Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted January 25, 2021 / Wyatt Redmond / Written by Wayfarer
Wyatt assured Addy he was just fine. There were smiles of relief and joy all around. The outlaw was under arrest and judging by no more gunshots, the whole robbery must be over. Boy, did he have a story to tell Pa!
"Wyatt!" Weedy ran over to his friend, his cheeks still flushed with excitement. "Are you all right? I didn't expect that! Did you see Jay shoot that man? I was so worried when he grabbed you!"
Wyatt waved his hand in dismissal, "Ahh, I'm good. That jasper should consider himself lucky I did not kick him a good one."
He actually had been terrified frozen in place so that bold statement was nothing more than boyish bravado.
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Posted January 26, 2021 / Arabella Mudd
"Please, Mr. Flandry, come in for some coffee and pie," she offered as the approached the cafe, but then she wondered if that was appropriate, or what was appropriate under the circumstances.
Before he could answer, Clara came racing toward Emeline even leaving the diner door wide open in her haste to check on her employer.
Bridget followed Clara and stood silently clasping her hands together in happiness that Miss Em. Was all right. Well, after all, she did make the best pies and cakes in town, it would have been a hard blow if she’d been killed by the nasty bank robbers.
"Oh thank God you are safe! I was so worried," she stopped short of the woman just when it seemed she might give her a supportive hug. Clara had never been and still was not a hugger. But it didn't mean she didn't care and care deeply.
Ralph grinned at the reunion and paused, "You know, ma'am, I will take you up on that kind offer alright but just not now, not today. I need to get back to my job. Odds are as the excitement dies down some menfolk are going to want to wet their whistles. You take care now."
This understated conclusion to the event was then totally ruined by the flying mass of calico that was Arabella who ran over from the Saloon and flung her skinny arms around Mr Flandry.
“Oh Ralph, Ralph, thank the Lord you are safe!!” she cried dramatically. “You were so brave!” she gasped as he peeled her off. “I watched the whole thing through the winder, you were sneakin’ up on that varmint so nice and quiet until that stupid sheriff went and shot at him. He got off light cause of that, if he hadn’t’ve interfered you’d ha’ got him right between the eyes and blow’d his brains clean out!” she declared, holding up a pretend gun and pulling an invisible trigger and looking somewhat annoyed that the man was still alive, if injured.
“And then you swept Miss Em off her feet and rescued her! Oh, Miss Em, you were a heroine, you didn’t look scared at all – I’d ha’ fainted!!” she blurted and ran over and gave her a great big hug, too.
Then she caught sight of Bridget.
“Oh Bridg, you’re safe!!” she yelped and a third person felt her over-eager embrace. Then she noticed Clara standing there, too. She wondered if there was a good reason she could give her a hug as well, but Clara didn’t like that sort of thing, she knew that by now. Also, there was another thing which needed saying.
“Hey, Miss Em! There’s some feller helpin’ himself to coffee and pie in there!” she said, pointing an accusatory finger into the Diner “It’s a looter! Mr Flandry, you still got your gun?!” she asked, calming down enough now to call him by his proper name.
“Hey you! Drop your pie and come out with your hands up!!” she shouted at poor old Dr. Danforth.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted January 26, 2021 / Henry "Speed" Guyer
Quentin finally noted the motion as Marshal Guyer began moving his suspect in the direction of the jail. He fell into step as they headed down the street. "Do you think we got them all, Marshal?"
Speed looked to the man, “If two went out the back window, we only got one. Either the last of them in here in town, or he has probably stolen a horse, hell, they’re all over town saddled and ready.” He tightened his grip on Marley’s arm. “Who’s the other one? Huh? Who is he?”
Marley looked to the marshal, lips pursed, a glower on his ashen face. “I’m shot, I got no idea what yer talking’ about, law dog.”
“And near as I can figure, you’re gonna hang right soon too. But we’ll see to them wounds. That can go as painfully as you like, Mister. But it’ll be easier if you tell me who the other one is.” It was unlike Speed Guyer to make idle threats, and his threat of additional pain, well in truth, that depended on what pain killer was in the Doc’s bag.
