Sam Stone Fleora

Mistakes turn Sam cold.

Sam Stone

Fleora

Sam shoved the double doors that opened up to the Double D Saloon.

A red headed girl nuzzled up to the bar, her back facing Sam. As she turned to face him, Sam pulled his 45 and placed a bullet between her eyes. She fell dead to the floor.

Sadly, and too late, he realized she was not the girl.

Fleora was only fifteen and already a barmaid.

She had no family. Sam took care of the burial expenses and anything else that needed tending to.

He grieved hard over this one, but there was no undoing it.

The red headed demon had added another body to her growing list of victims, this one, however, indirectly.

Sam was more determined now than ever before to bring this evil to her knees.

Word had it she had left town a day before Sam had arrived.

Luck always seemed to be on her side,

“How much longer,” Sam wondered.

With a six month head start, Sam figured he had his work cut out.

Word of mouth had it that she had headed north to Colorado. He figured to head her off in Denver.

Sam had a small wooden cross he removed from Fleora soon after her death. He wore it securely around his neck. 

It would be a weight to bear throughout what life he had left.

“This time,” he said, “It's not just for me.”

Looking out across the desolate landscape, Sam slowly headed out across land once occupied by Ancestral Puebloans around 1000 AD. It was a Golden Age for the occupants of that time. Climate change led to migration and cultural evolution. The tribes built homes along the Rio Grande, Canadian, the San Juan, and the Gila rivers.

Author's Note

Revenge is best served with a 45.

Reviews

[Lorry]

Well at least we now know that Sam ain't messing' about and is certainly gunning for this elusive, devil in a dress redhead, but poor Fleora! Ut down in her youth for nothing more than having a passing resemblance to someone she never knew anything about.
But it does set up your story well and shows that due to Sam falling under her spell, he ain't taking any chances of letting her get away this time.
Maybe he should calm that trigger finger down a bit if he wants to live any longer than his next mistake!
I like how the pace of your tale is of the no messing about variety, which come to think on it, was probably nothing more than real life to those, lucky or unlucky enough to be born in this time and place.
I reckon coffin makers and gravedigger done a roaring trade at least! 😊