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I'M FUCKED. Completely screwed, and not in that fun breasts bouncin' up and down sweat stingin' your eyes kind of way. Although I may get that too if I don't do somethin' quick. There are too many of them, and I'm exhausted already. I spent the better part of six months trackin' that bastard Shaun Guiled, and not only have I lost him on the brightest moon I've ever seen in my life, but now I'm surrounded by a handful of savages. Ugh, totally fucked here, anyone around? Of course not, I work alone. Only way to do it and keep myself alive. Well, till now. What was that thing that jumped my ass? Wolf, bear? Whatever. I gutted it pretty good. Probably went off and died. Should go have a look if I get out of this mess. I need a distraction, if they rush me I'm in for it. I've heard the stories. No need to get a firsthand account. From a distance no one can’t tell, but if they get a hold of me... Well I don't want to think about that. Not right now. Maybe later if I survive.
My right hand's tore up, can't draw both guns. Shit! Damn it to hell! I pull my Colt from the left, pointin’ it at them. Their heads tilt and they laugh at me. Ugh, I hate it when people laugh at me. I pull back the trigger firin' to the air, their horses spook, and I haul ass toward the woods. Immediately I hear the sounds of hooves thunderin’ the cold hard ground. I'm not gonna be able to out run them, but maybe I can disappear into the trees. My legs are burnin', my head's swimmin' but I manage to make it to the woods. I spot what looks like a hollowed out log. Prayin' it's not a badger den I stuff my skinny ass in fast.
***
PHEW, WELL THAT WAS close. I lay in that log till the sun came up. Popped a squat on the other side makin' sure not to make much of a stink. Hehe. That badger I was worried about turned out to be a rabbit. Nothing like breakfast in bed. Anyhow, I’m what some would call a Bounty Hunter. I call it dishin' out justice and gettin' paid to put down animals that shoulda known better.
It's a good gig, and I'm pretty damn good at it. Better than slingin' dishes. My mamma was happy for the coins I sent her from that, but hoo, if she thought I wasn't in New Arizona bustin' tables she'd be mighty angry with me.
But I can't worry 'bout that, see mamma and daddy was killed by some of those rustlers heading out to California. It was a mess. The paper report said that a group of men entered the General Store and just shot up the place. But I've seen the real reports. The place was destroyed, tore up somethin' fierce. There were photos. Those photos told a more brutal story. Bodies piled up, blood and gore everywhere. Some of the women inside were brutalized beyond recognition. The owner’s wife lived, lucky they didn't see her. But she said she knows she done heard them talkin' 'bout California. Seems to have lost her little head about the whole thing. Ravin' about monsters and everythin'. I don't know about all that, but I know my information seems to be on par with her directions.
So I'm headed to California. I can't let what happened to my mamma and daddy go without retribution. I took on with some Bounty Hunters and have even made a bit of money and a name for myself along the way. The name Danny Johnston is known. That's a good thing, it keeps me left alone. No one goes against someone with a name for them self. Least not if they wants to keep breathin'.
A few months back I finally got a photo of the guys who did my mamma and daddy in. Now I know exactly who I'm lookin' for. And the rat bastard that I lost last night was one of 'em. I wasn't gonna kill 'im, just knock him 'round real good till he told me where his boss, Jimmy Deranged Straights was hidin'. He got that name because word is he's crazy as a fox in a hen house. I don't care if it's true or not. I'm gonna get him.
But I got nipped by somethin' big just before those Savage Wilds showed up. Not exactly sure what happened; one second I was barrelin' down on my guy then next my horse reared and off I went on my ass. Then this furry thing was on me, grabbed me and shook. Felt like it damn near tore off my hand. Though it looks pretty good compared to how it felt last night. Anyways I stabbed it with my big ole huntin' knife twisted and pulled, and growlin' it ran off. That was when I heard the other horses. Looked up and there were those savages just starin' at me. We know how that went. But what got me here? That's kinda long, but I'll make it short.