“Appreciate you today Quentin, could certainly have been worse had it not been for you and Flandry. And thanks for haulin’ that hardware to my office. They won’t be needing it, that’s for sure.” He added
Posted January 26, 2021 / Barnabas Pike
With the prisoners and their armaments in the jail Pike stood, hands on his hips. The adrenaline wearing off and some fatigue setting in he whaled , then looked to Speed. "Goin' up ta the Lickskillet see how Em's makin' out. Should oughtta killed Marley there. Em wouldn't a liked that one bit."
"No she probably wouldn't have, but that was a hell of a shot. And while you're gone, get that boot fixed." Speed came back. "See ya in a bit."
Pronto was out the door and hobbling toward the cafe, being lauded with the fine work they did at the bank when in fact it had been Flandry and Cantrell that really deserved the praise for their actions in the situation. Without them Pike knew things could have been a whole lot worse.
He opened the door of the cafe and stepped inside. the sweet smell of fresh baked pie filling the air. He stepped over to her quickly. He saw no one else but her. "You alright, Em? That feller what took holt of you, he's locked up, waitin' on the circuit judge, and a rope." His anger at Marley, clear.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Posted January 26, 2021 / NPCs written by Flip
The top of the ridge had been a hard climb, Dade Marley was grateful that it had not been shale, he likely wouldn’t have made up to where he was. He looked back as he told himself he would, and to give the procured horse a well deserved breather.
There was no dust cloud indicating a posse in pursuit and that was a relief. As to the others? They were probably dead, he couldn’t see the others surrendering to a rope, but they were no longer his problem. He was sure that there was interest in just who he was, if the boys were dead he had no worries, if not, hard to tell what might slip. Just another wanted poster.
He stepped down and tightened the cinch, took the full canteen from the pommel and had a long drink, then Took off his hat and half filled it with water for the horse who drank without prompting. The leather was in good shape, a Winchester was in the saddle scabbard, there were saddle bags, he would wait some before seeing what he had inherited.
Still, there was no one coming out of the town in pursuit. Now, to figure out where he was, and where he would be headed.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
to be continued in "On The Dodge."
Posted January 27, 2021 / Weedy / With: Wyatt
"Ahh, I'm good. That jasper should consider himself lucky I did not kick him a good one."
"You were so brave! There's plenty'a gown-ups who'd'a just fainted clean away!" Now that it was all over and everyone important was all right, Weedy was actually a little jealous that Wyatt had been right in the middle of things while all he 'd done was hidden behind some crates. Of course, he wasn't going to say that, he wasn't going to begrudge his friend that excitement.
"I think I'm going to be a lawman, make sure bad men like that don't hurt anyone." He was ready to go back to school so they could tell their tale, but he knew they had to wait for Miss Addy to say it was all right.
Posted January 28, 2021 / Emeline Pike / With: Bridget, Arabella, Clara, Ralph, Barnabas
:: Where: Lickskillet Diner ::
There was a flurry of activity as Emeline, escorted by Ralph, got to the small cafe, and she was relieved that everything seemed to be in place. She smiled as Clara ran out to meet them, and honestly, she would have been more surprised if the young woman had actually hugged her.
"Oh thank God you are safe! I was so worried,"
"Yes, I'm fine...a little shaken, but unscathed." 'Shaken' was a bit of an understatement, but the chaos around her was actually helping her to focus. "Thank you, Mr. Flandry. Come by any time." She smiled at the man as he took his leave, understanding the need, but then a flurry of gingham flew in, and Emeline was tempted to run back to the bank and ask for the robbers to take her hostage!
“Oh Ralph, Ralph, thank the Lord you are safe!!” she cried dramatically. “You were so brave!” she gasped as he peeled her off. “I watched the whole thing through the winder, you were sneakin’ up on that varmint so nice and quiet until that stupid sheriff went and shot at him. He got off light cause of that, if he hadn’t’ve interfered you’d ha’ got him right between the eyes and blow’d his brains clean out!” she declared, holding up a pretend gun and pulling an invisible trigger and looking somewhat annoyed that the man was still alive, if injured.
“And then you swept Miss Em off her feet and rescued her! Oh, Miss Em, you were a heroine, you didn’t look scared at all – I’d ha’ fainted!!”
