John Gray
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Are you gonna do somethin' about it, or just stand there and bleed?
Posts: 22
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Post by John Gray on Feb 2, 2008 18:57:13 GMT -5
John made his way up to his boss's side holstering his pistol. This minister was fiddling with the lock on the door it seemed. This time he wasn't going to let that son of a bitch out of his sight. No wonder his cousin was crazy hanging around with people like this walking corpse of a man.
A moment of silence between the two and it was John who finally spoke, "You alright, boss?" The sound of his voice was weak. He felt a stinging pain in his shoulder. Seemed like the excitement had torn a couple of stitches. No matter. A little blood loss was justifiable if Jack was still alive.
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Jack Wakefield
New Member
Wheatgrass County Sheriff
Order out of chaos.
Posts: 25
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Post by Jack Wakefield on Feb 2, 2008 19:15:29 GMT -5
He looked at his deputy with some surprise, his hand going to his shoulder as he considered the question. "I'll be fine, nothing broken as far as I can tell." The corners of his mustache betrayed his smile. "Thanks for that, John." Maybe another man would have gone on to point out that he should have used his gun sooner, that his Ranger background had instilled in him a resistance to attacking the elderly -- even though he always knew Cyrus was no good, of course. But Wakefield left it at using John's real name. Ruefully he said, "What a pair we make now, eh?"
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John Gray
New Member
Are you gonna do somethin' about it, or just stand there and bleed?
Posts: 22
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Post by John Gray on Feb 2, 2008 19:22:15 GMT -5
John coughed a bit and chuckled. He knew he'd done the right thing when Wakefield called him by his real name, something he rarely did. "A pair indeed. I'm just sorry I didn't get here sooner before he clipped you like that. Lousy piece of garbage." The whole time he hadn't kept one eye off the old minister, in case he tried to pull anything. If he did you could bet a dime to a dollar he'd be riddled with as many holes as John could put in him. He didn't take kindly to surprise attacks, although he'd been part of his fair share of them during his outlaw days. They always seemed so cowardly. Better to face a man in a quick draw than attack him from behind.
He was sure he knew the answer, but asked anyway, "You sure we shouldn't have barrels attached to this crazy old coot's backside?"
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cyrusmcjames
New Member
The Lord is in His Holy Temple and those who repent shall be saved indeed or incur His wrath!
Posts: 11
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Post by cyrusmcjames on Feb 2, 2008 19:35:04 GMT -5
Cyrus had listened to every word they had passed between them as he moved to get the door open again. "Crazy old coot"? "Lousy piece of garbage"? Name calling and no action, he thought. Of course, the deputy had missed his foot by about an inch. Had it been intentional or had he simply missed? He was wounded by Sarah, and yes she had indeed jeopardized the operation. Perhaps turning her over to these two "lawmen" was a fitting punishment. She would return tomorrow to be punished further and he had his special cane for times like these. He would not kill her, not yet and his attempt to rid himself of the nosy Sheriff had failed. Perhaps he'd been too hasty...No he HAD been too hasty. However, the attack on him by the deputy had been....unprovoked...yes....Where the sheriff had the sense not to draw his gun, the former outlaw (what was he saying, once an outlaw ALWAYS an outlaw!) had come in shooting unprovoked. Yes, the Mayor would indeed be hearing of this soon.
Regardless of the gears turning in his head, the man's face was the pinnacle of cheer which he had expressed when he'd dropped the candlestick. "Ah here we are!" he said as he pushed open the door. "Come in, come in, sirs. I shall go and fetch dear Sarah for you."
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Jack Wakefield
New Member
Wheatgrass County Sheriff
Order out of chaos.
Posts: 25
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Post by Jack Wakefield on Feb 2, 2008 19:50:58 GMT -5
The sheriff just shook his head and shrugged his good shoulder. They could watch Cyrus well enough in the small chapel, and keeping guns on him would only give his twisted mind more ammunition against them.
When the door was open again, Wakefield sharpened his focus. Somehow the man's cheerfulness was even creepier than his cackling. This was no time to let him get away and do something even more heinous than a surprise attack. He followed the Reverend inside, taking his hat off out of respect and letting it hang down his back by its strings. It wasn't God's fault that some of his followers were crazy.
"Her name's Sarah?" Wakefield confirmed in a murmured aside to John. "I wouldn't be surprised if she was long gone and Brimstone Joe here's just keeping us busy."
