The West by Whitney Shaw (bill gates books to read txt) 📕

Story

One hot sunny day the kids were doing their chores outside and inside the house. Jack was hunting for big game; Collin chops the wood for the fire. His two sisters Kate and Grace pick up the eggs and attend to the garden. As Collin was chopping the wood he saw two men coming down the dirt road. As Jack was coming down the cornfield he to saw the men, Jack told Collin, Kate and Grace to go inside the house and stay there.

 

"Jack I heard your father hasn't come home," asked Greg?

 

"Yeah so, it's been one day since he hasn't been home, I have a feeling you guys have him locked up somewhere," asked Jack?

 

"It's been awhile, what do you think," asked Ned?

 

As Collin was looking out the window they were talking about something, but Collin could not read lips. Then the men got on their horses and rode off. Collin stepped outside and said,

 

"What did they say about dad," asked Collin?

 

"Nothing, I told them if they come back here again I'll kill them both," said Jack.

 

"Any news about your father," asked mother?

 

"No sorry mother, nothing," said Jack. 

 

"We'll come on, let’s eat supper," said mother.
So they went to sleep. The next morning Collin woke up and saw that Jack was gone. So he ran and told his mother. 

 

"Mom Jack is gone," said Collin.

 

"What," asked mother? 

 

"We've got to find him," said Collin.

 

So Collin took his horse and rode into town to find him. As he arrived in town he tied up his horse and went in the saloon. He saw a man that looked like Jack but Collin couldn't tell if that was his brother or not. 

 

"Jack what are you doing here," asked Collin?

 

"What are you doing here," asked Jack?

 

"Looking for you," said Collin. 

 

"We'll you found me, I am trying to get some answers about our father, so far I've got nothing," said Jack. 

So they left the saloon and went home. 

 

"I am sorry mother for leaving like that, I just want to know what and where is our father," said Jack. 

 

"I know, did you get anything," asked mother?

 

"No I didn't, I got nothing," said Jack. 

 

Well it started getting dark again and still no words from their father. They don't know if he is dead or alive.

       

 

"Hurry Allen with our money, put your back into it," said Ned.

 

You see Allen is Jack's father, those two men knew where Allen was, they just wanted to see what Jack would do. Jack and Collin rode into town and tied their horses up and went inside the saloon and sat down. Greg and Ned were their also. Jack didn't know they were in there with them until Greg and Ned spotted them.

 

"We'll look who it is, it's Jack and Collin," said Greg. 

 

"What do you want," asked Jack?

 

"We were wondering if you could come with us Jack," asked Greg?

 

"What if I don't," asked Jack. 

 

"You'll never see your father again," said Ned. 

 

"Okay I'll go with you," said Jack. 

 

"What no, I am not going to let them," said Collin.

 

"Go home sonny, this isn't your place, no to before somebody gets hurt," said Greg.

 

"Go brother, tell mom what is happening and do not follow us," said Jack. 

 

"Alright come on Jack," said Greg.

 

So Collin got on his horse and took Jacks horse back home with him. As he was heading home he was thinking whether or not he should follow his brother, but they will probably kill him if he tries. When he got home his mother was standing in the door way. 

 

"Collin where is your brother," asked mother?

 

"They took him mother," said Collin in an angry voice.

 

"Who took him," asked mother?

 

"Greg and Ned, I didn't want to let them take him but I had no choice, Jack told me to leave and not follow them so I didn't," said Collin. 

 

"I am worried now, first your father and now Jack," said mother.

 

"It's okay mother, Jack can take care of himself he is strong," said Collin.

 

 

Meanwhile Jack was with Greg and Ned. Ned put Jack on Greg's horse and they were taking him to a place where they took Allen. When they arrived they put Jack in the same enclosure as his father was in. 

 

"Jack is that you son," asked Allen?

 

"Yes father it's me, what are you doing here, were all worried about you we didn't know if you were dead or alive," asked Jack?

 

"I am still here son, they shot my horse from under me when I was on my way home to you guys," said Allen.

 

"Oh I am sorry dad, you loved that old horse," said Jack. 

 

"Yeah I did, he was mine when I was little, he was a very horse," said Allen. 

 

"What is this place anyway," asked Jack?

 

"I don't know son, but we have to get out of here," said Allen. 

 

"How are we going to do that, asked Jack?

 

"Dig our way out son, dig a hole and crawl out," said Allen.

 

"Good idea dad, lets do it," said Jack starting to dig. 

 

"So how is everybody," asked Allen helping to dig.

 

"Their good, Ellen just turned one, Kate is twenty, Grace is seventeen Collin is nineteen and I am twenty four," said Jack. 

 

"Y'all have all grown up," said Allen.

 

Jack finally saw light and dug some more and finally they escaped and stole two horses and rode away.

 

When they arrived home it was dark. All the lanterns were on in the house. 

