VENGEANCE OF A STRANGER

By John R. Mabry | 9th Grade | 14 years

I shut the door to the sheriff's office, the star gleaming on my pocket. I pulled my vest sharply down over it and with quick strides made my way to the saloon. I intended to reward myself, for I had just bought out the Widow McKenzie's cattle herd and ranch for a mere fraction of what it was worth. I now owned a part of every business, ranch and herd in the territory. You might say I owned the town. I was proud of my great wealth, my power.

I was, at best, disliked by everyone in the town, especially after I had killed their sheriff. It seemed like only an hour ago that the two of us stood face to face. It had to be one of us. He went for his gun, but I was the quicker of the two. I had my gun back in the holster before he clutched at the wound that ended his goody-goody life.

"May he rot before they get him to his grave," I thought as I stood, staring over his cooling body. I spat on him and walked off, not caring to see the tobacco gleam in the sunlight and trickle off his cheek.

As I entered the saloon everyone rose from their seats, offering theirs if I wanted. Since I was feeling good, I took an unoccupied stool by the poker table. A sigh of relief swept the room, and it got more or less back to normal.

In the five years I have been here things have always been tense.

I drank my fill. Then, drunken and warmed against the cold, I shot the bartender and went to bed.

In the morning I awoke, surprisingly enough, without a hangover. I lifted my revolver, spun the cartridge and replaced a bullet into the empty slot. I opened the door and greeted the morning with a sneer. Some of the children outside ran and hid behind their mothers' skirts, at least that way they were out of my way. I walked down the middle of the street, making any of the traveling to be done on the side of the road, out of my way. Men tipped their hats at me. I growled back. It was no different than any other day, yet... Suddenly, the wind and the noise stopped.

No dust stirred. Not a horse nor carriage moved. It was deathly still. I turned to see a huge black stallion, black as oil, shiny, with breath as cold as death. The hooves made not a sound, stirred not the dust, but what was odd was ... the rider.

He was clad in a black woolen cloak, with a hood that covered his face. A long sword hung at his side, studded with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Any other time I would have been in a frenzy to get it, to own it, oh, such wealth. But now, I had no desire for it, I feared it as I did the horse and the rider. I feared for the first time in five years. But I couldn't let the town know it. I, who was afraid of no man, afraid of some fool in a dress who was scared to show his face? I turned firmly on my heel, acting bravely. My voice, however, betrayed me, I looked at the hood. Beneath it were the outlines of a face,
the details obscured by the sun and shadows.

"'Lo there, stranger." I shouted

"Greetings, Renold."

"You know my name?"

"Have I not said it?"

"How?"

"I know and feel all that do harm, Renold,"

"Who are you?"

"It matters not who I am, but for the purpose I was sent."

Anger grew within me, I looked about, the people of the city stood staring out towards the street, smiling as if they knew something I didn't. I was enraged. I wanted to know. I had to know. I screamed at him, "WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME? WHAT DO YOU WANT?" He stood grim and silent, his horse whinnied.

I warned him; "Go for your gun."

"I wear no such weapon."

"Well brother," I sneered, "That's your problem, not mine." In a single motion I drew my revolver and fired. But faster still did he unsheathe his sword, and deflect the bullet.

"The time has come," said he. He pointed at me and in a blinding flash a bolt of lightning deflected off the sword from the sky, toward me, piercing my heart, and mind, and soul. I watched him as he sheathed his sword, turned his horse, and rode out of town.

It wasn't until after the townspeople had carried me to the cemetery and buried me, deep within the earth, that I realized that I was their burden no more.