Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Salt and Pepper (07/24/14)
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TITLE: Shinbuster | Previous Challenge Entry
By Rachel Barrett
07/31/14 -
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Apparently, however, it existed in the mind of his captain. Which was why he'd ended up in a stakeout in some godforsaken canyon on the Pecos river, two horse thieves looking to nail him and get away, with a green kid along to bungle the work of an experienced Texas Ranger.
Sun glinted off a rifle barrel in the rocks. Caverly aimed at that flash and cocked his weapon.
“Hey, John!”
Caverly jumped, and his shot went wild. He wheeled at the footsteps behind him. “Riley, get down! You skyline one more time and they'll use your head for a sieve! I told you to stay with the horses!”
Riley Haywood dropped down in the rocks and crawled over beside him. “I figured you'd need help.”
Reloading his gun, Caverly leashed his vexation. How that kid ever made it into the Rangers was anybody's guess. He could get lost walking home from Sunday School.
“Watch it,” Caverly warned. “They're ready to make a run.”
On the instant, shots blasted in on their foxhole. Two figures darted into view, running for the thick brush. Crouching low, Caverly squeezed the trigger rapidly, and swore as one bandit disappeared into the tall bushes.
The second man tripped in the tangled weeds, sliding down the steep hillside into the middle of a sharp-spined Spanish dagger plant. Caverly winced. Those knifelike yuccas were nothing to fool around with.
He stopped short, gun in hand. That “man” was hardly more than a kid. Looked about as wet behind the ears as Riley. More than likely he'd fallen in with bad company.
Caverly held his fire as the boy crawled to shelter behind a boulder, dragging one leg.
“We gonna blast him out?” Riley drew his gun.
Caverly swatted him. “You put that peashooter up! Now stay back of me.” Cautiously he squirreled his way down through the rocks. The noise Riley made behind him would do credit to a herd of buffalo.
Caverly halted at a safe distance. “Hey, you down there!”
No answer.
Then he heard a whimper. Craftiness turned Caverly's mind to easier solutions.
“That yucca, they don't call it shinbuster for nothing, son!” he hollered. “I bet you're bleeding pretty good.” He listened. “You heard what the Indians say about it? Worse'n snakebite. Day or two, you'll start to swell up and take fits.”
Silence.
Caverly uncocked his gun. “But you might make it over the border. Wonder how long it'll take that poison to work. Tell you what, it ain't pretty.”
He paused. “Course now, if we got you to a doctor, you'd stand a chance. Might not even lose that leg!”
The tension broke. “All right! All right!” The boy tossed his pistol out from behind the rock. “Don't shoot! I'm comin' out!” He crawled into view.
“Wise move, son.” Caverly hopped over the rocks to get to him. Pulling off his bandana, he began to wrap up the boy's bleeding leg. It didn't look too—
“Watch out, John!” Riley threw himself down, taking Caverly with him as a rifle boomed from the bushes.
Directly above his head, another shot nearly deafened Caverly. He looked up to see Riley lower his smoking pistol.
“I got him!” Riley rose and approached the missing bandit, who lay dead beside his rifle.
Caverly sat up. “Looks like I owe you one, Riley.” Maybe he'd underestimated the kid. Riley had the makings. And...maybe he could use a little help after all.
“Come on, let's get back to town.” Together they helped the injured boy to his feet and headed for the horses.
Riley swung into his saddle. “Sorry I disobeyed orders, John.”
“From now on, Riley, you won't get any more orders from me.” Caverly boosted his prisoner onto the horse. “Like the old cook said, too much salt and you'll pucker up. Too much pepper'll burn your ears off.” He mounted behind the boy. “Put 'em together and it's just right. You and me, we'll balance each other out.”
Riley grinned proudly. Then he frowned. “John...does that shinbuster really poison a fellow?”
Caverly chuckled. “Shoot no! This boy'll hurt for a while, is all.”
“Then why...”
Caverly leaned back in his saddle and laughed. “Stick with me, Riley, and you'll learn!”
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Reading other "Westerns" or living out West helps one put all the parts together.
What you have, that can't be taught, is a voice. I could hear your dialogue in my head and I could picture your characters as clear as day. If you can do that, sentence structure and punctuation are small obstacles to overcome.
Great job!
Wing His Words
God BLess~