Posted January 16, 2021 / Emeline Pike
:: in the bank ::
Chaos broke out in the bank, and Emeline wished that she could shrink, or just get out. At least she had a spot out of the way, and for the most part the men seemed to be ignoring her, and she had no qualm with just staying quietly out of the way, there was nothing she could do that would actually be helpful, and as long as she was pressed against the wall and stayed unnoticed, she wouldn't be in the way or hinder any rescue.
But then things changed...one of the men swore as he peered out the window, and as Emeline followed his gaze her blood went cold...Barnabas was just out in the street, exposed. She had no idea why he was in the open like that, but she could see that the outlaw at te door was aiming at him...
Without any thought or consideration, Emeline lunged, shouting, "NO!" as she barreled into the man, shoving him off balance and partially out the door. At that point, she was inclined to just keep going outside, but then she was grabbed and suddenly yanked back inside...
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
Posted January 16, 2021 / Jay Ryker
The shots could be heard from afar. Jay lived just down the street from the bank, so he heard them inside his small place. Startled by the unusual noise, he reached for his own gun and left the building.
It didn't take long for him to see the tipped over wagon near the bank, then the word 'robbery' was carried to his ears.
Damn, who on earth would rob the bank here? Instantly he froze, hoping that it wasn't his old gang, who had returned to pay the good people here a visit (and him).
He knew very well he should turn around and walk away, if there was a robbery in progress. After all his life here was on shaky legs.
But then he saw Weedy and another kid head up the back alley towards the bank. "Weedy!" He shouted after the boys but they had already rounded the corner and were gone. "Damnit!"
Knowing how much Addy loved the boy, he felt he had to follow him and make sure he stayed away from trouble and wasn't guided by his curiosity.
So he followed the boys towards the back alley, trying to get their attention but they were too far ahead.
Posted January 16, 2021 / Weedy / With: Wyatt, Cole, Jay
:: in the back alley ::
Heart pounding, Weedy glanced back at his partner in crime and grinned. Of course, any chance to get out of school was great, and cow hands shooting up the streets was even better, and it was fun to watch all the folks on the street scrambling to get out of the way. But to do that, they'd have to get to Main Street.
"Let's go behind the bank, then go up to the street," he suggested as he waited for Wyatt to catch up. There was still some shooting going on, and a lot of shouting, so maybe this was even more exciting than the usual stuff!
But just as they were starting past the bank, the window shattered and two men jumped out, causing Weedy to skid to a stop. And as one ran off, the other drew his pistol on the boys.
"Don't you two move or by the Lord Harry I'll kill ya both!"
The man reached out and grabbed Wyatt, who had passed Weedy by a few steps as he stopped, and Weedy was inclined to lash out and kick the guy, but he had a gun, and his friend, so he just stopped...
Posted January 16, 2021 / Jonah Danforth / With: Bridget, Clara
:: in the street and Lickskillet Diner ::
At least the young woman was willing to be led out of the street, and as Jonah glanced toward the bank he could see one of the law men running up to the front, so it was evident that something was going to happen soon, and they needed to be off the street.
“Where can… where can we go?” she asked.
"We'll just go inside the cafe here, all right?" He nodded to the door of the closest building, the Lickskillet, just wanting to be clear of the street, and not at all understanding what the girl was asking. "You're Bridget, right? I saw you at the dance."
Her limp was making the going painfully slow, but they eventually reached the door and he pushed, not considering that whoever was inside might not be welcoming patrons at the moment...
Posted January 17, 2021 / Ralph Flandry
From his position behind the horse trough across the street, Ralph kept ready, fully prepared to cover the lawmen and any others who were going to close in on the bank at least from the front. He couldn't do much about the back or sides though without moving and he quite was satisfied where he was.
Pronto was moving then but not heading for the bank door (a rash move that would have been in Ralph's opinion) but instead apparently going for the horses. Yes, chase off the robbers' string of horses and their chances of escape would be pretty much nil. He had been momentarily distracted by the deputy's movement until he heard a woman's cry and his eyes went right back to the bank itself. He couldn't see much of the woman but she had just given a mighty shove to an armed cowboy whose apparent aim had then been spoiled and his shot hit the dirt near the deputy instead of the lawman himself.
