The Lone Wolf
It was a mid summer afternoon, James Tucker was in his carriage with his parents, Tom and Mary Tucker. Now Tom was a well off man, but made his money through hard work and dedication. Mary was his devoted wife and loved him very much. James was a young boy, merely seven years old. They were going back home, heading back out west leaving the city. Tom had to conduct some business and brought Mary and James along so they can see the sights, as it were. Now there were reports that savages had been attacking wagons. Also there were rumors that there were some renegades around, looting anyone and everyone they wanted, broke into 5 banks they did. Those there renegades were ones not to be trifled with, and no one really tried, valuing their lives over whatever they were asking for. Now the Tuckers, they were a nice family, would help out anyone and everyone they came across that needed it, even them there so called savages. Because of that they were well known and had many friends because of that. So there they were traveling back home, nearly two weeks of wagon travel and they were only a days away from their cottage. The first gun shot halted the carriage. The second was when Tom looked out the window to see what was going on; Tom didn’t come back through. At that moment Tom’s body went limp, Mary screamed. The door swung open and in the chaos another gun shot went off and Mary lie over James, lifeless. James was silent, frightened, and in shock. The bandits looted the carriage, taking everything that would have even the slightest value. James didn’t move he lay as if he too were shot. He lay there for two hours, when the carriage door was opened again. “Ayashe, are you in here?” came a voice James was familiar to. He looked up and saw Tala, a good friend to the family. James squirmed out of where he was and ran to Tala and hugged him tightly. “There, there Ayashe. Everything will be alright.” As James was reassured that it was him he began to cry, the last time James would ever shed a tear. Tala was a wanderer, separated from his tribe by his own choosing he has always been welcome back to his village. Instead he wanders trying to enlighten himself as well as trying to aid every living thing he could. He was dressed more like a cowboy then like an Indian. He had a rifle and two six-shooters. From that point on, Tala taught him the way of a gun fighter as well as the way of a hunter. Tala educated him in as many ways as he could and taught him how to use his mind in a fight. Before Tala died 7 years after he had picked up James, he told him the name of the bandits that killed his mother and father and the name group as well.
James, seemingly lost for a year, walked into a town early one day. Not paying much mind to the looks he received, he tied up his horse and walked into the local saloon. It hadn’t had time to begin to hustle and bustle still being early. James walked strait up to the bar tender, leaned over, and whispered something to him. After he had gotten a response he whispered something else. He turned and walked out, leaving some change on the counter for the barkeep. James disappeared for the day; no one knew where he went or what he was doing until the evening rolled around. He strolled back into town and tied up his horse again. This time there was loud noises coming from the saloon, clearly there were a lot of people inside and they were all having fun. James swung open the door to the saloon and walked in spurs jingling. His hat covered his eyes and his black trench coat seemed to have death within its folds. The crowed went silent and all eyes were on him. His hand made a quick motion from his waist and as he did, three other men from three different parts of the room pulled their guns; the rest had their hands on theirs. He didn’t even look up as he raised a match and a cigarette to his mouth. As everyone calmed down a bit, he walked in and found a seat at the bar. The bar tender, nodding to one of the men in the back, walked over to James. “I done what you asked sir. He said that he fears no man with no name and he’s in the back, looking at us right now.” The bar tender informed James.
“He’s directly behind us?” The young, yet beginning to coarse, voice came from under the hat, as he began to look up at the mirror behind the bar tender.
“Yes sir. Looking right at us.” He repeated.
“Good.” As he said that he spun around, his six shooters seemingly to just appear in his hands and fired off the first shot right into the man who was burning a whole through James’s back. When the others stood to get their guns each fell with another fire from James’s weapons. Once the last of the five men had fallen, and many other men having drawn their pistols, James rose up his voice, “I’ll be going now. I have no qualms with none ya’ll and I’m sure none you want to actually deal with me, so I’ll be on my way.” Everyone let him be as he left the saloon. He rode off and no one knew who he was. The people’s spirits rose when the news of the Rowdy Brothers being dispatched by a lone gunman.
Five year passed and James dropped off the face of the earth. He no longer existed to the world, as it were. In any case, a man walked into the same town that James was in five years ago; evening creeping up on it as if to take someone’s soul. He wore a brown leather cowboy hat with a black trench coat and nice looking white shirt. He held a tooth pick in between his teeth and had a shadow of a beard. As the people offered strange looks at the stranger, he rode up to the sheriff’s office and walked in. In a coarse voice he spoke, “You been having some problems with some men in town?” The sheriff eyeing the man up and down.
