The Lone bandit

The mirage over the dry land reflected a blurry image of the bandit, on his horse. Moving slowly through the desert. Even though his journey was slow and looks like an aimless cruise, he was heading towards the nearby town. The sun was hot as red hot pig iron in the furnace; he and his horse seemed really tired. The last job that he pulled on a group to earn the precious gold has taken lot of energy, And the hot dry wind that was blowing with a sadistic whistling made the journey an excruciating ordeal.
To avoid the dust carried by the dry wind, he adjusted his hat, and kept his eyes half closed to get a clear image of the road, which made him look more furious, more thought full. The leather bag that he tied on the back of his horse was heavy and the very blood stained gold coins, which made the bag heavy was clinging with their metallic charm. His gun, with its barrel still hot from the last shooting, was hanging on his waist like a sleeping dragon.
His horse was tired just like him, still it’s head held high just like it’s master.
They set forth, towards the red hot sun, which was rising above the rocky mountain; they have to find a shelter before it’s afternoon. They followed the dusty path that went zigzag through the dry land shrubs.
********************
After a long journey, he has reached a shabby town. His horse neighed and wagged its tail while he stopped near a saloon bar in the town. He felt the pain shooting through his spine while he jumped off from the horse. He adjusted his, tied his horse to a pole nearby and pushed a bucket of water for it to drink with his legs. The horse smelled the water and reluctantly started drinking it.
He could hear the sound of wooden mug filled with fresh booze making a musical marvel along with people laughing and shouting in the bar, indeed a cheerful crowd inside. He took the leather bag from back of his horse and before hanging it on his shoulders, he opened the bag and made sure it had the coins. He Just ran his fingers through the gold coins, and while he enjoyed the metallic texture a small trace of smile was visible on his face.
He unbuttoned the gun pouch and made sure the weapon is fully loaded. Cautious with every step he just pushed open the feeble door of the saloon bar.
He stood at the door with his keen eyes inspecting every corner, every face and every look in their eyes.
The saloon immediately fell into a deep silence when they saw the man standing at the door, wearing the dusty Stetson hat, a cigar half done and crushed between his teeth, with fingers resting on the gun handle that was lying silently in the unbuttoned pouch as if waiting for a wake up call; the blood stained leather bag hanging on his shoulder. And more over with that infamous, intense look in his eyes.
The posters that were on the wooden walls of the bar, with his sketch and that offer a handsome reward to those who catch him, dead or alive, added tension to the situation.
He slowly entered the saloon bar, with his intense eyes still inspecting every corner. The saloon bar was just a shabby looking old bar, with some cheap wooden furniture, the local cowboys and villagers who enjoy to the cheap drink served there were the only customers. They were looking nowhere else but the newcomer, and the bar just dropped into a stand still situation. He spat the cigar out and walked in to the bar. There was only a rhythmic metallic sound the eight splintered rowels on his boots made, except for that everything was quite. He chose to sit on the third row, nearby the wall so that he can rest his head on the wall for a bit.
He kept his cap on the table, and while slowly wiping the dust off from his hat, he just gestured the bartender, who was looking at him with at most anxiety, to bring drink.
The bartender a middle aged man without taking eyes off from the unexpected unwanted customer opened the tap of the old oak wood barrel filling the wooden mug with pleasant smelling beer.
Meanwhile, the bandit looked at the poster on the wall, it was a fresh one, with a revised reward amount. The reward amount was very attractive, he felt a self-satisfaction about it. Looking into the eyes of people sitting in the bar and hearing the mumbled voices whispering his name, he understood they are expecting something bad to happen, most of them without even finishing their drink were getting ready to leave, but some of them were curious to watch the situation or were so panicked, they seemed to be in a dilemma whether to leave or not.
But he was in no mood for a scene unlike many other bandits who just scare the shit out of people for gaining “reputation” and “credibility” of a bad ass bandit, he never liked that idea, he was confident in his own skills. He is one of the most feared gunslinger, and he doesn’t have to prove it anywhere. All his robberies were carried out alone, he doesn’t have a gang, he was better on his own. Even the most feared and most dangerous gangs of the west feared him, there are incidents where in he robbed some of such robber gangs. The gold that was there in his bag, with that blood stains, not even the biggest bandit gangs would have scored that much of Fortune in just one job. And that’s why they called him “Wyatt, the lone bandit’.
Wyatt slowly teared off a piece from reward poster on the wall, slipped his fingers into the shirt pocket, pulled out one small packet of tobacco. He crushed the tobacco in his hand and spread it on the paper, and carefully rolled it into a cigarette.
