See ya, Cowboy! by KJ Micheal (top 10 books to read txt) 📕

He awoke, coughing in a fit as water poured from his mouth. The sun's elegant light shone down from above, drying the upper half of his body; his waist sat submerged in steady water. He leaned up, looking at his surroundings--trees still lined across each shore but the other side seemed further away. He slowly and painfully turned over and pulled himself away from the river, dragging himself until he was completely out of the water. He turned back over and laid with his face to the sun.

The feeling was pleasant. The warmth brought him comfort; It felt as if someone's arms were wrapped around him, telling him that everything would be fine. He forgot about his wounds, slowly closing his eyes. His eyelids glowed in a bright, vibrant color. It reminded him of his days as a child when he laid out along the grassy hills near his home, soaking in the warmth of the sun. He would fall asleep there, only waking up when his mother called out for him, signaling the time for supper. That memory was swiftly blocked out as his eyelids grew dark.

"Hey Mister, are you alright?" The voice seemed similar to the voice he had heard before. "Wake up, Mister."

He grew annoyed by the voice. It was disturbing his peace.

"Leave me alone." He muttered. "You're blocking out the sun."

The voice now seemed to be closer, more distinguishable, "You're awake! Now, c'mon...we have to get going."

He cracked open his eyes, looking up at the face of a girl staring back at him. She seemed to be young, no older than twenty. She had a cut along her chin; the blood dried over the wound. Her hair was a brown, frizzy mess and her red dress...a red dress. He became more aware as it caught his attention.

He thought, She must have been the figure I saw earlier, and that voice...the one who warned me...

He said, "Who are you?"

She appeared confused for a moment before seeming to understand.

"That was quite a fall..." She said, understandingly. "The name's Emma...Emma Baker."

"Emma...Baker." He said to himself. The name seemed familiar but he didnt know why. A sudden, sharp pain shot through his head as he pinched his eyes shut, holding in the pain. He grew tired, he wanted to give up.

"You're in pretty bad shape..."

He said nothing.

"You're going to die soon if we don't get you out of here and to a doctor."

He spoke in a low mumble; his eyes still shut, "It's fine."

"It's not fine..." She said, and then to herself, "Not for me, atleast."

He remained silent.

She stood over him, thinking before speaking up again, "You're brother...he's in trouble."

He opened his eyes, pulled in by the sudden news.

She continued, "He's to be hanged tomorrow by noon for a crime he didn't commit." She reached into a familiar looking saddle bag and pulled out a letter, showing it to him. "This letter contains proof that he's innocent, but without the letter, he's as good as dead."

He reached up to grab the letter as she pulled it away. "You mustn't open the letter or they won't accept. They'll see it as tampered evidence. This letter is from a high ranking official and it can't be opened until it arrives in the town's sheriff's hands."

"Where is this town?"

"It's along the edge of the exact river you're lying next to." She looked up at the river and then back down at him. "If we head there now, and without any disturbances, we should be there by sun fall."

His attention was now brought to her small, outstretched hand.

"C'mon...Get up, Cowboy!"

The leaves that shook loose in the afternoon breeze rained down on the two as they walked through the forest; the young man struggled to keep up a few paces behind. He was tired from the seemingly endless trek they were making towards a town that he didn't even know existed until just recently, though he didn't remember much to begin with. His legs felt like they were going to give way and his wounds only made it worse as they stung with each drop of sweat. He stopped, sitting down next to a nearby tree. Emma noticed his actions and turned around to face him.

She barked, "Hey, c'mon! We need to keep moving or we wont make it in time to save you or your brother."

He looked up at her face. She was concerned, but he could tell, deep down, it wasn't for the reason he initially believed.

He said, "Just let me rest for a moment."

She frowned, "I can't...I wont. We don't have enough time."

"Why do you care so much for my brother anyways?"

"Well...why do you seem to not care at all?"

He looked into her eyes; they played a different act than what was being displayed.

