Dark days of Texas.. Comanche Ridge, the last stand for the devils..

Last chapter of a story started in 2018. Chapter 10.

Dark days of Texas.. Comanche Ridge, the last stand for the devils.

Shirley told Tammy when they saw Fort Concho. My a*s is so wore-out. I ain't going to sit down till I go to sleep. Tammy smiled and she agreed. Old man John saw soldiers coming to them led by a Captain. The Captain got off his horse and he met him with his hand reaching out. He told John. I am Captain Jack Dennington and I am very glad to meet the officer who won the war for the North. Jalan and Kurt walked up and the Captain told them. It is my honor to meet Captain Wild Buck Jalan Washington and Sergeant Kurt Williams. He shook their hands and he laughed. Kurt, you are infamous. The soldier who turned down the Medal of Honor from the governor. You are welcome to be with us at Fort Concho. I received the message yesterday, you folks were coming. If you need anything. Please ask. I have a large cabin for you and your traveling companions. Please join the soldiers for 6 am breakfast tomorrow. The soldiers are waiting to meet the Civil war heroes and the great Texas Rangers. John thanks him and he asked. Could I get more water and more rations?  Captain Dennington smiled and he told them. My supply sergeant will have your wagon loaded and ready by six thirty am. Please follow me into the fort. They rode the horses in and the wagon followed. The soldiers on duty saluted Jalan and John. Jalan laughed and he told Old man John. Now I get respect with death kiss near.

The cabin was wonderful. Ten beds and a small kitchen. Tammy told Wolf woman Sherry. Load of coffee for you my pretty. Sherry told her. Please make some now. Shirley went to the kitchen. The Army cooks had brought some meat and potatoes stew for them, was still hot. They sat together in a needed silence and they enjoyed the meal. Jalan told them. Best beef stew, I ever ate. They laughed.

A young Sergeant knocked on the door and he requested Major John Wilson to meet with the Captain. John stood-up and he told them. Try to rest. A hotter day tomorrow and we must try to reach Fort Griffin by nightfall. He went to the office of the Captain. He entered the room and he saw two glasses and a bottle of Irish whiskey. The Captain came to him and he told him. We have information for you. Please sit down and we will talk. The Captain sat down and he poured the whiskey into the glasses. He told him. We caught a man asking questions and he is locked-up now in my jail. We made him talk and he told me. You won't make Fort Griffin. He told us, Dirty Deed Eric is waiting for you at Comanche Ridge. I send soldiers to find him and he was a ghost. Do you need soldiers to go with you? Comanche ridge is dangerous. The Apaches and the Comanches could hold their ground and escape without being caught. John thought a second, tapped the glasses of the whiskey with the Captain. They drank the whiskey. John smiled. Damn, Irish whiskey. First time since I left New York city many years ago. Thank you and we will go into the Comanche Ridge alone. Eric is desert smart and he won't attack a squad of soldiers. We must allow him to find us. He knows, I am coming to him. He will find me. The Captain smiled and he told him. I knew the answer already John. He pours two more glasses of the whiskey and the Captain raised the glass high into the sky. To long life and more sexy women. They touched glasses and they drank the whiskey. The Captain gave John, a fresh bottle of the Irish whiskey. He told John. This is for Jalan. I know he liked the cheap stuff. Tell him I said. He is remembered.

He returned to the cabin and he gave the Irish whiskey to Jalan. He told him, what the Captain said. Shirley and Tammy came near and they told Jalan. We have Irish whiskey to drink tonight. Let's start now, so sleep can come easy and fast. Jalan smiled and laughed. They went to the table. Tammy brought four glasses. Wolf Woman Sherry joined them. They didn't talk, they killed off the bottle in twenty minutes. After the drinking was done. The four wandered to the cots. They found sleep quickly. John went to Kurt. He was preparing his opium and he asked John. Can we win? John told him. I have been a live for almost seventy years. We must die. Maybe a good death, we need. Kurt put the opium pipe to his mouth and he gave a silence answer. Kurt told the night, I am tire, so damn tire.

In the morning. The Fort Concho soldiers waited for them. The six arrived at six am on the dot. The soldiers stood-up and saluted John and Jalan. They served steak and eggs. The captain told them. We eat the steak, one day a week. We wanted to honor you with a good meal. We will remember this day. Many of the soldiers greeted Kurt and Jalan. The three women ate in silence. Shirley told Sherry. The glory of men. They praise killing and they forget. The men, they killed had families. Tammy held Shirley right hand and she whispered. I dreamed death was near.

They left the post at seven-thirty am. John knew at anytime, they would be attacked. He estimated around noon, Eric would find them at the Comanche pass entrance. 

Eric was nervous this morning. His informant didn't return and he knew. Old man John would be prepared. He gathered Dominic, Eddie and Cheryl Lee. Don't shoot the rifles till we can kill Berserker Kurt first. We don't want a gun-fight. Old man John and Wild Buck Jalan can't take us on alone. Eddie laughed and he told Eric. I met Jalan in Austin. He is the meanest and blackest man, I ever seen. He will be hard to put down. He had killed many. Dominic laughed and he told them. Even a mad dog can be killed. Cheryl Lee told them. Please let's escape to California now. We have the Mexican Army gold and silver that could last a lifetime. Eric went to her. He kissed her three times and he told her. We must put Old man John down or we won't know no peace.

Was a quiet trip to Fort Griffin. He told only Jalan and Kurt. The possibility of attack will happen around noon. They rode ahead of the wagon by 100 feet. Sherry told Shirley and Tammy. Won't be long. I smell death. Shirley looked very sad and she hugged Tammy. She whispered. I am praying for a good ending. 