My mamma Purdy and daddy, Daniel Johnston, came out in sixty-five and started farmin' right away. My daddy was smart, he was fast too. Grew corn and raised horses. By the time I came along he had a good herd of them wild horses he caught and broke. They named me Danielle after him, mamma always called me that, but daddy called me Danny. Brought me up like the son they didn't have. Taught me to ride, hunt, fish the streams by our little house. House he built all by his self, well mamma helped where she could. Her Irish blood makin' her good and sturdy as my daddy always said. She tried her hardest to make a proper lady out of me. Twirlin' my red hair and making a fuss.
But it barely stuck. Unless pushed and pulled up into a corset I was skinny and shaped like a boy. I was always gettin' dirty and takin' off my dresses. Damn things were so tight. Never could understand how mamma could stand it. Runnin' 'round half naked of course caught the eye of the boy of the farm and cattle rancher who sometimes bought feed from my daddy.
Mike Whittler. He was a couple years older than me. Just eighteen, but doin' good. They lived spittin' distance away so if I climbed the big old climbin' tree and shimmied on to the tin roof I could see him when he was workin'. The hot sun made him shine like those golden wheat fields and he liked to work with his shirt off when he knew I was lookin'. And boy did I get scolded for that! I didn't care. Neither did he.
I told my daddy that I liked him and my daddy made that happen. The only thing that made me sad was that Mike wanted to go to the New Arizona Territory and make his fortune like everyone else. If we stayed he would get his daddy's ranch in time, and I wanted to stay in Neutah. But he wanted somethin' that could be just ours. I didn't get it, but my place was with my husband, so at sixteen I married Mike and off we went. It took some time to get there and it was lawless as all hell on the road but still, we were good.
It was scary but beautiful, the canyons were impressive, but the closer we got to Flagstaff the less I was impressed. I missed the Neutah Mountains. Snowcapped and tall, they were always sorta around. But not New Arizona, thought the colors of the soil made it interestin’ never seen something natural that was so red, ‘cept my hair.
Mike said he had big plans for us, that he wasn't gonna just be some ranch hand all his life. I didn't care what he did so long as we were together. But the work was scarce, and I started pushin' drinks and plates until he fell into a Marshall spot. It took him away a lot, but we lived comfortably. Workin' was nice, the clothes sucked, but I was a girl and needed to look the part. When I did, I made good tips. Which was helpful. But when I was home with Mike, he didn't care what I wore. Said he preferred me naked any day. He was good to me like that.
Then he didn't come home anymore. I got word that he had been shot accidentally and the infection got him. I mourned, was gonna go home, then I found out about my parents. There wasn't anythin' I could do about Mike. Accidents happen, but these robbers? I'm gonna catch 'em and I'm gonna get the bounty while makin' sure they don't hurt any more people. I packed up all my stuff that I thought I would need, including Mike's shotguns and colts. I don't know the caliber. I used to, but I was never interested in all that. I only cared that they shot straight and hit their mark when I used um. I chopped my hair to my shoulders, slicked it back under my hat. Slapped on some pants. See, this new west as they have been callin’ it is great if you're a man. Sucks to be a girl. Unless you can pass for a boy. I pass. Safest way to travel alone is to be a man. I may be young, and talk low, but I ain't stupid.
See, I know it's dangerous for a gal, even one as crafty as I, to be alone out here. Too many variables that could get ya killed. Too many lawless men roamin’ looking for a good squeeze. Done up this way I can hook up with others and ease my traveling burdens without any guff. That's how I got started collectin' bounties for cash. I'm real good with a gun, and even deadlier with a knife. It's been two years since then. Now I've got a real direction of where Jimmy and his crew is headin'. So I'm off to San Francisco Valley. He's supposed to be holed up there enjoyin' his money. Let him get nice and comfortable. He ain't gonna see me comin’. I just gotta sew up this hand and find my damn horse!
***
JUST MY DUMB LUCK. I come outta the woods and all I see is open spaces surrounded by red clay mountains. I'm somewhere at the beginnin' of San Gabriel Forest. Although now it stretches all the way to what my mamma's history books called Los Angeles. Here I am without any of my gear or my horse. Fuck. The forest spans for more than seventy miles before a township pops up.
