Bounties, Buddies, and Bandits Final Part

“I remember now. So you made your life’s purpose to hunt me down?”

“That’s right,” he said, as he pulled the knife and sheathed it back.

“What are you gonna do after it?”

“Go fishing.”

“That’s it? Kinda lame. You really are dumb. You could’ve move on, live a normal life, marry Anne, and go fishing with your kids. But no, you just have to be a go—“

A fist hit my left cheek, then my right, then my left again, and finally my right again. Four punches, with both hands.

“I chose to be like this, but I’ll live it down!”

Holding in the pain, I spoke softly.

“And so do I. I chose to become an outlaw. At the very least we both man up to it.”

“That’s probably one of the only things we have in common.”

“LEON! We heard something!”

“She’s finally here huh?”

They then drew their guns while Leon pulled out his shotgun. They stood near the campfire and aimed at the dim surroundings.

Knowing she’s planning something, I smirked.

“Sorry buddy, but I don't wanna be hanged.”

Leon looked back at me for a second. His eyes then opened wide as he realised what’s happening.

Two opened bottles of whiskey, the same bottles given by Mr. Dallas, fell from the sky. The bottle landed on the campfire, causing it to burst in a big ball of flame.

The surrounding grass and all three of them got caught on fire. Leon remained calm as he dropped and rolled, but the same can’t be said about the other two.

From behind the tree I tied to, a voice spoke to me.

“Let’s run and get out of here.”

“Let’s just hope that’ll go smoothly.”

The rope then loosened, setting me free.

A very loud gunshot were heard, it was Leon’s. Barely dodging it as some of the pellets hit my right hand, I hid behind a tree.

“There’s nowhere to run Marshall!”

Hiding behind another tree beside me, she slid across my revolvers to me. I then picked them up and reloaded them.

“We need to treat your wounds, we gotta leave,” she said.

“I’m afraid it’s not going to be that easy,” I replied

“Leon, where’s the vampire?”

“Boss, we can kill the vampire right?”

“Sure thing, why not. She’s behind that tree over there!”

The other two men has regained their composure.

“Here’s the plan Lily. Let’s split up, I have a business with that Leon guy. You can handle those two right?”

“Yeah. But don’t kill, right?”

I smiled and nodded.

We ran in the opposite direction from each other, multiple gunshots are fired. Leon chased after me while the two chased her.

After running and getting enough distance, I fired two shots at him. But he dodged and hid behind a tree. He then strafed out of it while shooting his rifle and hid behind another tree.

If I got too close, he’d use the shotgun. And if too far, his rifle will have a clear advantage huh? Welp, this is going to be annoying.

At the other side of the forest, Lillia ran while dodging bullets. She used the dark forest to her advantage, jumped to a tree, and hid there.

“Where’d she go?”

“She’s around here still. Watch my back.”

I was right when I said to myself that this is going to be an intense night. Even though I really liked this skirt, ripping the sides of it was definitely the right decision.

Watching each other’s back was a good move. But they forgot another angle to look out for. I jumped from the branch and landed in between them.

One of them noticed, turned around and aimed to shoot me. But I easily kicked him first before he can pull the trigger.

The other one finally realised and turned to shoot me. A bullet whizzed by as I ducked, grabbed his gun, and punched him right in the face causing him to flew back subsequently knocking him out unconscious.

I then aimed at the guy that I kicked who’s trying to get up.

“Don’t try anything funny. Leave your gun on the ground and raised your hand!”

He complied with no resistance.

However something ominous is approaching him from behind. I can see quite clear despite in the dark because I’m a vampire. And yet, I still doubted what I saw.

The thing has brown fur all over it, sharp claws, and mouth with rows of intimidating teeth. I then realised what it is.

“You know what, forget what I said. Pick your gun up again!”

“Huh?”

The beast then stood on it’s hind legs.

“Just do it and get over here!”

He then turned around.

“What are yo—“

He managed to jump back and barely dodged the claws. But the revolver is now irretrievable.