“Some, nothing that sever.” He replied.
“You’re being paid off aren’t you?” the man boldly said.
“How dare you come in here and accuse me of such a crime. I aught a…” he was cut off
“Aught a what? Shoot me? I wouldn’t advise it friend, for you’re not faster then a wolf.” The man replied with a smirk. The sheriff slightly taken aback.
“Get the hell outta my office, else I’ll lock you up you scumbag.” He snarled.
“I’ll be back sheriff. I’ll be coming for you too if you don’t change your ways.” The man warned. He left the office and walked into the tavern, which not many people were in. He looked around and saw a table of four men playing poker. One man stood out from the rest, wearing an all white getup, with gold in as many places as he could put on his clothes. The man walked up to the table and got all their attention by placing one of his six-shooters on the table, pointing it at the man in white. “Are you Larry McDonald?” he asked.
“Well who’s asking?” came a response and a laugh at the man.
“It’s the matter of life or death. Are you McDonald?” He said seeming to hold back anger, or rage.
“Well in the matter of life or death, then yes I am. What’s seems to be the problem?”
“You. I’ll give you three seconds to get your gun, for when I said it was the matter of life or death, I meant to be taking it.” McDonald with a look of shock and fear on his face sat motionless. “One…” At that sound he began to stumble for his gun. “Two…” he grabbed a hold of it and pulled it free. “Three…” as he finished counting he pulled the trigger once. McDonald looked at the man, bleeding from his stomach.
“I thought you said you’d give me three seconds.” He complained.
“I never said I wouldn’t shoot you, I just gave you the last three seconds of living.” He looked at the other men. “The Wolf has a fierce bite. Be honorable men and the Wolf will be an aid rather then death.” He turned to walk out, but one of the men was under McDonald and drew his gun as he rose to his feet. The Wolf turned around and shot the man in the chest making him stumble over his chair. McDonald was not a good man, by no means. He was the king of the gambling ring and had his own place where all it there was to do was gamble. He didn’t care whose money he took, and if you cheated, well he had you pistol whipped. Now there was a lot wrong here. He struck fear into some of the people, well most of the people. However, a lot of the people appreciated the fact that his “casino” was bringing in outsiders, for everyone’s benefit. The sheriff busted in the tavern and held his gun to The Wolf.
“What’s going on?” He inquired.
“Just doing what was right.” He replied. When the sheriff saw the two dead men, he took The Wolf under custody. “Hey sheriff, remember when I said that I’ll be back, and I would be coming for you?” he asked as they approached the office. “Well did you change? Are you a riotous man?”
“I ain’t needing no changing.” He responded as the entered the office. By this time there was a small crowd.
“Well then I’m sorry sheriff.” He replied as they entered the office. He spun around and head butted the sheriff in the nose. Some of the crowd members ran in to help him. The Wolf was thrown in jail by three people form the crowd.
The next morning, they set up a hangman’s post. There was going to be a hanging that day, at least that what everyone planned for. The got Wolf up and brought him out. They set him on the platform and tied the rope round his neck. “This man is charged with killing two other men. He is also charged with assaulting an officer. What say you?” He turned to ask The Wolf.
“I am The Wolf. If you people stand idly by and watch criminal acts being taken place, in justices going unanswered, you are equally as evil as those men. If this town is evil then it will be destroyed.” At that the entire crowd was riled up, not a single one of the men, women, or children wanted to hear these insults; they wanted to see death before them. Oh they didn’t know what they were asking for with that. The Wolf looked around, twisted his foot as to produce a hidden knife located in his boot. He jumped up pulling his arms underneath him while in the air. He dragged the part of the rope binging that was between his wrists and broke the rope. With free hands, and the shock from all those around him, he grabbed the rope that led to his neck and flipped himself up to cut the rope with his feet. It took a second for everyone to come to their senses but once they did pistols were drawn. As the rope snapped, shots were fired. The Wolf rolled behind the Sheriff and stood up. He grabbed the sheriff’s firing arm and held it still. “Now, who dares shoot on me?” The women and children scattered at the sound of gun fire. “You chose the path you are on now and I will see that you take it.” At that sound he whistled. The horse he rode up on ran right towards the gallows. The people had to jump out of its way. As it climbed the steps, its powerful legs kicked down the hangman’s pole. The Wolf saddled up as the horse leapt from the platform and took off. That night would be the most horrible night for the town. You see, we’re just animals, and animals fear fire, it’s an innate sense. That night The Wolfe went around to each house, tracing a line of black powder to a small pile of hay located at the back of everyone’s house. As he lit the powder, he rode through the middle of town throwing Molotov cocktails into every other house. The goal was not to kill anyone, but to scare them out of their beds and into the streets. The Wolf waited for all the people to come out. From there he proclaimed, “I had felt mercy for you people, so I took your possessions instead of your lives. If anyone approaches the well, or attempts to put out the fires, you will be shot. Watch what you’re evil ways have produced. Change your ways now or I will return to finish that which I could not bring myself to do.” As the fires raged out of control, he rode off into the darkness.
