Leaving Home
"Bang, Bang!" the sound of gunshots were going off in all directions! This was the beginning of a new life for Annie Louise Belle, a 16 year old girl who lived on a ranch 7 miles Northeast of a small town called Appaloosa. She shot up out of bed and went straight for the window. As she peaked out her mother grabbed her and told her to go hide in the bedroom. She did. Once the noise stopped she tip-toed across the floor and looked out of the crack in the door. "Charlie Belle you no longer own this ranch. We've given you a week to come up with a way to make your pay and you ain't done it. I order you to pack up your belongings and leave within an hour or we'll kill you and your family." Charlie starred in fright at Sheriff Northcutt and his deputies. "Sir, I beg you give me one week, take my horses and cattle, take anything you want just please don't take the ranch. We ain't got any other place to live please sir." The sheriff glared as he reached for his pistol. Her father never harmed anyone nor ever thought about it and the last thing he wanted was for his family to be involved in this. The only gun he owned was an 8 Gauge. He turned to glance at his wife and the sheriff took this as a bad gesture so he shot her father. Her heart stopped. Seeing her father lying on the floor, blood everywhere. She screamed in fright. As her mother ran to Charlie, Deputy Logan grabbed her. Annie's vision went blur and the last thing she remembered was lying on her bed, blood streaming from her four head where she'd been hit, the sound of her mother's screaming voice while being beat, and the worst feeling she thought a person could ever feel...after that she didn't remember a thing. Flickering her eyes trying to awaken herself, she finally raised up. How did she get in the barn? Why was she thrown over in the corner of a stall? Where was her mother? Annie burst into tears. She was scared, she cried and cried until her eyes burned and her throat couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and a pain shot through her body, a soreness she couldn't describe. 'Why me?', thought Annie. While holding onto the stall door she walked herself out and that's when she saw Blaze. The only one of her horses that the sheriff did not take, mainly because he was so small and looked like he couldn't take on an ant if he tried his hardest. What they didn't know was that this was the toughest lil' horse out there, at least Annie thought so. She tied him up to a post and went into the house. The moment she walked in it hit her that what happened was real. She tried not to look at her father lying there, and when she went to her bedroom she found her mother beaten and covered in blood. Was it just her or were the people completely insane for hiring this guy as sheriff! The more she thought about it the madder she got, and she could feel the flames burning deep down in her heart. She needed to leave this place. Her father was a small man, therefore she figured his clothes would fit her so she went to her parents bedroom. Annie grabbed the first things that came into sight. She put on a pair of small, brown pants and a creamy tan shirt and tucked it in. The pants were a bit large for her long skinny figure so she picked up a pair of suspenders and tried them on. "Ahh, they'll have to do.", she muttered to herself. Her feet were small and so were his so she went to get his boots. She pulled them off of his feet slowly while starring at his face. Maybe he would wake up, but no such luck. The boots went way up to her knees as she pulled them on. Her eyes started to tear up but she just wiped them and reached for his brown felt hat. Annie grabbed the 8 gauge and her mother's necklace. She left that place she used to call her happy little home. Outside at the barn, she quickly saddled Blaze, jumped on and headed East at a dead run. Not once did she look back, because that would just slow her down and that was the last thing she wanted. Dodge City was about 56 miles East of Appaloosa. By the direction the sun was located, she guessed it was around 2:00, so to reach Tolido Flat (one of the roughest canyons outside of Appaloosa) by nightfall, she would have to ride hard. The hot sun was blazing down on her. Sweat poured off of her slim figure, but she kept riding. Her thoughts wandered..What would she do when she got there? She didn't know anyone in Dodge City, and what made her decided to travel there so fast? Something deep down inside told her that she should. It must have meant something.
Annie Made her way down the slick rock slabs, down deeper into Tolido Flat. She needed to find a great place to camp, so she picked the closest, sheltered place she could. Under a large, overhanging boulder there was a nice, flat place to set up. She unsaddled Blaze and hobbled him. As she lyed there on the cold, flat ground starring up at the stars, her eyes began to flicker. Soon enough they were out.
The next morning really got to her. She sat up and stretched as long as she could. All the muscles in her body ached, because she hadn't rode a horse for 3 years. "Good morning Blaze!" He was standing over by the saddle on the ground with his head down and eyes closed. "Oh come on now, don't look so bored hun." His ears perked up and Annie smiled. Even though her body was in pain, she reached for the saddle on the dusty, solid ground and threw it onto Blaze's back. After that she cinched him up tight. Foot in the stirrup, she swung her leg over. "Hey little missy, just what are you doin out here?" A deep, shaky voice came from behind the cactus plants. "Who are you, show yourself! If I have to come look for you I'll kill ya!" Annie replied in a tough, fearless voice. It was quiet until the sound of hooves came followed by the sight of a shriveled up old man, with a long, grey, shaggy beard wearing a floppy ol' hat riding a tiny black donkey. "Now don't you go to shootin' at me young lady, I don't mean no harm to ya's. Im justa passin through headed to Dodge City and ran into ya." Annie glared at him, hand on the gun ready to use it if she needed. "What's your name sir?" She asked. "The names Bill Guneter ma'am, if you don't mind I'd like to know yours." "Why should I tell you, how am I supposed to know you ain't out to get me or something?" Her voice was shaky now and she was beginning to be afraid. Bill started to come closer and she raised the gun. "Missy I aint gunna hurt you, now just listen. A girl young as you just shouldn't be out here in this kinda territory alone. Plenty a thing could happen to ya. I heard they located a few Apache out here this way and there's plenty a animal to get you and your horse." He made a point. Annie thought about it and finally told him. "My name's Annie Louise Belle, the sheriff came and took my pa's ranch yestereday and he shot and killed him. They took ma and beat her to death. I ran off as soon as I woke up thismornin and I figured Dodge City was the direction I should head. If you aint out to hurt no one then I might as well be safer ridin along with you." It was silent. Finally he spoke. "Well youngin just foller me then." Annie boiled with anger," I would appreciate it if you just called me Annie! I aint no youngin!"
Dust blew around them as they made their way up the rocky canyon. Amazement often crossed her mind the rest of that day. This was what she had always dreamed of doing. Riding out by herself, living off what little she had. Now that it was happening she wondered if she would really like it after all. Annie's stomach growled repeatedly until finally she couldn't take it. There had to be SOMETHING to eat around that empty canyon! The little old man spoke. "You hungry?" 'My oh my, did he really just ask that?', she thought to herself. "Yes, yes I am starving sir." Annie said in a quick tone. "Well then we better find ourselves and the animals something to munch on!" He grinned. She felt bad about being so rude to him earlier, knowing now that he wasn't what he appeared to be. Deep down she wanted to keep apologizing to him but she knew that he had already forgiven her. It was a quiet adventure those 3 days to Dodge City. They hardly spoke but when they did, she couldn't get enough. The stories he told about growing up, his families ranch getting burned down, their animals shot dead. Annie felt like they shared something in common. Something that was close to them, but caused so much pain.
No comments:
Post a Comment