“A grizzly bear?”

I shot the air to deter it. But it’s no use. It then growled, so I shot at it’s chest. But it withstood it.

“You! Carry him on your back, let’s run!”

Right on cue, the bear then charged at us as we ran from it.

The battle between Marshall and Leon is continuing in the forest that’s only lit by the moonlight and the muzzle flash of their guns.

Ammunition is running low, but he’s also the same.

He’s hiding behind a rock. Is he going to peek from the left? Or right? I ignored those two options and predict he’s going to peek above the rock.

And my bet was right. I shot preemptively and the bullet hit his left shoulder the moment he peeked. 

“I underestimated you Marshall,” he shouted.

“And it’s going to be your downfall!”

“You’re right. That’s why I wont hold back anymore. Screw bringing you alive, I’m just gonna kill you tonight!”

I then ran to lure him out. He unexpectedly pulled out his other revolver, left his rifle and shotgun that’s both out of ammo behind, and ran after me.

What follows after is a fierce back and forth of gunfight that echoed throughout the forest. He’s no longer intend to conserve his ammo as he chased me with guns blazing.

A bullet hit my left side. I return fire and grazed his right thigh. It was enough to caused him to trip and fell on the ground.

I used the opportunity to ran ahead, gaining distance. The forest then cleared as I came across a river with gravels on it’s bank.

As the wounds starting to take a toll on me, I rested and leaned behind a boulder on the sloped riverside.

Holding it to try and stop the bleeding, a limping footsteps were heard from behind me.

He emerged from my left. We then aimed at each other at point blank. Still leaning on the boulder to help me stand, I shot him a question.

“Did you keep count on how many you had left in the chambers?”

“One, that’s going to be enough to kill you!”

“Quite confident. Me on the other hand, not so sure. But, I think it’s empty.”

“Only one way to find out.”

After that, both of us pulled the trigger. The sound of the gentle flowing river took the center stage, followed by dull metallic clicks, but no gunshots.

“I was right, mine’s empty.”

“Shit! I might ran out of bullets, but I’m not out of option.”

Despite limping, he charged at me with whatever energies he had left. But I easily kicked him back, using up the last of my strength. He fell to the ground. But, he didn’t try to get up.

“You’re definitely out of option now,” I declared.

“So I lost huh?” he said while laying on the gravels. “Tell me, did I make the wrong life decision? Was I blinded by rage?”

“I don’t know the answer to that. I chose to be a criminal to fulfill ambiguous ambitions. While you chose to be a bounty hunter simply to exact revenge. Both of them are quite selfish in it’s own right.

“If you think it’s the wrong decision, mine's also wrong. But if you think it’s right, then so is mine.”

The bleeding has somewhat stopped, but the pain is still pretty much there. I then took a deep breath and put on a little smile

“Either way, it doesn’t matter. What matter is now Leon, you live in the present. Think about what you’re gonna do about your future instead of what you did in the past.”

He then chuckled.

“I’m such an idiot aren’t I?”

However, the calm atmosphere's suddenly gone. A shout came from the opposite direction.

“MARSHALL!”

Lily called out while running towards me. Also running beside her, is one of Leon’s friend carrying the other one on his back. However, an angry grizzly bear is chasing them from behind.

She then threw a revolver at me.

“There’s two bullets left in there!”

Caught it with my right hand, I then quickly aimed, and took a shot. The bullet hits the bear’s left ear.

“Idiot, you missed!” Said Leon.

“Nope, that’s exactly where I aimed.”

The bear then growled in pain. Scared for it’s life, it turned the other way.

“You guys okay?”

“It’s all thanks to you, it’s really weird thanking the guy you caught the afternoon before.”

“Don’t mention it. So, whatcha gonna do now Leon?” I asked.

“Go back to my hometown I guess, it’s been a long time after all.

“I see, good for you.”

I then turned to Lily and smiled.

“Well, let’s go then Lily!”