. Why the sudden wisdom coming from you? What happened this last two years? Did you joined the Mormon or something?”

“A lot lad, a lot. How old are ye now? Twenty? Did you found the joy of alcohol yet?”

Just when I thought he changed to be a better person. I guess I was wrong.

“I’ll be twenty this fall. I Tried a glass of whiskey awhile back, tasted awful and bitter.”

He then laughed after hearing my response.

“That’s where ye went wrong lad, ye should try wine first!”

“Sure, whatever you say. What about you old man, are you going back to Ireland?”

The smile from his laugh earlier is slowly diminishing, as he replied with a heavy voice.

“There’s no place or home for me to go back to. While I did missed me homeland and me boys, I have to stick with the decision I made.”

Silence befell between us. No words of encouragement comes to my mind, as I remembered that he came here in search of a better life.

I mean, who doesn’t? The other settlers were probably thinking the same thing. But unfortunately, the American wild west is not that forgiving.

For some reason. Despite it being just a reunion with an old friend, I felt the gears of fate turning.