That's all Ralph needed, he raised the long barreled shotgun (unlike many saloons, the Star Dust did not have a sawed off version) and fired, this was more a hunting gun so could easily enough range across a street. Ralph had been in the Union army in the war and knew how to shoot. He didn't want to hit the female who seemed to have just as suddenly disappeared (been yanked back into the building it turned out) so he aimed a bit more to the left side of his target.
Obviously Artie was completely knocked off balance by the woman's treacherous attack from behind and found himself half tripping outside onto the boardwalk, his own shot turning out to be a bad miss. Before he could fall back into the bank, he felt a hard punch to his left upper arm and blinding instant pain. He dropped his weapon and half fell half leaned against the outside wall of the bank. His mind tried to process just what happened?
Ralph let go of the shotgun and drew his revolver then cocked the hammer back with his thumb and aimed. He'd hit the outlaw but while the man might well bleed out he was not dead yet. He meant to finish what he started. He then proceeded to fire three more shots at the fellow. His first shot missed but his next two were better striking the man in the torso. With grim satisfaction Ralph peered thru the acrid smoke from the pistol to see his target drop to the boardwalk like a heavy sack of grain. A twitch or two and the man was still.
"Take that you sonofabitch," Ralph muttered in satisfaction.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted January 17, 2021 / Wyatt Redmond
"Let's go behind the bank, then go up to the street," Weedy had paused to wait for him making it easy for Wyatt to catch up.
"Yeah but let's not run out in the open, " Wyatt pointed out, he was excited but even he knew enough not to do something crazy if some cowboys were shooting up the place.
But just as they were starting past the bank, the window shattered and two men jumped out, causing Weedy to skid to a stop. Wyatt had taken another two steps before doing the same. Whoa! He'd never seen anybody do something crazy like that!
One of them immediately took off like he was being chased by a ghost. But the other noticed him and Weedy. And he drew his gun out !! Wyatt was wide eyed, too shocked to run.
"Don't you two move or by the Lord Harry I'll kill ya both!"
Wyatt started to raise both hands like one might do if it was a hold up but ....
The man reached out and grabbed him hard by the upper arm, pulling him in close. Wyatt just froze not knowing what he should try and do. Why had they been so stupid to do this????? Pa was going to kill him.
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
Posted January 17, 2021 / Jay Ryker
Jay's pace had changed to a jog as he tried to get to Weedy before the boy could get too close to the bank. Curiostity killed the cat was not an option here because Jay knew that Addy loved the boy like a son and he had also frown very fond of the kid.
As he rounded the corner of the narrow back alley where a lot of people had stored their trash and things they didn't need at the moment.
He saw the boys very close to the bank, so he started running, when suddenly someone broke through the window from the inside and had a gun held to Weedy's friends head.
"Sh*t." Jay gasped and ducked behind an old cart, that was leaning against on the the back walls.
What should he do now? Walking away would be clever when it came to his own well being. But everything inside him screamed 'Don't abandon Weedy.'
So he poked his head out again just to see that the man was still holding a gun and was advancing towards him.
Weedy wasn't a captive but he didn't abandon his friend, which in fact was courageous and what a good friend should do.
Jay found encouragement in the fact that he himself had robbed a bank and was a tough guy. He also knew the man wanted to get away as quickly as possible.
So he left his hiding spot and advanced with his gun at aim until he was within shooting range.
"Let the boy go!" He hollered down the back alley in a commanding tone, that left no room for discussion.
"Weedy, behind me! Now!"
He needed at least one captive out of the way for a good bargaining position.
If he then shot the other boy, he'd be gunned down as well. And he would know that. Unless he was too stupid or anxious.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted January 17, 2021 / Pronto Pike, Quentin Cantrell and NPCs.
Stepping into the street, Pronto sized up the situation with the horses. He was surprised the man dead as dead could be, still held the reins in his outstretched hand.
"You in the bank, this is the law." Pronto side-stepped closer to the nearest of the horses, for cover, he estimated a good tug would free the horses. "You throw them guns out and come real peaceable like we won't shoot!" He knew one thing was certain, that door would open, what would happen next was anybodies guess. He pulled his gun and with the other gave a health yank on the leather bundle, nothing!