With that cigarette held between his fingers, he looked at the table on his right side, a group of villagers were sitting there with a terrified look in their eyes. He didn’t utter a word, one man, white haired and wearing a round hat came to him with a match box in his hand. Wyatt just put that cigarette in his mouth and sat there looking at that frightened man, who with his shivering hands lit the cigarette for bandit. He left that match box on the table and slowly walked backwards to his table without taking eyes off from Wyatt.
Wyatt took a long drag from the cigarette, the smoke gave a strong sting to his dried up mouth and windpipe. He wanted something to wash it down, very badly. He looked at the bartender, who was looking at him with a cold look. Wyatt was bit astonished by that expression had never seen someone look at him, that daring. He gave an intense look to the bartender, who gave him such look in return for certain seconds and immediately cut off the eye contact kept the mug filled with fresh beer on the counter table.
“Interesting”, Murmured Wyatt to himself, closed his eyes and took another long drag from the cigarette, and while he slowly exhaled the stingy smoke through his mouth, he opened his eyes slowly to find this amazing girl, with her flaxen hair, brown eyes and beautiful smile looking at him with the beer mug in her hands.
Wyatt was experiencing something that he has never experienced before, yes he had Known the spicy pleasures in his never ending journey, yes he has seen women who are like angels. But this girl, it was her eyes her smile, he has never seen ever in his life.
He has seen eyes that were scared, smiles that were frustrated, eyes that were crying and smiles that were painful. But never something so genuine, he was wondering if he had seen anything so good, anything so simple; but in-depth and vast in detail.
Like a moonshine that was smooth yet strong, her smile hit his head, he was looking at another man, another strange being of himself he has not realized that he had in him.
She kept the beer mug on the table and while slowly wiping the spillage with a cloth that she pulled out from her apron pocket she raised her and smiled at him.
He put out the cigarette as a gesture of respect for the lady, who has amazed him with her charms.
“May I know your name, sweet heart?” He asked her with his husky voice, and that was the first time people in that room heard his voice. He stared at her with his intense look while asking her the question, to make her uncomfortable; for that was the only thing he knew he could do better, all these years of being a bandit has taken away even the last fragments of goodness from him.
“Esther ,Esther Obadiah.. you can call me Esther… “
She said with a charm adding up to the astonishment of Wyatt.
“And you know who I am… I suppose” Wyatt had this dead husky voice.
“Yes. I Know I am the one who helped them, the lawmen to put up those . The fresh ones, came just 3 days back” She had an unintentional innocence and an elegant dare in the way she answered, while pointing to the posters around.
There was an unrecognizable feeling that Wyatt felt, was it admiration? Anger? Fear? He was not sure; he was just dazed at that moment.
He couldn’t hide the surprise, the curiosity that slowly took form in his eyes while looking at Esther walking towards the next table, to serve the other customers.
He took a sip from the drink and he could feel it burn everything that came in its way, while moving towards his gut.
And while the drink’s soul was on the way to his brain, he started to plan his further journey. He found himself tired, and weak. This town is just another place where there are no threat from bandits or other outlaws; they might pass through the town but hardly make a stop. There is nothing much here for someone to rob and the law men won’t make any surprise entries to such places, just waste of time for them. The civil war has added up number of bandits, those who have lost everything finds no other way to survive and amateur outlaws are there in every corner, easy to catch and easy to kill. Lawmen are more interested in them nowadays Wyatt planned to take a shelter there. Next day morning he could start early and cross the border by night.
“Hey girl” his voice raised along with his hand, he just gestured her to his table.
“We serve customers who are rich with respect” she told without looking at him, while pouring booze into the mug of another customer, the mug was shaking and that man had a frightened look in his face. He was looking at her with eyes wide open, and she just smiled at him.
Wyatt was taken back by this reply; it took him some time to realize what has just happened. One girl, who is not even armed, not even touched a gun or taken a life, is replying to Wyatt, Wyatt the lone ranger in such a tone?
He sat there just staring at the mug amazed by the strangeness of the moment, usually under such circumstances his gun would have moved around his forefinger once, and made a stop while he jump up to point it on the target and shot the cartridge out with a banging sound. But to his surprise he found himself sitting there still looking at the mug; he couldn’t even feel a tint of anger in his mind. His mind was empty, there was a tension rising among them, the other crowd of the saloon. No one was uttering a word, they were even conscious about their breathing, for the sound may irk the lone bandit.
Meanwhile Esther was just walking around, floating in eyes of Wyatt, with bottle of cheap whiskey.
“Esther….”