 

"Maybe they are waiting," asked Jack?

 

"Maybe," said Allen riding to the barn to put the horses up. When they did they walked up to the house and went inside.

 

"So what's for supper," asked Allen with a smile? 
They all jumped up from the table and gave their father hugs and kisses. 

 

" I am glad y'all are home, " said mother in tears. 

 

"Me to don't worry, it's alright girl, everything is going to be alright," Allen hugging Grace. 

 

They all sat down at the table and finished eating they cleaned up and went to bed it was very late. So they slept. The next morning everybody woke up and was doing there chores. When all of a sudden here came Greg and Ned on horses. 

 

"Where's your father boy," asked Greg?

 

"Why should I tell you," asked Collin? 

 

"Boy if you don't tell me where your father is i am going to put a bullet in your head, and I will trash your place until I find him, "said Greg.

 

"I guess your going to have to put a bullet in my head because I am not telling you anything," said Collin. 

 

"ALLEN, COME OUT, OR I'LL PUT A BULLET IN THIS KIDS HEAD," shouted Ned. 

 

"Alright I am coming out, Jack you stay inside," said Allen. 
Allen came out. Then Jack walked out as well. 

 

"I thought I told you to stay inside," said Allen. 

 

"You did, but i am stubborn like you dad," said Jack. 

 

"Collin go inside to your mother," asked Allen?
Collin went inside and gave his mother a hug. 

 

"What are they going to do," asked Collin looking at his mother?

 

"I don't know son," said Mother. 

 

"You know what happens to people who escape us," asked Ned?

 

"They get shot," said Greg getting off their horses. 

 

"Then shoot me and let Jack go," said Allen. 

 

"Father," said Jack.

 

"Shush," said Allen. 

 

"Alright, sounds fair to us, lets go," said Greg.

 

Jack went inside the house. Collin ran up to the window and looked out. 

 

"Where are they taking him, we have to stop them, they'll kill him," said Collin franticly. 

 

"Brother wait, they will kill you as we'll," Jack grabbing him by the arm.

 

"So let them, I don't care, but I am not going to let them kill our father," said Collin. 

 

"Make sure they don't see you," said Jack worried. 

 

"Thanks, I won't let them see me," said Collin. 

 

"Sweetheart, I don't like this one bit, you be very careful, your just a boy," said mother. 

 

"Mom I am not scared, I am going to bring him back, I am a man," said Collin.

 

So he grabbed his gun and followed there horses footprints.

 

As Collin was following his father they went into town. Ned and Greg took Allen into the saloon and had a couple of drinks. Collin went to the back of the saloon and waited. Then Ned and Greg left and Collin followed in behind them. They took Allen out into the middle of no where and made a fire and went to sleep. Collin his behind a bush and went to sleep on his blanket. One early morning Ned and Greg tied up Allen to a tree, Collin was still sleeping. Ned cocked his pistol and aimed it at Allen.

 

“This will teach you not to escape, your never going to see your family again," said Greg.

 

"BANG," Ned shot Allen in the head.

 

Then Collin woke up quickly and looked over the bush and saw his father. Greg and Ned rode off. Collin jumped over the bush and ran to his father. 

"Dad, dad wake up, lets go home," said Collin frantically and sweating.

It was no use he died instantly, so he untied his father and wrapped Allen in his blanked and put Allen on his horse and rode back home. As he got to town everybody was starring and the sheriff stopped him.

 

"Collin are you alright, who is that," asked the Sheriff?

 

"It's my father Greg and Ned killed him," said Collin looking at his father. 

 

"Do you know we're the rode off to," asked the Sheriff?

 

"I didn't but when they come back l'll kill them both," said Collin walking away towards his house. 
When he got home, Jack was chopping wood when he looked up and saw Collin, then a man covered up on his horse. 

 

"Girls go inside now," asked Jack?
So then ran inside. 

 

"It's that," asked Jack?

 

"Yes, they killed him, I should have done something gainer instead of waiting,"said Collin with a tear in his eye.

 

"Go inside and wash up, I'll burry him under the willow tree," said Jack taking Allen off the horse. 
So Collin went inside, his mother gave him a hug and helped him wash his hands.

 

"It's going to be alright," said Mother with a tear in her eye. 
Jack came inside and washed his hands.

 

"I buried him under the willow tree on the hill," said Jack. 
They all walked outside towards the grave. Said a prayer and put flowers on the grave. 

 

"We're going to miss you, things aren't honing to be the same but we will make it," said Mother. 

They walked back to the house. Jacks mother stopped in the door was and looked back at the beautiful sunset and smiled then turned around and closed the door.

Imprint

Text: Whitney Shaw
Images: Whitney Shaw
Editing: Whitney Shaw
Translation: Whitney Shaw
Publication Date: 10-26-2015

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
I wrote this when i was Age: 16 Grade: 9th January 12, 2007