Between Heartbeats
Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Thump-thump.
I can’t believe I let Jake talk me into this. Of all the hair-brained,
stupid ideas, this one takes the cake. I told him I’d already scouted
this town out; the peacekeepers here made the risks too great. But does he
listen to me? Hell, no. Son of a bitch thinks he knows better, we can take
on their seven guns with our five. Okay, four men and a half-wit, cause
that’s what Lonnie is. And I told Jake that, don’t care of they
are cousins.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Yeah, well. Serves ya right, you dumb, mule-headed son of whore. Ya’re
laying in the dust, dead now. Same as all of us. Dead. Or dying. Might ‘a
worked a deal with that fella’ in black. But nooo, you had to go and
start shooting up the town. All ya did was wing that kid and piss the rest
of ‘em off. Thought that mustached fella’ was gonna run straight
in the bank and blow us to kingdom come and back.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Guess you figured that while he was distracted after the boy called ‘im
back that it’d be a good time to make a run to the horses. But the
longhaired one… you know…the one I warned ya about…the one
that they say can shoot the fly as a buffalo’s ass at a hund’rd
yards…he was ready. Hell, you probably never even felt that slug, did
ya? Died too easy to my reckonin’.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Why don’t one of you fellas help me up? Ain’t right to leave a
man lay in the dust. A nice jail cell’s got ta beat sprawled on the
street in the noonday sun.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Hey, boy. Give me a hand up, would ya? What’s that look for? Damn son,
turn around ‘fore ya toss yo’re breakfast on me. Yeah, mister,
get that kid away from me. Ya think the whelp ain’t never seen a man
bleed a’fore. Guess I’m bleeding. Don’t hurt. Must not be
hurt that bad.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Hey, mister fancy pants. How ‘bout helping a fella out? I’d toss
ya hand if you ‘s the one laying here. Yeah, you dust yourself off;
smooth that fancy red coat out. Just ignore a man’s plea for a little
human compassion. That’s it. Just walk off. Wouldn’t want ya to
spoil them dil-e-cat hands on the likes of me.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Texan, ain’t ya? Yeah, heared you was a wanted man. Where you give off
looking down yo’r nose at me? That the rifle you killed Jake and the
others with?
Larabee. That’s you right? Dressed in black. Eyes as dead as Jake’s.
No, that’s not true. Eyes ain’t dead, just hard. Hell, mister,
that’s close enough. Don’t be squatting down next to me if ya
ain’t plannin’ to help me up. I ain’t some piece of dirt to
be stared at and studied. Who ya hollering at? Oh, the healer? Yeah, call
‘im over here. Bet he’ll give me a helping hand. Yeah, that’s
right. You two can just walk away. The darkie can help me. Hmm, best watch
my mouth. Don’t want to piss off a man that’ll be digging a bullet
out ‘a my hide.
Thump-thump.
‘bout time you showed up. I could ‘a died waiting on ya. How’s
it look, doc? Can ya fix me up? Who ya looking at? Oh, the preacher fella.
What? What’d cha say? No. no, don’t leave me. It ain’t that
bad. Can’t you do something? Anything?
Thump-thump.
No, wait, preacher. What? But I ain’t Catholic.
Thump
Hell, preacher. I don’t wanna die.
Thump
Please
Thump
Ya don’t even know my name.
Thump
Virgil. Name’s Virgil
Thump
Virgil
What’s that, son?
Virgil
Virgil. I commend thee into the Lord’s hands now, Virgil.
Thu…