Wyatt looked at her for certain seconds and called her name, trying to make it sound as polite as he can with immense difficulty.He wanted to see how long this goes.
She smiled ear to ear and looked at him with an admiring surprise…
“ Yes Mr. Wyatt” she asked while smiling at him.
The warmth of the moment was melting him, he felt a heaviness in his heart.
“Can I have some whiskey…..” he asked trying to hide the unrecognizable emotions that was there in his voice.
…. “Please?” He added.
“Sure… “ she came to him.
In a small glass she carefully poured the whiskey, and gracefully smiled at him while keeping the glass in front of him.
He tried to smile back, but his face muscles had forgotten how to smile Long back, he smiled with his heart… after long time.
“You have a lodge I guess. “ He asked Esther,
“ Yes we do… “
“ I am bunking, here tonight, “
The moment he told that a cold breeze came through the window all others in the saloon let out a sigh of relief.
Esther’s eyes were glittering with ineffable joy.
“Well Mr.Wyatt, you have made an excellent choice, this breeze will bring rain… Summer Rain..” she was almost dancing when she told the words.
Wyatt was still not clear, he had a blank look on his face as usual.
“ I guess … I guess you didn’t understand, tonight there will be a festival, small one but memorable indeed. We are welcoming the summer rain.”
Her enthusiasm made Wyatt feel the same about the summer rain. Esther’s flaxen hair was glowing in the sunlight sneaking through the wooden wall and flowing in that breeze with a joyful rhythm. Wyatt felt he was floating along with each word, each gesture, and smile of Esther.
He sat there looking at her, he forgot about himself for a moment. Suddenly he startled, woke up from his daydream as if something has something struck him.
Involuntary his hand moved to the gun, as he was assuring it was still there. Then he took the whiskey glass in hand and gulped it in in shot. The Smokey flavor of that cheap drink was clearing clouds in his head.
He knew he cannot afford to be a daydreamer, a nice person or a lover.
He then finished off his beer with a large slurp, and stood up on his feet. He wanted to get a peaceful sleep.
“I guess this will cover it” He said coldly, while He took a gold coin from his satchel and tossed it on the table, he didn’t wait for anyone to escort him to the lodge, still the other people in the bar were quietly watching him Walk out.
“I will feed your horse, and tie it in the shade” Esther was calling out behind Wyatt. He didn’t acknowledge her, instead he walked toward the lodge.
The lodge was empty as he expected, but it was kept well, except for the wooden walls and floor which has lost their charm long back.
He found a room which had window facing the dry mountains, he decided to hit the bed.
_____________________________________
At first Wyatt thought that the villagers had alarmed the sheriffs, when he suddenly woke up from his sleep after he heard a gun fire, followed by more firing sounds. He swiftly grabbed his gun and took cover near the window, then he slowly moved the curtain with his gun barrel and peeped outside. He could see people gathered together, and every one had a smile on their face. A festive mood.
He heard a footsteps approaching him and he suddenly turned his head towards the room door, projecting his gun as a potential threat for the intruder.
It was Esther.
She was clearly startled, seeing Wyatt pointing a gun at her.
Wyatt exhaled with bit of distress
“What is it?” he asked Esther who was still staring at him with a frightened look in her eyes.
“would… would you like to jj..join us?” She somehow asked him while she looked at the gun and his face.
He nodded his head, and kept the gun back in his waist pouch. He really didn’t want to disappoint her but he knew his presence would kill the festive mood.
“No” he said in his usual harsh voice and waved her off.
She stood there for certain minutes looking at him, while he sat on his bed looking out of the window and rolling another cigarette. He could sense her standing there and he gave a furious look over his shoulders.
She slowly walked away.
The crackers were bursting again and the fireworks seemed like different colored thunders and the curtains were changing colors with the fireworks. The shadows on the wall danced to the country song, along with the banjo strings.
He could hear the crowd cheer and there were mumbled talking. They are inviting the summer rain, the rain will be here soon.
As he still on the bed, watching and listening to the festive mood, he started to think about happiness. People are finding happiness in summer rain, they celebrate and welcome summer rain, which according to him was really strange.
The people outside there, the peasants, the laborers’, the old, the poor.. those people are happier than Wyatt, who has the satchel of gold that could end their all of their financial problems and still have something left. He is rich than any if them, but none of them tried to attack and take that away from him. As a matter of fact, it was like they have forgotten that they have an uninvited guest staying in their neighborhood lodge.
He contemplated about the strangeness and the occurrence of those odd events for a while. Then he stood up looking out of the window, looking at the festival.
