Legend
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“Don’t let em’ get me!” When I was a boy, my Ma had a horse whose leg fell into a Gopher hole, snapped clean in half. It suffered before we put it down, but the sounds it made were still more pleasant than this. That high pitch screaming is my partner Jonah. Most men are quick with their tongue, their gun or their feet. Jonah is quick with all three, which gets us in trouble from time to time.
“Just keep running!” I shouted. Normally it was law trouble, which made sense since we’re outlaws but today our trouble was different. Right now we’re hauling ass to the saloon because a posse is after us.
“What the hell is happening?” Jonah asked. His pistol flung back and sent lead into the pack of men that were on our tails like coyotes in heat. I fired my six shooters, pulled the hammers back and repeated. The bullets tore through dusty tattered clothes and burrowed into their bodies. One bullet went through the metal of a sheriff’s badge. It was the second hole placed in that badge, but this bullet didn’t send him to the tall man or give him a nice photo for his wife to remember him by. No, that sheriff kept on racing toward us, like he was a wolf leading his pack on a hunt. He was driven, much like he was fourth months ago, when I first killed him. We pushed through the Saloon doors and tossed two tables up against it. Then we went for the grand piano for good measure before I heard a husky voice say,
“The hell are you doing?” My head spun around to Old Roy, the owner of the overpriced hole.
“We got a posse after us!” Jonah shouted.
“No shit. For a hanging? What you boys do?” Roy asked.
“Not, that kind of posse.” I said.
“What other kind of posse could it be?” Roy asked. We all gathered together and Roy got an eyeful from the window. He scratched his scalp for a moment before shouting,
“Raven! We got coffin riders.” He turned to look at us. “Which one of you idiots pissed in a graveyard?” He asked. I looked at Jonah and he shook his head.
“Not a fan of graveyards, I don’t like to see a dead body more than once.” I replied. Roy rubbed his chain and then sighed,
“No graveyard…” he put his finger up and smiled, “y’all boys been pissing on Indian skulls?” He asked.
“No!” We shouted in unison. Roy shrugged and turned back toward the bar.
“Well that’s all I got. Last time I seen a Coffin Rider was when I let the snake out in an Indian graveyard.” Roy said. A long black haired woman with sunkissed caramel skin walked in. She beelined to the window.
“Damn it Roy!” She hollered.
“Wasn’t me! They’re after them idiots.” Roy replied. The woman looked over at us and then back at Roy.
“Graveyard?” The woman asked.
“Nope, but I think they’re lying.” Roy replied.
“We haven’t pissed on anything. I swear ma’am.” I said. The woman laughed and looked back out the window.
“I ain’t no ma’am and you did something. Because they’re coming for ya.” She said.
“This is Raven, she’s a Indian on her Ma’s side.” Roy said and Raven rolled her eyes.
“You’re being hunted by Coffin Riders...Or better put the living dead.” Raven said. “Coffin Riders are used as punishment for the disturbance of a tribal ancestor.” Raven said. She folded her arms over her chest, “They’re coming for you.”
“Last time we were anywhere near a red skin was three days ago and I swear to you, we ain’t disturb nothing.” I said. “Right Jonah?” It only took a moment of silence for me to realize what was going on, I tossed my sun beaten hat to the floor and shouted, “Goddamnit Jonah!”
“I didn’t know.” Jonah said.
”What did you do?” Raven asked. Jonah pulled out an old leather necklace with a black and white feather attached. “That’s a chief’s feather.” She said, I looked out the window at the posse, they hadn’t tried to storm the building. They stood still, staring at me through the glass. I could see the bullet holes that put them down the first time, hell a good amount of them holes were put there by me.
“I’m sorr-“ Jonah’s words were stopped by my fist greeting his jaw. He tumbled to the floor and I rolled my eyes,
“So how do we stop this?” I asked.
“You don’t. Your time is up. They’re coming.” Raven said softly. I shook my head,
“Bullshit, Roy said…” I pointed at the bar but Old Roy was nowhere to be found. “Where did he…” I spun around to look for Jonah but he was gone. My gun sprung from my hip and I aimed it right at Raven’s head, “What kind of witchcraft is this?” I shouted and she smiled. It started small and then grew into a conniving grin.
“They’re here!” Raven hollered and the Saloon doors shot open. The posse filled the room and were upon me. Teeth tearing away at my skin, blood running like a river along the floor. I screamed and then I heard the sweetest voice call my name.
“Billy, wake up.” She said. I shot up in a cold sweat, with only the candle shining to show Maria’s face. “You were having a nightmare.” She said softly.
“It felt real.” I said.
“I’ll get you some water.” Maria said.
“No, I’ll get it. A walk will clear my head.” I replied.
“What was it Billy?” Maria asked. I kissed her and pulled the sheet off of me.
“It was just a dream.” I said. The wood moaned under the weight of my barefoot and I was almost at the last step when I heard his voice,
“Hey, Billy,” I heard the gunshots before I felt the pain. Two shots in the dark and another outlaw was dead. I never thought anyone would remember me, but I guess you don’t know you’re a legend until after you're gone. Raven was right, my time was up.
