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Post by Dale Harvey on Feb 2, 2008 1:21:58 GMT -5
Dale sat on his horse, looking out over the dusty road. It was time to get some extra cash and that meant so thieving. Easy as pie. He looked up at the hot sun and then back over the horizon. He was waiting for the signal from the others that something was coming what was worth robbing.
He lived for these moments. There was something freeing in life and death, like it didn't matter. He did this for him, no one else. He did it because he liked it. He loved how his heart pumped faster with the beating of his horses hooves as they made chase. But he never let this show on his face. He kept perfectly still, as if he hadn't a care in the world. It creeped people out some and that only made Dale do it more.
Suddenly, there was a flash of red smoke. Dale allowed a smile to form a smile. A coach. Brilliant. Just what he needed. He clicked his tongue against his teeth and his horse, moving down the hill closer to the road, his gun at the ready.
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Post by Dakota Hyde on Feb 2, 2008 3:40:22 GMT -5
The coach rumbled along. The horses' hooves clopped. The wood creaked. The wheels rattled whenever they hit a loose rock. The driver whistled. It was irritating.
"Dakota, love, you should have something to eat," the woman said. Her eyes were golden brown and sweet as honey. "It's been hours." She patted Dakota's hand gently, asking. Dakota shook his head.
"I'm fine, thanks."
"At least have something to drink?"
Dakota looked out the window. Then sighed. Nodded. Caroline smiled and handed over a canteen. Dakota took a sip, just to please her, and when she smiled brighter he took another sip. He gave it back and his hands returned to clutching the leather-bound notebook in his lap.
Long ride. Very long ride.
The coach thundered onward.
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Post by Dale Harvey on Feb 2, 2008 3:59:18 GMT -5
Dale road just a little past where there was a turn. No one could see behind here less they were coming from the other direction. He glanced up at a few hills away and saw some of his other men waiting for him. Good. He and his horse waited, silent as the grave.
The coach came rattling round the corner and Dale made his movie. "Hiya!" He said, snapping the horses reigns. They took off at a gallop and Dale pulled out his gun. The rush was there in an instant. Cold steal in one hand, his horse in the other. Just how it was meant to be. He ran along side the coach and fired a warning shot, just to let them know Death Dale Harvey was riding their tails.
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Post by Dakota Hyde on Feb 2, 2008 4:07:50 GMT -5
It was a coach driver's worst nightmare. Horses screamed; the woman screamed. The coach bucked and reeled and the driver tried to keep the horses from gaining control. He lashed them with the long reins and they were all too happy to gallop at full speed. He couldn't help but glance back at the rider next to the coach. Four horses against one.
Caroline was panicking, jolted around too much to cling to anything but managing to cling to Dakota. They crouched on the floor.
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Post by Dale Harvey on Feb 2, 2008 4:16:05 GMT -5
Dale laughed to himsel fas he road. Faster and faster. Sure they had four horses, but they were also carrying a load. There was only so much faster four horses, a coach and some people could be than a single, deterimand outlaw on his faithful stallon. He stuck to the driver's left, his gun out.
He shot again, this time aiming for the drivers hand. It was always easier not to kill them. At least not right away. You never knew if they might have some useful bit of information you could pry out before you shot their brains out all over the dirt.
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Post by Dakota Hyde on Feb 2, 2008 4:32:39 GMT -5
The gun was pointed at the driver. Fight or flight. He flew... through the air, and with a strangled sound he vanished from sight. Suddenly the horses were on their own. They all wanted to go different directions as fast as they could, and, fighting their harness, they began to lose speed. The passengers in the coach could tell that something had changed and they heard the shot, the driver's yelp soaring past them. "He killed him." Caroline whimpered. "He killed him he killed him he killed him. God help us he killed him." Dakota pressed himself into the splintery wood floor and squeezed his eyes shut as the horses seemed to fall to bickering and the coach idled along without a care.
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Post by Dale Harvey on Feb 2, 2008 4:38:48 GMT -5
Dale knew full well he hadn't kileed the man. He slowed up and waited until he was sure the horses were slowing down before turning around and chasing down the little man who had run off. He hadn't gotten very far and the moment his head was in view, Dale pointed his gun at it and fired. When he saw the man fall, he turned and gallopedup to the horses, reachingout a hand to grab the reins he stopped them and his own horse. He climbed down and moved to the coach door.
Throwing the door open, Dale pointed his gun at the two people he found there. "Your money or your life," he said carelessly.
