Chapter 5

So Chris led us cause obviously, he knew more about these red mountains than us. From there on we climbed with the horses. There were areas where we could move without effort. More than two hours passed when we reach the high red mountains around us. I had this feeling when I decided to stop. When I stopped, Nathan came to stand in front of me, I assume the shot was meant for me, unlucky for Nathan, he went in the way, so by accident a shot struck him in the head, and blood spattered all over my face. Someone pulled me and moved me behind a red rock. I was still shocked, looked down, and saw Nathan laying dead close to my feet, a hole through his head, his eyes still open.

Ralph: That shot came from over there

Ralph pointed to the west, there we saw a rock and we assumed someone was hiding behind the rock.

Ralph: I’m gone throw a stone at that rock you do your thing, you hear me?

I nodded, got ready, and waited for Ralph to do that stunt with the stone, he trough and a stupid idiot ran from behind it, on his way to another rock, I aimed quick …

Ralph: Shoot him Goddamit

It wasn’t easy cause he was fast, but I kept my composure and shot him in the side of the head, Suddenly six men came out and started to shoot like hell came loose. While I was hiding …

Wesley: Jesus Jack! You are a fucking beast man!

Jack: Still warming up

I boosted a little, then something came to mind cause Ralph and Chris were shooting back, it was a split-second decision, I took the rifle and saw an opening …

Jack: Cover me!

Wesley started to shoot as well. I took a rifle and ran to a rock nearest to the shooters. I aimed, and shot one, two were shooting in my direction while the other three ducked. These two idiots who kept on shooting in my direction, shot because they got a fright from the guy who fell next to them and they did not take in mind that others were still shooting at them, so Ralph got the one in the head, four left. Ralph had the same idea as what I got, I laid the rifle down, withdrew my two Colts, and ran like a maniac straight to that rock they were hiding, meanwhile, Ralph was doing the same thing. These four shooters got crazy cause they could hear us running over the stones and went insane, two tried to run away while the other two just shot blinded in any direction not knowing where we coming from, my arms were stretched out in front of me, I just let my fingers work on those Colt triggers, I and Ralph filled them with enough holes and we never bothered to see if they were alive or dead, we just knew and ran past their hiding rock and pursued the other two. We were so cocky, that we even reloaded our Colts while running after these bastards and it was a steady hill. The mountain got so much stead, one of them got tired and fell, he tried to stand up, realizes he won’t make it and tried to shoot at us for old time shakes and just got filled with holes. Which one of me and Ralph shot him I can’t say cause we shot at the same time. The last guy just tossed his gun aside and surrendered. Ralph placed his Colts in their holsters and gave the man a massive smack through the face.

Ralph: Where the fuck is Crowley you son of a bitch!

I was full of steam too and kept my gun to his head. I was so full of it I didn’t even notice that Wesley and Chris came and joined us, Wesley was still pissed by Nathan’s death that he wanted to break the man’s skull with the back of his gun, aiming for the head. We stopped him cause, we wanted the man to show us where his leader was.

Man: He wanted this way anyway, should we fail to kill you he wanted you to find him behind the mountain, he’s waiting for you

Ralph: Let’s keep him, hostage, what do you say Jack?

Jack: Yeah, wait here, let me fetch the rifle

I smiled at Ralph, and so did he …

Ralph: You did well Jack, mad as hell

Jack: You too support me. The man we hold hostage led us to an open ground away from the mountains, there were a few trees. About twenty men were waiting for us there. Before we approached them we discussed who would go and who would stay. We decided in the end that Ralph will be the one who will do the long-range shots from the mountain, and Chris and Wesley will be the ones to approach these outlaws. As we were on our way to approach the men, Wesley was the one holding the gun to the man we’d captured on the mountain. While we were riding we scouted the area, somewhere behind a rock I could see a long-range shooter, he was aiming in the direction Ralph was hiding. I thought to myself this must be the man who shot Big Steve, must be him, then the other nineteen were all waiting for us, they stood apart from each other spreading the field with Rose who was held hostage at the back of the crew, a double barrel shotgun is held to her head. The only man on the horse was Crowley, and the way in front was Redeye, his hair was long, it was tied in a ponytail. Five feet away and Redeye barked …

Redeye: Hold on, just hold it there … let’s make this short and sweet, nigger? (referring to me) thank you for coming by the way now listen here nigger... holding Ray hostage ain’t gone do you good you know that?