The door opened and the muzzle of a Colt stuck out toward him. Then he heard Em scream "NO!" and the man with the pistol fired. He was knocked on the ground with a boot heel missing and a cloud of dirt obscuring his aim when the bark of a shotgun could be heard, and as the dust tailed away, he saw the man with a bloodied shoulder and for sure two streaming holes in his torso.
Arty dropped to the boardwalk, his life blood oozing out. "Bill, I-I'm killed." And with that he passed over.
Bill's face was twisted in rage! two were dead, two had run off leaving him alone to face the men outside. He held the woman tightly trying to come up with a plan, but there was none that didn't involve Bill Marley stepping through that door way.
They wouldn't shoot the girl, he was confident about that, but what then? He could shove her aside as he grabbed a horse and then ride out hanging on the side a poor target at best, yes that was the plan!
Bill Marley shoved Emeline forward, out the door, off the boardwalk into the street, and shoved her away as he grabbed a set of reins and yanked as hard as he could to free them, that too went his way.
Pronto snapped off three shots, every one finding it mark in the horse, one in the saddle, one in the neck and the last in the horses head, it dropped exposing Bill who was in the act of cocking his gun.
Quentin had swung out from the corner he had been behind. He moved forward to try and get on the side of the remaining outlaw while he was focused on the deputy. He walked steady and normal, not trying to draw any attention. His revolver was held down along his right leg as he moved, watching the confrontation in front of the bank.
Quentin was not sure what the deputy's plan was until the outlaw shoved the woman he had been holding out into the street as he went for the horse's reins. Quentin took another step and was surprised when the deputy drew and fired, surprised at his speed as he eliminated the horse as an option for the outlaw, the killing of the horse leaving the outlaw exposed on the street.
Quentin stopped walking, the last step turning him around so he was side on to the outlaw down the street. His left arm tucked to the small of his back as his right arm swept up, thumb cocking the hammer as he sighted down the barrel. It was a bit of a reach for a handgun but Quentin wasn't trying to do anything but keep the robber from hitting anyone if he got off a shot. He took half a heartbeat to aim and touched off the pistol. The bang was always a bit of a surprise when you did it right. The robber disappeared in a cloud of smoke but the breeze moved the smoke quickly. Quentin saw a blotch of red appear on the robber's side and knew it was too low to be fatal...
-- -- --
Pronto Pike, NPCs written by @[Flip]
Quentin Cantrell written by Longshot
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted January 17, 2021 / NPCs written by Flip
If he then shot the other boy, he'd be gunned down as well. And he would know that. Unless he was too stupid or anxious.
Simpson looked at the man and spit. “Well now, I guess it’s against me now. Alla that shootin’ I jest might be all that’s left. But you ain’t gonna shoot, you don’t wanna chance this young’n gettin’ kilt. So yer bluff falls flat.” He laughed. “Weedy, that’‘s a awful dumb name, must be buckin’ ta be a farm hand. Second thought. I’ll shoot him first, then you!” Cole Simpson wasn’t the smartest of the bunch, Dade had run off and left him, and he was afraid he was right, he was afraid that he was all that was left of the gang.
Yet he somehow had the idea that he had the upper hand in this thing, that he could bargain with the child’s life. Whoever this man was, he didn’t look like much because he would have fired already. “Mister you fetch me up one a them ponies out front, I’ll give ya this here lad. Whadda ya say Mister? They won’t shoot you, less acourse they don’t know ya, Hell they might just think yer one a us.” Then he laughed at his own joke, if that’s what it was.”
Posted January 17, 2021 / Weedy / With: Wyatt, Jay, Cole
Even with Wyatt being pulled away by the bank robber, Weedy wasn't going to run, but there really wasn't anything he could do at the moment, and then he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Let the boy go!"
"Jay!" Well, there was some hope now! Jay would take care of things. Weedy turned to look toward his friend who was still behind cover.
"Weedy, behind me! Now!"
For a few heartbeats, Weedy hesitated, glancing at Wyatt then back to Jay. He didn't want to leave his friend, but there wasn't anything he could do, and he knew that he would only be in the way if he didn't listen, so he darted behind jay, gripping his fingers into the back of the man's shirt.