An Annoying stop

Year: Unknown

I enter the gates with nothing but my horse and my hat. I see only a dozen or so buildings one of which is bar, I make my way to it. As I tie my horse down I see few people, they don't stare but they also don't keep their eyes to themselves. I get the feeling that people don’t pass through here often.

As I enter I hear a chorus of grunts and moans, the bar tender, without looking up, asks " What would you like?”

I slowly walk toward him and respond “ whatever is cheap”

I sit down and he hands me a mug of something not quite yellow but not quite brown. I look at him and he says “You asked for cheap, not good”

I shrug and slug it down, I’ve had worse.

Halfway through my drink, a large fellow with two clear lackeys approach me. The large one asks “What are ya doin here stranger”

The two men beside him giggly furiously for no apparent reason.

I size up the man, clearly a few inches taller and wider than I am, yet I get the sense he has a louder bark than a ferocious bite. The two men behind him look similar, balding, red eyes, few teeth, they look halfway to death.

I respond simply “Just looking for a drink and a bed”

The two men go silent, and the large mans face grows annoyed, “Well, you can’t find it here. You can finish your drink, but theres no beds left in this town”

“Fine, the ground will do”

“Nope, that ground is for walking. Leave”

“Why? Have I offended you?”

A smirk rises on the mans face“As a matter of fact yes, your birth, your existence offends me, now leave before I stop being nice”

I turn, look him dead in the eye and say “Fuck off, and let me finish my drink. If it bothers you so much I will leave after. I don’t have it in me to fight the three of you”

“Fine, one drink then you leave”

The three men walk away, sit at a nearby table and stare.

I simply ignore them, they aren't worth the trouble. Although, out of curiosity I ask the bartender “Who are those bastard?”

He responds, " The one in the middle is old Ragefellar, the two men beside him aren't anybody. They just stand there and laugh, or get beaten when Ragefellar is in a mood.”

I ask, “Well why does he act like he runs the place?”

“Well he basically does, he came here a few years ago. Killed our sheriff and the other police. He does what he wants now. No one gets hurt as long as they don’t talk back. I wouldn't worry to much, just finish your drink and leave”

I look back at Ragefellar, he's still staring although now he has a crazed smile and his two men have disappeared.

I eventually finish my drink, thank the bartender and start to walk out. I get outside, my horse is gone. I hear the bar doors open, I turn around and suddenly a boot kicks my face in and I land square on my ass. Ragefellar stands before me, “Well ain't that a shame, your horse ran off. Well, better start walking I guess”

I stand, and for a moment I ready myself to fight, but Ragefellar has hiS two lackeys and all three have their guns drawn. I quickly give up. I turn and start walking.

As I near the edge of town there is a long stretch of land with nothing occupying it. Without my horse I am certainly dead. As I stop to ponder my options a child runs up to me. He is wearing ragged and worn out clothing but looks decently healthy. He comes in close and whispers “Follow me”

The kid runs off and I follow. He leads me to a small home barely inside the town. I enter cautiously, a skinny man and who I presume to be his wife greet me.

" My name is Vincent and this is my wife Abigail, I see my son has brought you at the perfect time. You would have surely died out there.”

“I agree, my name is Dante, My horse was stolen from or quite possibly killed by Ragefellar”

“Ahh.. do not worry, they would not have killed your horse. Horses are far to valuable to kill. They likely have it stored somewhere. You can rest here for the night. We don't have much in terms of food, but we can give you what we can spare”

“Thank you kindly”

As the sun set, I rested on the floor by dying candle light. I was determined to get my horse back and tomorrow I would figure out how.

I woke to find the house empty. I stepped outside, the family were praying. I thought it best not to interfere. I don’t believe in anything, but its none of my business to take away anyones belief.

When they came inside I asked them questions about Ragefellar. They told me where him and his men stay, where they usually go and what it is they do in this town. Apparently all they do is drink and take any woman they seem fit. Their schedules are scattered, but one thing they do without fail is the weekly tax. Every Monday they go to every home and take all they can from the families. They don't pay for drinks or women, so it is presumed they want the money simply to have it.

Today was the day they collect. And so to do myself and the town a favor, I decided to kill Ragefellar. The plan was simple, they come to collect, they open the door and I shoot them dead. And so, when a knock came at the door I opened. It was Ragefellar and his lackeys. I shot my gun directly in his face and quickly got the lackeys as well. Quite simple really, I dragged them far from the house to where the buzzards could pick on their dead and drying corpses.

I thanked the family for the hospitality and they refused to accept any thanks as they hugged and thanked me for saving the town. I gave them hugs and went back to the bar. I walked in, the bar tender without missing a beat gave me the same drink as yesterday and asked " So, they dead”

“Yep, and this still tastes like shit”