Chapter 1 - Sheriff no more!

The wind blew through the grass, a peaceful whistle tickling his ears as he gazed across the field.  The dancing of the grass swayed like that of the ocean waves crashing upon one another. His thoughts came to an abrupt stop as his boy yelled out.  “Papa!” 

Opening his eyes, he found himself lying in the field with a sharp pain to his chest.  The bullet had pierced the skin and penetrated his ribs a sharp pain radiated through his body and made it difficult to move.  Cringing in pain he looked down to where his hand held his chest. Blood flowed out and painted his hand red.  His gun lay to his side. The sun’s rays splashed on his face and adjusted his focus away from his weapon.

“PAPA!” echoed through the field.  He looked around to find the source as a bullet whizzed by his ear.  Ducking for cover again, he remembered why he was in this field!  The Beverly Brothers had cornered him and his family.  They took his wife into the house but his son escaped and he’d been shot rushing to protect his child.  Panic and anger rushed through him all at once with the force of a bull hitting him in the chest.  He gathered his breath as anger took over and the fear of death became a dim light to him.

“Sheriff, your wife was so tender and sweet! Shame you won’t be with her anymore!” Bubba Beverly yelled out as the sound of the gun shot echoed.

Grabbing his gun the sheriff climbed to his feet and rushed to the house.  Gun shots echoed across the field as he hurried.  With an occasional look to his wound he cocked his gun.  As he rounded the corner one of their gang waited.  The sheriff lifted his gun and in one smooth motion he pulled the trigger.  The cloud of gun smoke surrounded him as he watched the thug’s lifeless body fall to the ground. 

He kicked in the door with his gun at the ready to drop any and all that would stand in his way.  The room was clear except for his wife’s lifeless ravaged body which lay across the table.  It was clear a single bullet took her life as his grief was quickly replaced by anger and a thirst for revenge as he heard his son call out.

“PAPA!” echoed through the thundering sounds of horses rushing past the house as the riders laughed and taunted the sheriff.

Weak from the loss of blood he staggered to the door with his gun in hand.  He quickly scanned the field, ready to end their lives as they did his wife.  Poking his head out he saw them ride across his land.  He fired his gun wildly hoping to take down any of them, but missed.  Barely able to walk he moved out the door to see them stop and reach down into the tall grass of the field.  They positioned their horses so he could see as they gathered his son.

“NO!” The sheriff yelled out.

They laughed and danced around on their horses and then rode off over the horizon with his son.  The sheriff fell to his knees as tears streamed down his face. Weak from all the action and loss of blood he fell to his face in the dirt.

Several days had passed when he woke up in the comfort of a bed.  The town doctor stood over him checking his heart beat on one side of the bed, on the other side of the bed his deputy stood looking concerned.

“John?  How do you feel?” The doctor asked.

“I feel like I was trampled by a herd.” He replied.

“Well, you gave us quite a scare, but you are doing just fine.  The bullet lodged into your ribs and didn’t go any farther.” 

“Where’s my Billy?” John asked as he looked to his deputy.

“We haven’t found him yet and we lost their trail.”  Deputy Edward said.

“What do you mean you lost their trail?  You are one of the best trackers I know!”

“That’s just the thing, I tracked them into the river and it is like they just disappeared from there.”

Struggling to sit up, John grabbed Edward’s arm and sat on the side of the bed. “You get my guns, any and all bullets gathered up. Also, get my horse ready.”

“You are not going anywhere you are not fit to ride.” The doctor blurted out.

John looked him in the eyes, darkness hazed over them “Do I look like I care if I live or die?  I want my boy before they kill him too.” Edward handed him his shirt and pants at the same time.

“But you are the sheriff!”

John took the badge from his shirt and threw it across the room as it stuck in the wall. “I am the sheriff no more!”  He said as he put his clothes on. “I am getting my boy back!”

“What do you want us to do with your wife’s body and your property?” Edward asked.

“Burn it, burn it all!  They defiled everything and I don’t want her body put in the ground like that!” John exclaimed as he loaded his gun.

(Chapter 1 - Sheriff no More - Written by EW Bradfute)