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Post by Dakota Hyde on Feb 2, 2008 4:48:53 GMT -5
They didn't know what the other shot was for and at this point they were too far gone to care. When the outlaw demanded their money, Caroline didn't have the presence of mind to do anything but prattle incoherently. Dakota pointed upward with a shaking hand. "On top. It's on top." Their trunks were lashed to the top of the coach, because they had gotten on after the load of mail bags that filled the front and rear boots and one of the seats. He rearranged his limbs slowly, ready to get up and climb on top if the outlaw told him to, ready to stay put if the outlaw told him to.
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Post by Dale Harvey on Feb 2, 2008 4:55:11 GMT -5
Dale glanced up and saw the trunks. He kept his gun on the two of them and whistled. His men were there in a moment. "Loots in the bags," he said and watchd them get to work. He survied the two in front of him and gleared at Caroline. "Shut the hell up," he hissed. "We ain't gonna hurt ya less ya give us cause to. And your little whimpering is reason enough for me t' shoot ya"
His gaze returned to the boy. One of his men told him they had the loot. He nodded and looked carefully at the boy... if he was a boy... maybe a girl? Whatever. "You listen here, and listen real good." He raised his head high so he could see every detail of his face. "You get t' wait here. We see ya following or see any law men and we track and kill ya. Ya don't move from here until we're long gone, you understand?"
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Post by Dakota Hyde on Feb 2, 2008 5:08:00 GMT -5
She wasn't paying attention. Dakota reached back and grabbed his mother's shoulder, catching her eye, and he shushed her, putting on a veneer of calm to reassure her even though his insides were fluttering with bats, their squeaky chatter ringing in his ears. She listened to him and the quiet was merciful. He swallowed a whimper of his own. He turned back to listen, listen real good.
"I-I understand."
Caroline pawed at Dakota's back, having regained a semblance of clarity, trying to pull him close. "Leave us alone," she said in a high, thin voice.
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Post by Dale Harvey on Feb 2, 2008 16:45:03 GMT -5
"I-I understand."
"Good boy." He turned and barked at his men to pull the cash and tying it to the horses. He was just about to lock the door when the woman opened her damn mouth. He felt his fingers clench and he turned, eyes cold.
"Thought I told you to keep your mouth shut!" He grabbed, not at the girl, but at the boy. He lifted him bodily out of the coach and put a gun to his head. "You explain t' her that I ain't got no bother bout shootin' the both of ya right now."
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Post by Dakota Hyde on Feb 2, 2008 16:59:03 GMT -5
The woman shrieked when Dakota was dragged out of the coach. "Let her go! Let her go you monster!"
Dakota seemed to be made of wet string. He hung loosely from the outlaw's hand, feeling the metal against his skull as if it was about to sink straight through. "Ma... shut up... he means it..."
Caroline wrenched herself out of the coach with the fury of every mother that had seen her child threatened and tried to pull the wet string body away from the man.
Fear gave Dakota's voice a hint of strength. "Cut it out, Ma, he'll kill us!" He tried to push her away.
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Post by Dale Harvey on Feb 7, 2008 13:57:31 GMT -5
Dale didn't really have time to be surprised that this thing in his hands was a female. She was smart, at least, telling her ma to shut up and be still. Very smart. The mother, however, didn't seem to be as intelligent as her offspring.
The moment the woman grabbed at her baby, Dale acted. He lifted up a boot and kicked her back into the coach. He moved his gun and shot, aiming at the woman's leg. ((OOC: I rolled and got a one)) The bullet missed, but just barely. Dale allowed his gun to be moved back to the girl's head. "I won't aim t' miss the second time." He hissed. He shoved the girl back into the coach and shut the door. He hollered for a lock and clasped it over the door.
Looking in through the window, he addressed them. "I see you again, I won't be so gentle."
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Post by Dakota Hyde on Feb 8, 2008 18:51:28 GMT -5
Dakota landed in the coach with his ears ringing from the blast of the gun and didn't even move to breathe while the outlaw locked them in. His mother was back to whimpering, but it was so high and shrill and full of air that it was barely audible.
What a ridiculous situation, thought that part of Dakota's mind that wasn't numb.
The man's final threat provoked an animalistic whine from the woman, and nothing from Dakota, who heard the voice as if it was talking to someone else and he was a small child who had no business listening to what the adults were saying and wouldn't understand them even if he did.
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