John told Jalan and Kurt. We are entering the Comanche pass. Stay alert. Many small mountains surrounded them making the view difficult and impossible to know who was coming or going. Kurt felt a bullet go by his face and he jumped off his horse and he took cover in the rocks. Jalan and John did the same.

Eric told Dominic. What did you do? I told you. I wanted a dead-shot and you were out of range. Dominic looked scared and he told Eric. Now, we will have a fight. Eddie called Dominic a dumb a*s and Cheryl Lee looked frighten.

Jalan, John and Kurt found better cover. John told them. We must get closer. My Remington rolling block need a hundred yards to put someone down. Jalan told Kurt. If we live, we must thank Captain Dennington for the new rifles. Kurt held silence and he knew. Many will die today.

All of a sudden. Shirley walked pass them. Her shot-gun was in the wagon and John told her. Come back Shirley now. She walked toward Eric. Eric saw the old woman and he told Dominic, Eddie and Cheryl. Please don't shoot. He recognized her. He told Cheryl Lee. That is Shirley, my father friend and my dear friend. What is she doing? Shirley raised her hands-up and she walked directly to Eric. Eric stood-up and he went to Shirley. He asked her. What are you doing? she told him. Once you saved my life and I want to save your life. Please no-more killing. Eric saw another woman running toward them. She was unarmed and Shirley asked him. Please allow her to come to us. Tammy is my friend. Eric asked Shirley. Will Old man John allow us to escape without a battle? Shirley kissed Eric face and she told him. You must promise to leave the USA. Go deep into Mexica or Central American. I will talk to John. Eric felt Cheryl Lee behind him and she whispered. Please Eric, let's escape this mess without anyone dying. Tammy came and she embraced Eric. She asked Eric. Did you help a woman ten years ago. She was rape, shot and dying. They found herbs and someone dressed her into clean clothing. He told her. Two women were kind to me and Dominic. They fed us and they gave us water. I left their house, me and Dominic. We returned in late afternoon and we saw the Gleason brothers riding by. Laughing about killing some women. I found the two woman nude and barely alive. Me and Dominic, we tried to help them. It was too late. We dressed them and we found the three Gleasons brothers and we killed them dead. Tammy had tears flowing and she kissed Eric hands. She whispered, thank you.

John asked Jalan. What is going on? They saw Shirley and Tammy coming back to them. Kurt looked at John and he told them. Maybe we can stop killing. I am so damn tire John and I want to go home to California. John stood-up and Shirley/Tammy came to him. He asked, what the hell was this? Shirley, with tears in her eyes. She told him. I knew Eric father Walker and his mother Little Wolf. He was a great man who saved my husband and my life often. He was killed by the Kansas men, filled with hate. The Kansas men killed my husband and Eric saved my life. Please allow him to go into Mexico and disappear. He told me. He won't return no-more. Tammy took John's hands. John, you have killed enough men. Please no more death. I had enough. Jalan rose up and he told John. We have a Mexican stand-off. Some of us could die or all of us could die. Maybe we need to quit the damn wars. You and Wolf Woman can go to Michigan. I will find Selena, marry her and we will follow Kurt to the sea.

John walked alone to Eric and Cheryl Lee. Eric offered his hand and he took the hand. He told Eric. You and I have killed many and one day in hell or heaven. We will ask God or the Devil. For forgiveness. There is no forgiveness Eric. If you live in blood, you will die in blood. Shirley told me. You will leave the USA and never return. If this is true? Maybe a truce? John stared into the eyes of Eric and Eric returned the stare. Cheryl Lee told John. We will leave now John. We are tire of the killing also. My father fought every day of his life and I don't want this. Eric, still holding John's hand. He asked him. John, you will allow me, Cheryl Lee, Eddie and Dominic to ride away to Mexico? John looked at Shirley and Tammy. He told Eric, yes. Eric told Cheryl Lee. No more killing. She hugged him and she thanks Old man John.

John returned to Jalan and Kurt. He told them. We are going home. Wolf Woman Sherry came to John. She whispered. Thank you my love. Eric, Cheryl Lee, Eddie and Dominic rode west. Cheryl Lee told Eric. We will go to southern California. You can become a healer and I will have many babies. Dominic told Eddie. We are going to the sea and we will forget the damn Texas.

Kurt left in the early morning for California. It was a long goodbye. He told John. If Michigan is too cold for you and Sherry. I will have room for you in California. Sherry held Kurt, a long time. She gave him some herbal tea to relax his mind. She told him. Find the kind woman again and stay with her, please. He told her yes. John, Tammy, Shirley, Sherry and Jalan headed back to Austin. Jalan told John, I will get marry to Selena. Me and Selena will follow Kurt to California. I am done with Texas and I will retire from the Texas Rangers. No more killing.

Shirley told John. Tammy staying with me. We will seek a safe place to live and maybe Michigan is a safe place? He told her. My home is your home and I would be honored to have you with me in Michigan. Shirley and Tammy smiled. In Austin. Selena accepted Jalan offer of marriage. It was a grand wedding. Jalan and Selena left for California in the early morning. Was a long goodbye. Jalan went to John and he told him. I owe you everything. I still remember your ugly face carrying me to the Army Doctors and you demanded. I got attention. If you need anything. Please find me and ask. John told him. I want one thing Jalan. You to have a good life.

John, Sherry, Shirley left the next day for Michigan. Shirley told John. Ain't going miss the heat of Texas.

Coyote

Author's Note

Thank you for reading.

Reviews

[Kim S.]

Wow!! What a read, great description and imagery in this

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for reading and the comment. I started in 2018 and I finished yesterday. I appreciate the kind words.