The high enthusiastic rhythm of the festival went Certain notes down, the moment his splintered boots entered the scene.
He didn’t mind the crowd, who moved out of his way when he walked toward s the table that was set outside and Esther was standing there to serve liquor. He took a glass filled with whiskey, and turned his gaze toward the crowd, who’s celebration just got a shadow of fear lurking over them.
“So you have decided to come… Thank you for joining us” Esther told.
“ I couldn’t sleep, with all this noise, “ He didn’t wanted her to think he had accepted the invitation.
He stood there looking at them dancing, to the country music. The singer had a great voice and rhythm. Wyatt wanted to be alone for a moment, he never felt such a melancholy before.
He walked towards the barn with whiskey glass in his hand and sat on a rock facing the open land…Faraway under the stars he could see the mountains…the sky was full of stars and the moon was peeping out of clouds now and then. He, for his surprise started to enjoy the beauty of the moment.
He was not sure how long he sat there, thinking about things he has never thought about before. There were no sound of fireworks, or loud cheers any more, Just some villagers here and there talking and having drinks. The celebrations were almost ending; but the banjo player kept singing.
“Mind If I sit here” It was Esther, she came and sat on the rock near him. Even before he could answer.
He looked at her for a while and turned his gaze to the distant view of mountains touching the Star filled sky.
They both sat there without talking, for a long time.
“ Oh. . And he swam swam swam…Billy the fish, looking for what he was longing for…
He swam in rounds, he swam in deep and he swam to the height
And they could hear him sigh.
All my efforts in vain….
He sang in pain.
Ohh .. Billy the fish… will he find what he longing for …”
Sang the banjo player in a very charming voice.
“What’s he singing bout?” Wyatt’s voice was cold and he asked still gazing to the eternity.
“It’s about Billy the fish… the golden fish”Esther was surprised that Wyatt didn’t know the story of Billy the fish.
“ Billy the fish”? Wyatt asked but there was no curiosity present in voice, just a blunt tone.
“Yes.. would you like to hear his story?”
Wyatt didn’t answer her question.
“I will take that as yes… it’s a folk story my mom told me. There was this fish, Billy. He was the most beautiful fish that one could ever find. A golden fish” she stopped for a moment to make sure Wyatt was listening, even though he was not showing his interest in the story, he was interested and listening.
She continued
“He was bought by a rich man, who has paid a fortune to get him. And he displayed Billy to his guests. Billy would swim around, in the small glass jar, He would dive in deep and hit his nose, he swims to the sides so fast, hit the glass and swim back slowly… and his owner thought Billy was happy. “Look at him, naughty Billy playing” he would say.” Her tone was slowly changing into a melancholy.
“But Billy was not happy, he was swimming without rest because he wanted to get out of the jar, even Billy didn’t know what he wanted he just knew he has to swim.”
When she looked at Wyatt he was in deep thought, she could see him listening to the story with the heaviness it carried between the lines.
“And one day… one day he decided to stop his swimming. And he just died. But he had a big smile on his face, like he has found what he was looking for…” she ended the story with a real feel to it.
“Ohh Billy..ohh Dear Billy.. so bright and so calm…
With that charming smile ..
on his face
ohh poor Billy hope you found what you lost.
Ohhh poor billy hope you are looking at
what you were longing for ..” The banjo played ended his song.
Wyatt let out a sigh and looked down.
He turned to Esther “That was a nice story” his voice had a tint of emotion.
“Yes it is…” Esther told, with a smile.
Wyatt gazed into her eyes for a while and asked “How did you know? How did you know me?”
“I don’t know; I just knew… when I saw your eyes, in the posters, I could see you. “she was telling the truth. Even she was wondering how she dealt with him.
“You never knew. you are someone who can enjoy a story or the stars because you were running and never stopped.” She added.
Slowly the stars were fading and the sky changed its color. He must start before it’s bright.
He stood up and was about to walk towards the lodge.
“ I guess it’s time .. I will bring your horse. “she told him
“ Zed.. I call him Zed..”
“ Oh.. Zed.. nice name. he is there near your lodge I will bring him while you pack”
While walking, Wyatt took his gun to make sure it’s loaded. It was an old habit and he couldn’t resist doing it.
“It’s dusty, I can clean and put some grease in it if you want.” She offered him.
He thought for a while and handed over the gun to her after taking out the cartridges.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
He was waiting on Zed, while she bought the weapon to him. He took it from her and inspected it. The handle and the barrel was shining, as she cleaned it with oil. He flipped it once in his hand and it was more smooth and quick than before.
