Dreamers, Dream; Writers, Write! Sometimes, the two become one!
Excerpt from Showdown In Shadow Creek
Dressed in trail buckskin pants, cotton shirt and buckskin vest, Eve walked out to join John on the porch, bringing with her, glasses of hard apple cider. Bell appraised the way she looked in the tight fitting riding clothes and liked what he saw. Eve also sported a forty-one caliber revolver on her left hip.
"Expecting trouble? That's quite a bit of hardware on your hip."
"Not really. But I'll be damned if I let you get yourself killed and not, at least, try to help."
Eve was still holding the two glasses when the first shot rang out. Both glasses exploded in her hands and she dove back through the door of the saloon.
Bell reacted instantly. Drawing his Colt, he snapped a shot at the crazed man in the street, missing but causing Swenson to take cover. Sam went down behind a watering trough, but was up again very quickly, firing at the front of the saloon. He was sawing the lever of the forty five-caliber Henry rifle as fast as he could, pumping the remainder of his fourteen shot magazine into the porch and the side of the building. John Bell rose and snapped off two more shots that either missed or didn’t hit vital spots. He dove under the batwing doors and into the safety of the Oregon Belle.
Stuart fired from across the street. The bullets careened off the top of the swinging wooden doors of the saloon. He veered off to the left to join his employer. As Swenson finally exhausted his supply of bullets and stopped near a heavily loaded wagon to reload, Bell rolled onto the porch and snapped off another shot that clipped the hotel owner's shoulder.
Reloaded and bleeding, Swenson stepped behind the wagon to catch his wind and regroup. He spun on Shifty Stuart as the gunfighter reached his side. When he turned back he had no target. Both, Eve and Bell had disappeared inside the saloon.
“It was you that warned him I was coming. Get out there traitor and draw the bastard out; I'll drop him from here.” Swenson ordered. He leveled the muzzle of the rifle at Stuart's gut.
"Mister Swenson, that's murder. You hired me to protect you from him. I'll not be a party to killing a man in cold blood." Stuart declared.
"Shut up traitor. You'll do what I say do. I paid you good to do your job, now get out there and do it or so help me I'll shoot you where you stand."
Shifty Stuart holstered his gun. The still smoking barrel of Swenson's rifle made his choice for him.
He walked out with his hands poised at belt level. Stopping in the center of the street he called Bell's name.
"Phillip, what makes you think I'm going to walk out there and get bushwhacked." Bell shouted from inside.
"John, an honorable man faces his enemy." Stuart was beginning to worry that Bell wouldn't come out.
The alternative was clear. Either John Bell joined him on the street or Swenson was going to put a bullet in him. Beads of sweat dappled Stuart's brow as he waited. Luckily, it turned out the wait was short.
"You're not seriously planning to go out there are you?" Eve asked as Bell exchanged spent cartridges with fresh ones in his new model Army Colt.
"I have to Eve. Like he said, I have to face my enemies. This waiting has to end. I either do it now or turn tail and ride back to Kansas." John Bell set his features in stone and turned toward the batwing doors.
"Then I'm going out with you." Eve checked her pistol.
"No, you're not." Bell turned back. "Listen Eve. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I love you. If you go through that door, I will be watching out for you instead of doing what I have to do, and that may get us both killed." He smiled. "Just be here when I come back. I am coming back."
"But John ... "
He placed a finger to her lips. "Trust me." He swept her into his arms and kissed her deeply.
Eve could only watch as he pushed open the swinging doors and stepped onto the porch.
LATEST REVIEWS! 7/10/2008 Showdown in Shadow Creek by A.C. Croom John Bell, legendary gunfighter finds himself in Oregon again after six years having left this place. In that six years, he served two years in prison for manslaughter and then the rest of the time he was trying to clear the deed he won in a poker game. Shadow Creek welcomed the “retired” gunfighter, but when he was shot, things started to get a little out of hand. First one gunfighter shows up, then a few more seem to follow. Posted by Crystal Adkins
Eve Southerland is not your average saloon gal, she is the owner of The Oregon Belle Saloon and has lost her heart to the newcomer, hopefully he lives long enough to show her what it feels like to find true love.
A showdown is going to happen, a scorned brother, rapist and abuser is about to get his just desserts; but wait there is still a hit out for John. What happens next?
A.C. Croom takes us back in time to the Old West with his novella Showdown in Shadow Creek. A real western with a shoot ‘em up shocking ending makes this a really entertaining read; and let’s not forget that once in a life kind of love. 5 hearts
Contact A.C.: www.accroom.com