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John Gray
New Member
Are you gonna do somethin' about it, or just stand there and bleed?
Posts: 22
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Post by John Gray on Feb 2, 2008 20:05:17 GMT -5
John grunted an acknowledgement of the question and said, "Yeah. I wouldn't be either but it can't hurt to check. She's a sly one, that cousin of mine. Must be the Mormon in her." He laughed and followed into the chapel. The question was a valid one, and every fiber of him was screaming to put a bullet into the man who had just tried to take his boss's life. But that wouldn't be helpful to anyone. Besides, Wakefield was right...no sense in giving the walking dead man more ammo than he needed. So he followed, never once taking his eyes off the minister.
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Post by Sarah Bennett on Feb 2, 2008 20:13:22 GMT -5
Sarah had been hiding behind the communion table at the front of the chapel. Many a sermon had been delivered by the good Reverend at this representation of the Lord's Holy Table. She heard the gunshots from outside and then silence. She waited silently in prayer, hoping that the minister had been the one to fire the shots and not those who were coming after her. It was a horrible idea to shoot John, she never should have done it. But he had accosted her, he HAD killed those two men, she knew it. So what if the bodies were not there? Usually, corpses were dragged off the street ("Amazing they haven't tried to do the same to one that walks, like Reverend McJames," she thought slyly. It was a private joke she shared with herself from time to time.).
The doors to the chapel opened and she heard the sound of boots and spurs tapping and clinking against the floor. John's voice came suddenly, "She's a sly one, that cousin of mine. Must be the Mormon in her." Right then, Sarah shot up from her hiding spot and hissed, "How DARE you insult my past!?" and without a lick of warning marched down right in front of him and laid a slap across his face.
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John Gray
New Member
Are you gonna do somethin' about it, or just stand there and bleed?
Posts: 22
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Post by John Gray on Feb 2, 2008 20:24:19 GMT -5
John took the hit to his face, unwilling to try and grab her arm. The pain was much less than when she'd shot him, but he REALLY wished she would stop with the pain infliction. Without thinking, he finally said something he later wished he hadn't, "Do you get off when you cause me pain or something? I thought that was supposed to be sin in itself." Yes a bit far, but after the day he'd had, he was sick to death of undue pain being brought on him.
He looked at Wakefield briefly and then at the minister who was still giving them that same pumpkin-like grin. God he was such a frightening man. But the guise, John thought, was ingenious. Hiding behind the facade of a man of the cloth when he was perfect for someone so evil. And Cyrus WAS as evil as they came. There was something in that smile, something in his general demeanor that showed layers and layers of plotting. Thoughts within thoughts, plans within plans. He was hiding something, but now was not the time to try and figure it out.
"Alright, Ms. Bennett, you need to come with us," he said. It was then he realized Cyrus had disappeared.
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Jack Wakefield
New Member
Wheatgrass County Sheriff
Order out of chaos.
Posts: 25
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Post by Jack Wakefield on Feb 2, 2008 20:46:09 GMT -5
Noticing Cyrus' disappearance at about the same time as John, Wakefield pushed past the pain in his shoulder and put his handcuffs on Sarah, not caring whether or not she wanted to struggle. He was about done with all this nonsense. "Best if you come quietly, too," he added onto John's statement. "For your own sake." He held her under the upper arm and steered her out of the chapel, glancing at his deputy and flicking a hand at their surroundings indicating that he should follow and keep an eye out for Cyrus. He was not going to get attacked again tonight by that scarecrow.
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John Gray
New Member
Are you gonna do somethin' about it, or just stand there and bleed?
Posts: 22
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Post by John Gray on Feb 2, 2008 21:07:29 GMT -5
John nodded his acknowledgement and followed Wakefield by walking backwards and aiming his pistol at all availible openings. He wasn't terribly sure if Wakefield felt the same way, but he was in NO mood for any more surprises today. To be honest, if that blasted corpse of a man showed his face he might just let his finger slip onto that hair trigger he needed fixed. As they backed into the night, John scowled and kicked at several shrubs to be sure that old fart wouldn't so much as shout Boo and them.
When they reached the opening to the grounds, he let Wakefield move ahead a bit. John took some time to scan the area once more. "You lost this round you miserable old bastard, Cyrus McJames," he said under his breath. "I don't know fully what you're plannin', but whatever it is you're gonna have to show your cards eventually."
With that he turned and trotted to catch up with Wakefield and Sarah.
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