News spread fast about the antics that the Lone Wolf was doing. Any and
all towns he could get to he could and purify it. He brought to the people hope
that there was good left in the world. Those who tormented the weak or prayed
upon them was met with a coffin and a blanket of dirt. Gangsters and bank
robbers were put to rest without hesitation. Those who still had a chance at
redemption were offered it before they got a taste of lead. The Lone Wolf
became a hero; kids were playing him in the streets and he was the talk of
every town. This didn’t give much hope for crime, corruption, of evil to
consume the hearts that were weak. Years went by, about twelve if I reckon.
Many gun fights happened, and the Lone Wolf was injured on countless occasions
but never life threatening, which I can’t say for the other guys. For some
reason he never took to a lady, he fancied them alright, but never interested
in being with ’em. Maybe he didn’t want to bring a child into a world he could
see falling into the darkness of evil. He did what he had to do, what his
purpose was. He may never have been happy; in fact I can’t remember ever
hearing about him smiling. One day, one unlucky day for the world, The Lone
Wolf was called out by the supposed quickest gun in all the
“Well then let’s see what you’ve got.” The two stared each other down. “Say when, pal.” He commented. The Wolf caught what Mad Man Sal’s eyes were doing. They were surveying. The Wolf began to grow nervous. He didn’t know how he was going to be able to stop someone else from getting shot, it never occurred to him to even think about it. He watched as Sal’s eyes zeroed in on one boy, probably about seven or eight years old.
“Let’s do it… NOW!” he shouted as Wolf already began his run toward the one child. The Wolf was shot in the back as he dove in front of the bullet to protect the little boy. He lay on his side, seemingly lifeless to everyone besides the boy. The Wolf looked up and smiled at the boy and gave him a wink. Mad Man Sal approached to check out his victory. When he was within ten paces of the Wolf, the Wolf rolled on the ground pistol in hand and placed a bullet right in Mad Man Sal’s left eye. The Wolf was put up in a room and asked only to be seen and visited by the boy whose life he had saved. I know the story of the Lone Wolf, also known before he became a purifier as James Tucker. I know his story for I was that little boy. James only told me the important parts of the story, the fighting against the corruption, against the growing evil in the people’s hearts, to give hope to the hopeless, to make believers out of the faithless, to bring the light of good into a rapidly descending world. He need not bother with the gun fights, they were of little importance. I could never amount to be what James was; I had no idea how to spread his spirit, his wish to this world. So the only thing I ask is when you live your life, go through with it with no hate, but love, and do not give in to the darkness that is consuming the world. Help those around you see the light even if it hurts their eyes, many can’t see the light anymore, blinded by the curtain of immorality. The rocking chair creaked back and forth.
“That was a good story grandpa.” Came a little girl’s voice.
“Yea I really liked the part where he escapes getting hanged.” Came an older boy’s voice.
“And what an ending!” a younger boy’s voice rose.
“Time for supper kids.” A mother called from behind the screen door the sun beginning to set. “You always seemed to tell wonderful stories dad. I’m sure they will grow up with your story carried in their hearts, your voice guiding them to do good.”
“I can only hope.” He said as he creaked back and forth.
‘My only wish is when you live your life, go through with it
with no hate, but love, and do not give in to the
darkness that is consuming the world.
Help those around you see the light
even if it hurts their eyes,
many can’t see the light anymore,
blinded by the curtain of immorality
and never turn away from them’
The
End