It's damn stupid to lose your gear, even worse to lose your horse.
***
SO I'VE BEEN SITTIN' here for an hour or so. The sun's beatin' down on my hat, which I managed to find goin' back into the woods. I'm fixin' to start walkin' toward the forest again, when I look out over the horizon and spot somebody mounted with two horses comin' straight at me. I've wrapped up my hand which isn't really hurtin' too bad now, but I still can't really use it. I pull my colt, thankful Mike taught me to shoot with both hands. I miss a lot about Mike. Especially those broad shoulders and arms that used to eclipse me in bed. I'd kill for that right about now. I miss his smell, the soap he used left an earthy scent through our little apartment. So here I am waitin' on what's comin' at me. As the figures get closer I realize that this person's got my horse! I'm at once relieved and off put. Am I gonna have a fight to get him back or is this person gonna just hand me back my Blue?
“Looks to me like you've gone and lost something, son.”
A man's voice caresses my ears. Deeply resonating from his chest. I look up at him shieldin' my eyes from the sun. His face is tanned, and rough around the edges from not shavin' in a while. You can see where the sun is bleaching the gold hair there on his chin to a red, it is obvious to me he spent a lot of time out in the sun. Instantly I feel myself moved by him. But I have to keep myself to myself. There is no way of tellin' if he is gonna be friend or foe. Out here one easily becomes the other. I shift my stance, making sure I slouch just right to hide my girlish parts. Glad my top is dried and muddy as hell. Glad he called me son. Mostly.
***
“THAT'S MY HORSE AND stuff.” I don’t need to drop my voice as it's not particularly high, but I have to clear my throat as I haven’t spoken to anyone in about a month, unless you count Blue, my horse. I watch as he pats Blue on the side. The horse doesn’t seem to like him very much. Frankly, he seems spooked.
“Found him a few miles back, just wandering around. Figured he'd come in handy. You've got a lot of stuff here.” He seems to be sizing me up. “You can put that gun down, I'm not looking to poach your things. Although I do owe you some food as I scarfed down the hash you had in that pack.”
I hesitate a moment before puttin' my gun back in its holster on my hip, eyeing that the guns at his side are bigger. I hope I am doin' the right thing. “I'm guessin' you thought the rider was dead and all, can't fault ya for that.” I try an easy laugh, it sounds so artificial. I'm sure he notices. But doesn’t speak on it.
“Right, so you got a name son?”
“I do, if you do.” I answer matter of fact. Never can tell when you're gonna run into someone worth a dime. I make sure to get names before givin' them.
“Jake Dorsey, but friends call me J.D.” He takes off his glove and extends his hand. I lift mine showing a bloodied bandage.
“Sorry, can't shake. But I'm Danny Johnston.” Upon hearing my name Jake shifts in his saddle some. “From the New Arizona Territory?”
I nod.
Jake gets down without missing a beat. He towers over my five foot six frame. His large hand clasps my shoulder and I go for my gun as he pulls me in to a tight... Hug?
I freeze. Don’t know what to do; here I am in the middle of nowhere with some huge man huggin' on me! I panic, and knee him right in the balls. He hits the ground like a ton of bricks.
“Lay off mister!” I grumble, as he holds his boys rollin' over.
“I'm sorry, it’s just you took the bounty on Robert the Mauler Callahan. Shot him dead. Took his head.”
“What of it?”
“He terrorized my hometown Penchant Junction. It was a relief to a lot of people when his body came rolling into town. I wanted to thank you then, but you were gone faster than a jackrabbit being chased by foxes.”
“I see.” I push my hair back, fixin' my hat, with a short smile. “Sorry I nailed you, but you kinda deserved it. That was my personal bubble ya broke into.”
He stands up with my help, and laughs shortly. Being so close to him on purpose is nerve wrackin'. He has this scent that is drivin' me up the wall. Like earth and sweat, laced with a bit of tobacco. It is heavy but still a really good smell. When he looks at me sideway his steel gray eyes make my knees almost buckle. If this man wants to ravish me now I won't be at all imposed on. But he thinks I'm a man, one that he's got a revered respect for... This could be a problem.