Story for Their Town: A Town of Circus Freaks

Chapter 9: Finally

Finally, we heard the heavy footsteps of the man we were all waiting for, Michelle. His feet crashed the soil under his sole that you could almost hear them scream with pain if they had a voice… or voices if you are thinking of the sand. Our two sheriffs turned their heads to face him their eyes shining due to the sunlight. It almost blinded them, but their will to see through it, pulled them towards the dark. Michelle was in the distance walking towards our future heroes. He looked tiny against the half blue, half orange of the background behind him. He was alone… He looked it… But we knew he wasn’t. How could he be? He wasn’t that stupid.

They slowly walked towards each other hands at the ready. It was a drawn out walk where which step got louder and louder the closer they got to each other. The town folks eyes were the biggest that they could be to take in all the tiny details of the events as they slowly unfolded. The two sheriffs and Michelle walked towards each other. It was a slow walk with heavy steps, floating dust patches and worried eyes from the people they, unknowingly, passed by. The sheriffs and Michelle stopped when they were a few inches apart. You could feel their heartbeats through your own body. Yes I am exaggerating the whole story as if I was never there but we don’t get too many newcomers so, please; let me go over the top.

Anyway…

They had came face to faces. Michelle took in a deep breath through his nose. His eyes pierced as if he was checking if the two before him actually had souls. His lips tighten and his one, well-kept, eyebrow raised.

The good-looking, handsome, heart of an angle, mind of a tiger, body of a mountain, kisses like a fool and bright eyes that make the sun blind sheriff (aka me) stepped forward. Then Michelle stepped forward. They locked eyes, seeing their own reflections in the other. He gave a cough, only to indicate that business was about to start. Michelle gave a sniff, probably because his nose was slight itchy.

“You came,” said the handsome man.

Michelle slowly nodded, “as did you… I am taking it you are the sheriff?”

“Aye. And he be my deputy”, he points back at Nick who had his hands in his pockets and looked oddly sleepy.

Michelle nods his head and this action must have ‘woken up’ Nick who took his hands out his pockets and was at the ready.

“Two against one? Well, that just shows how weak these town people actually are.”

The handsome sheriff eyes squinted and he and Michelle discussed the rules of the dual:

Rule 1- Follow the rules

Rule 2- 25 steps apart and wait for the signal to turn

Rule 3- Flip a coin between the two sheriffs to decide who should do the dual and who should give the signal (that’s fair)

Rule 4- No cheating

Rule 5- Always end on an odd number for good luck (that may be tricky).

They agree on the rules and Michelle takes a coin from his pocket (gold, of course) and flips it. It spins in the air bouncing the sunlight. The handsomest sheriff calls tails while Nick nods in agreement to having head. The coin lands on the dusty ground. Heads.

Nick and Michelle stand back to back. The air is tight to almost the point of suffocation or that just could be the weather. Handsome, sexy sheriff stands under the limited amount of shade by the saloon facing Michelle and Nick. He lifts up his hand and flops it down but nothing happens. They did not see him. There was an awkward pause as Michelle and Nick waited. Sexy sheriff of handsomeness lifted up his arms and screamed:

“GO!” as he flopped them down. ‘Duel’ would’ve been a better word with hindsight.

The two began to walk. Taking one step at a time. They were in sync and you could see the focus of determination in Nick’s eyes as he kept the beat. Their hands were at the ready by their holsters. Sometimes you could catch a gently finger wiggle. The last step came and they both turned around drawing their guns. Their individual triggers were pulled and their rotators turned and stopped. But no bullets.

Nick forgot to reload his gun while Michelle wasted all his bullets the evening prior, which he managed to forget about. So the standoff was at a standstill. The two characters stood, facing which others without a word being said. It wasn’t part of the rules but they must have guessed that talking would ruin the drama.