The sky was too bright as he opened his eyes. His cold body made his hangover feel unrecoverable as he tried to get up from the stoney ground but he needed to rest. Yet he needed his stuff from her house but he knew showing his face would be criminal and he was far too sick for it. But he had to face what he did, even if it was the last thing he wanted to do. His back ached as he got up from the ground.
His surroundings were familiar to him as he thanked God for not walking far. Though, the dread increased when he realised it wouldn’t be long until he was likely getting a gun to his face. Every step was hell, his head felt like it was splitting in the middle and all he wanted to do was put the cold metal of his gun against his skull and blow his brains out. It felt like the better option to him. Yet, his feet continued to walk towards the house.
He could see the door. The dreaded door, Logan thought. He wanted life to swallow him up as the bright sun beamed on his eyes. He got closer to the door and the shade rescued him from the beaming sun. The door wasn’t locked as he walked straight in.
Logan couldn’t see Jim but he heard a man talking to Annabelle in living room. He closed the door and looked over to them. Annabelle gave him a deadly stare as she took her focus of the man. Logan was glad she didn’t say anything; though, he wanted to know who the man was, desperately. He didn’t like the man’s straight posture, smirk and his face that looked like it was longing for answers.
Then Logan looked at his jacket which was fresh and clean. Suddenly, he seen a sheriff’s badge and instantly tried to hide his sweating forehead. Did she backstab me?
As Logan got closer, she said, “Just go to the kitchen… I’m talking to someone.” Logan happily listened to her as he scurried to the kitchen. As Logan got to the kitchen, he tried to look if Jim’s door was open to his room but it was slightly open and seemed empty. He asked himself whether going in the room would be a good idea; however, he decided against it and began to listen to Annabelle and the so-called sheriff. Yet, he was dubious about trusting her. He sternly asked himself, would she stab him in the back?
“So, what are ya really here about?” Annabelle asked while crossing her arms.
The so-called sheriff put his head to the floor and sighed. As his head began to lift, he started to speak, “come on… I know you hear stuff.” He was now looking at her, “and I know you know what happened last night, am I right?” He was smirking at her as she was smiling back at him. Logan’s face grew red and his stomach started to feel sick.
“You’re on about the shoot out last night, right?”
“Well… what do you know about it?”
“That’s all.” The sheriff looked away again and sighed with exhaustion. “That’s all I know, it’s wild out there.” She crossed her arms again.
His posture lowered slightly and he said, “it’d be less wild if people would act more like people. We need to come together in this new time.” His passion soared. “It’s the new world and we need to have new morals, new understandings and new actions, otherwise you’ll be left behind, whether you like it or not.”
She sat, with not a word insight and Logan felt himself wanting to defend her. He asked, why? Why defend her?
The sheriff continued to press her. “These are new laws, new rules, and everyone has to follow them. You of all people know about consequences and there will be ramifications for everyone’s actions.” His posture stood tall. “There is a reason the gang isn’t seen all too often and I’ve heard their presence will no longer be our problem for long.” His tone of voice turned softer, “so, please… please don’t cause no trouble and you’ll be living life without the hate surrounding you.”
Her facial expressions were cold, just like her voice, “I haven’t done anything. Nor do you have proof, so if you’re gonna accuse me of things, you can get out.” The sheriff went back to looking at the floor, like he had no hope left for her and it didn’t sit right with Logan. He wanted her to have hope, he thought no one should look at her like charity.
It didn’t take long for the sheriff to reply, “come on now, there isn’t many other girls who would shoot a gun. I know not many know you can look after yourself but I do, and what happens if the gang finds out about you? One of the gang member’s sister hates them and knows… no, actually… is one of the best shooters in town. What happens? Please enlighten me!”
“Is that a threat?” Her words were emotionless.
He put his head in his hands and then replied like it was needless, “of course not. I have your back always. But if you commit a crime, I cannot help you. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t, so for your own sake, just stay out of trouble. Times are changing, Annabelle.”
Her careless face turned to anger, “but you’ll help all of them criminals with badges.”
“I know it’s not perfect… I know that but if we can give the badge to better people, then this will work, I can promise you that.”
She sighed. “When that happens, I’ll be dead. But we all know things don’t really change. This world is too cruel. Everything seems promising but the world will make sure to cut your wings if you go to far.” She was looking at him, waiting for his reply as he was holding himself up with his hand.
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“Like I said, I know it isn’t perfect but in the old world, I could only see the darkness that surrounded everyone and that darkness wouldn’t stop following you. Yet, in the new world, I can see the light. You can feel it… like it’s in front of us all. You just need the courage to reach for it.”
The sheriff sat back and lifted himself out of the chair like he had been sat there for an eternity. Her face began to brighten as he continued towards the door. Logan thought the guy was full of shit and had known a thousand like him but not one that actually took action.
Suddenly, he stopped and turned to look at him. Time stopped. “Nice to meet you.” Logan nodded his head like a child that was in trouble. “If you don’t mind me asking? What’s your name?” The sheriff asked innocently as Logan’s stomach twisted and twirled.
