UGR- Your Spare Change Bought Me Glory (866 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.66 on 12 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by HighVoltage900 (View user info) at 2006-06-28 13:20:22 EDT
http://www.ubersite.com/m/89576
----
The damn sun. I can't stand the damn sun. It isn't really the heat, nor is it the sand. It's the light, the glaring light that never relents unless it's nighttime, when I freeze. Who knew that the desert could be cold? The mere thought is absurd! Men have cooked alive in the desert, why the hell should they be cold at any time of day?
Maybe I should have kept my clothes on. I remember vaguely some old man telling me that when in the desert you should keep your clothes, but they were so damn hot during the day. Of course I really could use them now, as the sunlight is burning my skin leaving a nice white line around my waist where my holsters are strapped to my belt. Regardless of how hot I get, I'm not leaving my pistols. They cost me a month's salary and I guess you could call them lucky charms of sorts.
Except now I guess you would say I have a new lucky charm.
All those stories of the Devil, all the tall tales I thought were intended to scare little kids into prayin' and goin' to church, maybe they were true. Maybe they were real tales or maybe they were fake tales that mirrored real stories. But I never expected it to happen to me.
An old man telling me where the Devil is started this damn thing. He told me that the devil would grant me any wish for my soul if I met him out in the desert. Now I'm not normally a superstitious man, but there is one wish I always wanted to be granted.
Being a hired gun isn't an easy life, but it pays. But every hired gun knows that speed is key, and closely behind is accuracy. You could get killed out in these parts if you aren't quick with your sixes.
And the Devil told me he could help me with that. After two days of wandering through the desert I found him standing in a fine white wool suit and looking impatiently at a pocket watch. His white hat had a wide brim that covered his eyes unless he looked up, which he had rarely done. His eyes were white as well, as far as I could see.
A soul for the greatest skills in the world, seemed like a pretty fair trade. I wouldn't change it even if I went back, but maybe now I'd ask for some food along with the trinket. A gold coin that he had dug out of his pocket and handed to me. A gold coin that allowed the person holding it to be the fastest gun slinger in the world. A gold coin that would bring my fame and fortune as the best fighter in the United States.
Four days since then and I haven't seen tale nor tell of civilization. There are supposed to be settlers in this area! But no matter how far I walk I see no one! I went out without proper provisions, I've been without food for three days, and without water for two solid days. That damn coin, my pistols, and the holster are the only things I still have. My legs hardly propel me forward at this point because I've lost so much water through sweat. I just feel so darn weak.
Mirages and sand storms could drive a man crazy out here, but I trust my eyes. Every step forward brings a tiny figure into focus. A little boy dressed in Sunday clothes, a little pair of white slacks and a plain white shirt. But his hands, in his hands he has a loaf of bread and a canteen.
"Pretty hot out here to be explorin' isn't it boy?" I croak out to him.
"Little hot for you to be out here too." He replies.
"Hey son. How about letting a starving man eat that food." I said trying to hide my improper parts from the young boy. He didn't notice though, on account of the fact that he was looking down at the ground away from the sun.
"No. I don't just give stuff away." The boy said as he began to walk off.
"Wait here boy! Hold on! I got this nice leather belt! You want it?" I said as I ran around him trying to draw his gaze up.
"No." The boys reply was felt like a weight was dropped on to me.
"How about my pistols? Hmm? Nice pistols for your food and water. That'd be a fair trade right?" I felt desperate, this kid was my ticket to life. My body is tellin' me I couldn't survive for long without sustenance.
"No."
"Well what then? What can I give you for your food? You're not making life easy on a starvin' man!" I felt exasperated by this boy. Shooting him and taking his food isn't far off in my mind.
The boy's footsteps stop and he turned to me, though looking down at my bare feet than my face.
"Got any coin?" He said to my feet. Coin?
"Well I uh...I got this one coin here. But I didn't expect to be spending it." I mutter, reaching into a small pouch on my belt pulling out the Devil's coin.
"That'll do. Trade it for food and water. The coin for your life." The boy said to me.
The Devil has my soul, and he has it because he gave me this coin. But if I die he gets my soul right away, I don't even get to use the coin and the powers it would give me. What is the point of dying of starvation if you are just going to be sent to hell? Why does fate always have to be like this?
"Well?" The boy said looking down at the ground. The coin in my hand practically leapt out and fell at his feet since I threw it at him. He looked up at me, his eyes clear white and his smile wide.
"It's so easy sometimes with you people." The boy said as he gave his food to me. I shoved it in my mouth as soon as I got it, hardly listening to the boy laughing at my urgency. By the time I finish eating, the boy is gone. The food rests in my stomach giving me strength to walk again.
I wander for a while, just walking and walking for a couple of hours. In the distance I see a small town, a town that should have been there a few hours before and saved me the dilemma. The end of the children's story.
The devil always wins in those damn stories. He tempts the fool and the fool loses everything.
I left with all my hopes and dreams into the desert to meet the devil, I came back with nothing.
User Reviews
Submitted by URMY_bitch (user info) at 2006-08-14 22:27:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by KindaNews (user info) at 2006-07-27 00:33:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Bubba camwhore http://www.ubersite.com/m/90963
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-07-01 11:02:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I read this early, and was waiting to rate until Circle posted. Sorry you had to win by forfeit, but this was quite good.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-06-29 19:28:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
HAR HAR SATAN
Submitted by Circe (user info) at 2006-06-29 10:53:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Heh.
I was halfway through when I caught your decidedly unenthusiastic response on Brdn_nkd's post.
Congrats!
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2006-06-29 10:15:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by marginwalker (user info) at 2006-06-28 18:52:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very well-written.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2006-06-28 18:28:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Needs more reviews
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-06-28 14:00:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2006-06-28 13:34:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Did I mention how glad I am that you're back and writing again?
Nice job, HV.
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-06-28 13:32:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Yay for gunslingers
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2006-06-28 13:30:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I really dug the concept of this, but I thought it was just a bit too short. This so-called gunslinger must have been one damed fool to have made some of the choices he did. I dunno. It's a 1.5 really, but I always round up.