An arrow shot Ray right through his neck, chaos broke loose, everybody shot wildly, for a second it seemed we teamed up with our enemies, we’ll all turned around to the mountains around us, shooting. On top of the mountains which seemed like dozens of Comanches Indians with bows, we were easily outnumbered. I fell to the ground, and laid on my back like my body was moving on its own, I was aiming at the guy behind Rose who seemed to be distracted from all the commotion going on. Meanwhile, Redeye went to hide behind a tree while I kept my aim on the guy behind Rose, they both were nearly on their knees, but it was an easy aim for me cause the man behind Rose was a bit taller and he wasn’t focusing on me anymore so I went for the kill, shot him in the head. The Comanches shot again, forcing us to duck, I had to roll for cover. But soon the arrows were hitting the ground I got up and ran as fast as I could, heading for Rose. I couldn’t see her cause she wasn’t held hostage anymore which made me guess while I sprinted, one of The Bandits got up and ran after me, I didn’t see him at first until the Comanches released their arsenal for another round, one arrow hit the man behind me in the chest. I only realized the guy chased me when I ducked, I heard him fall behind me with his Colt in his hand. There was a bit of silence, suddenly Indians came running from the mountains ready for a man-to-man battle, a perfect time to search for Rose, two Bandits rose to their feet to shoot me while others turned to shoot the Indians, and gunfire echoed everywhere, and I? Laid the two who tried to kill me to rest both in the head and started to run while shooting around me to defend myself. Somehow I almost ended up into Redeye, we started to shoot at each other, and he ran around the tree and away from it too for cover, the tree stood between us, so we couldn’t shoot each other, it was like guess and shoot. Arrows came flying through the air and I ducked for my life, unfortunately for Redeye, an arrow struck him in his thigh, he was in pain, and I could have shot him but Rose caught my eye. Because this was a desert, there weren’t so many trees around only a few, so I saw Rose by the last tree covering her head. Dead or alive? I just rushed to her without thinking, even with Redeye still alive, I ran to her and grabbed her by the arm, at first she screamed …

Jack: Hey! Shut up! I’m getting you out of here so come on!

She obeyed when she saw that it was just me and ran with me away from the war between The Bandits and the Comanches. We were surrounded by mountains, so where we ran to a mountain where it seemed to be fewer Indians or weren’t visible at the moment. The mountain we ran to were divided and had a passage that lead to a valley. We ran through it, with Rose stumbling, but there was no time to waste so I was a little ruff and had to yank her up and almost drag her and had enough cause she was running too slow for me so I stopped …

Jack: Miss? Get on my back you’ll get us both killed come on

Ralph’s Rifle was hanging on my back on a belt, I tossed it to the side …

Rose: Won’t you need it?

Jack: I have to do with these two Colts, so come on, get on my back …

I turned around and bend for her to get on, she got on and I started to run. The valley was dry and a person can see that a river went through here, well not a big one, at least a small river stream. I went up the valley, it was stead that I had to use my one hand to help me to climb up the valley until I reached the top. The valley wasn’t that high so it was fine with me. I moved along the mountain, where I moved was like a path to walk so I jogged with Rose on my back. It wasn’t long when we reached the other side of the mountain, still on a path, Rose was looking behind us …

Rose: Jack? … Jack?

Jack: Yeah?

Rose: There are Indians behind us

I kept on jogging with Rose on my back while searching with my eyes and saw a large rock and went to hide behind it. I took Rose off …

Jack: Wait here, let me see what I can do

I used the rock as my cover and searched for the pursuers. They were two Indians on horses, both with rifles, I couldn’t believe my eyes, natives have guns too. Well I aimed for the Indian in the front and shot him, he fell tumbling with his horse from the mountain, his horse didn’t roll far and tried to get up but still kind of sliding from the mountain, not far from where we were, the Indian? He became a corpse. The Indian stood still with his horse aiming at our rock, I aimed at him but he shot first which send me back into cover …

Jack: Miss? See that horse over there? We need to get that horse and quick, this guy knows his way, I’ll keep him busy, go

She hesitated at first …

Jack: Do you want to die?

Rose: What?

Jack: Do you want to die or live? If life is your answer move while he's busy with his rifle!

Rose obeyed and ran cautiously and looks constantly at where the Indian was hiding, all I could do is aimed at that rock he was hiding, he heard Rose stumbling over the stones and peeked, and I shot and hit his right hand, sending him back to his cover, I knew the Indian had to first pour the gun powder in his rifle and chew off a paper cartridge to enter it before shooting so I ran for the horse, grabbed Rose, lifted her the horse and went to aim again, he peeked and I shot, while he was ducking behind the rock I too, climbed on the horse and climbed with it down the rocky mountain and kept aiming from where the Indian was hiding. I and the Indian shared some shots until we reached the ground and rode with the horse away from the mountain, steering the animal as quick as I could.