Emma spoke up, "Look: my father..." She paused for a moment before continuing on, "My father is a sheriff, and when I was younger, he taught me many things about right and wrong and what us humans can, and will inevitably do to one another. I found that many of the things he had taught me applied with almost everything that I had come to face throughout my life. Now, I find my self facing another..." She paused for a moment, thinking, before starting up again. "He told me: With his mouth, the Godless man would try to destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge, the righteous are delivered. I believe that I am delivering that knowledge in the form of this letter.

He looked down at her hand where the letter still remained; the letter was slightly bent from her grip around it. He looked back up at her face. There still was something off. Something hidden.

"The innocent will be seen as just that," Said Emma, and then, "Just like how the guilty will be tried as such."

She stood still, momentarily looking at the letter in her hand before snapping out of her deep thoughts. She walked over, crouched down on her knees and pulled out the saddle bag, "I won't be able to do much, but I think these should at least help." She slid the letter under her dress and reached into the bag and pulled out the medical supplies.

He looked at the bag as questions once again grew in his head, "How did you get that?"

"What?" She asked, following his eyes down to the saddle bag by her side. "Oh, the bag? I found it laying across the forest floor. Pretty convenient, huh?"

"Yeah." He said absent-mindedly as she worked on his wounds to the best of her ability.

"Alright, these should hold you together for now." 

"That's good to hear." He said, slowly pushing himself up onto his feet.

"Look at you! Back on your feet." She said enthusiastically. Another act. "Let's get going, we're cutting it close." She said, turning back to where she was originally going.

He started after her, stopping to pick up the saddle bag. He froze at the sudden sound of a click coming from behind him.

Emma spoke as she turned to face him, "Hey! Are you coming-" She froze, letting out an audible gasp.

"What are you doin' way out here?" A voice spoke out from behind. He slowly turned around to face the voice, first taking note of the revolver pointed directly at his face. Behind the gunman were two more armed men; one stood with a rifle in his hands; he held it low, relaxed. The other held a rusted revolver in one hand as he leaned against a near by tree. He looked up past the revolver and at the gunman's face. He watched as the gunman's eyes immediately widening in surprise.

"No shit, boys! Look who it is!" The gunman turned his head, facing the other two to exchange looks before turning his attention back towards him. "James Barner in the flesh!"

He looked up at the gunman in a state of disarray that quickly grew to realization. He thought, James Barner...that's my name...I remember my name...

"So tell me, what is James "Baby" Barner doin' way out in the middle of the forest?" The gunman asked, flashing his uneven teeth.

"I could ask you the same." James said instinctively. He still had no clue who they were or what was going on.

"Did you hear that boys?" He said, turning to the two stood behind him. " 'I could ask you the same,' he says!"

The men laughed as James took the opportunity to turn his attention back to where Emma had been, only to notice she was missing.

"Alright James, stick 'em up, Cowboy!" The gunman said, moving his revolver up and down by flicking his wrist. "Whatever reason you're out here for...it don't matter anyways. You're coming with us." 

The sun's elegant light was broken up as it set behind the many trees that resided within the forest; its light scattered across the four men who walked under the cover of the trees. James walked in front of the others; his hands bounded by a rope. His head continued to ache with each step.

James managed a question that had been on his mind, "Where are you taking me?" 

An unfamiliar voice barked out in response, "You ain't in the position to be askin' questions, so shut yer goddamn mouth!" 

Their leader spoke up, "Calm down, Jessie." And then to James, "We're taking you to Lew...I'm sure you've heard of it."

James turned his head to the side, looking back at the man, "I haven't."

"This aint the time for bullshittin!" The unfamiliar voice spoke up again.

"Jessie! Shut your sister kissin' ass up!" Their leader barked.

Jessie's voice now sounded submissive, "Sorry, Micah."

"You better be!"

James thought, Micah...another name that seems familiar...Jessie?...not so much...

Micah continued, "Now, James. I'm sure you're aware of the price on your head..."

Confusion sunk in as James tried to make sense of what was said, "What? I don't know of any price..."

"James...Buddy, C'mon," Micah said, waving his arms around with his revolver in hand. "I'm trying to be reasonable with ya but you're really starting to test my patience."

"I swear to you. I don't know what you're talking about." James pleaded.

"Stop moving for a second..." Micah said. 

"What?" James asked.

"Just stand still." 

James stopped in his tracks and turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps. Micah