“My… my name is Lo… Luke.”
“Don’t say much, do ya?” They both chuckled. “Ya been in town long then?”
Logan began to fiddle with random objects. “Well… ya know how it is.”
“So, not long?”
He replied candidly, “I’m sorry, is it your business?”
The sheriff, who was looking even more curious, turned back round to the door and said, “well… I suppose I should get going, anyway.” He left while shaking his head.
Annabelle went to follow behind him, escorting the old sheriff to the door. Once the door shut, she turned and faced Logan. With a face full of anger, he began to back his actions up. “I… I… Please. I am sorry.” He had no reasons for how he acted, just sorrow.
Yet, her furious face had no change and he checked if she was armed. He thanked God when he seen nothing, except for seeing his death on her face, but at least he had a chance, if she tried.
He kicked his boots together and waited for her long-awaited reply. Though, it didn’t come and she took her attention away from him. She walked to siting area and sat back down with her arms crossed. The room was divided by the both of them as he debated with himself.
Should he leave or should he stay, Logan asked himself over and over again. Every answer weighed him down further, with not a clue insight, he went to grab the rest of his stuff that he forgot.
Yet, his safety was in question, if he went outside; the gang would be everywhere, he thought. Was it worth it? Did he really want to face Annabelle’s wrath? Logan continued to ask himself.
“Will you talk to me? I Know wasn’t myself last night.” She didn’t even look interested. “Ya know what the drink can do,” his nervous laugh made her turn and face him, “come on… we still have that job to do.”
She suddenly stood up and screamed at him, “you fucking what? Look at you! You… homeless piece of shit… do you really think that wasn’t you?” She took a deep breath. “I know what drink does to people; it shows you their true colours and yours are clearly dark.” Her words felt like little daggers flying at him as he felt tied up. She approached closer. “Why don’t you leave my house? Leave and never return to this god darn town. Do ya hear me, fool? Do you know what you lost last night?” She stopped shouting as he stood still. “Hey do ya….”
Without notice, Logan stamped his foot on the floor, and stared her right in the eyes and released his anger. “Don’t you dare!” He, once again, stamped on floor, “don’t you ever speak to me like I’m the shit on the bottom of your boot. I admit, I was a prick and I am ashamed in how I behaved, especially since you lot have cared for me, helped me and I have grown a bond with you all that I haven’t had in years… so, the answer is yes, I do know but don’t let last night ruin it.” He could slightly see her heart open up. “Please… we make such a good team, just give me time to get things right? Please?” The dread in his voice was clear to him and her. He couldn’t lose what he had gained and he wasn’t thinking about the things they had robbed.
She put her head to the floor. “I don’t… I cannot lose something that I care about anymore… I just cannot.” Her eyes, full of sorrow, looked back at his eyes and he dreaded her next sentences. “If I spent any more time with you….”
“I’ve lost people… people I care about… people that mean so fucking much to me.” Logan put his head to the ground, “and I know it’s hard… life, time that passes by and the dangers that will kill us without no warning… it’s fucked up,” his head was lifting from the ground, “but I have learned something this past week. Life is worth living for the moments that you and the people you care about have together. And we should never want to be alone, even if it meant you are eventually going to lose them. I learnt that the hard way, please… please learn it a different way. Even if it doesn’t last long, at least we can say it happened.”
Logan spotted a tear going down her cheek and before he could speak again, Annabelle interrupts him, “wisdom… wisdom from you?” She began hiding her on tear. “I know what you mean but it’s hard for me to care for new people and by the way you go on, you do too.”
They both stared at each other, one showing loss and the other showing guilt. They both stood still, understanding each other with just their eyes. Her green eyes were shinning like gems, ones that could not be ignored as the tight feeling in his chest was passing. He could not look away.
Yet, she turned her head away and he felt the same cold air. She suddenly stood up and was looking at the table, business was on her face but he wondered what, did she want him out? As she put her hands on the table, he knew his fate was sealed by the unforgiving god. He was looking at her door and it looked back at him like a dark, unlit, and starless path.
Though, he needed to see the stars, even if he was blinded by the light. He wanted to be consumed by it. Logan knew that now. “If ya going to stay and work on this job with me and Jim… then… ya going to have to promise me… promise me that you’ll be nice to us, especially when we are nice to you.”
Before Annabelle could continue speaking, he cut her off with a soft tone of voice. “Please. I know what good people are when I am looking at you.” He stood straight, showing his drive and the feeling of refusing to quit, even if he was sat on a galloping horse that had been set on fire. “I promise you I will not be evil, no more. This bank job is ours for the taking. And I want us to be a team.”
Her serious face grew softer as she seemed to have released a torturing pain. “If ya with us… then be with us,” her voice was clear and had purpose as she continued to speak, “we will need to to be strong in here,” she pointed her finger to her temple, “and in here,” she pointed her other finger to her heart.” As he smiled, Annabelle moved closer, “we need to be able to depend on each other. So… please… make it easy because the bank job is happening tomorrow.”
He was in deep thought after her words; though, not for long, “the bank job is happening tomorrow?”