“Thank you.”. he told while loading the gun.
He then took two gold coins from his satchel and offered her.
She just looked at the shining coins and smiled, “Well. the coin you gave covers it all” she told.
He was not surprised for he knew there are things he is yet to understand.
He touched his Stetson hat, and nodded as a gesture of farewell.
“Farewell “.. she told
Wyatt rubbed on the ribs of Zed, who was now kicking in the ground impatiently. Zed was fully charged and ready to explore the road
“Easy my… boy . And hoooot” Wyatt’s voice echoed in the shabby building walls of that Town.
And Zed took off with great energy and immense speed. The road was getting brighter and beautiful.
Wyatt was happy for unknown reason; he was smiling from his heart visible on his face.
The sun was rising above the mountains, and they were far from the town.
“Oh. . And he swam swam swam…Billy the fish, looking for what he was longing for… “
Wyatt was singing as he and Zed was approaching their destination.
Suddenly, Wyatt could see dust rising from the sides and he knew what it was…. The Sherriff’s, they are approaching and unusually they were more in number. When the dust cleared he could see a group of them charging towards him with their guns raised and they fired warning shots.
And from the sides they were approaching in stage coaches. It was a trap; they are prepared to catch him that’s why they are more in numbers. They have planned the encounter.
But Wyatt had seen even worse, the sheriffs did an idiotic mistake of letting him know they are approaching from this far. It will take some time for the stage coaches to reach Wyatt and the horse mounted ones were foolish enough to launch a full frontal attack on Wyatt, so soon. He can take down the front row of those sheriffs, and the others who follow them will find it difficult to ride between the falling troops and cannot aim chances are more that even they might even trip and fell on the fellow troopers. And their flank attack plan, the stage coaches are still far to be doing any good to them. That’s when Wyatt can keep charging forward and be long gone before they can even figure out what just happened.
“Zed.. ready my boy. …. Aaand charge” Wyatt shouted order to Zed. Who then picked up immense speed. Wyatt made sure he is in the range where his firing can hit the sheriffs, who were firing at Wyatt but were losing the aim.
Wyatt kept his gun ready, flipped it once and pulled the trigger, not once but thrice. and that just happened in fraction of seconds.
But the gun didn’t fire!!!
Its hammer seems to be jammed…
He could hear the sound of guns and a burn on his chest. He was dangerously nearing the rangers.
Understanding the situation, Zed jumped up, raising his front legs, to protect his master from the bullets
“No Zed”.. shouted Wyatt , but it was too late. Zed got shot and they both fell on the ground.
The Sherriffs we’re slowing down as they wanted the stage coaches to be there and give them back up. Even though they were positive that they got Wyatt; they were still afraid of him
“That was not required you fool… “Wyatt scolded Zed in a painful moan.
Zed was trying to wake up but he couldn’t, Wyatt crawled to him, picked up the gun and lied on his back, resting his head on Zed.
He then inspected the wound, it was not looking good. He could feel tiredness and his chest was heavy, he could hardly breath.
He took a deep breath and looked at his gun, that weapon had never betrayed him and he was sure there was something else wrong.
He closely inspected it. and he found it, under the hammer of the gun, a small piece of dough.
Skillfully hidden, and when the trigger is pulled even though the hammer moves it’s not having the full action, it stops in the middle and won’t hit the projectile with enough force.
“Oh.. Esther …” he said looking at that dough, not in despair, not in anger but in gratitude.
He smiled, closed eyes and lied down for a while.
He could hear them the group of bounty lawmen getting closer by.
“Well ..my boy. Let us not go down like .. let us not make this look easy… ,hooot ” Wyatt told in the Zed’s ears, who wagged his tail and slowly stood up with immense difficulty. Wyatt took out the dough that was jamming the gun, then pulled out a cigar from his pocket, lit it and took a long drag. Adjusted his Stetson hat and jumped up on Zed. He was humming” Billy the fish”
“Let us give them one last fight. a fight they remember” His voice was feeble but stern.
Zed once again raised on his front legs and neighed in a frightening way, landing on his front legs with a large thud.
“Hurray “Shouted Wyatt .. like a war cry, with the gun raised high up, flipped it swiftly it and started firing. This time the gun fired bullets, which were flying towards the surprised Sheriff’s.
He and Zed charged towards them, forgetting the pain… and tiredness. For they knew that was their last fight and it better be good.
************************************
Esther could hear the sound of the guns roaring, far away and she knew she did the right thing. Wyatt the lone bandit is free now and that’s the maximum she could do as she loved him; she has let him free.