At the rapid string of words, and the gesture, Emeline balked a bit, but then commented quietly, "Fainting in a crisis doesn't accomplish anything, dear." After the excitement, then you could faint!
An instant later, the girl was shouting excitedly about someone inside stealing, and for a moment she tensed, but then she realized that Clara wouldn't allow any intruders, and Arabella was prone to histrionics. Besides, Barnabas was gimping over to her!
"You alright, Em? That feller what took holt of you, he's locked up, waitin' on the circuit judge, and a rope."
"Yes, yes, I'm fine..." And even better now that he was here! Reaching up, she lightly caressed his cheek as she looked into his eyes, her realization now that anything that had happened in the bank was by far eclipsed by the fact that she could have lost Barnabas. "What about you? He tried to shoot you...I had to do something." And she would have done more if she could have. "I'm glad they didn't get away." And that they would pay for killing Mr. Olsen...and the horse, indirectly!
Posted January 28, 2021 / Jonah Danforth / With: Buster, Arabella
:: Where: Lickskillet Diner's kitchen ::
More than happy to be away from all the fuss, and at least he could be helping, since he figured that Mrs. Blakesley was likely to be too frazzled to want to do anything, and besides some water might help settle her. And it gave him something to do to feel useful.
Of course, he didn't know the lay-out of the kitchen and had to snoop around some to find drinking glasses and coffee mugs, and in the process he found a one-eyed ginger cat, curled up on a chair, staring at him through a single eye, and a small supply of elderberry and dandelion wine, something he might need later!
But then there was some shouting, and that harridan child was pointing at him and jumping up and down excitedly.
"What?" There was the reinforcement he needed to stay with his conviction that he never wanted to have children...Good Lord forbid he ended up with half a dozen Arabellas...there wasn't enough elderberry wine in the territory to make up for that!
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
Posted January 28, 2021 / Jay Ryker
The tension dissolved quickly when the robber was finally under control and had not shot any of the boys or Jay.
Instead the boys hugged each other, glad that everyone was alright and at the same time extremely excited. Jay watched them with a sigh of relief but inwardly he started trembling because he knew he could have lost both of them and Weedy had become very dear to him. Not even speaking about his own life.
He closed the distance and pulled the boy into a tight hug. "Weedy! I'm so glad you're okay." Then he ruffled Wyatts hair. "You, too."
Of course thanks were in order to the one man, he had avoided like the plague thanks to his own history. "Thank you, you came, just in time. I don't know what would have happened otherwise."
After shaking the mans hand he looked at Addy. Oh man, what if she had lost Weedy ...or him? A smile tugged on his lips as he walked over to her. "That was a close call."
Posted January 28, 2021 / Barnabas Pike
"You alright, Em? That feller what took holt of you, he's locked up, waitin' on the circuit judge, and a rope."
"Yes, yes, I'm fine..." And even better now that he was here! Reaching up, she lightly caressed his cheek as she looked into his eyes, her realization now that anything that had happened in the bank was by far eclipsed by the fact that she could have lost Barnabas. "What about you? He tried to shoot you...I had to do something." And she would have done more if she could have. "I'm glad they didn't get away." And that they would pay for killing Mr. Olsen...and the horse, indirectly!
“You done just fine Em. Just fine.” Barnabas said as he took hold of her hand, a smile on his face. “Danged fool, took off my boot heel! Poor aim, an’ he had me dead to rights, but you did what had to be done, I didn’t figure he could’a downed me anyways. Would’a bedded him down afore that happened.” He paused, his face taking on a dour cast. “Sorry ‘bout the horse, just didn’t see any other way, I had no shot at him that laid hands on you."
“So long as you’re unharmed, that’s what’s important right now. The ones we got in jail will join the ones that was shot soon enough. One escaped, I reckon he stole a horse an’ lit out. Ain’t sure what Speed’ll do about it, bein he’s a town Marshal and got to jurisdiction out yonder. But that don’t mean he might not go after him.”
He looked into her eyes, it had been a long morning already for both of them. The place was full of folks, not counting the Doc and the other women. “Best I get a heel nailed onta this boot, if it can be done, and get down to the office. Just wanted to be sure you were okay."