#2 B Place two characters in a dangerous setting. Each has half of something that is no good without the other half. Neither wants to give up his/her half. What happens?
1,064 words 2/11/2007
He got the drop on me while I was sleeping, just snuck up on me, and stuck that big 44 of his into my ear to wake me. I knew what it was as soon as I opened my eyes. His 44 was known throughout the land as his 88.
It seemed every time he pointed it at someone the gun went off, and there were eighty-eight graves on boot hill that this 44 had filled, and I’m probably going to be 89.
Now he’s taking me back to town for a kangaroo court that means I’ll be hung by sundown of the day we get there. I was just defending myself when I shot and killed young Claude Buckley. Let me tell you, he had it coming if anyone ever did. His daddy owns the biggest ranch in Texas and over half the town. Big Daddy spoiled Claude since he was a small boy by letting him get away with anything, and I mean anything. Nobody’s pet was safe when Claude at around nine years old started shooting cats on sight, then soon graduated to dogs. By the time he was a teenager he was steadily beating the dancehall girls, and they came and went frequently because of him.
Everyone was afraid to take a stand against him because of his daddy, who was never without his 44 that killed so many, who dared to disagree with him. He once shot a man who disagreed on which chewing tobacco was best.
I told him, “all right Big Daddy, you got me. If you shoot me you’re going to have to carry me down the mountain.” He paused, and thought about this. We had both left our horses at the bottom because the climb was to steep for a horse. I believe these words are what saved me then or sure enough by the anger flashing from his eyes; I knew sure enough he would have pulled that trigger then, and there.
He couldn’t tie my hands because I’d need them to climb down, so he threw my guns into a canyon, to be sure I was no threat to him and his 44. I wouldn’t have been a threat even if he didn’t have the gun, because I was only five feet two tall and weighed one hundred and ten pounds. Compared to his six four and at least two hundred and eighty pounds of mostly muscle.
We started down the steep mountainside; he followed closely behind me as I cautiously led the way. All the while knowing I was a dead man if I couldn’t find someway to escape from my situation.
Fate stepped in as a horrendous thunder and lightning storm broke out. Lightning was striking all around us, and the downpour began. We spotted the cave at the same time and made a dash for the shelter. Once in the cave we knew it had been a bears den from the smell. We carefully searched to be sure the bear wasn’t here, because nothing pisses a bear off more than someone entering its den. We got a fire going, and he tied me up before he fell asleep with the 44 on his chest.
Once I was sure he was sleeping I began trying to unravel the knots he had tied me with. All the while I’m thinking, “If that bear comes back while we’re still here it’s going to kill us for sure.” I worked harder on untying the knots and finally got one unraveled. It was easy getting the rest untied after the first one. Once completely untied I looked at Big Daddy sleeping with that 44 on his chest so it would be in easy reach if I tried anything. My legs were shaking as I started slowly to crawl over to his sleeping form. I was sweating from every pore when I finally scooted up beside him and slowly reached for the gun. My hand was on it when we both heard the grizzly roar! It must have smelled us. I quickly grabbed the gun and jumped up with it aimed at him. To my surprise, he laughed as he opened his big right hand where six 44 cartridges rested. I figured you might try something like that so I emptied it. I was really shaking now, the bear was coming and I had to deal with big Daddy, and knew I couldn’t with an empty gun.
He said, “Sonny just give me my gun back and I’ll take it easy on you when I beat the crap out of you for doing that.” The bear was near, we could both hear it’s grunting and growling. Now with urgency in his voice he demanded that I give him the gun. I refused. The bear was close now, we could hear its footsteps, and we both knew what would happen once it found us. Now he was nervous and almost in a friendly voice asked me to please give him the gun before the bear gets here. I again refused, and told him to give me the bullets so I could shoot the bear. He scornfully looked at me and said, “Sure once you shoot the bear you’ll turn around and shoot me.”
“I’m not giving you the gun I said as a roar came from the cave entrance. We looked at each other, and he saw I wasn’t going to back down. He gave in, and said, “all right I’ll give you one bullet to shoot the bear with.” He threw me one, which I hurriedly loaded into the gun and aimed it at him. “What’re you doing he yelled? Shoot the bear you fool.” No I told him, “I think I’ll shoot you and then take the rest of the bullets for the bear.” I pulled the trigger just as he put his hand to his mouth and swallowed the bullets so I couldn’t get them.
The bear has found me; I close my eyes and wait….