SETTING SUN As he approached the house of ill repute, he knew that this would probably be his last night! Although anxious, he was looking forward to reaping

Authors Avatar
Robert Hicks

SETTING SUN

As he approached the house of ill repute, he knew that this would probably be his last night! Although anxious, he was looking forward to reaping his revenge. He'd surprise them! Their faces would whiten and their pores would open releasing a cool liquid. It had been two long painful months since they rode away laughing, scoffing and leaving him for dead! He hoped with a passion that their leader, Emilio Sanchez, was not only there but also drinking heavily - for Emilio was a crack shot. Butch was going to need as much advantage as he could, in order to avoid an early visit to the local cemetery!

He tethered his horse, placed his hand in the drinking trough and refreshed his weather-beaten and stubbly face. Women, children and the respectable citizens of Sunny Ridge walked around the small town whispering, building up speed as they went along and eventually closing shutters and locking themselves in their own homes. "Go get them Butch!" said the local funeral director with obvious ulterior motives and anticipation of a profitable day. Although businesslike, the director hoped - like many of the town's inhabitants - that he wouldn't be making a pine overcoat for Butch tomorrow morning. He checked his holster and shooters, made sure his knife was still down inside his right boot. Finally he struck a match, lit what could well be his last cigar and walked with trepidation towards the renowned saloon. People were now scampering in the opposite direction for fear of anything spilling from inside and onto the streets. He looked to the right and was greeted with a nod and a wry smile from sheriff Leatherman. The sheriff was just sat there outside his jail, rifle rested across his lap and his badge shining in the early evening sun.

From fifty yards, Butch could hear the tinkling of the ivories, the raucous laughter and the shouting of "Cheat!" as the aces fell from the sleeves of the poker players. The smashing of glass and the deafening sound of cowboy boots banging on the hard sawdust ridden floor to the beat of the music. The prostitutes high above the saloon on the balcony were whistling, laughing and giggling in his direction. They were lifting up their long dresses, steeped in alcohol with tobacco stains. Exposing their frilly underwear and stockings to whoever cared to look. This filled Butch with an almost uncontrollable sense of rage; he loathed this place and all that it stood for with its seedy implications!
Join now!


For this was the place he rescued his little sister from in order to give her a better quality of life. Away from the unclean men, the beatings, the shootings, the pittance of pay for her services, the stained sheets and the total humiliation. Christina was all he had had left and the sense of guilt and loss was hitting him hard as he neared this godforsaken hellhole. It was like a mule's kick to the stomach, aching, churning him inside and filling him with nausea. They had left him for dead lying beside a cactus plant, shot ...

This is a preview of the whole essay