The sun was slowly setting over the small, dusty town of Silver Creek, casting long, menacing shadows on the wooden houses. Grim Williams, a young man with piercing deep blue eyes and messy black hair, wandered the alleys, his thoughts swirling like the storm clouds overhead. At only seventeen years old, he already carried the weight of a legacy he did not choose.

In the family home, the tension was palpable. Robert Williams, his father, was a man of imposing stature, but his heart was as cold as steel. The cries of Lenny, his mother, often echoed through the walls of the old building, a tragic melody that had become daily. Grim remembered nights when he huddled under the sheets, his ears plugged with fear, while the blows rained and his mother cried.

Lenny, with her long brown hair and tired eyes, was a gentle, caring woman, always ready to offer a comforting smile, but the years of violence had left their mark on her. She did everything she could to protect her children, but Robert seemed to pick on Grim, blaming him for failures he didn't cause. Every scream and blow echoed in Grim's heart, fueling a dull anger he couldn't express. Memories of his childhood mixed with silent promises: he would never become like his father. His inner struggle was as intense as the external struggles he was about to face.

Grim's grandparents, Carl and Dina Williams, had built a fortune through ranching, a thriving business that had made the family proud for generations. Carl, a man of imposing stature with features marked by hard work, had been a man of principle, but he had failed to raise his son righteously. Dina, sweet and affectionate, was the light in the darkness of their home. The stories of their success still echoed in Grim's mind: of a time when the family was united, before the demons came to take over. Although they had been dead for years, the shadow of their legacy still weighed heavily on Grim.

Grim had three brothers and two sisters who were also struggling to survive this nightmare. Andrew, the eldest, was a dream builder, seeking to escape the city through hard work. He dreamed of a future far from domestic violence. Richards, the dreamer, always had his nose buried in books, imagining worlds where magic could save him from their father's clutches. Jack, the youngest, was innocent, barely six years old, but he already absorbed the fear in his brown eyes, like a sponge, his sister Eva who dreamed so much of getting rid of this heavy burden and his last sister Cathrina.The siblings argues each other, but Grim was often the one who took most of the burden.

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One evening, when the cries echoed inside, Grim approached Jack, the little brother, and whispered to him: "One day, I promise you all stop. Jack had looked at her with his big innocent eyes, blindly believing in the promises of his brother. This promise weighed heavy on Grim, a motivation in his quest for redemption and revenge against his father.

Apart from this family frenzy, there was his uncle, a man with a past as dark as that of Robert, but who had chosen a different path. Imprisoned for over fourteen years, this uncle had been a figure of mystery and force in Grim's life. During his tenth anniversary, he had offered her a Colt Paterson, a gift that Grim deeply cherished. "A man must always be ready to defend what belongs to him," he said with a smile, a glow of challenge in his eyes. This quotation marked Grim forever, symbolizing his desire to fight for his family and to prove his value, even if it meant engaging on a dark path to surpass his uncle and become the greatest outlaw.

But in this decaying world, a light shone for Grim: Rose Campbell. She was the daughter of the local ranker, beautiful as in the morning, with blond hair that shone in the sun and eyes that seemed to capture the light of the stars. When he saw her, her heart was beating faster, a feeling that transported him beyond the horrors of his daily life. Rose, with her kindness and courage, gave him the hope of a better future. Grim admired every movement she made, every smile she offered, and he couldn't help but feel deep admiration for her. Stanley, by his side, often had a mischievous smile, laughing at the distraught admiration of his friend. "Did you see how she moves? Looks like a dancing star! He joked, causing Grim for a mixture of discomfort and happiness.

By his side, Stanley Davies was a rock. Childhood friends, they had shared joys and sorrows, but their link had intensified over the years. Stanley, still ready to laugh, was the sun in Grim's dark world. Together, they had formed an inseparable band, their friendship being the only bulwark against the storms which threatened to engulf them. Stanley had this talent to make Grim even in the darkest moments, a gift he cherished. Their laughter resounded as a promise of better days, even if Grim knew that he was intended to fight for his survival and that of those he loved.While Grim was held there, between the dusty alleys of Silver Creek and the uncertain future waiting for him, he knew he had to make a decision. Diving into the dark to prove his value and satisfy his quest for revenge against his father, or fight for a light that he hoped to find one day alongside Rose. The cursed inheritance that weighed on him was both a curse and a blessing. In this struggle, he promised to never give up, neither for him, nor for his family, nor for Rose.

The chapter closed on this thought: "In the tumult of the West West, it is sometimes necessary to get lost in the dark to find the light that sparkles in the distance. »»